Writing a Description

Planning a Description

A good description doesn't just come out of thin air; it's the result of thinking and planning.

Thinking about Subject, Purpose, and Audience

A Subject: You usually don't have to look around for a subject to describe. The subject is already there. For example, you need to describe a new jacket you want for your birthday. Or you need to describe your state capitol building in your history report. If you do have to think of a subject to write aobut, it helps to choose something you know well. you might think of an object in your own home or a place you know very well. If you don't know the subject well, you may have to use your imagination.

A Purpose: Your purpose for writing can take you in two different directions. The first direction is to describe something exactly as it is. For example, if you've lost your pet dog, Flash, you need to describe his exact color, size, and marking. Otherwise you might get the wrong dog back. 

The second direction is the one you take in expressive or creative descriptions. you describe something in a way that will create a feeling or mood. you may want to describe your day at the beach to make your readers feel how exciting it was. you could show that excitement by describing howit felt to surf in on a big wave or to catch and reel in a fifty-pound shark or to watch the volleyball soar across the net.

An Audience: Your audience will also make a difference in your description. your best friend would remember that Flash was brown and white, but she might not remember the black spot on his ear. Always ask yourself what your audience will need to know to clearly see what you describe

Writing Note: When you want to show readers how you feel about a subject, put yourself into the picture. Use words like I, me, my, and mine when you talk aobut yourself. However, when you write a description for a formal report--like a science report--it may not be appropriate to use these words or to include your thoughts and feeling. You will have to decide which of these types of description--one that includes your feelings or one that is more focused on facts--better suits your purpose.

Beginning Your Description

You will be writing a description of an object that expresses your feeling about it. First, you'll have to decide what you want to describe. You will be trying to create a feeling or mood, so you might want to choose something you have a specific feeling about. Also, make sure it's something you know well. Remember that your audience will include your teacher and your classmates.

After you have finished thinking, write the name of your subject. Then, write three sentences that tell how you feel aobut it or how you want your readers to feel about it.

Collecting Details

Now that you have an interesting subject, how do you describe it? Where do you get the details to make it clear? You can observe, recall, or imagine it.

Observing a subject means paying close attention to it. It also means using all your senses. What do you see and hear? What do you feel, taste, and touch?

Sometimes you can't observe a subject, but you can recall certain memories of it. You remember a park because you had a good time there. Close your eyes and think about your subject. What animals do you see? What sounds do you hear?

You can imagine details about things you have never seen. What's it like inside a race car? What do you imagine you'd see? hear? smell? Or think about an alien from a distant solar system. How does it look? walk? talk?

Speaking and Listening: Collecting Details

If you are describing a book, you don't have to worry too much about sounds. But you can't describe a herd of elephants or a rock concert without details about sound. That means you need to train your ears to listen for details. Use the following suggestions to practice your listening skills.

• Take five minutes to listen for all the sound in your home. Jot down notes as you listen. Can you hear a car motor outside? a creaky sound in the walls? the humming of the refrigerator? the ticking of a clock?
• Get together with a partner. Take turns reading the list of sounds you heard. Did you and your partner hear similar sounds? What are some differences in your lists?

Critical Thinking: Observing Details

When you are writing a description of something, remember ot include vivid details that will help our readers visualize what you describe. Take a minute to focus on one thing in the classroom or your room or where ever you are. Then, think about how you would describe it to someone who hasn't seen it. What details would you focus on? How would you describe the colors?

You don't observe details with just your eyes. you also observe them by hearing, tasting, touching, and smelling. Make yourself aware of even the smalles details. Sit on a park bench. What strikes you first? Is the bench wooden or concrete? Are there names or initials carved or drawn on the bench? Can you smell flowers nearby or the fumes of traffic? What do you hear?

Critical Thinking Exercise: Observing Details

Practice your observing skills. Choose something you can observe directly, like the subjects listed below. Use all your senses to observe the subject. Make a list of as many details about it as you can. Compare with classmates who chose similar subjects. What details are different?

• your bedroom closet
• your back yard late at night or early in the morning
• an aquarium
• your favorite food
• the refrigerator in your house