DESCRIPTIVE
WRITING
Writing a
Descriptive
Paragraph
about a Place
Priymishree
Name _______________________________________
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GUESS THE
PLACE
1. 2.
Home
__________________ School
__________________
3.
________________
4. 5.
__________________ __________________
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DESCRIPTIVE
WRITING
• The purpose of descriptive writing is to
describe a person, place or thing in a
_____________ _______________.
• The reader should be able to _____________
what is described in his or her __________.
• Often descriptive writing appeals to the
reader’s __________ _____________.
• Includes _____________ _____________ and
_____________ ___________________ so that the
reader can imagine what is described.
CRITICAL COMPONENTS
• Sensory details appeal to the reader’s __________
SENSORY __________
DETAILS • Include ____________________________________________
• Voice is the ______________ __________or _____________
ENGAGING of a piece of writing.
• Writers describe something in a unique and one-of-a-
VOICE kind way.
• Uses _____________ adjectives and nouns
PRECISE • __________ verbs
LANGUAGE • Specific language brings the _____________ to _______
Some ways to organize descriptive writing include:
• Chronological (__________)
ORGANIZED • Spatial (___________________)
• __________ _____ ____________________
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CRITICAL Read each sample descriptive paragraph. Find examples of
COMPONENTS the critical components of descriptive writing in each
paragraph. Write the examples in the chart below.
What is
Sensory Engaging Precise
Organized the
Details Voice Language
place?
#1
#2
#3
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PRE-WRITE
BRAINSTORM
Brainstorm places that you know really well and LIKE.
GENERAL PLACES SPECIFIC PLACES
HOME
SCHOOL
AROUND TOWN
OUT OF TOWN
OTHER
Brainstorm places that you know really well and DISLIKE.
GENERAL PLACES SPECIFIC PLACES
HOME
SCHOOL
AROUND TOWN
OUT OF TOWN
OTHER
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PRE-WRITE
YOUR PLACE
Now that you have selected your place, it’s time to brainstorm
everything that you can describe about it.
Imagine that you are standing in the middle of your place…
Where are you?
What do you see?
What do you do there?
Why is it a place that you love? OR Why is it a place you despise?
What is happening around you while you are at this place?
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PRE-WRITE
YOUR PLACE
Imagine that you are standing in the middle of your place…
What objects are in this place?
Are people at your place? If so, who? What are they doing?
What colors do you see?
What sounds do you hear?
How do you feel?
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PRE-WRITE
ORGANIZE
Putting Ideas in Order
As you know, only one sentence can be read at a time in writing. Therefore,
you must CHOOSE the order of your sentences in your writing. The choice
and order must be with purpose, not by chance.
You can use spatial order to arrange the details in a description. For
example, you may decide to organize the details from top to bottom or
from left to right or front to back or farthest to nearest.
Look at the example below.
1. Open the locker door.
2. Describe what’s on the top shelf.
3. Tell what’s hanging in the middle part.
4. Draw a mental picture of what’s on the bottom.
5. Describe the inside of the locker door.
6. Close the locker door.
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PRE-WRITE
ORGANIZE
Putting Ideas in Order
Circle the best way to organize your place.
• Top to Bottom
• Left to Right
• Front to Back
• Inside to Outside
• Far to Near
Create a list outlining how you will present/order your ideas in your writing.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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PRE-WRITE
SENSORY DETAILS
Your descriptive paragraph will need to include lots of colorful, specific
details. Some of the details that you incorporate into your description should
relate to the five senses. Then, the reader can imagine not only what things
look like, but also how they sound, smell, taste, and feel. Fill in the sensory
chart below with words and phrases that describe your place.
Describe
what you
SEE
Describe
what you
HEAR
Describe
what you
SMELL
Describe
what you
TASTE
Describe what
you can
FEEL / TOUCH
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DESCRIPTIVE
WRITING
5 points 3 points 1 point
Complex sentences Some complex Simple sentences are
Sentences are used. sentences are used. used.
All five senses are Some of the five senses Few of the five senses
Description used to describe. are used to describe. are used to describe.
Strong sense of voice
Voice and Attempt at voice and Description does not
and advanced word
word choice in show evidence of
Word Choice choice included in
description. voice or word choice.
description.
Ideas developed and Little thought given to
Most ideas developed
information development of ideas
Order presented in a logical
and logically
or sequencing of
sequenced.
sequence. ideas.
Excellent introduction Average introduction Weak introduction
Organization and conclusion. and conclusion. and/or conclusion.
Grammar,
No grammar or Some grammar and/or Many grammar
Mechanics spelling errors. spelling errors. and/or spelling errors.
and Spelling
Points: ___________ / 30
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