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(Writing materials provided by Language Institute)

DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH REVISION

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Definition
A descriptive paragraph:
• gives the reader a visual picture of the topic.
• provides information about how a person, a place, an object, or
an event looks or feels.
• describes a person, a place, an object, or an event.
• gives impressions or feelings about someone or something, not
definitions.
• uses words to paint a picture for the reader.
• uses sensory words relating to the five senses: sound, taste,
touch, sight, and smell.

Example:
Write a paragraph (80-100 words) to describe your favourite vacation.

• introduces the person, place, object, or event

Topic sentence:
• includes the writer's general feeling or opinion about that
state the main ideas
person, place, object, or event
Supporting idea gives some background information about the person, place,
1: object, or event
Supporting Detail 1: expands more on the idea
sentences: Supporting idea gives descriptive information about the person, place, object, or
give 2: event
detailed
information expands more on the idea (using examples, explanation, results,
Detail 2:
about the and involving five senses: sound, taste, touch, sight, and smell)
topic Supporting idea gives descriptive information about the person, place, object, or
3: event
expands more on the idea (using example, explanation, result, and
Detail 3:
involving five senses: sound, taste, touch, sight, and smell)
Concluding sentence:
restates the ideas in the topic sentence using different words
restate the main ideas

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When we describe a person, place, object, or event, it’s important to

use adjectives to give the readers a visual picture of the topic.
Describing people
Personality Physical characteristics (Appearance)
happy, satisfied big, large, tall
relaxed small, tiny, short
excited thin
nervous heavy
angry strong
serious weak
brown-haired, black-haired, blond-haired, red-
sad, depressed
haired
outgoing, friendly light-skinned, dark-skinned

Describing people
A description of a person may answer some of the following questions:

• Who is the person?

• What does the person do?

• What does he or she look like? (appearance)

• What is he or she like? (personality)

• How does that person make other people feel? Why?

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Describing objects
Common adjectives

appearance shape size material color

colorful round large metallic coral
impressive rectangular small wooden aqua
beautiful oval wide plastic black
attractive square narrow glass orange

sound taste texture smell feelings (about the object)

loud sweet rough fresh cozy
quiet bitter soft stinky comfortable
soft sour sticky smoky warm/ cool
cheerful spicy crunchy fishy cold/ hot

Describing objects

A description of an object may answer some of the following

questions:

• What is the object?

• What does it look/ smell/ taste like?

• What is its function or purpose?

• How does it make you feel? Why? Who is the person?

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Describing places

Common adjectives
beautiful attractive modern windy clean
peaceful romantic old/ ancient humid polluted
crowded busy quiet dry dirty

Common prepositions
Prepositions tell us how space is organized.
in front of next to above to the right of
in the back of behind below to the left of
in the middle of between on top of on the bottom of

Describing places

A description of a place may answer some of the following questions:

• Where is the place?

• How big is it?
• How warm or cold is the place?
• What things can you see in this place?
• What colors do you see?
• How does the place make you feel? Why?

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Topic: Describe your favorite place to study.

Mind-map
feel/ touch
hear/ sound
see
my bedroom

smell taste
reasons to like
my bedroom

Outline: Topic: Describe your favorite place to study.

Topic Sentence:
______________________________________________________
My favorite place to study is .....
Supporting idea 1:
First, the thing I like the most is .....
______________________________________________________
Detail 1:
(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 1)
______________________________________________________
Supporting idea 2:
In addition, .....
______________________________________________________
Detail 2:
(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 2)
______________________________________________________
Supporting idea 3:
Finally, .....
______________________________________________________
Detail 3:
(Examples/ Explanations) for the supporting idea 3
______________________________________________________
Concluding Sentence:
In short, ... is a perfect location for students like me to complete my homework.
______________________________________________________

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Topic: Write a paragraph (between 80 and 100 words)

to describe an interesting trip in your life.

feel/ touch
hear/ sound
see

Da Lat

smell taste
reasons to like
Da Lat

Topic: Write a paragraph (between 80 and 100 words)

to describe an interesting trip in your life.
Topic Sentence:
One of the most interesting trips in my life was .....
______________________________________________________
Supporting idea 1:
(Reason 1)
______________________________________________________
Detail 1:
(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 1)
______________________________________________________
Supporting idea 2:
(Reason 2)
______________________________________________________
Detail 2:
(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 2)
______________________________________________________
Supporting idea 3:
(Reason 3)
______________________________________________________
Detail 3:
(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 3)
______________________________________________________
Concluding Sentence:
It was a fun and relaxing trip. I hope to visit ….. again next year!
______________________________________________________

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Topic: Write a paragraph (between 80 and 100 words)

to describe an interesting trip in your life.

One of the most interesting trips in my life was .....

________________________________________________________________

First, .....
________________________________________________________________

(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 1)

________________________________________________________________

Second, .....
________________________________________________________________

(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 2)

________________________________________________________________

Finally, .....
________________________________________________________________

(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 3)

________________________________________________________________

In short, It was a fun and relaxing trip. I hope to visit …. again next year!
________________________________________________________________

Below is a checklist for descriptive paragraphs. Use it to check your partner’s writing.

TASK RESPONSE
Questions Yes/ No Comments
1. Is the paragraph at least 80 words?
2. Does the paragraph have a clear topic sentence that states
the main ideas?
3. Does the paragraph have a concluding sentence that
rephrases the topic sentence, summarizes main points, and/or
gives the writer's opinion?
4. Does the paragraph focus on describing people, objects, or
places?

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Below is a checklist for descriptive paragraphs. Use it to check your partner’s writing.

COHERENCE & COHESION

Yes/
Questions Comments
No
1. Are there one topic sentence, at least two supporting
sentences, and one concluding sentence in the paragraph?

2. Is there at least 1 transition word used to link the

sentences? (First of all, In addition, Also, In conclusion, ...)?

Below is a checklist for descriptive paragraphs. Use it to check your partner’s writing.

LEXICAL RESOURCE
Questions Yes/ No Comments

1. Are there any spelling errors?

2. Does the paragraph have descriptive details (using adjectives,
information related to five senses, prepositional phrases)?

GRAMMAR RANGE AND ACCURACY

Questions Yes/ No Comments

1. Are there any errors in verb tenses and subject-verb agreement?

2. Do you capitalize the first letter of each sentence and put
punctuation marks at the end of the sentence?

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OPINION PARAGRAPH REVISION

Definition
 An opinion paragraph:
• tells what the writer thinks about a topic.
• persuades the reader about a certain point of view. In other words, the
writer presents an argument for or against something.
 A good opinion paragraph:
• gives the writer's opinions about a topic.
• presents facts, examples, explanations, or personal experiences to
support the writer's opinions.
• considers both sides of an argument (although it gives much more
attention to the writer's side of the issue).

Example:
Do you think that video games can have negative impacts on
children?
Why or why not?
Write a paragraph (80-100 words) to state your opinion on the topic.

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Topic sentence: restates the topic (paraphrases the writing prompt) and states
state the main ideas your opinion
Supporting idea 1: gives the first reason for your opinion
Supporting give facts, examples, explanations, or personal experiences to
sentences: Detail 1:
add more details to the supporting idea 1
give
Supporting idea 2: gives the second reason for your opinion
detailed
give facts, examples, explanations, or personal experiences to
information Detail 2:
add more details to the supporting idea 2
about the
topic Supporting idea 3: gives the third reason for your opinion
give facts, examples, explanations, or personal experiences to
Detail 3:
add more details to the supporting idea 3
Concluding sentence:
restates your opinion or summarizes the main ideas
restate the main ideas

When you state an opinion, you should indicate that it is an opinion by

using the following phrases:

USEFUL PHRASES EXAMPLES

In my opinion, students should wear uniforms to
In my opinion, …
schools.
I believe (that) … I believe that/ I think that students should be
I think (that) … allowed to choose their own clothes.

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You can explain your reasons and ideas using the following phrases:

USEFUL PHRASES EXAMPLES

The first reason is that it is convenient for
The first reason is (that) …
students.
Another reason is (that) … Another reason is that it is cost-saving.
This is because students don't have to
This is because …
spend a lot of time choosing what to wear.

To make your evidence more powerful, you can use the following phrases:

USEFUL PHRASES EXAMPLES

Research shows/ Research suggests that school uniforms
proves/ suggests that ... make students perform better in school.
Some studies show that school uniforms
Studies show that ...
make students perform better in school.

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In your concluding sentence, you can restate your opinion and your
reasons using the following phrases:

USEFUL PHRASES EXAMPLES

For these reasons, students should wear uniforms
For these reasons, …
when going to school.
To sum up, I believe that students should be
To sum up, …
allowed to choose their school clothes.
In conclusion, there are many reasons why students
In conclusion, …
should wear uniforms when going to school.

To provide a final opinion or recommendation, you can use modal auxiliary

verbs:
USEFUL PHRASES EXAMPLES
should/ could/ have All schools should/ could require students to
to/ ought to wear uniforms every day.
shouldn’t/ couldn’t/
Schools shouldn't require students to wear
don’t (doesn’t) have
uniforms every day.
to/ oughtn’t to

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VAN L AN G U N I VER SI T Y D AT E 2 02 2

Topic: Which kind of pet is best, a dog or a cat?

keep their
great friends owner safe

Dogs are the

best pets.

make you healthier

Topic: Which kind of pet is best, a dog or a cat?

Outline:
Topic Sentence:
In my opinion, ….. are the best pets for many reasons.
______________________________________________________
Supporting idea 1:
______________________________________________________
First, …..
Detail 1:
(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 1)
______________________________________________________
Supporting idea 2:
Second, .....
______________________________________________________
Detail 2:
(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 2)
______________________________________________________
Supporting idea 3:
Finally, .....
______________________________________________________
Detail 3:
(Examples/ Explanations) for the supporting idea 3
______________________________________________________
Concluding Sentence:
In short, there are many benefits to having a …... Therefore,
______________________________________________________
if you are looking for a pet, a dog might be your perfect
companion!

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Topic: “Do you think video games can negatively impact on teenagers? Why (not)?”
Write a paragraph (between 80 and 100 words) to give your opinion on the topic.

Suggested
ideas can be addictive…

negative
some video games are
affect health … impacts of
violent …
video games

Topic Sentence:
I think video games can negatively impact teenagers for three reasons.
______________________________________________________
Topic: “Do you Supporting idea 1:
think video games (Reason 1)
______________________________________________________
can negatively
impact on
Detail 1:
teenagers? Why ______________________________________________________
(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 1)
(not)?” Supporting idea 2:
Write a paragraph (Reason 2)
______________________________________________________
(between 80 and Detail 2:
100 words) to (Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 2)
______________________________________________________
give your opinion
Supporting idea 3:
on the topic.
(Reason 3)
______________________________________________________
Detail 3:
______________________________________________________
(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 3)
Concluding Sentence:
While video games can be fun, I believe playing too much can be bad for
______________________________________________________
teenagers. It is important to have balance in life.

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Topic: “Do you I________________________________________________________________

think video games can negatively impact teenagers for three reasons.
think video games
can negatively First, .....
________________________________________________________________
impact on
teenagers? Why (Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 1)
________________________________________________________________
(not)?”
Write a paragraph Second, .....
________________________________________________________________
(between 80 and
100 words) to (Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 2)
________________________________________________________________
give your opinion
on the topic. Finally, .....
________________________________________________________________

(Examples/ Explanations for the supporting idea 3)

________________________________________________________________

While video games can be fun, I believe playing too much can be bad
________________________________________________________________
for teenagers. It is important to have balance in life.

Below is a checklist for opinion paragraphs. Use it to check your partner’s

TASK
writing. RESPONSE

Questions Yes/ No Comments

1. Is the paragraph at least 80 words?

2. Does the topic sentence clearly state the writer’s opinion?

3. Does the paragraph have a concluding sentence that summarizes main

points and gives the writer’s opinion?

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Below is a checklist for opinion paragraphs. Use it to check your partner’s writing.

COHERENCE & COHESION

Questions Yes/ No Comments
1. Are there one topic sentence, at least two supporting sentences, and
one concluding sentence in the paragraph?
2. Are relevant examples and/or other supporting details (facts or
explanations) included?
3. Are the supporting sentences and details related to the topic?
4. Does the paragraph follow a logical order?
5. Is there at least 1 transition word used to link the sentences? (First of
all, In addition, Also, In conclusion, ...)?

Below is a checklist for opinion paragraphs. Use it to check your partner’s writing.

LEXICAL RESOURCE
Questions Yes/ No Comments

1. Are there any spelling errors?

2. Does the paragraph contain vocabulary specific to the topic?

GRAMMAR RANGE AND ACCURACY

Questions Yes/ No Comments

1. Are there any errors in verb tenses and subject-verb agreement?

2. Does the writer use correct punctuation?

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Note
This is a product of Language Institute – Van Lang University. This is for internal
circulation only and is not allowed to be used for any other purposes.
Version 1, launched in the 3rd semester of Academic year 2024 – 2025.

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