Chapter 4

ENGL 1220 - Sara Alshamran - 2011 1

Describing a Place

chapter 4


Chapter Preview You will write a paragraph in which you

describe places.

You will study also: Space order

Descriptive details

The order of adjectives

Prepositional phrases

Varying sentence openings.


Description Writing a description means: telling what

something – a person, an object, or a place looks like.

There are 2 keys to writing good descriptions:

Use space order to organize your description

Use lots of descriptive details.

Chapter 4 Describing a Place

Organization


Space Order

Space order is a way to organize your description of something. In space order you describe thing from top to bottom, bottom to top, left to right, right to left, near to far, far to near, outside to inside and inside to out side… etc.


Organization


Topic and concluding sentences for Descriptive

paragraph Topic sentence: the topic part usually names the

person, place or thing to be described. The controlling idea part usually gives a general impression. Example: The old house looked ready to fall down.

The concluding sentence: a. it may repeat the idea stated in the topic sentence.b. it may gives the writer’s opinion or feeling about the topic. Example: In short, I think the old house will not

survive one more month. ( feeling)


Organization


Specific Details Describing something looks like painting a

picture with word.

The goal is to make the reader see what is described.

You have to use a lot of details.

The more specific you can be, the better your reader can see what you are describing.


Organization


Planning a space-Order paragraph

Decide which space order to use

List your details in that order

Make an outline by adding a topic sentence, capital letters to each detail, and a concluding sentence.


Organization


Adjectives Adjectives mean: words that describe nouns and pronouns.

Adjectives tell what things or people look like/ what kind they are/ how many of them there are.

Adjectives answer the questions: what kind? Which one? How many?

Adjectives always come before nouns such as I meet a pretty lady, or after linking verbs such as, Serena looks beautiful today.

A Compound adjective is a kind of adjectives that has more than one word and function together as one word. Example: ten-week semester.

Adjectives are always singular. Never add S to an adjective

Nouns can be adjectives, such as, the English book, a shoe store.

Proper adjectives( that refers to nationalities, languages, geographic places, …. ) are capitalized. Egyptian guy. Asian languages

Words with –ing and –ed can be adjectives: swimming pool, used car.

Grammar



Order of Adjectives When you write several adjectives, some time you have to put

them in a particular order, and sometimes you can choose your own order depending on the kind of adjectives. There are 2 kinds: cumulative adjective and coordinate adjectives

Grammar


Cumulative Adjectives

Coordinate Adjectives

They go before a noun They can go:before a noun or after a linking verb

They must be in a particular order

The can be in any order

Don’t put commas between cumulative adjectives

Use commas to separate them from each other

Example: a poor hungry young boy was crying.

The boy was young, poor, and hungry.


Order of AdjectivesCumulative Adjectives

ORDER OF CUMULATIVE ADJECTIVES:

Example: The two expensive big new white Italian stone wedding hall.

Grammar


Kind of adjective example

Articles, demonstrative pronouns, possessivesQuantityOpinionAppearanceage, colorNationality, religionMaterial, purposeNoun used as an adjective.

The

twoExpensiveBigNew, whiteItalian StoneWedding

Don’t use too many

adjectives because it

confuses the reader and weaken the

description. In general don’t use more than

three cumulative adjectives.


Order of Adjectivescoordinate Adjectives

USING (AND) WITH COORDINATE ADJECTIVES Coordinate adjectives come before a noun:

You can put and before the last one. (optional)

A young, poor, and hungry boy was outside.

A young, poor, hungry boy was outside. After a linking verb:

you must put and before the last one. (required)

The boy was young, poor, and hungry.

Grammar


Don’t forget putting commas


Prepositions Prepositions are little words such as of, to, from, in, on, at

……

A few prepositions are two words ( because of) or three words ( in front of)

A preposition is usually followed by a noun or noun phrase.

Sentence structure


To is sometime proposition and sometime another part of speech.We went to the market.( to + noun phrase)= prepositionWe want to buy some fruit.( to + verb)= infinitive verb phrase


Prepositional Phrases Sentence structure


Prepositional phrases Kind of paragraph Example

Answer the question of where (place)

Space order paragraph On the tableNext to the window

Answer the question of when (time)

How to paragraph At lastBefore the test

Possession - The color of the rainbowThe name of my boss

Describe or identify someone or something

- The woman with black hairThe girl in the blue shirt

A preposition is usually followed by a noun or noun phrase. These make a prepositional phrase ( preposition + noun/ noun phrase)= Prepositional phrase.My pen is on the table.


Using propositional phrases to vary

sentence openingsYou can start your sentence with prepositional phrase. This can help to improve your writing and vary your sentences.Sentences with objects:

Put the prepositional phrase, a comma, then your sentence. You have to study hard before the final exam.

Before the final exam, you have to study hard. ( PP +,+ S) Sentences begin with there is/are there was/were. Put the

prepositional phrase, a comma, then your sentence. There is a book on the table.

On the table, there is a book. ( PP +,+ S)

Sentences with a subject and an intransitive verb: prepositional phrase can exchange places with subject. ( NO COMMA)

A chair is in the corner.

In the corner is a chair. (PP + verb+ subject)

Grammar


PP=Prepositional Phrase


Describe a placeWriting


Education

Chapter 4