Unit 1 Descriptive essays

Writing notes:

A composition describing people

We can find descriptions of people in novels, articles, letters, witness statements, etc. When describing people your composition needs to be well-organised. Each paragraph starts a new topic. Paragraphs should be well developed and linked together with a variety of linking words (so, even if, although, but, as well as, not only, despite the fact, etc.)

Introduction

set the scene (name of the person, time/place you met him/her)

Main body

Para 1: physical appearance

Para 2: personality characteristics

Para 3: activities he/she takes part in (hobbies, interests)

Conclusion

comments/feelings about the person

Points to remember

• When describing people’s physical appearance you should give details in the following order: height/build/age, facial features, hair, clothes moving from the most general adjectives to the most specific ones, e.g. Julie is quite short and slim. She’s got a round face with beautiful almond-shaped eyes and a slightly upturned nose. She wears her long blond hair loose. She is often casually dressed in a T-shirt and jeans.

• When describing character and behaviour, support your idea with examples, e.g. Tom is very reserved. He never talks about his feelings. When you want to describe negative qualities, you should use mild language, e.g. He can be rude/ He is a bit rude/ He is sometimes rude not He is rude.

• Make your composition more interesting by using a wide range of adjectives.(fabulous, superb, gorgeous, stunning, sparkling)

• Use more complex sentences joined with connections, e.g. Although Julia is quite reserved, she is a kind person who will listen to your problems and try to help you.

• Use narrative techniques in your descriptive composition to gain your reader’s interest. For example, while giving the name of the person described, the time and place you saw or met him/her, you can set the scene by narrating the incident. Instead of saying: ”I met John at Jane’s birthday party last Saturday. He was tall, skinny with spiky hair” you can say: “As soon as I entered Jane’s flat last Saturday I noticed a strange mixture of people gathered to celebrate her birthday. It wasn’t long before my eyes fell on a tall, skinny man with spiky hair, His name was John.”

MODEL

Famous supermodel

Claudia Schiffer is a very successful German supermodel. She has appeared on the covers and fashion pages of all the major fashion magazines. Claudia now is in her mid-thirties, is a very beautiful woman. She is tall, slim with very long legs. Her most stunning feature, though, is her attractive heart-shaped face with her sparkling eyes and straight nose. She wears her shoulder-length blond hair loose. Claudia is not only a professional model but she is also a very successful businesswoman. She has her own

video and she is a partner in the new chain of “Fashion Cafés”. She is also very kind and generous and spends a lot of time working with various charity organizations, helping those in need. Claudia is sociable too, and likes going to parties, but she rarely stays out late. When Claudia is not modeling or doing charity work, she likes spending free time with her family. She also enjoys reading and watching old films. It is a pleasure to meet a famous model who remains down-to-earth and sincere in a world where fame and success can often harm people’s character. Claudia Schiffer believes that working hard is the only way to succeed in life.