Solved by verified expert:Descriptive Writing Style
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What is Descriptive Writing?
The primary purpose of descriptive writing is to describe a person, place or thing in such a way that a picture is formed in the reader’s mind. Capturing an event through descriptive writing involves paying close attention to the details by using all of your five senses.Use all your senses so readers can feel what you feel, see what you see, taste what you taste, smell what you smell, and hear what you hear.
Using Descriptive Language
1.Start your story in a way that grabs the reader’s attention. Unless you’re writing a fairytale, you typically don’t want to start by saying “Once upon a time…” …
2.Evoke your reader’s five senses. …
3.Describe your character(s)’ thoughts and emotions. …
4.Show don’t tell.
What is the main purpose of Descriptive Essay?
The purpose of a descriptive essay is to describe a person, place, or thing in such vivid detail that the reader can easily form a precise mental picture of what is being written about. The author may accomplish this by using imaginative language, interesting comparisons, and images that appeal to the senses.
To learn how to write a good Descriptive story, click the following link:
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Good,-Descriptive-Story
Descriptive Essay
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How to Write a Descriptive Essay
by WriteExpress Staff Writers
What do you want to describe?
As you get started on your descriptive essay, it’s important for you to identify exactly what you want to describe. Often, a descriptive essay will focus on portraying one of the following:
•a person
•a place
•a memory
•an experience
•an object
Ultimately, whatever you can perceive or experiencecan be the focus of your descriptive writing.
Planning your descriptive essay:
•What or who do you want to describe?
•What is your reason for writing your description?
•What are the particular qualities that you want to focus on?
Drafting your descriptive essay:
•What sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures are important for developing your description?
•Which details can you include to ensure that your readers gain a vivid impression imbued with your emotion or perspective?
Revising your descriptive essay:
•Have you provided enough details and descriptions to enable your readers to gain a complete and vivid perception?
•Have you left out any minor but important details?
•Have you used words that convey your emotion or perspective?
•Are there any unnecessary details in your description?
•Does each paragraph of your essay focus on one aspect of your description?
•Are your paragraphs ordered in the most effective way?
http://www.writeexpress.com/descriptive-essay.html
a. REVISING YOUR WRITING
b. COMMON STUDENT WRITING ERRORS
c. UNDERSTANING DESCRIPTIVE WRITING for your essay due Week 2
d. DESCRIPTIVE WRITING GUIDELINES
Write a 250-word essay #2; this time you will write a Descriptive Writing piece due July 9th
As always, I recommend that you brainstorm your idea, weighing options, and then create an outline for your essay before writing it. I also urge you to write a first draft, print it, and then edit it. Only submit your final draft on Blackboard. Grammatical and punctuation errors will be penalized.
Italicize your thesis statement and topic sentences.
Have a creative title to draw readers to your piece, not the name of the assignment (e.g. Descriptive Essay)
Also, click on the link below. It will help you with creating an outline
http://www2.ivcc.edu/rambo/eng1001/outline.htm
common_student_writing_errors__1_.doc
structuring_a_descriptive_essay.doc
20170609192546argument_essay.doc
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Common Student Writing Errors
This document contains descriptions of the most common student writing errors I
noted in your first student essays. Use this document along with “Revising Your
Writing” (in Course Documents) to help you proofread your essays before you submit
them for review and grading.
Problem Areas
I.
Thesis and Support
1. Does your essay contain a thesis?
a. The main idea or main point developed in an essay is the essay’s
thesis. The thesis statement appears in the introductory
paragraph, usually at the end, and it is then developed in the
supporting paragraphs (the body) that follow.
b. The thesis is the essay’s major topic sentence. The thesis
answers the question, “Why am I writing this essay?” A wellstructured thesis will state the essay topic and provide the
writer’s attitude or opinion about the topic. A thesis may also
contain a brief stating of the writer’s intended support for the
thesis; (I recommend that you add your three- points for
supporting your thesis to your thesis statement, as this greatly
assists students with overall essay structure).
2. Does your essay contain support for your thesis?
a. Each of your body paragraphs should contain a major supporting
point supported by minor supporting points. The major
supporting point of each paragraph is stated in the paragraph’s
topic sentence. The remaining body of the paragraph is
composed of minor supporting points. The type of minor support
(i.e. examples; description; definitions; narratives) you use for
each of your student essays will vary from essay to essay to suit
your writing assignments.
II.
Language
1. Word choice (wc)/Awkward Phrasing (awk):
a. Use words that you know. Students should use resources like the
thesaurus to expand their vocabularies and avoid repetition of the
same words in their essays; however, students should also use a
dictionary to make sure they are using the new words in proper
context. A thesaurus provides synonyms, words of similar
meaning; because the meanings of synonymous words are not
always exactly the same, but similar, students should be careful
when substituting one word for another.
Also, non-native speakers of English may be inclined to use
unfamiliar words for the sake of “sounding academic.” A writer
must be comfortable with his/her own voice to produce effective
student essays; a writer cannot be comfortable using words of
unknown meaning. Student writers should write in a way that
comes naturally to them.
In contrast to “sounding academic” is “sounding
conversational.” Do not talk to your reader as if he/she is your
best friend. This kind of writing is too loose, careless, and
unkempt, and most importantly, it is prone to sentence
construction errors.
b. Use specific words. Effective writers use specific words rather
than general words. Don’t tell your reader, “The view was
amazing and breathtaking.” Tell your reader, “The view was an
endless bright blue that paralyzed my senses.” Use specific ideas
and images instead of general and abstract statements.
c. Use concise words. Wordiness—using more words than
necessary to express an idea—is often a sign of laziness or
careless writing. In many cases, excessive wordiness reveals the
student author’s desire to achieve a required word count.
III.
Sentence Construction
1. Does your essay contain sentences of varied structures?
a.
Vary your sentences. If every sentence in a student essay is
structured in the same pattern, writing becomes monotonous.
Mix complex and compound sentences with basic sentences in a
paragraph. Use punctuation marks like the semi-colon and pair
conjunctions with commas to fuse two independent clauses. Use
a basic subject + verb clause for a breath of fresh air among
many long and complex sentences. The way you chose to
structure a sentence has a direct affect on the way your ideas are
communicated and thus interpreted.
2. The following are some common grammatical errors and rules to follow to
avoid them:
a. A sentence must contain a subject (the who or the what of the
sentence) and a predicate (the action the who or the what
performs). If a sentence is missing either, the result is a
fragment.
b. Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent
clause.
c. Do not join independent clauses with a comma. If you wish to
join two complete sentences with a comma, you must also add a
conjunction. You may also wish to add a semi-colon to fuse two
sentences of related ideas.
d. Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce material.
Descriptive Essay: Structuring a Descriptive Essay
A descriptive essay simply describes something or someone by appealing to the reader’s senses:
sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. Here are the basic steps to writing an effective descriptive
essay:
1. Select a subject
Observation is the key to writing a good description. For example, if you are writing about a place,
go there and take notes on the sights, sounds, and smells. A descriptive essay paints a picture for the
reader, using descriptive devices and the senses. Create a thesis statement that informs the reader
who or what you are describing. Examples: “The wooden roller coaster in Coney Island is a work of
art.” “My bedroom is an ocean sanctuary.”
2. Select dominant details
Select only the details that support the dominant impression (your thesis statement).
3. Organize details
The paragraphs in a descriptive essay can be structured spatially (from top to bottom or from near to
far) or chronologically (time order) or from general to specific. Descriptive essays can also use other
patterns of organization such as narrative or exemplification.
4. Use descriptive words
Do not use vague words or generalities (such as good, nice, bad, or beautiful). Be specific and use
sensory, descriptive words (adjectives). For example:
I ate a good dinner. OR I devoured a steaming hot, cheese-filled pepperoni pizza for dinner.
Provide sensory details:
Smells that are in the air (the aroma of freshly brewed coffee)
Sounds (traffic, honking horns)
Sights (“The sun scattered tiny diamonds across dew-covered grass as it peeked out from beyond the
horizon.”)
Touch (“The texture of the adobe hut’s walls resembled coarse sandpaper.”)
Taste: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, tart (“Giant goose bumps formed on my tongue when I accidently bit
into a sliver of lemon.”)
5. Draw a logical conclusion
The conclusion may also use descriptive words; however, make certain the conclusion is logical and
relevant.
Create images for the reader!
E-7 Descriptive Essay Guidelines (July, 2011; g:ASC:EngRead) Page 2
Figurative Language
Figures of speech are imaginative comparisons between two basically dissimilar things. A figure
of speech may enliven a description by making the essay more visual or forceful.
Here are some of the more common figures of speech that could prove effective in writing
descriptive essays:
Simile
Using the words such as “like” or “as” when comparing.
Example: A ride to North Hutchinson Island is like a flight to a Caribbean getaway.
Metaphor
Implying a comparison between two things that are essentially different.
Example: Stalking their prey, the deputies remained hidden in the bushes and ready to spring on
speeding motorists.
Personification
Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects.
Example: The truck, covered with mud and love bugs, cried out for a wash.
Overstatement or Hyperbole
Using a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect.
Example: I’ll die if I don’t pass this exam.
Understatement
Writing something opposite to what is expected or says something less than expected.
Example: Yesterday was a little cool. The high temperature was zero degrees.
Sound words or Onomatopoeia
Using words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions to which they refer.
Example: “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is.” (slogan of Alka Seltzer)
Symbol
A person, place, or thing that represents an abstract idea or concept.
Example: A rock is a symbol of strength
E-7 Descriptive Essay Guidelines (July, 2011; g:ASC:EngRead) Page 3
Description Sample
Title: Summer Escape (Note how creative
title relates to essay.)
Introductory paragraph: First paragraph
sets the stage: where the action happened,
when it happened, and to whom it happened.
Note descriptive words.
My family has always looked forward to
leaving Florida during the torrid summer
months. It is a tremendous relief to get out of
the heated hustle and bustle of summer
living in Florida. Each summer, we follow the
yellow brick road to our hometown in upstate
New York.
First body paragraph: Note how writer
provides details, translating an experience
into written words that permit the reader to
visualize the situation. Note descriptive
details.
Tense: This essay is written in the present
tense; most narratives, however, will be
written in the past tense. Either tense can be
effective.
As we drive through state after state, it
becomes apparent that the world around us is
changing. In South Carolina, we already begin
to notice changes. The trees appear to be
touchable, offering soft, plush leaves which
sway in the breeze, and the grass actually
invites us to share its place rather than scaring
us away with mounds of intruding fire ants.
As each state brings new surroundings, our
anticipation builds, and home seems closer all
the time.
Second body paragraph: Note use of details,
especially adjectives. Writer makes use of
figurative language (personification flowers “waving hello”).
Leaving the flatlands and entering an area
where we are suddenly surrounded by hills
of purple and blue are by far the most
awakening moments. Virginia and
Pennsylvania offer brilliant scenery with
majestic hills and checkerboard
farmlands. As we descend through the
curves and winds of the northern region of
the United States, home is now very close: we
are almost there. Suddenly, we have driven
from wide-open flatlands to a narrow,
winding road surrounded by hillsides of
stone and trees. Around every curve,
orange and black tiger lilies claim their
place in the world as they push themselves
out toward the car, waving hello and
flashing their mysterious black spots
toward us as we drive by.
Third body paragraph: Writer continues to
appeal to readers’ senses with visually
descriptive words. Figurative language is
again used with the simile “like a carriage
created by nature.”
Imagery: Note how the writer creates
images for the reader (bold type) by
appealing to the senses.
The journey home is almost complete. As we
begin our final descent through the state of
Pennsylvania into upstate New York, the
surroundings become comfortably familiar.
Before long, we are welcomed by a sign that
reads “Waverly, 18 miles” and the familiar
fields of grazing cattle. Through the last
stretch of Pennsylvania, the bursting foliage
seems to envelop us and carry us over the
hills like a carriage created by nature.
Conclusion: Writer alludes to another sense
(smell) and uses words to indicate closing
(“final crest”). Essay ends with strong
concluding sentence.
It is at this point that our family, even the
youngest member, knows that our vacation in
New York is about to begin. Our eldest son
has joked for years that he can “smell”
Grandma’s apple pie already. Approximately
fifteen minutes pass and as our vehicle takes
us over the final crest, we see the smoke
stack from the local factory as we cross the
border of Pennsylvania and New York and
are aware of our surroundings. A couple of
turns later, we are there. We have reached our
destination; we are home. – Arin B. Terwilliger
Running Head: ARGUMENT ESSAY
1
Argument Essay
Name
Institutional Affiliation
ARGUMENT ESSAY
2
When is military force justified?
The military is expected to work within the laws and limits. However, there are times
when the military uses excessive force. In most cases, this force is not necessary. However,
there are times when the military is left with no choice but to act using excessive force and
the people accept and support them. There are many instances when the use of excessive
force is justified. The use of military force is justified when there is an impending danger or
threats to political boundaries of a country. If a country is on the verge of being invaded by
an enemy, the country has the right to use excessive force to counterattack the enemy
(Fletcher & Ohlin, 2013). The force is used to quell the situation and minimize possible
damages to the country’s properties and life. In addition, it is used when the citizens of a
country are at the brink of being killed or slaughtered by an enemy. It generally narrows
down into defending the way of life of many people and not just lying down for the worse
thing to happen.
It is also justified when a wealthier, large, and more powerful group of countries or a
country threatens to invade less powerful countries (Fletcher & Ohlin, 2013). In 2008 for
example, Russia attacked Georgia for failing to corporate with the republic to the south.
Being a giant country and with heavy machinery, Russia had no right to attack Georgia for
protecting its political boundaries. The allied countries to Georgia had the right to protect
them. The Russia and Georgia scenario is like the scenario of Goliath and David in the Bible.
The most superpower countries like the United States had the right to enter the war and
protect the interest of Georgian people. They also had no choice but to use excessive force to
rescue the people
The use of excessive force by the military is also justified when a serious
humanitarian crisis emerges or registered. In the case of turmoil, for instance, the country had
ARGUMENT ESSAY
the authority to use more force to bring order in that place (Knorr, 2015). The citizens
understood that it is only through excessive force by the military when everything will be
brought back to normal. In 2014, for example, the decision by the President Barrack Obama
to seek Congressional powers and authorities to strike Syria was actually justifiable. This is
because Syrian Air Force had used chemical weapons and sarin gas on their own citizens.
The use of chemical and sarin gas caused thousands of deaths, civilian’s injuries, and more
people displaced.
It is also justified when there is a violation of international laws that lead to mass
killing or casualties. The international laws are actually against the use of deadly weapons
such as a nuclear weapon. If the country tries to use the nuclear weapons against another
country, other countries have the right to join the war and protect massive destruction of
properties and life. It is justified when secrets of a country are at risk (Arend & Beck, 2014).
A country may retaliate and use excessive force to protect crucial information of a country.
Even though it is sometimes prudent to use force, it is important to consider the aftermath of
the attack.
3
ARGUMENT ESSAY
4
ARGUMENT ESSAY
5
References
Arend, A. C., & Beck, R. J. (2014). International law and the use of force: beyond the UN
Charter paradigm. Routledge.
Fletcher, G. P., & Ohlin, J. D. (2013). Defending humanity: when force is justified and why.
Oxford University Press.
Knorr, K. E. (2015). On the uses of military power in the nuclear age. Princeton University
Press.
Revising Your Writing
The final step of the writing process is revision. Revision is a necessary step in
writing because it involves incorporating your instructor’s suggestions for improvement
and proofreading. Before student authors submit a final draft of a writing assignment,
they should make certain that their work contains the qualities that make a student essay
successful. All successful student essays fulfill the specific purpose of the assignment;
they are unified and coherent; they contain proper support; and they display good use of
grammar and language. To make certain your essay possess the necessary qualities to
achieve a good grade, use the following questions when revising your work:
Purpose: 1) Does the essay respond to the writing assignment? 2) Does it
answer the question being asked from the writing assignment? Does the essay
communicate a definite viewpoint?
Unity: 1) Does the essay contain a clear opening statement of the point of
the essay? 2) Is all the material in the essay in support of the opening point
(thesis)?
Support: 1) Does the essay contain specific evidence to support the opening
point? 2) Does the essay contain enough evidence?
Coherence: 1) Does the essay have a clear method of organization? 2) Are
transitions and other connecting words (repeated words; pronouns; synonyms)
used to tie the material together?
Grammar: 1) Does the essay contain grammatical errors? 2) What kind of
grammatical errors does the essay contain (refer to “Revision Codes” for more on
specific mechanic and grammatical errors)? 3) Can the essay’s objective still be
effectively communicated with the presence of these grammatical errors?
Language: 1) Does the author use informal language in the essay? 2) Does the
author use abstract and vague language? 3) Does the author make awkward word
choices that stunt the effectiveness of his/her communication?
Note: Refer to this document before you submit your final essays. I may also ask you to
reference this document when reviewing my comments on your final essay grades.
Descriptive Essay: Structuring a Descriptive Essay
A descriptive essay simply describes something or someone by appealing to the reader’s senses:
sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. Here are the basic steps to writing an effective descriptive
essay:
1. Select a subject
Observation is the key to writing a good description. For example, if you are writing about a place,
go there and take notes on the sights, sounds, and smells. A descriptive essay paints a picture for the
reader, using descriptive devices and the senses. Create a thesis statement that informs the reader
who or what you are describing. Examples: “The wooden roller coaster in Coney Island is a work of
art.” “My bedroom is an ocean sanctuary.”
2. Select dominant details
Select only the details that support the dominant impression (your thesis statement).
3. Organize details
The paragraphs in a descriptive essay can be structured spatially (from top to bottom or from near to
far) or chronologically (time order) or from general to specific. Descriptive essays can also use other
patterns of organization such as narrative or exemplification.
4. Use descriptive words
Do not use vague words or generalities (such as good, nice, bad, or beautiful). Be specific and use
sensory, descriptive words (adjectives). For example:
I ate a good dinner. OR I devoured a steaming hot, cheese-filled pepperoni pizza for dinner.
Provide sensory details:
Smells that are in the air (the aroma of freshly brewed coffee)
Sounds (traffic, honking horns)
Sights (“The sun scattered tiny diamonds across dew-covered grass as it peeked out from beyond the
horizon.”)
Touch (“The texture of the adobe hut’s walls resembled coarse sandpaper.”)
Taste: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, tart (“Giant goose bumps formed on my tongue when I accidently bit
into a sliver of lemon.”)
5. Draw a logical conclusion
The conclusion may also use descriptive words; however, make certain the conclusion is logical and
relevant.
Create images for the reader!
E-7 Descriptive Essay Guidelines (July, 2011; g:ASC:EngRead) Page 2
Figurative Language
Figures of speech are imaginative comparisons between two basically dissimilar things. A figure
of speech may enliven a description by making the essay more visual or forceful.
Here are some of the more common figures of speech that could prove effective in writing
descriptive essays:
Simile
Using the words such as “like” or “as” when comparing.
Example: A ride to North …
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