DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH

SUBJECT : PARAGRAPH WRITING

LECTURER : MUFTIHATURRAHMAH BURHAMZAH, S.S., M.HUM.

GROUP 2 :
1. FADILLAH POLE MAPPAITA (230512500004)
2. ALIYAH (230512500031)
3. SINTA RAMADANI (230512500005)
4. IDA FAUZIAH HARWAN (230512500021)
5. ALIYAH NURUL IZZA (230512500019)
6. FATIKA AULINA RAZALI ANNISA (230512500030)
7. MERRY CHRISTIN MANUBE (230512500010)
8. ANUMAR KAMARUDDIN (230512500014)
9. JERIANTO MANGALIK (230512500026)

PROGRAM STUDI SASTRA INGGRIS

FAKULTAS BAHASA DAN SASTRA
UNIVERSITAS NEGERI MAKASSAR
2023 / 2024
 A. Definition
A descriptive paragraph is a paragraph that takes something and makes it real for the reader. It describes
a noun or an event in a few sentences. When you read this type of paragraph, you should be able to picture
what it looks like, sounds like, even what it smells and tastes like.

A descriptive paragraph or essay is characterized by the use of Adjectives. It tells how something looks,
feels, smells, tastes, and/or sounds. A good description is a word picture; the reader can imagine the object,
place, or person in their mind. When describing a person, you should speak about that person’s physical
appearance and personality.

• What does s/he look like? (physically)

• How does s/he dress?
• What does s/he look like? (personality)
• What attracts you to that person?
• What do you like most about them?

To describe a person, you need to talk about their:

Physical Appearance: the way they look like

• Height : tall, short, medium height…

• Build : frail, slim, thin, skinny, stocky, plump, fat, chubby, large, heavy, well-built, fit…
• Age : young, teenager, middle-aged, elderly…
• Face : round, oval, wrinkled, furrowed, dimpled, sun-tanned, fair-skinned, baby-faced…
• Eyes : big, round, blue, hazel, small, piggy, narrow, bloodshot…
• Hair : bald; straight, curly, spiky, wavy, black…
• Clothes : casual, shabby, bright, tidy, untidy, messy…

Personality: their psychological traits or attitude

Intelligent, witty, clever, gifted, brainy…
Shy, timid, introverted, extroverted, optimistic, pessimistic, sensitive, sensible, relaxed, tense…
Compassionate, considerate, courteous, generous, exuberant, practical…
Sociable, quarrelsome, argumentative, logical, rational, easy-going, even-tempered, honest….
 B. The Purpose of Descriptive Paragraph
The purposes of descriptive paragraph are to invite the reader together to enjoy, feel, understand some
objects (goals, intentions), scenes, activities, people (personal), or the mood that has been experienced by
someone who is writing.A complete discourse can be divided based on the general purpose. The writer's
expression is closer to the reader, the writer's impression is expressed in observing and feeling an object, so
that the reader feels enjoy, and feels something as real as experienced by the writer (Tarigan, 1983).

Remember, a descriptive text only explains one specific object in detail. So, if you want to create a
descriptive text, you can describe the characteristics of one of your pet cats, not describe the general
characteristics of cats in the world.

C. Characteristics of Descriptive Paragraph

According to Brian (2011), the characteristics of descriptive paragraph are as follows.
1. Describing something;
2. Writing the sentence as clearly as possible by involving the senses;
3. Making the reader and listener feel for themselves or experience themselves;
4. Developing pattern;
5. Developing spatial pattern of paragraph development based on space and time;
6. Developing point of view or objective based on the place and position of a writer in seeing
something.

From the points above, it can be concluded that the descriptive paragraph is a paragraph that describes
something clearly and in detail. Descriptive paragraph aims to describe or give a picture of something as
clearly as possible so that the reader seems to be able to see, hear, read, or feel the things described.

D. Generic Structure of Descriptive Paragraph

• Identification
Identification is the introduction, which provides a general overview of a topic. For example, in: "My
supporter is Duke of Edinburgh. he’s my acquaintance."

• Description
Description contains the specific characteristics of an object, place, or how an object is described. For
example, qualities, physical appearance, and other details that are then written specifically.
Example:

At the end of the street, there is an old house standing tall, looking neglected. (Identification)
Its once bright blue paint is now peeling off in big flakes, showing the gray wood underneath. The windows,
with their beautiful frames, are cloudy from age, their glass panes reflecting the long passage of time. Ivy
is creeping up the walls, clinging to the rough surface as if trying to hold onto memories trapped within.
Despite its aged and fragile appearance, the house has its own charm, an aura of history that can be felt
through its creaky boards and sagging roof. (Description)

E. How to write Descriptive Paragraph

Finding a Topic
The first step in writing a strong descriptive paragraph is identifying your topic. If you received a
specific assignment or already have a topic in mind, you can skip this step. If not, it's time to start
brainstorming. Personal belongings and familiar locations are useful topics. Subjects that you care about
and know well often make for rich, multilayered descriptions.

Before you finalize your choice, consider the goal of your descriptive paragraph. If you're writing
description for description's sake, you're free to choose any topic you can think of, but many descriptive
paragraphs are part of a larger project, such as a personal narrative or an application essay. Make sure the
topic of your descriptive paragraph aligns with the broader goal of the project.

Examining and Exploring Your Topic

After you've selected a topic, the real fun begins: studying the details. Spend time closely examining
the subject of your paragraph. Study it from every possible angle, beginning with the five senses: What
does the object look, sound, smell, taste, and feel like? What are your own memories of or associations with
the object?

If your topic is larger than a single object—for example, a location or a memory—you should
examine all of the sensations and experiences associated with the topic. Let's say your topic is your
childhood fear of the dentist. The list of details might include your white-knuckled grip on the car door as
your mother tried to drag you into the office, the gleaming white smile of the dental assistant who never
remembered your name, and the industrial buzz of the electric toothbrush.
 Don't worry about writing full sentences or arranging the details into a logical paragraph structure
during the prewriting phase. For now, simply write down every detail that comes to mind.

Organizing Your Information

After you've compiled a lengthy list of descriptive details, you can begin assembling those details
into a paragraph. First, consider again the goal of your descriptive paragraph. The details you choose
to include in the paragraph, as well as the details you choose to exclude, signal to the reader how you feel
about the topic. What message, if any, do you want the description to convey? Which details best convey
that message? Reflect on these questions as you begin constructing the paragraph.

Every descriptive paragraph will take a somewhat different form, but the following model is a
straightforward way to get started:

• A topic sentence that identifies the topic and briefly explains its significance
• Supporting sentences that describe the topic in specific, vivid ways, using the details you've listed
during brainstorming
• A concluding sentence that circles back to the topic's significance

Showing, Not Telling

Remember to show, rather than tell, even in your topic and concluding sentences. A topic sentence
that reads, "I am describing my pen because I love to write" is obvious "telling" (the fact that you're
describing your pen should be self-evident from the paragraph itself) and unconvincing (the reader
cannot feel or sense the strength of your love of writing).

Avoid "tell" statements by keeping your list of details handy at all times. Here's an example of a
topic sentence that shows the subject's significance through the use of detail: "My ballpoint pen is my secret
writing partner: The baby-soft tip glides effortlessly across the page, somehow seeming to pull my thoughts
down from my brain and out through my fingertips."

Edit and Proofread Your Paragraph

The writing process isn't over until your paragraph has been edited and proofread. Invite a friend
or teacher to read your paragraph and provide feedback. Assess whether the paragraph clearly conveys the
message you intended to express. Read your paragraph aloud to check for awkward phrasing or
cumbersome sentences. Finally, consult a proofreading checklist to confirm that your paragraph is free of
minor errors.
 F. Example of Writing Descriptive Paragraph
Before writing the paragraph, make five columns and list words or ideas for the subject of the paragraph
based on these five senses. Like this:

Touch Smell Sound Taste Sight

The sense of sight is the one that most writers consider first, but try to work on that one last. Let’s
take, for example, a description of a place. What do you feel when you go there? What do you feel on your
skin. Is it hot or cold? Is it wet or dry? What do you smell? Is there food? Are the smells good or bad? What
do the smells remind you of? What do you hear? Is it quiet or noisy? Are there cars moving about? Are
people talking? What about the sounds of nature? Are they present? Even a soft wind makes a sound. Taste
is a difficult sense to describe, and the degree to which you pay this any attention depends on the subject
matter. Sight comes last. Here you can describe color, size, depth, height, width, etc.

Here’s an example. We want to write a paragraph that describes a lake:

Touch Smell Sound Taste Sight

Water Air Laughing Sand The sun

Sand Fish Splashing Lotion Sand

Heat Hot dogs Music Children

Food trucks Volleyball Lifeguard

Sun block Toys

Boats

Canoes
“Lake Harriet is a great place to swim and relax. In the summer, the water is warm and clean, and the
beaches attract people seeking relief from a midsummer scorcher. In addition to swimming, visitors to the
lake can go canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, or fishing. The blue water is a refreshing, tempting sight. The
sweet scent of sunblock wafts through the air from sunbathers lying on the beach. Children laugh and splash
in the water, and nearby volleyball games stir passionate shouts in the heat of competition. Meanwhile,
lifeguards sit atop their towers and make sure everyone is safe. In the distance, sailboats catch the soft
breezes that ripple Lake Harriet’s surface and canoeists glide quietly past. This is what summer is all
about!”

In this simple description, the reader should get a good sense of what it’s like to be in this place. The
prewriting exercise of listing different aspects of the experience as it relates to the five senses is helpful
when coming up with something to write.

G. Additional Tips to Help You Write Descriptive Paragraph

• Choose a subject that you find exciting and can describe in detail.
• Begin by introducing the subject and setting the scene. This will give the reader a
general understanding of what you’re describing.
• Use sensory details and descriptive words to help the reader visualize the subject. For
example, if you’re describing a person, you might use words like “warm,” “generous,”
and “kind.” If you’re describing a place, you might use words like “bustling,”
“picturesque,” and “charming.”
• Use vivid verbs and adjectives to bring the description to life and make it more
interesting for the reader. For example, instead of saying, “The sky was blue,” you might
say, “The sky was a brilliant, cerulean blue.”
• Avoid cliches and try to use original language to describe your subject.
Cliché : “The sunset was like a painting.”
Original : “The sunset stretched across the sky, a watercolor wash of pink and gold.”

• End the paragraph with a conclusion that ties everything together and reinforces the
overall image you were trying to create. This will help the reader remember the subject
and the details you included in the paragraph
Conclusion
A descriptive paragraph is a paragraph that takes something and makes it real for the reader. It
describes a noun or an event in a few sentences. The descriptive paragraph is a paragraph that describes
something clearly and in detail. Descriptive paragraph aims to describe or give a picture of something as
clearly as possible so that the reader seems to be able to see, hear, read, or feel the things described.
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