Name: _____________________
My Descriptive Paragraph
Painting a Picture with Words
You will be writing a descriptive paragraph that
thoroughly describes the image you have chosen. Your
paragraph will contain the following elements:
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
1.
A topic sentence that hooks the reader and
indicates what you’re describing.
2.
Supporting details that are relevant to your topic
and help “paint a picture” of what you’re describing to the reader.
The use of figurative language (ie: similes, metaphors, personification,
hyperbole, onomatopoeia, and maybe even alliteration and allusion) to
describe your details in a creative and original way.
The use of sensory language that appeals to the reader’s senses to help
them to better imagine what you’re describing.
The use of strong verbs and adjectives to make your writing interesting.
A closing sentence that neatly wraps up your paragraph.
Close attention to proper spelling and grammar.
Setting the Scene: imagine that your reader cannot see the image that
you’re describing. What, in a brief sentence, do you want to describe to
your reader? What impression or feeling do you want them to have of the
image?
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Creating a Topic Sentence: come up with a creative
Don’t pack your
topic sentence that both introduces the
T.S. too full of
paragraph’s subject/topic and captures the reader’s
details. That’s what
attention in an original way. Your topic sentence
the rest of the
paragraph is for.
should begin to capture the feeling that you
referred to above. Do it in your Writer’s Notebook
first, in case you want to tweak it. Put your final version
below.
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Name: _____________________
Details: outline all of the specific, nitty-gritty
details you will describe in your paragraph
– remember to consider all of the senses (if you can). Keep in mind
that the details that you decide to describe have to support whatever it is
you’ve set out to describe – they need to be relevant to your topic sentence.
Techniques to Use:
simile
metaphor
personification
hyperbole
onomatopoeia
alliteration
allusion
strong verbs
powerful
adjectives
sensory language
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Name: _____________________
Describing the Details: use the table below to come up with some
specific, creative descriptions of some of the details. Not every sentence
needs to use figurative language, but every sentence and description should
contribute to the reader’s visual understanding of the image. Try a variety of
techniques.
Variety is important; you
wouldn’t want a whole garden
filled with one flower…
Detail from
Image
Description
Technique(s)
Used
Detail from
Image
Description
Technique(s)
Used
Name: _____________________
Wrapping it Up: come up with an interesting and powerful way to
conclude your paragraph. Your closing sentence should remind
readers of what you just described, leaving them with a lasting idea
of the person, place, or thing in their minds; do not leave your reader
hanging mid-description of a specific detail. Zoom back out and give
an overview of that same feeling, emotion, or general description that you
outlined in your topic sentence.
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Putting it all Together: it’s now time to draft your full paragraph. Transfer your
topic sentence, supporting details, and closing sentence into your Writer’s
Notebook in full, organized sentences. You may need to add some things
here and there to ensure that your sentences flow nicely together. Start paying
close attention to proper spelling, punctuation, and sentence variety.
Name: _____________________