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Writing describing people
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- 2. • A descriptivecomposition about a person should consist of: – An introduction – A main body – A conclusion
- 3. Introduction Paragraph 1 name ofthe person: time you met/saw him/her Mavis has been my neighbour for six years. I first met her when she knocked on my door and asked for a spade because she hadn’t yet unpacked hers. She had only moved in two days before.
- 4. Main Body Paragraph 2 Physicalappearance Physically, Mavis looks younger than most other women in their late sixties. She is of average height, neither fat nor thin. Her plump round face is framed by a mass of wavy white hair and her sparkling blue eyes show her humour and friendliness. She prefers wearing casual, comfortable clothes. I don’t think I have ever seen her in a perfectly ironed suit.
- 5. Description of physicalappearance should move from the most general aspects to the most specific details: details • height/build • age • facial features • hair • clothes Identify the details above in Mavis’s description John is a tall, slim man in his mid forties. He has a thin face, blue eyes and a large nose. His short hair is greying at the temples. He is usually casually dressed.
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- 7. round, oval, slanted,ginger, of medium height, middle-aged, mole, teenaged, curly, blond, tall, wrinkled, thick, balding, just over six foot, tanned, slim, thin, scar, elderly, muscular, in his teens, well-built, in his mod-forties, overweight, curved, wavy, pale, crooked, freckled, dimples, straight, skinny, beard, shoulder-length, almond-shaped, short, moustache, long- legged, round-shouldered, in his late forties, full
- 8. HEIGHT: of mediumheight, tall, just over six foot, short BUILD: slim, thin, muscular, well-built, overweight, skinny, long-legged, round- shouldered AGE: middle-aged, teenaged, elderly, in his teens, in his mid-forties, in his late forties COMPLEXION: wrinkled, tanned, pale, freckled, FACE: round, oval, wrinkled, tanned, thin, pale, freckled HAIR: ginger, curly, blond, thick, balding, thin, wavy, straight, shoulder-length, short EYES: slanted, almond-shaped NOSE: thin, curved, crooked,freckled, straight LIPS: thin, full SPECIAL FEATURES: mole, scar, dimples, beard, moustache, long-legged, round- shouldered
- 9. Avoid beginning allsentences in the same way as this will make your composition boring. Use a variety of structures, trying to link the sentences together. Instead of writing: She is a pretty girl. She has an oval face. You can write: She is a pretty girl with an oval face.
- 10. He has wrinkles.They make him look older. He has wrinkles which make him look older. She is a beautiful woman. She wears designer clothes. She is a beatiful woman who wears designer clothes. She has long hair. She wears her hair in a pony-tail. She wears her long hair in a pony tail. He has a big garden. He grows vegetables in the garden. He has a big garden where he grows vegetables.
- 11. Main Body Paragraph3 Personality characteristics and justification • To describe character and behaviour you can support your description with examples: Sally is very sociable. She loves going to parties and dances. • If you want to mention any negative qualities, use mild language Sally is arrogant. Sally is rather arrogant. Sally tends to be rather arrogant. Sally seems to be rather arrogant. Sally can occassionally be rather arrogant.
- 12. Revise personality adjectives PositiveQualities Negative Qualities
- 13. Revise personality adjectives PositiveQualities Negative Qualities patient ambitious generous mature interesting friendly tactful good-natured thick-skinned easy-going hard-working fair helpful outgoing polite cheerful boring pessimistic mean hostile immature impatient short-tempered deceitful shy aggressive reserved
- 14. Sentences can belinked together in a variety of ways. SIMILAR QUALITIES (BOTH POSITIVE OR BOTH NEGATIVE) She is kind-hearted. She is cooperative. She is kind-hearted and also cooperative. She is kind-hearted and cooperative as well. She is kind-hearted, as well as (being) cooperative. In addition to being kind-hearted, she is also cooperative. She is both kind-hearted and cooperative.
- 15. OPPOSING QUALITIES (ONEPOSITIVE AND ONE NEGATIVE) He is usually well-behaved. He can be naughty at times. He is usually well-behaved but he can be naughty at times. He is usually well-behaved; in spite of this/nevertheless/however, he can be naughty at times. Although/In spite of the fact that he is usually well-behaved, he can be naughty at times.
- 16. Manner and mannerism Insteadof only using adjectives to describe a person’s character, you can also include examples of the way they speak/look/smile, etc. in order to give a clearer picture and to make the description more lively and vivid. e.g. Instead of simply writing: He is kind and affectionate. You can also write: His blue eyes light up whenever he sees his grandchild.
- 17. Read the followingdescriptions of mannerisms and say which quality each one describes. • When little Tommy wants a new toy, he screams until his parents buy it for him. SPOILT • Whenever Roger got involved in an argument, he would shout and become quite violent. AGGRESSIVE • When Sarah listens to sad music her eyes fill with tears. SENTIMENTAL/SENSITIVE/EMOTIONAL • She always runs her fingers through her golden hair and admires her reflection in the mirror. VAIN • Jerry is always ready with a smile and a good joke. I’ve never seen him cross or sad. CHEERFUL/GOOD-HUMOURED
- 18. Useful phrases fordescribing people • We have similar taste in clothes. • She looks Spanish. • She looks like a model. • She’s the most considerate and unselfish person I know.
- 19. • She hasa worried expression on her face She looks worried • People think I’m intelligent because I wear glasses! I look intelligent because I wear glasses! • We like the same kind of music. We have similar taste in music. • Can you tell me about her appearance? Can you tell me what she looks like? • I don’t know anyone more talented than Paul. Paul is the most talented person I know. • Jean and Kate enjoy the same type of films. Jean and Kate have the same taste in films. • I have a similar face to my sister. I look like my sister. • I don’t know anyone worse at driving than him. He’s the worst driver I know.
- 20. To recap: • Paragraph1: Introduction • In the Main Body: – Paragraph 2: Physical appearance – Paragraph 3: Personality characteristics – Paragraph 4: You can also include hobbies, interests or any activities he/she takes part in. • In the final paragraph: Conclusion: comments & feelings about the person.