Descriptive text is a text which describes an object, place, or person in a way that creates a vivid impression in the reader's mind, enabling the reader to visualize what is being described, and to feel that he/she is very much part of the writer's experience.
Description is used in all forms of writing to create a vivid impression of a person, place, object or event e.g. to: describe a special place and explain why it is special, describe the most important person in your life, describe the animal's habitat in your report. Descriptive writing is usually used to help a writer to develop an aspect of their work, eg. to create a particular mood, atmosphere or describe a place so that the reader can create vivid pictures of characters, places, objects etc.
(Vancouver School District - Spring 1999)
The generic structure of descriptive text consists of identification and description. Identification: Identifies phenomenon to be described. Description: Describes parts, qualities, characteristics, etc.
Descriptive often uses 'be' and 'have'. Tense which is often used is Simple Present Tense. However, sometimes it uses Past tense if the thing to be described doesn't exist anymore.
Significant Grammatical Features:
- Focus on specific participants
(My English teacher, Andini's cat, My favourite place)
- Use of Simple Present Tense
- Use of Simple Past Tense if Extinct.
- Verbs of being and having 'Relational Processes'.
(My mum is really cool, she has long black hair)
- Use of descriptive adjectives
(strong legs, white fangs)
- Use of detailed Noun Phrase to give information about the subject.
(a very beautiful scenery, a sweet young lady, very thick fur)
- Use of action verbs 'Material Processes'
(It eats grass, it runs fast)
- Use of adverbials to give additional information about behaviour
(fast, at tree house)
- Use of Figurative language (John is as white as chalk.)
(Jenny Hammond 'English for Special Purposes', 1992)
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment