2023 SEC 2 G2

ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
(DESCRIBE OBJECTS & PLACES)
LESSON OBJECTIVES
1. To revise sensory language and figurative language:
similes, metaphors, personification and hyberbole.

2. To describe a favourite object using the technique of

extended metaphor.

3. To describe a favourite place that you have using sensory

and figurative language to create a dominant impression.
Let’s revise sensory language and
figurative language first! ☺
 Notice also,
the use of
similes to
compare the
first snowfall
with other
sensations.
 Simile
Metaphor
Extended
Metaphor

Personification

Hyberbole
Some examples of Figurative Language in
Narrative Compre Passages
1. The morning sun seethed with unmet madness in the sky.
2. Out of nowhere, a cocoon of clouds wrapped itself
around the aircraft, obscuring the mountains, the sky —
everything.
3. Jess saw her as a beautiful wild creature that had been
caught for a moment in that dirty old cage of a school.
4. Pierrot felt these words like a knife going through his
heart – for this, after all, was how Papa had died.
Examples of Personification
Show , not tell
Tell Show, using Personification
The clock had been in our The clock stood by our family, faithfully
family for years. marking the minutes and hours of our lives.

The house was old. The house frowned with a wrinkled brow,
and inside it creaked with each step,
releasing a scent of neglected laundry.
Extract from ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’
In our little fishing village of Yoroido, I lived in what I called a ‘tipsy
house.’ It stood near a cliff where the wind off the ocean was always
blowing. As a child it seemed to me as if the ocean had caught a terrible
cold, because it was always wheezing and there would be spells when it
let out a huge sneeze which is to say there was a burst of wind with a
tremendous spray. I decided our tiny house must have been offended by
the ocean sneezing in its face from time to time, and took to leaning
back because it wanted to get out of the way. Probably it would have
collapsed if my father hadn't cut a timber from a wrecked fishing boat to
prop up the eaves, which made the house look like a tipsy old man
leaning on his crutch. Identify the details that personified the
house and the ocean.
Extract from ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’
• In our little fishing village of Yoroido, I lived in what I called a ‘tipsy
house.’ It stood near a cliff where the wind off the ocean was always
blowing.As a child it seemed to me as if the ocean had caught a terrible
cold, because it was always wheezing and there would be spells when it
let out a huge sneeze which is to say there was a burst of wind with a
tremendous spray. I decided our tiny house must have been offended by
the ocean sneezing in its face from time to time, and took to leaning
back because it wanted to get out of the way. Probably it would have
collapsed if my father hadn't cut a timber from a wrecked fishing boat to
prop up the eaves, which made the house look like a tipsy old man
leaning on his crutch.
…if my father hadn't cut a timber from a wrecked fishing boat to
prop up the eaves, which made the house look like a tipsy old
man leaning on his crutch.
The beautiful fishing town of Ine in Japan
Extended Metaphor: Definition
• Refers to a comparison between two unlike
things that continues throughout a series of
sentences in a paragraph, or lines in a poem.
• It is often comprised of more than one
sentence, and sometimes consists of a full
paragraph.
• Use an extended metaphor when a single
metaphor is not large enough. Use it when
you wish your audience to be enveloped by
or immersed in your idea
Extended Metaphor in Songs
Do you know that there's still a chance for you? In "Firework," Perry uses an
'Cause there's a spark in you extended metaphor to compare a
You just gotta ignite the light
firework to an inner "spark" of
And let it shine resilience which, in the context of
Just own the night the song, stands in opposition to the
Like the Fourth of July dreary experience of life and the
difficulty of communicating with
'Cause baby, you're a firework
C'mon, show 'em what you're worth
others.
Make 'em go "Aah, aah, aah"
Song lyrics:
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAG8r6rwCW0
C'mon, let your colors burst Notice that the song also contains similes, when played
from the beginning.
Metaphor vs Extended Metaphor
• When I chose my Secondary Three subject
combination options, I went down a different path Metaphor
to others.

• The path I chose was the one less trampled one. It

was a deserted one that looked less appealing with
Extended
thick brambles and uneven gravel along the way. Metaphor
The path was long and windy, making the journey
weary. Where exactly the path led to was unclear
but one thing was clear: I would be travelling alone.
 Describe your morning
Extended Metaphor school routine.

The first thing you do in the morning is reluctantly What is the

put on your uniform: a wonderful stamp of extended
metaphor used
individuality. You arrive at school, through the high
here?
security gates and see your fellow inmates all
wondering aimlessly in the same prison uniform.
Identify the
You smile momentarily. It then diminishes quickly details that
as a prison guard catches you committing a deadly extended the
crime: your top button is undone. metaphor of
school.
 Describe your morning
Extended Metaphor school routine.

What is the
The first thing you do in the morning is reluctantly
metaphor used
put on your uniform: a wonderful stamp of here? The
individuality. You arrive at school, through the high metaphor of the
security gates and see your fellow inmates all prison for school.
wondering aimlessly in the same prison uniform.
Identify the
You smile momentarily. It then diminishes quickly details that
as a prison guard catches you committing a deadly extended the
crime: your top button is undone. metaphor of
school.
Descriptive Writing: Objects & Places

• Descriptions of objects and places may be included in

several other types of writing tasks, such as stories,
articles, brochures, letters, magazine articles and
advertisements.
Extended Metaphor Exercise: My Favourite Thing
This is an extract of the song
1. Raindrops on roses lyrics, ‘My Favourite Things.’
2. And whiskers on kittens
3. Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens What is your favourite thing?
4. Brown paper packages tied up with strings Why is it your favourite?
5. These are a few of my favourite things
6. Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels You may also select an object
7. Doorbells and sleigh bells from the song and think about
8. And schnitzel with noodles its sensory qualities: how it
9. Wild geese that fly with the moon on their looks, smells, sounds, tastes and
wings feels.
10. These are a few of my favourite things
11. Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes Now challenge yourself and
12. Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes compare your favourite object
13. Silver-white winters that melt into springs with another object. Write an
My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music
extended metaphor! ☺
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IagRZBvLtw
Extended Metaphor Exercise:Objects
1. Choose an object that you want to describe and think of the
qualities associated with it.
2. Think about how the object looks, sounds, feels and even taste.
(Consider at least TWO senses.)
3. Compare this object to another object that has similar qualities.
4. Write a paragraph using the technique of extended metaphor.
WRITING AN EXTENDED METAPHOR
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Describing Places and Settings
Describing Places and Settings
Creating a Dominant Impression

• A dominant impression results in a vivid mental picture

of a person, place or object. SHOW the reader your
dominant impression; don’t TELL the reader.
• Your impression of something starts as a vague mental
picture in your mind but your mission is to take it to a
high definition (HD), three dimensional (3D) picture for
your reader using sensory words and details.
Describing Places and Settings:
Creating a Dominant Impression
Example of a weak dominant impression:
It was hot in Africa. Even with the windows open, the bus was
noisy and hot. The walls of the bus were grey. Each seat inside
the bus held two people. The bus was full of people from
different parts of Africa. The bus driver was an old man and was
a bad driver. It was noisy, dusty, and there were flies. Some
passengers worried they would be kicked off with their animals.
The bus was really crowded, and things got worse as the day
went on.
Describing Places and Settings: What do you notice about
Creating a Dominant Impression the description that
creates a strong
Example of a strong dominant impression: dominant impression?

Somalia. A plateau -like place situated at the end of the horn of Africa about the
size of Texas. I remember one day in particular that was different from the rest.
The summer sun beat down relentlessly on the parched, chapped earth. The air
was hot, almost stagnant. The steamy breeze from the open windows of the bus
did little to ease the discomfort. Dust sputtered out from underneath the tires,
making tinking sounds against the fender, leaving a cloudy trail nearly a mile in
length behind it. People swatted the buzzing flies from their faces; others
shushed their goats, afraid they would be kicked off for the noise. It was half
past three and already the bus had reached its full capacity, unusual for this time
of day. Little did we know, the hot and dirty bus ride would be the best part of
our trip.
Describing Places and Settings:
Creating a Dominant Impression
Example of a weak dominant impression:
It was hot in Africa. Even with the windows open, the bus was noisy and hot. The walls of Five main ideas:
the bus were grey. Each seat inside the bus held two people. The bus was full of people
hot, noisy, dusty, dirty
from different parts of Africa. The bus driver was an old man and was a bad driver. It was
noisy, dusty, and there were flies. Some passengers worried they would be kicked off and crowded
with their animals. The bus was really crowded, and things got worse as the day went on.

Example of a strong dominant impression:

Somalia. A plateau -like place situated at the end of the horn of Africa about the size of
Texas. I remember one day in particular that was different from the rest. The summer
sun beat down relentlessly on the parched, chapped earth. The air was hot, almost Use of vivid adjectives,
stagnant. The steamy breeze from the open windows of the bus did little to ease the adverbs and verbs to
discomfort. Dust sputtered out from underneath the tires, making tinking sounds show the heat, noise,
against the fender, leaving a cloudy trail nearly a mile in length behind it. People swatted dust, uncleanliness and
the buzzing flies from their faces; others shushed their goats, afraid they would be
crowdedness.
kicked off for the noise. It was half past three and already the bus had reached its full
capacity, unusual for this time of day. Little did we know, the hot and dirty bus ride would
be the best part of our trip.
 Describing Places and Settings:
Creating a Dominant Impression
Hot Noisy Dusty Dirty Crowded
adjectives summer, tinking cloudy trail buzzing full capacity
parched, sounds flies
chapped,
stagnant,
steamy
verbs beat down shushed sputtered swatted
their goats out
making
adverbs relentlessly
 Notice the phrases
that show the spatial
order in the kitchen.
Describe a favourite place you have.
• Write 1-2 body paragraphs.
• If possible, take a photo or find a photo online of
your favourite place.
• Why is this your favourite place?
• Choose 2-3 main ideas that make this place special
to you.
• Use any of these techniques to create a strong
dominant impression of your favourite place:
1) Sensory language
2) Figurative language
3) Adjectives, verbs and adverbs