Elements of Description – JSS1 English Lesson Note (Third Term)

Description is the use of words to help the reader picture a person, place or scene. A good description uses the five senses, colour, metaphors and similes, and small unusual details. It describes characters early, links description to action, and avoids too much detail so that the reader can fill in some of the picture.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• list the main elements of description;
• explain why a writer should not over-describe a character or scene;
• name the five senses and say how they make a description real;
• find examples of description in a passage;
• write a short description of a person or a room.

What are the elements of description?

These are the most important elements to remember when it comes to description.

Describing places and characters

• The reader needs description to paint the picture of a location or scene in their head. Too much description bogs down the story, slows the pace, and detracts from the forward movement of the plot.
• Describe your characters as soon as possible after they are introduced. Do not over-describe them. Let the reader fill in some details, because this helps them fix a picture of the character in their mind.
• Be aware of what you can assume the reader knows (for example, the shape of a newspaper) and what they do not know.

Using the senses and colour

• Use the five senses as much as possible. Think about what your character can hear, see and smell, and think about touch and taste. Do not use too many senses in each scene, but use them to paint a real, tangible picture.
• Use colour well.

Using metaphors, mood and detail

• Metaphors can be very powerful in description. They can evoke a mood or theme that runs through your story. If you have heard an expression before, it is a cliché and should be avoided. You are a writer, so be creative and come up with your own metaphors and similes.
• Use description to develop mood, for example a stormy day or a bright white apartment.
• Tie description to action to show the reader what is happening rather than tell them.
• Quirky details are good because they stand out in the reader’s mind. Do your research and build on a small detail to inform the reader about your characters and locations.

Practising description

• Practise writing descriptions. For example, describe characters whose pictures you have found in magazines, or describe a room you have visited.
• Do not overdo the description. Remember the join-the-dots rule: let the reader fill in some details for themselves.

Reading passage: how does a writer describe a person?

Instruction: The author wants to do more than tell you about her teacher. She wants to create in your mind a clear mental picture of her favourite teacher. As you read, look for ways the author uses language to create a picture for you.

My favourite teacher

My favourite teacher was Mrs Ruby, who had taught me English for two years. She had studied in America and came back to Hong Kong to be an English teacher. She had sparkly eyes and blond hair. She was just a bit taller than I was. She always smiled at us when we saw each other in the hallway at school.

She seemed very strict when I first met her. However, we had a lot of fun during her classes because she told us jokes in English. She had skill at teaching, a sense of humour, and was friendly, patient and easygoing.

I had her classes when I was in grade 10, and I have got good marks in English since then. She gave us tons of assignments which were meant to improve our English. She was patient and enthusiastic whenever we had questions in her classes. Moreover, she would stay at school for hours after lessons finished to solve the problems that we had in her class.

She would spend her private time teaching us western penmanship, which meant using two pencils tied together with rubber bands. Then we could draw a letter with them. It was amazing. I learned it while I had lunch with her. She would also talk about her life during lunch, and I found we had a lot in common. She liked eating Chinese and Japanese food. Her favourite band was Westlife, as mine was.

She always listened to pop music and sang karaoke. She said that it was an easier way to communicate with her students. She was always friendly and easygoing.

She encouraged us to do voluntary work after school or at weekends. She was in charge of the YMCA and led a group of students to do many different kinds of services. These included cleaning houses for seniors who lived by themselves, selling stickers for charity, leading blind people along the street regularly, and planting bushes for an environmental protection organisation. She was a very helpful person.

Evaluation

1. Discuss the elements of a descriptive essay as used in the passage.
2. Which of the five senses does the author use to describe Mrs Ruby? Give examples from the passage.
3. Why should a writer avoid over-describing a character?

Assignment

Describe a room you have visited in about 100 words. Use at least two of the five senses, and use colour well.