Page 273 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing
P. 273
Description
2 Write effective descriptive essays.
“You can’t miss it. It’s the big yellow house on the corner.”
“Officer, he was bald with a tattoo of a turtle on the top of his head.”
“I just asked to borrow a pen, and she gave me a look that would
freeze hot coffee.”
Where would we be without description? It is used every day to
communicate the essentials of life and to add the embellishments that
keep listeners hanging on every word.
In writing, too, description helps readers understand your point and
keeps them waiting for the next detail. Descriptive essays often
answer questions such as the ones that follow.
What is your favorite season of the year?
What one place, for you, is “heaven on earth”?
Describe a place that causes (or caused) you to feel uncomfortable
or unhappy.
