For more on spatial order and order of importance, see pages “Spatial Order” and “Order of Importance” in Chapter 3.
Description may use any of the orders of organization, depending on the purpose of the description. If you are describing what someone or something looks like, you might use spatial order, the most common way to organize description. If you are describing something you want to sell, you might use order of importance, ending with the feature that would be most appealing to potential buyers.
Use transitions to help readers move smoothly from detail to detail.
Common Transitions in Description
| TRANSITIONS TO SHOW SPATIAL ORDER | TRANSITIONS TO SHOW ORDER OF IMPORTANCE |
|---|---|
| above/underneath | even more |
| beyond | more |
| in front of/behind | the most |
| to the left/right | the most intense |
| the strongest |
DESCRIPTION AT A GLANCE
Introduction with thesis statement
Gives a main impression
First major sensory detail
Supporting details
Second major sensory detail
Supporting details
Most important sensory detail
Supporting details
Conclusion
Reminds readers of the main impression
Makes an observation