Effective descriptions not only create a distinctive image but also contribute to the overall impression the writer wants to convey. To create this overall impression, writers must determine not only what is most relevant, important, or interesting about what they are describing but also what role the description is playing. The sentence strategies that follow may provide you with a jumping-
To Describe as a Participant
As I tried to _________ like the _________, I was surprised to find that _________.
I picked up X. It felt like _________, and it looked/smelled/tasted/sounded like _________.
Above/around/before me, activity A happened. I tried to _________, and found it _________. “_________,” X said, watching.
Although X clearly seemed _________, I couldn’t shake the feeling that/ignore/stop thinking about _________.
After hours/minutes/days of doing X, I felt like _________.
To Describe as a Spectator
On the other side of _________, a/an _________ appeared/came into view/did something.
X talked as he _________. “_________,” he said.
Gazing at/down/along/with/on_________, X remarked that _________.
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X is impressive/strange/easy to miss, with its/his/her _________, _________, and _________.
_________ makes X angry. She/he says it’s because _________: “_________.”
Although X tries to/pretends to/has made progress toward _________, overall/for the most part/primarily he/she/it is _________.
To Reflect on Your Observations
The most interesting aspect of X is _________, because _________.
Although my visit confirmed that _________, I was surprised to learn that _________.
My dominant impression of X is _________.