Unit 5 Describing Scenes

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DESCRIBING A SCENEParagraph organization when

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Present Simple vs Present Continuousfor describing scenes (1)

Present Simple

• Facts or truths

• Permanent situations

• Page 43: We use the present simple tense with the five verbs of senses such as see, hear, taste, touch, smell, feel, look, sound, seem, appear

Present Continuous

• Emphasis on ongoing actions

• Actions that are happening at the time of speaking or writing

• Temporary actions

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Present Simple vs Present Continuousfor describing scenes (2)

You should also review the following rules on how to use the present simple or the present continuous:

• Action verbs VS Non-action verbs

• Stative meanings VS Dynamic meanings

• Verbs of Senses are modified by adjectives (not adverbs)

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Present Simple vs Present Continuousfor describing scenes (3)

Notice some examples below.

• We see a couple swimming in the sea.

** You can use the verb ‘can’ with the verb ‘see’ when describing something.• We can see a couple swimming in the sea.

Please note the following:

She is seeing someone in her office. The verb ‘see’ used as the continuous tense = have a date with someone

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Present Simple vs Present Continuousfor describing scenes (4)

Notice some examples below. (cont.)

• She is beautiful. = She looks beautiful.

• He is looking at the woman in red. He thinks / feels (that) she looks pretty.

• He looks upset. VS He is looking upset.

• She feels happy. VS She is feeling happy.

• We have a good time together. VS We are having a good time together.

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Describing a scene (1)

• You describe people and/or things that are part of an event, an activity or a situation in a particular place.

• You focus on the action or what is happening at the time you see.

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Describing a scene (2)

• Don’t be confused with ‘describing place’.You just use the preposition of place to help describe the position of the objects or people before giving the details of what you see.

– On the left/right, there are two people playing chess.

– Behind/In front of …, you can see …

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How to write descriptively (1)

1. Simply write a short piece of purely descriptive writing: 'zoom in' and 'focus' on the kind of scene asked in your writing assignment.

2. Help your reader feel as if he or she were actually there, experiencing the thing being described.

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How to write descriptively (2)

3. Describe - as appropriate to the scene -what you see, hear, taste, smell and feel -that is, use sensory description.

4. It can be best not to be a part of the action; instead, be merely an observer and a reporter of the event.

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How to write descriptively (3)5. Good structure

Start with a general introduction and continue describing specific things: from the 'general' to the 'particular‘

6. Possible substructure

– From major to minor - From left to right

– From near to far - From inside to outside

– From then to now - location by location

Ex: In the corner...; In the sky...; Over there...

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Sensory Description

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