CREATIVE WRITING_HN01: DESCRIPTIVE
Descriptive Writing: A Place/Building
Essay Structure:
Introduction: Information about the name and location of the place/building and reason for
choosing it
Main body: general and specific details about the place/building
Place: Give overall impression of landscape, buildings, landmarks and particular details
(sight to see, places to go, things to do)
Building: Its surroundings (situated in….) and give details description of interior and
exterior
Conclusion: Express your feeling or opinion and give a recommendation
Planning and Organisation
Introduction name/location/population/reason for choosing
Main body Paragraphs 2-3
General features and particular details
[Place: surroundings, sights, facilities, free-time activities
Building: surroundings, detailed description of exterior/interior]
Paragraph 4-5
Explanation and examples
Conclusion Comments /feelings and/or recommendation
Points to consider:
Use descriptive vocabulary (fantastic, exquisite, breath-taking…)
Use present to describe a place/building
Use Past Tense describing a visit to a place/building, but factual information in Present
Tense
Vocabulary and Grammar
Location verbs and prepositions:
Position: the place is situated next to……/is surrounded by…..
Actions: the statues stand on / at the top of……
Participle and Relative clauses:
Mujibnagar which is surrounded by India is one of the most significant historical places in
Bangladesh.
Mujibnagar, surrounded by India, is one of the most significant historical places in Bangladesh.
Walking through the field, people can see the stunning beauty of nature.
While walking through the field, people can see the stunning beauty of nature.
When people walk through the field, they can see the stunning beauty of nature.
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CREATIVE WRITING_HN01: DESCRIPTIVE
Expressing Impression and Reactions:
You can express positive impression of a place:
Using variety of adjectives
Word Meaning Word Meaning
Awe-inspiring Breathtaking
Delightful Elaborate
Eye-catching Exquisite
Majestic Outstanding
Overwhelming Picturesque
Quaint Spellbinding
Superb Tranquil
Using a variety of present or past participle:
Amazing Astonishing
Astounding Impressing
Inspiring Overwhelming
Refreshing Stimulating
Using a variety of nouns in expressions:
To my amazement/ To my astonishment/ To my delight/ To my utter surprise
You can express negative impression of a place:
Using variety of adjectives, present or past participle & Nouns
Barren Bleak
Inhospitable Neglected
Depressing Disappointing
Terrifying Shocking
Dilapidated
To my disappointment/surprise
Useful Language: Explaining Impression
What strikes/impresses/delights visitors about the resort is its unique surrounding.
The most noticeable/outstanding feature of the mosque is the high and magnificent domes.
A huge number of statues are the first thing one notices visiting the place.
One cannot but be impressed/moved/struck by the natural beauty of the place.
Without doubt, the most impressive thing about Rangamati is the hanging bridge.
The thing which makes the most enduring impression is the hospitality of the local people.
One particularly wonders at the variety of attractions offered.
Adjectives to describe places
Words Meaning Words Meaning Words Meaning
delightful buzzing captivating
attractive challenging congested
wild convenient cosmopolitan
beautiful crowded dangerous
urban traditional stunning
broad/ wide deserted desolate
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CREATIVE WRITING_HN01: DESCRIPTIVE
busy disappointing distinctive
dramatic dull enchanting
exceptional exciting famous
fantastic forgettable green
high-tech historic huge
iconic impressive infamous/ notorious
isolated magnificent manic
medium-sized memorable modern
natural noisy peaceful
picturesque polluted quaint
relaxing remote rural
safe scenic sheltered
slow-paced unforgettable tiny
Facilities Kinds of urban area (city etc)
peace and quiet/right in the middle of capital (city)
everything/rolling hills/scenery/ sense of commuter town/ satellite town
community (small/ medium-sized/ large) town
view new town
Negative Words: regional capital/ state capital/ county town
dense vegetation/ far from civilisation village/ hamlet
traffic jam Parts of a town
Types and uses of building (central) square/ city centre/ town centre
(ceremonial) gate historic centre / industrial estate/main street/ high
(detached/ semi-detached/ terraced/ street/ outskirts/suburb(s)/ pedestrianised area/
traditional house traffic-free zone/residential area/ rundown area/
(high rise) (block of) flats /(log) cabin slum/ surrounding area/ shopping centre/
bungalow/castle/ fort/ cottage shopping mall/ (street/ flea/ farmers’/ antiques/
mosque/church/ chapel/ traditional) market (area)
cathedral/temple / department Places connected to water
store/supermarket/superstore/ megastore (manmade) canal
office building/palace/ parliament (sandy/ pebbly/ rocky) beach/ seaside
building/ town hall/ city hall/(indoor/ bay/ (natural) harbour
covered) market coast/ coastline
Natural places/ Natural features/ fountain
Parts of the countryside island
(snow-capped) mountain/ mountain pond/ lake/ reservoir
range/ peak river/ stream
cape/cave/cliff/desert/farm/field/hill/ riverside/ riverbank/ canal-side
foothill/ slope/jungle/meadow/ national seawall
park/ plain/ plateau/valley/ wildlife shore
reserve/wood/ forest/ woodland waterfall, well
Rajon Mahmood
B.A. & M.A. (Hons) in English (Major in ELT)
Daffodil International University
Assistant Teacher, Dariapur Secondary School
Former Lecturer in English, Shandhani School and College, Gangni
[Experienced in teaching in English Medium schools under
Cambridge and Edexcel International Curriculum]
Contact:01719-271306/01914-212140
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