How To Write a Well Developed and Organized Description Essay (5 Paragraphs)

By Martin Rojas, 8th Feb 2011 | Follow this author | RSS Feed | Short URL http://nut.bz/183p63ms/
Posted in Wikinut>Guides>Writing

This article discusses how to write a five body paragraph description essay.

The Description Essay
Introduction
Body Paragraph 1
Body Paragraph 2
Body Paragraph 3
Conclusion
Editing

The Description Essay

The description essay is a piece of writing that allows the writer to pick one element from his/her life and pick one or two adjectives that best describe this one element. Before entering advance level English courses in college, many basic college level English courses assign a mandatory 5-body paragraph description essay. The purpose of this writing is to help writers have a thought, develop that thought, organize that thought, and stay on topic with that thought. Moreover, the descriptive essay helps students stay organized while painting a picture for their reader using words. Following these simple steps, I assure my readers that this type of writing is easy. My first step is just a few tips to keep in mind before writing your first draft of a classification essay. Step 2-6 is a step-by-step recipe to follow; each step contains the ingredients that belong in each body paragraph. Furthermore, in each step, I provide a sample paragraph that compliments those ingredients.

Take time to plan out what you want to describe. Think about that one element; it can be a description of a person you know or a place that you know, such as scenery, a room that you know well, school, a work station, etc. Also be sure to obtain a list of adjectives, and then pick the three adjectives that best describe your element. Try to keep in mind that the adjectives you choose is important because once you choose them, your aim is to write this essay in a way that will 100% support the adjectives.

Introduction

a) In about 4-6 sentences, discuss the element that you will be describing. Immediately let your reader know if it is a person or place by providing some general statements about this element. Mention how you know this element and some of your experiences with this element

b) In 1 sentence, state your thesis. Your thesis should be the three adjectives that best describe this element. Try not to state complete opposite adjectives. Opposite adjectives will contradict what you are trying to describe.

Sample Introduction: The lower case letters in all 5 paragrpahs are to show that all the ingredents from the formats appear. Use these letters as a guide or checklist to follow.

(a)Ever since I was a child, I always spent my summers in Maui Hawaii. I love my summers there; it is the one place where I find nothing but peace, happiness, and relaxation. For me, Maui is my safe place; it is my escape from all reality. When my family and I are in Maui, we spend our days at the beach, we hike, and spend time at the swimming pool. In Maui, the weather is always perfect. The weather is never too cold, and it is never too hot; it is just perfect. Furthermore, time never really seems to exist in Maui. Everyone is calm and never stressed out about places to be at certain times. Despite all of the above, there is one element about Maui that I truly love, and that part is the West Maui Mountains. (b)The West Maui Mountains has breathtaking scenery; they are peaceful, and mysterious.

Body Paragraph 1

a) In about 2-3 sentences, discuss your first adjective from your thesis. Explain why this adjective is suitable for this element that you are describing.

b) In about 3-4 sentences, provide a specific and clear example that supports this adjective. This example should be your personal experience with this element. Since this is a description essay, your example should literally show this adjective, describe this adjective, paint a picture of this adjective through words. Your example should be filled with metaphor, similes, and images of the five senses. Your example should make the reader see what you see in this description.

c) Have one closing sentence to seal off your paragraph.

Sample Body Paragraph 1.

(a)The West Maui Mountains are absolutely breathtaking in scenery. They are breathtaking when you look up at them from sea level, but they are more breathtaking when you are standing ontop of them overlooking the ocean and the other Hawaiian Islands. (b)When I am in Maui, I hike up one of the mountain bases every evening before sunset, and while I walk up the base of that mountain, I feel like I am being transported into a different world. The scenery that I see when I am walking up that mountain is nothing but green-the green is more emerald then the emerald city in The Wizard of Oz. Moreover, when I reach the top, I look down, and I see the crystal blue ocean, which seems endless, and I see three islands. The view makes me feel ontop of the world-protecting, watching, waiting, hoping for those 30 minutes to last a life time. Before the sunsets, there are thousands of sparks glistening over every ripple in the ocean, and every neighbor island seems so desolate, and untouched. After looking down upon the world, I turn, and I take one more look at the actual mountain top. All of those green alleys also seem desolate and untouched. The scenery truly takes my breath away and refills my lungs with renewed air and life. (c)And while the sun sets, I walk back down the base of the mountain a rejoin society, but renewed, rejuvenated, reborn, with new breath.

Body Paragraph 2

a) Using a transitional phrase and in about 2-3 more sentences, discuss your second adjective from your thesis. Again, explain why this adjective is suitable for this element that you are describing.

b) In about 3-4 sentences, provide a specific and clear example that supports this second adjective. Once again, this example should be your personal experience with this element. Just like the first body paragraph, your example should describe this adjective and paint a picture of this adjective through words with metaphors, similes, and images of the five senses. Make the reader see what you see.

c) Have one closing sentence to seal off your paragraph.

Sample Body Paragraph 2:

(a)In addition to breathtaking, the West Maui Mountains are very peaceful. They have no polluting sounds, such as people screaming, cars honking, or loud obnoxious music. There is no turmoil of drama from school, work, friends, and/or home life. While up in these mountains, every worry, problem, and stress disappears. (b)I will never forget one horrible year. The events of that year occurred before my family and I revisited Maui for the summer. In short, my parents got divorced, I failed a class that I was taking, I lost a close friend of mine to a car accident, and my girlfriend and I broke up; however, once my family and I reach Maui, and I reached the mountain top that same evening, all my sadness and regret of that year disappeared. I heard no sounds but tropical birds talking to each other; their voices were the songs of peace that promoted meditation-the meditation permitted me to realize that there are some things we can control and some things we cannot, and the one thing I choose to control was me. Those sounds allowed me to control my own emotions and be as peaceful with life as those mountains are. I closed my eyes and felt the wind blowing gently against my face, and with that wind, I smelled a mixture of coconut from the palm trees, and Hawaiian plumeria. This flower has the scent of eternal dominance; it distracts you from all thought. And with that wind, I felt the mist from nearby waterfalls-that mist was a warm shower of peace. After that summer of repeatedly visiting that mountain every evening, I returned back home with nothing but peace and relaxation. (c)The land itself healed me.

Body Paragraph 3

a) Using another transitional phrase, write about 2-3 more sentences that discusses your third adjective from your thesis. Again, explain why this adjective is suitable for this element that you are describing.

b) In about 3-4 sentences, provide another clear and specific example that supports this third adjective. Once again, this example should be your personal experience with this element, and it should again paint a picture with metaphors, similes, and images of the five senses that make the reader see what you see.

c) Have one closing sentence to seal off your paragraph.

Sample Body Paragraph 3.

(a)Finally, the West Maui Mountains have a mysterious existence. These mountains are mysterious because there is no clear answer as to why they have the power to heal all other life mentally, physically, and spiritually; it is almost as if the ancient Hawaiian gods, kings, warriors, and citizens are there teaching one how to live. They are further mysterious because they seem infinite; they seem to have no beginning and no ending. (b)Every time that I am on top of that mountain, I get a feeling that I am not alone. I never feel that any physical being is around me, but I feel that ancient ones before me are there next to me, around me, watching the land and anyone else who comes there. I believe that if the ancient ones are there, then they are there protecting and watching over their land, making sure that no one disrespect it. I respect the land, and the mystery of it is that I always feel blessed every time I leave the mountain. Perhaps it is the ancient gods blessing me for respecting their home. I also never see a beginning or ending to these mountains; they seem eternal. I can see as far as one can see. Perhaps there is no end, and if there is an end, perhaps it is only an end to this world, and an entrance into another world, a world of pure paradise. These mountains are so mysterious because the only thing that I see in them is heaven on earth, whose healing powers go beyond any medicine. (c) One thing I know that I will never do is try to solve their mystery; I cherish the mountains gifts too much too even wonder why or how.

Conclusion

a) In about 2 sentences, restate your thesis. Be sure that you restate your thesis using different words.

b) In about 3-4 sentences, briefly re-mention all the specific examples that support your adjectives from your thesis. These examples come from body 1, 2, and 3.

c)Have one closing sentence that seals off your essay.

Sample conclusion:

(a)The West Maui Mountains have many characteristics and features, and are many different things to different people. For me, these mountains are breathtaking, peaceful and mysterious. (b)Every time that I see these mountains, I see nothing but green, and I see the endless ocean and neighbor islands from the top. Furthermore, the time that I thought I lost everything, I found an inner and outer peace with myself and with life from the sounds and scents that these mountains offer. I finally will always be grateful the mystery that these mountains offer. I never feel alone when I am on these mountains; I feel blessed and protected by the ancient ones who roam their home land, making sure it is respected as much as it respects other life. I see no beginning and no ending to the mystery of these mountains. The West Maui Mountains are my safe place, my sanctuary, my saving element. (c)I will always cherish them and be grateful for the time that I have had and hope to continue having with them.