Descriptive Text

 Definition of Descriptive Text

In a broad sense, Description, as described by Kane (2000: 352), defined as in the sentence below:

    Description is about the sensory experience-how something looks, sounds, tastes. Mostly it is about visual experience, but also deals with other description Kinds of perception.
So, to conclude from the above explanation Kane, writing meaningful descriptive text that describes the experiences related to the senses, what kind of shape, sound, taste. Most of the descriptive text is about visual experience, but in fact the experience apart from the sense penglihatanpun can be used in descriptive text.
But specifically, descriptive text is, "...... the which is a text says what a person or a thing is like. Its purpose is to describe and reveal a particular person, place, or thing." [Text describing the picture of a person or object. The goal is a portrait or disclose the person, place or thing specified]
Thus, one might say that this text is descriptive text that describes what kind of person or an object described, both its form, its properties, the amount and others. Objectives (purpose) of the descriptive text was clear, namely to explain, or describe the person or an object revealed.

Generic Structure in Descriptive Text

When writing descriptive text, there are some common composition / generic structure (actually not mandatory) in order to be considered correct our writing. The order is:

    Identification: it contains the identification of / a which will be described.
    Description: contains an explanation / description of the / someone to mention a few properties.
When we write the descriptive text, we should realize that it is the way we deliver our writing these descriptions. Therefore an understanding of the adjective (the adjective in English) must be under our control.
In addition to adjective, a structure that serves as an English adjective we must also understand that the writing of descriptive text we do not look stiff.

 

 

 

A DESCRIPTIVE TEXT EXAMPLE - MY HOUSE

 

I live in a small house. It has five rooms: there are two bedrooms, a living room, a bathroom, and a kitchen. Indeed it is a small house; but I like living in here for wasting my spare time.

When the door is open, I can see the living room. It is so small with only three chairs and a table, nothing else. I prefer reading a novel in this room.

My bedroom is in the left side of the living room. In this room there is a night table next to the bed, a TV, a radio, and a computer. When being bored of reading, I usually play online games, chat with my friends via Facebook and so on. 

Next to my bedroom is my mother's. I do not know what is inside because I never come in to see it. In the right side of the living room there is the kitchen. In the kitchen I have everything I need when I get hungry. It is very pleasure when my mother cooks, the smell fills my whole house.

I know it is a very small house; but it is the best place I have ever seen. 

A DESCRIPTIVE TEXT EXAMPLE - MY FAMILY

My family has four members: those are I, my sister, and parents of course.

My mother is 47 years old. Her name's Anisa. She's thin-faced and she's got long, blond hair and beautiful green eyes. She is still slim because she always tries to stay in shape. She is very good-looking, always well-dressed and elegant.

My father, Lukman, is 5 years older than my mother. He is 52. In spite of his age he's still black-haired, with several grey hairs. He has bright blue eyes. He is quite tall, but a bit shorter than me. He's very hard-working. Besides that he is working in a travel company. He can even make a dinner when my mother is outside. His cooking and his meals are always very tasty as well as my mothers'.

Finally, my sister Nadina. She is 22. She is also red-haired and green-eyed. She has long wavy hair and freckles. She is definitely shorter than me. She is rather introverted. But she is very sensible, smart and co-operative. Right now she is studying English and also knows Arabic and Mandarin. I want to be so smart as she is.

They all, except me, speak Sundanese very well, because we were living in Bandung for 5 years. My sister have been going to primary school there. Unfortunately I was only 3 when we were leaving to Jakarta, so I can't speak Sundanese. Now we are happily living in Jakarta.

A DESCRIPTIVE TEXT EXAMPLE - MY SPHYNX CAT

Sphynx Cats

My Sphynx cat is the only pet I have. He has a little hair but is not totally hairless as he has a peach fuzz over much of his body. His coat is often a warm chamois. My Sphynx has a normal cat proportion.

I like his tail although my mom say that it is like a rats tail. I love his usual color varieties including, tortoiseshell, chocolate, black, blue, lilac, chocolate etc. He is really an amazing cat. Believe it or not, he is very intelligent cat. He can respond my voice commands.

He is really funny as well as my friends get a joke. I love him so much as I love my mother.