Describing

In this independent essay question, you will be asked to describe something, such as your favorite book. In some cases, you will be asked to describe the characteristics of something, such as a good neighbor. In these cases, you are also giving your opinion, so you may also wish to review tips for expressing opinions. You will have 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise your essay. A good response will usually require that you write a minimum of 300 words.

In this type of essay, you should:

• State 2 - 3 major characteristics
• Describe each characteristic in a separate paragraph

Stating major characteristics

Use your thesis sentence to generalize 2 or 3 characteristics about something.

Example: My hometown is small, beautiful, and very relaxing.

Here's an example of describing something based on opinion:

Example: In my opinion, a good restaurant has an extensive menu, reasonable prices, and a relaxing atmosphere.

Explaining characteristics in detail

Begin each paragraph by introducing the characteristic in general. Then add specific details in the following sentences.

Examples:

My hometown is a very small city on the Island of Hokkaido.There are only about 20,000 people living there.

I think a good restaurant should have a lot of items on the menu. For example, I like to try a variety of appetizers before my meal.