Descriptive

UNIT 1
DESCRIPTIVE

Objectives:
After learning this unit, the students are expected to be able to:

1. mention the social function of descriptive genre/text type;

2. skim the general ideas through the generic structure of descriptive
text;
3. scan the specific ideas through the generic structure of descriptive
texts;
4. identify the cohesive devices in descriptive text and use them in
other descriptive texts;
5. identify the sentence structures commonly used in description and
use them in other descriptive texts;
6. identify the noun phrases and use them in other descriptions;
7. identify the parallel structures with conjunctions but, and, and or
and use them in other descriptive texts, and;
8. identify the adjectives and their comparative forms to express facts
and opinions and use them in other descriptive texts.

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FOCUS 1: The Island City, Venice

Activity 1: Pre-Reading Activity

Answer these following questions.
1. Have you ever visited floating cities?
2. What do you think of the cities?
3. Do people like to visit the cities?
4. Give the reasons why people like or don’t like to visit them.

Activity 2: While-Reading Activity

While reading the text, answer the questions below.
1. What does the text talk about?
2. How many paragraphs are there in the text?
3. Which paragraph tells about how the people get money?
4. Can you find public transportation in the city? Explain it.
5. What is the writer’s intention of writing the text?

An Island City, Venice

Venice is an island city which is

located on 118 small islands. It is in the
eastern part of Italy and near the Adriatic
Sea. In Venice, there are 170 waterways
which separate the islands and 400 bridges
which connect the islands.
Venice has become one of the most
important trade centers in Europe for years. Its population is about 72.000.
Most people in Venice earn their life from tourism. That is why everything
in Venice is more expensive than the other parts of Italy.
There are narrow streets in water, small bridges, and high buildings.
The depth of water is about 150 cm. Base of the buildings is composed of
piles so it is a very amazing fact that those buildings consist of piles which
have been very strong for years. There is no car in Venice. There are only
boats. Police car is a boat, ambulance is a boat; there are water taxis; they
are also boats!

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The buildings in Venice have small windows and are so close to each
other. In front of the windows, there are flowerpots to make the buildings
look nice. Venice is famous for masks so there are some mask shops in
Venice. These shops attract many tourists’ attention because of beautiful
masks. Additionally, delicious pizzas, Italian ice-cream and pasta with
delicious sauce invite tourists to taste.
(Taken from https://sibellgultekin.wordpress.com/2011/03/17)

Activity 3: Post-Reading Activity

After reading the text, answer the following questions.
1. Venice is well-known as a floating city. Why?
2. How many canals are there in the city?
3. How do people in Venice live?
4. Do you think that people plant trees to green their environment?
5. What is so special about Venice?

Activity 4: References
Read the part of the text containing reference.

Venice is an island city which is located on 118 small islands. It is in the eastern
part of Italy and near the Adriatic Sea.

The word It is a pronoun that substitutes the word Venice, so It refers to

Venice.

Now, read the following text.

Venice has become one of the most important trade centers in Europe
for years. Its population is about 72.000. Most people in Venice earn
their life from tourism.
There are narrow streets in water, small bridges, and high buildings.
The depth of water is about 150 cm. Base of the buildings was
composed of piles so it is a very amazing fact that those buildings
consist of piles which have been very strong for years. There is no car

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in Venice. There are only boats. Police car is a boat, ambulance is a

boat; there are water taxis; they are also boats!

Find five pronouns and then write the references.

1. The pronoun .................. refers to the word ........................

2. The pronoun .................. refers to the word ........................

3. The pronoun .................. refers to the word ........................

4. The pronoun .................. refers to the word ........................

Activity 5: Using be and have to make a description

In the text describing Venice, the writer uses verbs be and have. The
verb be could be is/am/are/was/were and the verb have could be
has/have/had.
Examples:
This is the car which my brother got for his promotion.
I have something to finish so I won’t join the concert.

Find the sentences in the text containing be and have.

be

have

Beside the verb have, the writer uses the verbs consist of and was composed of
in the text. They have similar meaning in making description.

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Example:
Base of the buildings was composed of piles so it is a very amazing
fact that those buildings which consist of piles have been very strong
for years.

Describe your campus by using be/have/consist of/composed of.

Write sentences by using be/have/consist of/composed of.

1. ..............................................................

2. ..............................................................

3. ..............................................................

4. .............................................................

Activity 6: Using there to make a description

Sometimes the word there is used to describe what we see and know about
something or someone.

Example:
be/be
noun/noun phrase
not
are narrow streets in water, small bridges, and
There
high buildings.
wasn’t a television in the living room.
is some milk in the fridge.

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Find the sentences in the text containing there.

1
2
3
4
5

Describe your classroom by using the word there.

1
2
3
4
5

Activity 7: Using Coordinating Conjunctions in Parallel Structure

Read the following sentences taken from the text.
- The buildings in Venice have small windows and are so close to each
other.
(parallel structure between verb phrases)
- Venice is famous for masks so there are some mask shops in Venice.
(parallel structure between clauses)
- It is in the eastern part of Italy and near the Adriatic Sea.
(parallel structure between prepositional phrases)
- There are narrow streets in water, small bridges, and high buildings.
(parallel structure between noun phrases)

The words and and so are parts of coordinating conjunctions which

function to connect words, phrases, and clauses. There are some types of
coordinating conjunctions called FANBOYS which stands for:
F = For – to explain the ‘why’ in a situation.
A = And – used when two similar clauses or points are made.

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N = Nor – used about similar two items but in the negative sense.
It is generally used after a neither (-neither, -nor)
B = But – to show a contrast between two clauses.
O = Or – to suggest an option or alternative.
Y = Yet – to show a contrast in spite of something.
S = So – to show the consequence or result of something.

Circle the coordinating conjunctions and identify the parallel structure

of the sentences below.
1. Mr. Brown likes to go home early, but his wife prefers to stay late.
2. Mary likes hiking and swimming, and riding a bicycle.
3. She put on a sweater, for it was cold outside.
4. They were not wearing jackets, nor were they carrying umbrellas.
5. He can buy the book, or he can borrow it from the library.
6. The students are thirsty, so they go to the resto to get some water.
7. They studied a lot, yet some of them didn’t pass the test.

Describe your activities in some sentences using parallel structure.

1
2
3
4
5

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FOCUS 2: Tokyo, the Largest City in Japan

Activity 1: Pre-reading Activity

You are going to read a text about Tokyo. Before reading it, answer these
questions.
1. Do you know the capital city of Japan?
2. Where is the important city in Japan?
3. Is Tokyo a modern city or old city?
4. Where is the central business in Japan?
Activity 2: While reading Activity
While reading the text about Tokyo, answer the questions below.
1. What is the first paragraph about?
2. Which part of the text describes metropolitan area?
3. What does the second paragraph talk about?
4. What does the writer want to imply?

Read the following passage rapidly, and mention the parts of Tokyo.

Tokyo, the Largest City in Japan

Tokyo is a city and the capital of Japan. It is located at the head
of Tokyo Bay on the Pacific coast of central Honshu. It is the focus of the
vast metropolitan area often called Greater Tokyo, the largest urban and
industrial agglomeration in Japan.
The metropolitan area is the largest industrial, commercial, and
financial center in Japan. Many domestic and international financial
institutions and other businesses are headquartered in central Tokyo. The
city is an important wholesale center, where goods from all parts of the
country and the world are distributed. Tokyo is part of the Keihin Industrial
Zone, centered on the western shore of the bay, which has become the
country’s leading manufacturing region. Light and labor-intensive
industries predominate in the city. Printing, publishing and the
manufacture of electronic equipment are more popular than other
businesses in that city.
(Taken from Britannica Encyclopedia)

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Activity 3: Post-reading Activity

After reading the text above, answer these questions.
1. Where is Tokyo located?
2. Is Tokyo metropolitan area or remote area?
3. Where is the business headquartered located in Japan?
4. What is the meaning of Japan is a wholesale center?

Activity 4: Degrees of Comparison

Read the following sentences and pay attention to the italic word.
The metropolitan area is the largest industrial, commercial, and financial
center in Japan.

The word largest is a superlative adjective of the word large. It is used to

describe an object which is at the upper or lower limit of a quality and it is
used in a sentence where a subject is compared to a group of objects.
Usually in comparing the quality of two or more things to find a better or
the best thing, it is used comparative and superlative adjectives. Forming
comparatives and superlatives is easy. The form depends on the number of
syllables in the original adjective.

ONE SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES

Add -er for the comparative and -est for the superlative. If the adjective has
a consonant + single vowel + consonant spelling, the final consonant must
be doubled before adding the ending.

adjective comparative superlative

tall Taller tallest
fat Fatter fattest
big bigger biggest
sad sadder saddest

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TWO SYLLABLES
Adjectives with two syllables can form the comparative either by adding -
er or by proceeding the adjective with more. These adjectives form the
superlative either by adding -est or by proceeding the adjective with most.

adjective comparative superlative

happy happier happiest
simple simpler simplest
busy Busier busiest
tilted more tilted most tilted
tangled more tangled most tangled

THREE OR MORE SYLLABLES

Adjectives with three or more syllables form the comparative by putting
more in front of the adjective, and the superlative by putting most in front.

adjective comparative superlative

important more important most important
expensive more expensive most expensive
different more different most different

IRREGULAR COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

These very common adjectives have completely irregular comparative and
superlative forms.

adjective comparative superlative

good better best
Bad worse worst
Little less least
Much more most
Far further/farther furthest/farthest
etc.

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Examples:
1. Tokyo has the best.
2. Today is the worst day I've had in a long time.
3. You play tennis better than I do.
4. This is the least expensive sweater in the store.
5. This sweater is less expensive than that one.

The formula of using comparison and superlative adjectives:

1. Comparison:
noun
noun (subject) verb comparative adjectives than
(object)
My house Is larger than hers
This box Is smaller than the one I lost
Your dog runs faster than Tom’s dog

2. Superlative:
noun (subject) verb The superlative adjectives
noun (object)
My house is the largest one in our
neighborhood.
This is the smallest box I’ve ever
seen.
Your dog ran the fastest of any dog in the
race
Write the things in your surrounding by using the two formulas above.
1

comparative 2

superlative 2

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Activity 5: True, False, Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?
Choose TRUE if a statement agrees with the information in the text,
FALSE if a statement disagrees and NOT GIVEN if there is no information
given about this in the text by giving a check (√) in the right column.

Not
No Statement True False
Given
Greater Tokyo is the head of Tokyo
1
Bay located in Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo is a busy city since some kinds
2
of businesses have their offices there
It is very hot in Tokyo because it is
3
located in the head of a bay
There are not factories which produce
4 building materials like cement in
Tokyo.
It might be easy to find journals, books,
5
and magazines in Tokyo.

Activity 6: Understanding Generic Structure and the Elements

Descriptive text has a generic structure. It consists of identification and

description. Identification functions for introducing the object that will
be described. Description contains a description of something such as
animal, things, place, person, and so on.

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To check your understanding of the generic structure of the text above,

complete the diagram below.

Identification Tokyo is a city and the capital of Japan.

Description

FOCUS 3: Computer Scientist

Activity 1: Pre-Reading Activity

You are going to read a text about computer scientist. Before doing that,
answer the questions below.
1. Are you familiar with a computer scientist?
2. What do you think of a computer scientist?
3. Do you know any computer scientist? Who?
4. Do you want to be a computer scientist?

Activity 2: While-Reading Activity

While reading the text, answer these questions.
1. What is the first paragraph about?
2. What is the function of the first paragraph?
3. Which paragraph explain about Larry’s family?
4. What is the meaning of CEO?

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Lawrence “Larry” Page is one of the most influential people in the

world. Page is an American computer scientist; he is also an Internet
entrepreneur. He was a co-founder of Google with his friend, Sergey Brin,
in 1998. Now, he plays a role as a chief executive officer (CEO) of
Alphapets, Google’s parent company. Larry Page was born in Michigan.
By 2019, his age is 46 years old. His hair is dark brown while his skin is fair.

About his family, a research scientist named Lucinda Southworth is

his wife. Now, he is a well-known father of two children. In November
2016, he became the 12th richest person. Larry’s last education background
which he got is a Ph.D. from Stanford University. Here, he met Sergey Brin.
Then, they incorporated Google in order to make world’s information easy
to access. This company makes him to be one of the successful people in
the world.

Taken from http://www.famouspeoplelessons.com

Activity 3: Post-Reading Activity

After reading the text, answer these following questions.
1. What is the best title of the text?
2. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
3. What does the second paragraph discuss?
4. In what year was Larry born?
5. What is the name of Larry’s company?

Activity 4: Pre- and Post-modifiers

Make a description by using noun with pre- and post-modifiers.
Read the following sentence and pay attention to the underlined words
Larry’s last education background which he got is a Ph.D. from Stanford
University.

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The underlined words are a noun phrase consisting of nouns with pre- and
post- modifiers arranged based on the table below:

Deicti Numbe Describin Classifyin Noun Quantifie

c r g g r
Larry’s last education backgroun which he
d got

Notes:
- Deictic : Articles (a, an, the) and possessive adjectives (her, my,
your, etc.)
- Number : Cardinal (1,2,3) and Ordinal (first, second)
- Describing : Quality, size, age, color, and shape (fillers: adjective,
present, and past participle)
- Classifying : Function and Origin (filler: noun, gerund, adjective)
- Qualifier : Additional information (filler: adjective clause, present
participle phrase, past participle phrase, infinitive phrase,
prepositional phrase, adjective phrase, cardinal/ordinal
number)

Read the text and find the noun phrases with their pre- and post-
modifiers. Place the words in the right categories.

Deictic Number Describing Classifying Noun Quantifier

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Describe your country by using noun phrases containing pre- and post
modifiers.

FOCUS 4: My Cat Zedva

Activity 1: Pre-Reading Activity

You are going to read a text about a cat. Before reading it, answer the
questions below.
1. Do you like cats?
2. Do you have a cat?
3. What do you know about a cat?
4. If you don’t have a cat and you want to have one, what species do
you want?

Activity 2: While-Reading Activity

While reading the text, answer the questions below.
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?
2. What is the second paragraph about?
3. Where can you find Zedva eating habits?
4. How is the text organized?
5. What does the writer want to do with text?

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My Cat Zedva
Zedva is my beautiful gray Persian cat. He walks with pride and
grace, performing a dance of disdain as he slowly lifts and lowers each paw
with the delicacy of a ballet dancer. His pride, however, does not extend to
his appearance, for he spends most of his time indoors watching television
and growing fat. He enjoys movie in Television. Almost every day my cat
Zedva always watches television after the feed and sometimes eats while
watching television.
Zedva is as finicky about visitors as he is about what he eats,
befriending some and repelling others. He may snuggle up against your
ankle, beg to be petted, or imitate a skunk and stain your favorite trousers.
Zedva does not do this to establish his territory, as many cat experts think,
but to humiliate me because he is jealous of my friends. After my guests
have fled, I look at the old fleabag snoozing and smiling to himself in front
of the television set, and I have to forgive him for his obnoxious, but
endearing, habits.

Taken from: http://yudhinurichsan.blogspot.com/2016/03/my-cat-

zedva.html

Activity 3: Post-reading Activity

After reading the text above, answer the questions below.
1. Why does the writer describe the cat’s acting as performing a
dance of disdain?
2. What makes the cat growing fat?
3. What does the cat do to show his jelousy?
4. What does the words the old fleabag refer to?
5. What do you think about the sentence ”I have to forgive him for his
obnoxious, but endearing, habits.”?

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Activity 4: Exercises
Read the following advertisement and then answer the questions

ROOM TO RENT

Contact Phone No.:093246434545

Bedrooms: 7 Plus
Bathrooms: Shared
Short URL: AdsTi.me/253380
Ad Description:
 located in visitation jones (at bang vcmc/matilda bradford
school, street beside ucpb bank) .Walking distance crown
regency, robinsons fuente, can access to urgello, swu, usc
 room w/ aircon is for 2 person. Fully furnished
 room without aircon for 4 persons. fully furnished with
wall fan
 studio rooms with small kitchen area and has own car pot.

Taken from https://cebu.freeadstime.org/free-ads/253380

1. Mention types of room to rent in the above advertisement!

2. Who will be interested in renting the rooms?
3. Can you browse internet to find the advertisement?
4. Do you think that you will have privacy if you stay in that place?
5. Do you think that it is hot in this area?

Activity 5: True, False, or Not Given

Based on the advertisement above, state the following statements are
True, False or Not Given . To give answers, give a tick (√) in the right
column.

Not
No Statement True False
Given
It is very cheap to rent a room for a
1
person who works in a bank.
Transportation is not required for
2
shopping daily needs.
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People who rent the rooms should

3 have their own furniture like tables
and chairs.
Cooking is possible for all the people
4 who rent the rooms because there is a
mall near the place.
If you rent a room, you can bring your
5
pet to stay with you.

Activity 6: Ellipsis
In speaking and writing English, we do not repeat some words. Sometimes,
we replace words with pronouns.

Example: Almost every day my cat Zedva always watches television after
the feed and sometimes eats while watching television. [line 5 paragraph 1]

The words that we do not repeat are “my cat Zedva”.

The sentence really means: Almost every day my cat Zedva always watches
television after the feed and sometimes my cat Zedva eats while watching
television.

Read each sentence below. Some words are not repeated. On the blank
lines, write the word or words which are not repeated.
1. Mary is not the tallest child in her family, but she is the oldest.
________________________________________________
2. There are many causes of air pollutio. Automobiles and industry
are two.
________________________________________________
3. Mary doesn’t know how to swim, but she wants to learn.
________________________________________________
4. The cookies looked delicious, so Mary ate some.
________________________________________________

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5. There are several kinds of museums in Chicago. The Museum of

Science and Industry and the Field Museum of Natural History are
two.
________________________________________________
6. Usually there is a lot of traffic on the express way, but today there
is only a little.
________________________________________________
7. Emma can’t swim, but Watson can.
_______________________________________________
8. Some trees lose their leaves in the winter, but some trees don’t.
________________________________________________
9. There are some birds that do not fly south in thw winter. One
example is the cardinal.
________________________________________________
10. Another is the robin.
________________________________________________

Activity 7: Grammar Practice

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence below.
1. ... in the gorgeous city of Venice is the architecture that everybody
loves to visit.
a. One bigger attractions
b. The biggest attraction
c. A bigger attractions
d. It is the biggest attraction

2. ... are big shops located in the central park which provide whatever we
need for our experiment.
a. They
b. It
c. That
d. There

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3. The weather is not good today. It's raining. I hope the weather will be
... next week.
a. good
b. better
c. best
d. the best

4. My friends say that Japanese is more difficult ... English

a. than to learn
b. to learn than
c. than learn to
d. learn to than

5. Being a ... salesman around Tokyo, my brother seldom saw my sister

although they are live in the same city.
a. traveler
b. travel
c. travelled
d. travelling

6. While we joined the student mobility program in Tokyo, we ate sushi,

drank sake, and ... Japanese.
a. speaking
b. speak
c. spoken
d. spoke

7. Most of butterflies are beautiful and colorful,... some kinds are

poisonous.
a. so
b. nor
c. for
d. yet

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8. While the old lady enjoy seeing butterflies at her beautiful garden, her
dog sleeps on the bed, and ...
a. her cat
b. her cat in the carpet
c. her cat snaps in the carpet
d. her cat snapping

9. For many people loving butterflies, these animals are ...

a. the most courageous little creatures
b. the most creatures courageous little
c. the most little creatures courageous
d. the most courageous creatures little

10. Butterflies are beautiful creatures that can make your gardens look
... and colorful.
a. health
b. healthier
c. healthy
d. more healthy

Each of the following sentences has four words or phrases underlined.

The four underlined parts of the sentence are marked (A), (B), (C), and
(D). Identify the one underlined word or phrase that should be corrected.

1. This romantic city of Venice on water has kept the same look for
A B
hundreds of years, which makes it one of more attractive tourist
C D
destinations in the world.

2. When we think of Venice, the things which come to mind is canals.

A B C D
3. This ornament stone bridge on the Grand Canal is one of the most
A B
famous bridges in Venice and is an icon of the city.
C D

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4. The imperial Palace is in the center of the city of Tokyo, Japan but it
A B
was built on the grounds of a former shogun's castle.
C D
5. The The Imperial Family of Japan lives in this complex of the
A B
Imperial Palace, surrounded by the Eukiage beautiful Gardens.
C D

6. The news of the broken bridge are the reason why he does not want to
A B C D
come here.

7. Some people said that a holiday by the sea was more better than a
A B C
holiday in the mouintains.
D
8. The parents were horrified for they saw blood stains on the floor or no
A B C
sign of their child.
D
9. The new lecturer in my department is a famous internet Australian
A B C
entrepreneur who teach the entrepreneurship subject.
D
10. A computer, like any other machines, is used because they does
A B C
certain jobs better than human beings.
D

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LESSON SUMMARY

1. Description is a text used to describe and reveal a particular

person, place, or thing.

2. The generic structure of description text:

a. Identification
It functions for identifying phenomenon such as person,
place, or thing that will be described.
b. Descriptions
It describes parts, characteristics, qualities, etc.

3. The language features:

a. Spatial relation
b. Conjunction: but, and, or
c. Reference items: they, he , she, it
d. Parallel structure: S + conjunction + S
NP + conjunction + NP
N + conjunction + N
V + conjunction + V
Adj + conjunction + Adj
e. Sentence patterns: S + be (is/are) + (C/adj)
S + has/have + Complement
There + is/are + Complement
f. Degrees of comparison
 the + most beautiful + place
the + youngest + son
 more delicious + than
stronger + than

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