Workshop+3+Descriptive+Paragraph

Descriptive Paragraph -describes a specific person, place, or thing with lively, specific details

__Topic Sentence__ of a descriptive paragraph states the paragraph's main topic. It tells what the paragraph will describe. The __controlling idea__ found in the topic sentence reveals how the author will describe the person. place, or thing he or she has chosen as a topic.

__Detail sentences__ contain vivid details that tell more about the topic and help the reader visualize what the writer is describing.

__Transition words__ help the reader follow the writer's thinking as he or she moves from one idea to the next.

The __concluding sentence__ is usually the last sentence in a descriptive paragraph. A good concluding sentence restates the topic and controlling idea of the paragraph in different words that the writer used in the introduction.


 * 1) __Underline the topic sentence.__ Does it identify the topic clearly and include a controlling idea.
 * 2) Box the controlling idea in the topic sentence. Does it make an interesting point about the topic.
 * 3) Check lively, interesting details. Does each detail support the topic sentence.
 * 4) Circle the transition words and phrases. Do they connect ideas?
 * 5) Star the concluding sentence. Does it restate the topic of the paragraph.