What is Descriptive Text?

1. 1. The Definition and Purpose of Descriptive Text

Descriptive text is a text which says what a person or a thing is like. Its purpose is to describe and reveal
a particular person, place, or thing.

1. 2. The Generic Structure of Descriptive Text

Descriptive text has structure as below:

 Identification; identifying the phenomenon to be described.

 Description; describing the phenomenon in parts, qualities, or/and characteristics.

1. 3. The Language Feature of Descriptive Text

 Using attributive and identifying process.

 Using adjective and classifiers in nominal group.

 Using simple present tense

1. 4. Examples and structures of the text

MacQuarie University

Macquarie University is one of the largest universities in Australia. This year,

The university is located at the North Ryde Greenbelt, Sydney, where the New
South Wales government sets aside 135 hectares for the institution. In 1964,
Macquarie area was a rural retreat on the city fringe, but today the campus
and its surroundings have evolved beyond recognition. The North Ryde
District has grown into a district of intensive occupation anchored by a vibrant
and growing university.Blessed with a fortunate location and room to breathe,
Macquarie can be proud of that careful planning that retains and enrich the
university’s most attractive natural features. A pleasing balance between
buildings and plating is evident across the campus. This emphasis on the
Description
importance of landscape has created images of Macquarie as a place that
 members of the university are most likely to pleasurably recollect.

One of the highlights of the landscape is the Mars Creek zone. It comprises
landscaped creek sides and valley floor, a grass amphitheatre, and artificial
lake… surrounded by rocks and pebbles, native plants and eucalypts.

Today, a railway station is under construction. In three years1 time,

Example of Description

1. A. My Friend’s New Shoes

I have a close Friend. She is beautiful, attractive and trendy. She always want to be a trend setter of the
day. She always pays much attention on her appearance. Recently, she bought a new stylist foot legs
from blowfish shoes products. This shoes really matches on her.

Her new blowfish women’s shoes are wonderful. When she are walking on that shoes, all her friends,
including me watch and admire that she has the most suitable shoes on her physical appearance. The
style, bright color, and brand represent her as a smart woman of the day. She really have perfect
appearance.

She is really mad on that shoes. She said that the products covered all genders. The blowfish men’s
shoes are as elegant as she has. The products provide varieties of choice. Ballet, casual, boot athletic
shoes are designed in attractive way. The products are international trader mark and become the hottest
trend.

1. B. Borobudur Temple

Borobudur is Hindu – Budhist temple. It was build in the nineth century under Sailendra dynasty of
ancient Mataram kingdom. Borobudur is located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia.

Borobudur is well-known all over the world. Its construction is influenced by the Gupta architecture of
India. The temple is constructed on a hill 46 m high and consist of eight step like stone terrace. The first
five terrace are square and surrounded by walls adorned with Budist sculpture in bas-relief. The upper
three are circular. Each of them is with a circle of bell shape-stupa. The entire adifice is crowned by a
large stupa at the centre at the centre of the top circle. The way to the summit extends through some 4.8
km of passage and starways. The design of borobudur which symbolizes the structure of universe
influences temples at Angkor, Cambodia.
Borobudur temple which is rededicated as an Indonesian monument in 1983 is a valuable treasure for
Indonesian people.

Generic Structure Analysis

 Identification; identifying the phenomenon to be described in general; Borobudur temple

 Description; describing the Borobudur temple in parts; eight terraces of Borobudur temple and
its characteristics

Language Feature Analysis

 Using adjective and classifiers; valuable

 Using simple present tense; Borobudur is well-known,The temple is constructed, etc

1. C. My Lovely Cat

I have a stray cat as my pet. He is really playful, He loved to play with me and the new things he
found. He has orange and white fur, his fur is so soft and I like to rubs it for him. He has a long tail.
He likes to play with it. He is also always try to catch his tail sometimes. I also like to hold him in my
hand, when i hold him like that he will fall asleep.

4. D. My Favorite Novel

My sister gave me a set of novels last year. The story is about a magical world and dragons. It consist of
four novels, each of it contains 500 to 600 pages. The novels are wrapped with four different color
leather (brown, light brown, yellow and red). The title of each book is written on the left side of the
novels. Read more..