Text types: Particular Descriptions

Describing people and things

Identifying and describing people and things using relating clauses

In particular descriptions, in both the IDENTIFICATION and the DETAILS stages, we use clauses with relating verbs . These verbs are used in the present simple because we use particular descriptions to describe the way things usually are. In the IDENTIFICATION stage of a particular description we identify the topic. We usually do this by using a relating verb to link the topic to its introduction.

In the examples below the relating verb be is used to identify the topic:

relating clause topic relating verb be introduction to the topic My dog Tess is a beautiful little dog. Boris is a bat in a story. Granny Gong is the oldest person in the Gong family.

In the DETAILS stage of a particular description we describe the characteristics of the topic in more detail. 
For example we can describe the following:

	what the topic looks like
	what it is like
	what it possesses

In the clauses below, the relating verb have links the topic with a description. Note that when we use the relating verb have, the descriptions are noun groups:

In the clauses below the relating verb be links the topic with a description. Note that when we use the relating verb be, the descriptions can be noun groups or adjective groups.

In these clauses the relating verb be links the topic to noun group descriptions of the topic:

relating clause  topic relating verb have description of the topic  - noun group Tess is a small, black, long-haired lapdog with one white paw. She is a family pet.

In these clauses the relating verb be links the topic to adjective group descriptions of the topic:

relating clause topic relating verb be   description - adjective group Boris the Bat is   fun. He is also  clumsy ... Granny Gong is   very healthy and energetic.

Describing the way things are

When we describe the way things usually are, we typically use the present simple .

My dog Tess is a beautiful little dog.
She has a cute little black nose and soft floppy ears.

Sometimes we want to write particular descriptions about people and things from the past, eg to describe a person who lived long ago. In these types of particular descriptions we use the past simple .

She was a very good person.

To see how relating clauses are used in the particular description My dog Tess, click here:

To see how relating clauses are used in the particular description Boris the Bat, click here:

To see how relating clauses are used in the particular description Granny Gong, click here:

For more information see:

	Grammar: Clause: Using the clause to represent experience: The processes: 'What's happening?': 'Naming and describing'
	Grammar: Groups & phrases: Verb group: Time & tense: Present simple