Marissa Wyatt

Foundations of English Composition

March 12, 2024

Descriptive Paragraph

Purpose: To describe my grandmother’s quilt.

Intended Audience: People who are interested in quilting or have a valued possession

handed down by a relative

On the wall of my bedroom hangs a hand-stitched quilt my grandma made. If I stand

closely enough and close my eyes, I can still smell my grandma’s house: the aromas a

mingling of chicken soup, strong coffee, and mothballs. The pattern of the quilt is a

variation of what Grandma called the Bear’s Paw. Within a border are individually stitched

blocks of fabric made up of squares, diamonds, and triangles to resemble a bear’s paw.

Twenty-four of these blocks – four across and six down – make for a dramatic statement of

color and texture. The colors Grandma chose are a riotous blend of blues, greens, yellows,

and reds because the materials she used are all clothes I wore as a child and outgrew.

Grandma was never one to waste anything; she collected my worn and discarded clothing

and made neat stacks of the squares, diamonds, and triangles she cut them into. She did

this for years with the intent of sewing them into a quilt for me. As I look at the quilt today, I

see a piece of the red and yellow flowered shirt I wore every day one summer; I see a

square of an old denim dress; and I see a border made of my favorite pair of yellow pants.

Inspecting more closely, I marvel at Grandma’s tiny, even stitching and think of the many

hours she devoted to sewing this quilt for me. The quilt on my bedroom wall represents my

grandma’s thriftiness, patience, and love.

Informative Paragraph

Purpose: To inform readers about using household products as natural cleaners.

Intended Audience: People who are concerned with using toxic cleaners and want a more

natural approach to household cleaning

Most people have salt, vinegar, and baking soda as staples in their kitchens, but

some may not know that these products can also be used as cleansers. Salt, for example,

is a natural abrasive and can, along with hot water, keep drains open and fresh

smelling. Salt and ice cubes swirled together in the bottom of a glass coffee pot is a diner-

tested method of removing coffee stains, and a greasy cast-iron skillet can be cleaned with

salt and a rub with a paper towel. Vinegar is a versatile cleansing agent that can be used to

clean almost any surface. Vinegar and warm water can shine up a floor, a wall, or a

window. Vinegar and water can also remove ink and pencil marks from walls and disinfect

cutting boards. Finally, a box of baking soda can do more than absorb odors in the

refrigerator. It can be mixed with a little water to form a paste that will clean the tarnish off

silver, or it can be sprinkled on a sponge to clean the inside of a microwave or other kitchen

appliance. Rugs and carpets can be freshened by dusting them with baking soda before

vacuuming. Many kitchen staples, such as these, have multiple uses around the home.

Reflection Questions 1. What do you think your strengths and weaknesses are in terms of sentence

construction and paragraph development? (1-2 sentences)

One of my biggest weaknesses as a writer is avoiding run-on sentences. I often write too

fast and end up with many run-on sentences that need to be corrected.

2. Explain how writing for a particular purpose and audience shaped each of your

paragraphs. (3-5 sentences)

As I was writing, I was continually considering the audience and purpose of each

paragraph. My intended audience shaped my approach to the writing and helped

determined how to achieve my intended purpose. The audience and purpose affected my

word choices, formality, and sentence structure and set the overall tone of each paragraph.

3. Discuss your feelings about writing in different modes. Is there a particular mode you

enjoy writing in more than another? (3-5 sentences)

I found it interesting to try writing two paragraphs in different modes. I found it much easier

to write in the descriptive mode over the informative mode. The descriptive mode felt like it

had a more casual tone and it felt less formal and more natural for me. I think what I

enjoyed most about the descriptive mode was incorporating vivid sensory details into my

writing to bring it to life.

4. Explain how different writing modes that you have learned about might be applied to

scenarios in your real life. (3-5 sentences)

As a working adult in an office setting, I communicate with a variety of people on a variety

of tasks. Using the descriptive mode would likely be useful when describing a new product

to a client or even describing instructions on a new process to a co-worker. The informative

mode would be useful when I want to write a letter to my friend in Florida informing her

about what to expect and how to pack for her upcoming visit to Minnesota. The

argumentative mode would be useful if I am trying to dispute or take a stance in an office

debate or even if I am debating with my brother through email what restaurant we should

take Mom to for her birthday. Lastly, the narrative mode would be useful if I am emailing

friends or family members to update them about something in my life, such as how my

vacation in the Caribbean went.