The Descriptive Essay

An Autobiography
-- describe your life.,
You can use this for
your C.V, application
to a University or just
describing your life.

The Autobiography:
Make a Brain storm
How to make a short
autobiography
Just some ideas

Autobiography :
Make a Brain storm

Think about the major

events in your life
Try and quickly write
down anything in your life
that might have been
important for you.
Try and put then in order
by time (chronologically)

Autobiography :
Make a Brain storm

For example:
Family moved to Australia
Moved to a new area of the city
Started learning Kung Fu
Joined a sports (Ruby) club and
played many games
Father an I used to hunt together
Moved to another area of the city
Entered high school

Autobiography :
Make a Brain storm

Began studying subjects that I love

very much: History, English
literature, Japanese
Passed the 5th grade test
Got my first part-time job
Went tramping with my class
mates in the mountains
Passed the 6th Grade examinations
Final year of High school I became
close to many teachers
Passed the final year examinations

Autobiography :
Make a Brain storm

Write down five important

events in your life
1.________________
2.________________
3.________________
4.________________
5.________________

Which events will be best for the

Auto biography?
1. Something interesting
Something that shows
personal development
Something that shows a
good character
Something that shows
you have an interest in
hard work and study

What is best?
The first day I ate Chou Dou fu
The day first won an online game
When I meet my new History
teacher at high school who showed
me how interesting history can be
When I had my examinations and I
learnt to work as hard as I could
When I started working at a parttime job and I learnt to make my
own money. When I learnt that to
make money one has to work hard.

Autobiography :
Make a Brain storm

1. Why was this event

important?
2. How did you feel about
these event?
3. How did this event change
you?
4. What did you learn from this
event?

Autobiography :
Make a Brain storm

List some ideas next to each

event/experience you listed
For example:
Family moved to Australia
When I was 6 years old my
whole family moved to
Australia.

Why was this an important

event?
This was such an important
event in my life, at the time,
because everything in my life
changed so much.
This was an important event
in my life because I had to
make a new life, new friends,
new school and new
environment.

2. How did you feel about these

events
I felt like my world had
changed
I felt excited about
moving to this new and
large country
At first I felt afraid and it
was hard to make friends.
But after a while I slowly
made new friends and felt
at home.

3. How did each event/experience

change you?
I must say that the years I
spent in Australia changed
me a lot. I became a much
more out going and social
person.
I became I person able to
live an adapt to new
situations and places.

4.What did you learn from these

events/experiences?
I also learned that people are
the same everywhere and
everywhere in the world
there are kind people. For
example, I easily made many
new friends in Australia. Most
people there were kind and
friendly.

Continue
As I was in a new country,
I learned that I had to
change myself and that I
had to learn to make
friends with all kinds of
people. This I think made
me a much more open
and kinder person.

Describe your family

Remember, try to be
interesting?
Talk about what kinds of
things your parents taught
you. For example, how your
father taught you to be strong
and patient.
How your mother taught you
to be kind to all people,
especially people not so
fortunate (lucky) as you.

Describe the atmosphere in your

family

Describe the atmosphere in

your family (what is your family
like)
For example: My parents are
very strict to us all. They try to
teach us to be honest, to work
hard and respect all people.
My family is a very kind and
caring family. We love to laugh
together and enjoy life
together. For example:

Brothers and sisters

Talk about what your
brothers and sisters are
doing at the moment.
Just write a few sentences
about this.
If you have a close
relationship to your
brother or sister that may
show good character ,
then maybe describe it.

In the final paragraph

Write about your hopes and dreams
for the future.
For example:
I hope to make my family proud of
me and enter into a good university.
I also wish to work hard and prove to
myself that I am capable of so much.
I would love to study Zoology
(Biology) as I believe I have a natural
relationship with animals. And after
university I can go on working with
animals in Taiwan. Something I
believe I was born to do.

Structure of Autobiography:
The introduction:
Make a first
sentence that is
really interesting
Then write some
background
information

Write a thesis
statement (the
main idea of the
autobiography)

Throughout my life I have

learned to be adaptable,
dependable and kind to
others.
My mother, father and life
experiences have taught me
these valuable lessons.
I hope to show that I am a
person worthy of
consideration (for_______
University/ this job) as I am
person with the qualities to
do my best at _________
(University/ this job) and
show success.

Structure of Autobiography:
Body paragraphs
Each important
(interesting) event in your
life should be described in
one paragraph
1.________________
2.________________
3.________________
4.________________
5.________________

Body paragraph

For example:

When I was 6 years old my whole family moved

to Australia. This was such an important
event in my life, at the time, because
everything in my life changed so much. At
first I felt afraid and it was hard to make
friends. But after a while I slowly made new
friends and felt at home. I must say that the
years I spent in Australia changed me a lot. I
became a much more out going and social
person. I also learned that people are the
same everywhere and everywhere in the
world there are kind people. For example, I
easily made many new friends in Australia.
Most people there were kind and friendly.

How many paragraphs do I need

You need to show many
points about your past
that show you are a
person ready for
university.
One major event in your
life should be an entire
paragraph.

How many sentences in a

paragraph?
At least 5

The conclusion:
The final paragraph

To sum up,
To conclude,
By way of conclusion
In short,
Basically,

By way of conclusion, I believe

my life has shown that I have
got what it takes to succeed in
______ University because inmy
life I have learnt to
be_____,______ and _______

The conclusion:
Say your Thesis
sentence (your
main idea) in a
different way.
For example:

Write at least
one sentence
asking the
reader to kindly
accept you.

By way of conclusion, I believe

my life has shown that I have
got what it takes to succeed in
______ University because in my
life I have learnt to
be_____,______ and _______.
So, please give me the
opportunity to prove myself in
___________ University. I am
sure ______ University is the
place for me to allow me to
achieve much in my life.

The key to speaking about ones

life
Confident
Happy
Express that you really
want to do in your life
Show no doubt
Smile a lot
Always say yes with a
smile

The key to speaking about ones

life
Express why you will do
well at university
Express a real interest.
Show your good character
Show want you have
learnt in life
Explain your dreams and
plans for the future

Your spirit, hopes and dreams

Explain your dreams and plans
for the future
This is the most important
Your past does not always
matter; there is no need to
dwell on a not so fortunate
past.
It is about what you want for
your future

Importance of making a clear

goal

Everybody needs a goal.

Thins is the key to success.
So find one.
It does not have to be prefect
People like interesting people.
Interesting and worth while
people will not judge you. If
some people do, then they are
not worth worrying about.