Mata Kuliah Bahasa Inggris 1 Pengajar Setya Resmini, M.

Pd
Materi Describing Objects

In describing objects we need to consider several parts as follows:

1. Function / Use
2. Components / Parts
3. Characteristics: a. shapes
b. colors
c. dimensions
d. material
4. Position
5. Connection between parts

1. FUNCTION

In describing function, we can use the following pattern:

Used to + Verb
Example: Pen is used to write.
Used for + Verb(ing)
Example: Pen is used for writing.

2. COMPONENTS

A hammer includes a handle and a head

consists of
A hammer is made of a handle and a head
is composed of

parts :
A hammer has two sections : a handle and a head
components :
3. CHARACTERISTICS
A. SHAPES
All scientists and technologists need to be able to talk about different shapes; they can be two-
dimensional or three-dimensional ones. Look at the picture below:

B. Colors
Here are some adjective which can be used in describing color:
Black, white, green, orange, purple…

C. Dimensions
There are several different ways of describing dimensions in English. The simplest way uses be
as the main verb. We will call it structure 1. Here are some examples:

be adjective
The mountain is 2,150 meters high
The well is 50 meters deep
The pipes are 4-5 centimeters thick
The river is 50 meters wide
The ruler is 30 centimeters long
The other way of describing dimensions uses the verb have. We will call it structure 2. Here are
some examples:

have noun
The mountain has a height of 2,150 meters
The well has a depth of 50 meters
The pipes have a thickness of 20 centimeters
The river has a width of 50 meters
The ruler has a length of 30 centimeters

You can also use fronted statements in describing dimensions. You can see these examples:
Noun be
The height of the mountain is 2,150 meters
The depth of the well is 50 meters
The thickness of the pipes is20 centimeters
The width of the river is 50 meters
The length of the ruler is 30 centimeters

Qualifying statements of dimensions

If a dimension is not given exactly, the fact that it is not exact should be made clear. In non-
scientific English we usually use the word about:

X is about 3 centimeters long.

In more technical writing approximately may be used instead:

X is approximately 3 cm long.
X is approximately 3 cm in length.

Here are some other typical qualifying words and phrases: exactly, over, under, slightly over, just
over, a little over, just under, a little under, slightly under.

Exercise 1. Fill the blanks of the following sentences.

a) High or Height
1. How ______ is the tower? The tower is a hundred meters _____
2. What is the ______ of the tower? The tower is a hundred meters in ______
3. The tower has a ______ of hundred meters
4. The ________ has of the tower is a hundred meters.
b)Thick or Thickness
1. This steel sheet is three millimeters ______
2. This steel sheet is three millimeters in _________
3. This steel sheet has a ________ of three millimeters
4. The _________ of the steel sheet is three millimeters
D. MATERIALS
There are different materials that we come across on daily basis. Material is synonymous with
substance, and is anything made of matter - hydrogen, air and water are all examples of
materials. Sometimes it is used more narrowly to refer to substances or components with
certain physical properties which are used as inputs to production or manufacturing. In this
sense, materials are the pieces required to make something else, from buildings and art to
everyday products, such as computers. A material can be anything: a finished product in its own
right or an unprocessed raw material.
Raw materials are first extracted or harvested from the earth and divided into a form that can
be easily transported and stored, then processed to produce semi-finished materials. These can
be input into a new cycle of production and finishing processes to create finished materials,
ready for distribution, construction, and consumption.
They are divided in different ways: nature, artificial, solids and liquids or fluids, each of them
having certain properties.
Here are examples of materials. Do you know them? Do you know the meaning of the
properties listed?
Iron: heavy, stiff, hard, rigid, rough, non-combustible, brittle, not very corrosion-resistant Steel:
light, stiff, tough, malleable
Aluminium: light, soft, ductile, conductive, highly corrosion resistant
Rubber: flexible, soft
Concrete: rough, hard, non-combustible
Oil: oily, thick, combustible, viscous
Wood: soft, combustible, rigid
Glass: brittle, breakable, transparent, clear
Plastics: tough, good insulator, durable, wear-resistant, stiff

Exercise 2. Work in pairs: write a list of some things that can be made of:

Steel : products for big kitchens (for cooking), doors, vaults…

silk :
cardboard :
wax :
silicone :
rubber :
cotton :
gold :
glass :
 Exercise 3. Match these adjectives to their meaning:
1 transparent A) able to last a long time
2 porous B) hard, but easily broken
3 durable C) easy to bend without breaking, flexible
4 brittle D) light can pass through
5 dense E) has many small holes that allow water and air to pass through
6 pliable F) has a high mass to volume ratio
7 translucent G) clear, allows to see through it

Exercise 4. Complete the sentences below by using one of the following words
boils, evaporates, burns, stretches, dissolves, contracts, crashes, sinks, ignites, bursts, rusts,
condenses, freezes, fades, floats, bounces, softens, freezes, expands, shrinks

When you heat metal, it expands and if you cool it, it contracts.
If you leave iron outside in the rain, it ______________.
If you wash your T-shirt in too hot water, it ______________ and the colour ______________.
Water ______________ at zero degrees Celsius and ______________ at 100 degrees.
Steam ______________ if it comes in contact with very cold glass.
Water ______________ if you leave it in the sun.
If you need something from the freezer, take it out one day earlier and put it in the fridge so it
______________ slowly. Don’t put it back again. If it ______________ one more time, it can be
harmful for your health.
A spark from the engine ______________ the fuel.
If you put sugar into your tea and mix it gently, it ______________.
If you pull this rubber band, it ______________.
If you drop the ball, it ______________ off the floor.
If you overload your laptop, it ______________ and you need an expert to fix it.
If a balloon gets in contact with a cactus, it ______________.
The candle ______________ for many hours before it goes out.
If you throw a stone into the sea, it ______________, but if you throw a wooden plank, it
______________.

E. POSITIONS
If the objects to be described are complicated, consisting of many parts, or appearing in a set,
positions must be given.
Example: inside, outside, at the top, on the left/ right, in the middle, to the right/ left (of), at the
bottom, above, over, between, below, beside, at the end of, behind, in front of, near, by, ….

For example:

The Vespa scooter COSA (1) 125/200 1988 - 1992

The engine is inside the scooter with a headlight at the top. The spare wheel is at the back.
There is a petrol cap under the seat. The directional Indicators are located on the sides.
Hydraulic linked brakes are actuated via the rear brake pedal
 Exercise 5. Based on the paragraph, label the different parts on the picture above.

F. CONNECTION BETWEEN PARTS

Connection is a relationship between two things or more. If the object has more than one part,
we have to describe them part by part with a connection between them.
Verbs that signal the connection are: attach, detach, join, connected, support, fix, fit, lead, link,
…

For example:
The head of a hammer is fixed to the handle.
The rubber tube is fitted over the glass tube.
The glass tube is fitted into the rubber tube.
The wire leads from the switch to the bulb.
The wire links between the switch and the bulb.
The wheels of a car are detached from the body of a car.
The wheels of a car are connected by the axles.

A MIXER
A mixer is used for mixing food. The mixer is made of metal and plastic. It consists of five
parts: a base, a stand, a motor housing, beaters and a bowl. The base is rectangular in
shape. It is 12 cm wide and 15 cm long. The stand which is supported by the base is 30 cm in
height. The motor housing which contains a motor is joined to the stand. The steel beaters
are very hard and tough. They are fitted in the gearbox. The glass bowl is hard and brittle.
The edge of the bowl is circular. The glass bowl is detached from the base.