1. How to describe a visual document (cartoon, picture ...)
The Best Medicine
Unit 1
How to describe a visual document
(cartoon, picture ...)

2. Main parts: Identification of the document.
Description of the document.
. Interpretation of the message.

3. 1. Identify the document. →This document is: →(origin)
A photograph/ a painting/ a cartoon/ a caricature/ an advert/ a poster/ in colour/ in black and white…
→(origin)
It comes from/it was taken from/it appeared in:
a newspaper/ a magazine/a website/ a business magazine
→ (time setting)
It appeared in...
It dates from…
It is recent/not recent
We may suppose it appeared recently/ long ago/……. years ago
→The author
It was made/painted/created by…
The name of the photographer/the cartoonist/the painter is…
The name of the artist is not mentioned/does not appear

4. 2. Describe the document.
→ The scene takes place in: a bedroom/ a shop/ the street/ the mountains…
→ It takes place: during the day/at night/ in the summer…
→ The characters:
.There is a/ there are… :
In the background/in the foreground
In the middle
At the top/at the bottom
On the right-hand side/on the left hand-side
• number: There are 2/3/ many people/there is only one person
• gender: male/female/three men/one woman
• age group: child(ren)/teenager/middle-aged/in his twenties
• clothing: (s)he is wearing a jacket/ a hat
• gestures: he is sitting/she is standing/they are fighting/some are playing/all of them are eating…
• their moods: He seems to be …(angry/ happy/ annoyed…)
→ There is a: text/ title/ headline/ bubble/ caption/ slogan…

5. 3. Interpret the message. → The message conveyed by the author:
- Interpretation / prediction: we suppose, we imagine, we guess, it seems that, it can be, it could be, it may be…
The subject is…/ the topic is…
The author suggests that…/he wants to show that…/his-her aim is to…/(s)he condemns…
The document represents…/It stands for…/It symbolizes…/ the ... embodies ...
→ Your personal reaction/opinion:
I find this document: accurate/amusing/ exaggerated/ foolish/ provocative/ convincing/ far-fetched/ ridiculous/ right/ shocking/ true…
What I find the most……is….
What I don’t like about this document is…
What strikes me the most is…
It makes me think of…
It reminds me of a film/ a book/ another document
In my opinion, …/ To my mind, …/ As I see it, …/ To conclude…/ To sum up…

6. Oral fillers
Well… Anyway,… Er…
Actually,… You see… Mind you,…
You know… Hang on,…