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Descriptive Essay

What is descriptive essay

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38 views

Descriptive Essay

What is descriptive essay

Uploaded by

hammadareeba59
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to Write a Descriptive Essay |

Example & Tips


A descriptive essay gives a vivid, detailed description of something—generally a place or object,
but possibly something more abstract like an emotion. This type of essay, like the narrative
essay, is more creative than most academic writing.

Descriptive essays test your ability to use language in an original and creative way, to convey to
the reader a memorable image of whatever you are describing. They are commonly assigned as
writing exercises at high school and in composition classes.

Descriptive essay topics


When you are assigned a descriptive essay, you’ll normally be given a specific prompt or choice
of prompts. They will often ask you to describe something from your own experience.

Personal descriptive essay prompts

 Describe a place you love to spend time in.


 Describe an object that has sentimental value for you.

You might also be asked to describe something outside your own experience, in which case
you’ll have to use your imagination.

Imaginative descriptive essay prompts

 Describe the experience of a soldier in the trenches of World War I.


 Describe what it might be like to live on another planet.

Sometimes you’ll be asked to describe something more abstract, like an emotion.

Conceptual descriptive essay promptDescribe the feeling of envy.


If you’re not given a specific prompt, try to think of something you feel confident describing in
detail. Think of objects and places you know well, that provoke specific feelings or sensations,
and that you can describe in an interesting way.

Tips for writing descriptively


The key to writing an effective descriptive essay is to find ways of bringing your subject to life
for the reader. You’re not limited to providing a literal description as you would be in more
formal essay types.
Make use of figurative language, sensory details, and strong word choices to create a memorable
description.

Use figurative language


Figurative language consists of devices like metaphor and simile that use words in non-literal
ways to create a memorable effect. This is essential in a descriptive essay; it’s what gives your
writing its creative edge and makes your description unique.

Take the following description of a park.

Literal descriptionThere are patches of woodland in the park.


This tells us something about the place, but it’s a bit too literal and not likely to be memorable.

If we want to make the description more likely to stick in the reader’s mind, we can use some
figurative language.

Figurative descriptionSmall groves are dotted across the face of the park like a patchy beard.
Here we have used a simile to compare the park to a face and the trees to facial hair. This is
memorable because it’s not what the reader expects; it makes them look at the park from a
different angle.

You don’t have to fill every sentence with figurative language, but using these devices in an
original way at various points throughout your essay will keep the reader engaged and convey
your unique perspective on your subject.

Use your senses


Another key aspect of descriptive writing is the use of sensory details. This means referring not
only to what something looks like, but also to smell, sound, touch, and taste.

Sensory detailsI feel the bonfire’s heat on my face, and smell the rich smoke filling the air.
Obviously not all senses will apply to every subject, but it’s always a good idea to explore what’s
interesting about your subject beyond just what it looks like.

Even when your subject is more abstract, you might find a way to incorporate the senses more
metaphorically, as in this descriptive essay about fear.

Sensory details used metaphoricallyFear is the smell of sweat, and the feeling you can’t breathe.

Choose the right words


Writing descriptively involves choosing your words carefully. The use of effective adjectives is
important, but so is your choice of adverbs, verbs, and even nouns.

It’s easy to end up using clichéd phrases—“cold as ice,” “free as a bird”—but try to reflect
further and make more precise, original word choices. Clichés provide conventional ways of
describing things, but they don’t tell the reader anything about your unique perspective on what
you’re describing.

Try looking over your sentences to find places where a different word would convey your
impression more precisely or vividly. Using a thesaurus can help you find alternative word
choices.

 My cat runs across the garden quickly and jumps onto the fence to watch it from above.
 My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from above.

However, exercise care in your choices; don’t just look for the most impressive-looking
synonym you can find for every word. Overuse of a thesaurus can result in ridiculous sentences
like this one:

Example

On Sunday afternoons I like to spend my time in the garden behind my


house. The garden is narrow but long, a corridor of green extending from
the back of the house, and I sit on a lawn chair at the far end to read and
relax. I am in my small peaceful paradise: the shade of the tree, the feel of
the grass on my feet, the gentle activity of the fish in the pond beside me.

My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from
above. From his perch he can watch over his little kingdom and keep an eye
on the neighbours. He does this until the barking of next door’s dog scares
him from his post and he bolts for the cat flap to govern from the safety of
the kitchen.

With that, I am left alone with the fish, whose whole world is the pond by
my feet. The fish explore the pond every day as if for the first time, prodding
and inspecting every stone. I sometimes feel the same about sitting here in
the garden; I know the place better than anyone, but whenever I return I
still feel compelled to pay attention to all its details and novelties—a new
bird perched in the tree, the growth of the grass, and the movement of the
insects it shelters…

Sitting out in the garden, I feel serene. I feel at home. And yet I always feel
there is more to discover. The bounds of my garden may be small, but there
is a whole world contained within it, and it is one I will never get tired of
inhabiting.

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