Description in Rhetoric and Composition
Glossary of grammatical and rhetorical terms.
- An Introduction to Punctuation

Examples and Observations
- Show; Don't Tell
Selecting Details
- Chekhov's Advice to a Young Writer
Two Types of Description: Objective and Impressionistic
- Lincoln's Objective Self-Description
- Rebecca Harding Davis's Impressionistic Description of a Smoky Town
- Lillian Ross's Description of Ernest Hemingway
Description of a Handbag
- Bill Bryson's Description of the Residents' Lounge in the Old England Hotel
Stronger Than Death
- Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
- M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
- B.A., English, State University of New York
In composition , description is a rhetorical strategy using sensory details to portray a person, place, or thing.
Description is used in many different types of nonfiction , including essays , biographies , memoirs , nature writing , profiles , sports writing , and travel writing .
Description is one of the progymnasmata (a sequence of classical rhetorical exercises) and one of the traditional modes of discourse .
"A description is an arrangement of properties, qualities, and features that the author must pick (choose, select), but the art lies in the order of their release—visually, audibly, conceptually—and consequently in the order of their interaction, including the social standing of every word." (William H. Gass, "The Sentence Seeks Its Form." A Temple of Texts . Alfred A. Knopf, 2006)
Show; Don't Tell
"This is the oldest cliché of the writing profession, and I wish I didn't have to repeat it. Do not tell me that the Thanksgiving dinner was cold. Show me the grease turning white as it congeals around the peas on your plate. . . . Think of yourself as a movie director. You have to create the scene that the viewer will relate to physically and emotionally." (David R. Williams, Sin Boldly!: Dr. Dave's Guide To Writing The College Paper . Basic Books, 2009)
"The descriptive writer's main task is the selection and verbal representation of information. You must choose the details that matter—that are important to the purposes you share with your readers—as well as a pattern of arrangement relevant to those mutual purposes. . . . " Description can be an engineer describing the terrain where an embankment must be built, a novelist describing a farm where the novel will take place, a realtor describing a house and land for sale, a journalist describing a celebrity's birthplace, or a tourist describing a rural scene to friends back home. That engineer, novelist, realtor, journalist, and tourist may all be describing the very same place. If each is truthful, their descriptions will not contradict each other. But they will certainly include and emphasize different aspects." (Richard M. Coe, Form and Substance . Wiley, 1981)
Chekhov's Advice to a Young Writer
"In my opinion, descriptions of nature should be extremely brief and offered by the way, as it were. Give up commonplaces, such as: 'the setting sun, bathing in the waves of the darkening sea, flooded with purple gold,' and so on. Or 'swallows flying over the surface of the water chirped gaily.' In descriptions of nature one should seize upon minutiae, grouping them so that when, having read the passage, you close your eyes, a picture is formed. For example, you will evoke a moonlit night by writing that on the mill dam the glass fragments of a broken bottle flashed like a bright little star and that the black shadow of a dog or wolf rolled along like a ball.'" (Anton Chekhov, quoted by Raymond Obstfeld in Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes . Writer's Digest Books, 2000)
" Objective description attempts to report accurately the appearance of the object as a thing in itself, independent of the observer's perception of it or feelings about it. It is a factual account, the purpose of which is to inform a reader who has not been able to see with his own eyes. The writer regards himself as a kind of camera, recording and reproducing, though in words, a true picture. . . . " Impressionistic description is very different. Focusing upon the mood or feeling the object evokes in the observer rather than upon the object as it exists in itself, impressionism does not seek to inform but to arouse emotion. It attempts to make us feel more than to make us see. . . . "[T]he writer may blur or intensify the details he selects, and, by the clever use of figures of speech , he may compare them to things calculated to evoke the appropriate emotion. To impress us with the dreary ugliness of a house, he may exaggerate the drabness of its paint or metaphorically describe the flaking as leprous ." (Thomas S. Kane and Leonard J. Peters, Writing Prose: Techniques and Purposes , 6th ed. Oxford University Press, 1986)
Lincoln's Objective Self-Description
"If any personal description of me is thought desirable, it may be said, I am, in height, six feet, four inches, nearly; lean in flesh, weighing, on an average, one hundred and eighty pounds; dark complexion, with coarse black hair, and gray eyes--no other marks or brands recollected." (Abraham Lincoln, Letter to Jesse W. Fell, 1859)
Rebecca Harding Davis's Impressionistic Description of a Smoky Town
"The idiosyncrasy of this town is smoke. It rolls sullenly in slow folds from the great chimneys of the iron-foundries and settles down in black, slimy pools on the muddy streets. Smoke on the wharves, smoke on the dingy boats, on the yellow river—clinging in a coating of greasy soot to the house-front, the two faded poplars, the faces of the passers-by. The long train of mules, dragging masses of pig-iron through the narrow street, have a foul vapor hanging to their reeking sides. Here, inside, is a little-broken figure of an angel pointing upward from the mantel-shelf; but even its wings are covered with smoke, clotted and black. Smoke everywhere! A dirty canary chirps desolately in a cage beside me. Its dream of green fields and sunshine is a very old dream—almost worn out, I think." (Rebecca Harding Davis, "Life in the Iron Mills." The Atlantic Monthly , April 1861)
Lillian Ross's Description of Ernest Hemingway
"Hemingway had on a red plaid wool shirt, a figured wool necktie, a tan wool sweater-vest, a brown tweed jacket tight across the back and with sleeves too short for his arms, gray flannel slacks, Argyle socks, and loafers, and he looked bearish, cordial, and constricted. His hair, which was very long in back, was gray, except at the temples, where it was white; his mustache was white, and he had a ragged half-inch, full white beard. There was a bump about the size of a walnut over his left eye. He had on steel-rimmed spectacles, with a piece of paper under the nose-piece. He was in no hurry to get to Manhattan." (Lillian Ross, "How Do You Like It Now, Gentlemen?" The New Yorker , May 13, 1950)
"Three years ago at a flea market, I bought a small, white-beaded handbag, which I have never since carried in public but which I would never dream of giving away. The purse is small, about the size of a paperback bestseller, and thus it is totally unsuited for lugging around such paraphernalia as a wallet, comb, compact, checkbook, keys, and all the other necessities of modern life. Hundreds of tiny pearl-colored beads dot the outside of the handbag, and on the front, woven into the design, is a starburst pattern formed by larger, flat beads. Creamy white satin lines the inside of the bag and forms a small pocket on one side. Inside the pocket someone, perhaps the original owner, has scrawled the initials "J.W." in red lipstick. At the bottom of the purse is a silver coin, which reminds me of my teenage years when my mother warned me never to go out on a date without a dime in case I had to telephone home for help. In fact, I think that's why I like my white beaded handbag: it reminds me of the good old days when men were men and ladies were ladies." (Lorie Roth, "My Handbag")
Bill Bryson's Description of the Residents' Lounge in the Old England Hotel
"The room was casually strewn with aging colonels and their wives, sitting amid carelessly folded Daily Telegraph s. The colonels were all shortish, round men with tweedy jackets, well-slicked silvery hair, an outwardly gruff manner that concealed within a heart of flint, and, when they walked, a rakish limp. Their wives, lavishly rouged and powdered, looked as if they had just come from a coffin fitting." (Bill Bryson, Notes From a Small Island . William Morrow, 1995)
"Great description shakes us. It fills our lungs with the life of its author. Suddenly he sings within us. Someone else has seen life as we see it! And the voice that fills us, should the writer be dead, bridges the gulf between life and death. Great description is stronger than death." (Donald Newlove, Painted Paragraphs . Henry Holt, 1993)
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Descriptive Essay
Descriptive Essay Examples
Last updated on: Feb 14, 2023
Descriptive Essay Examples - 8 Examples To Help You Write Better
By: Cathy A.
10 min read
Reviewed By: Rylee W.
Published on: Dec 31, 2019

Do you need some good descriptive essay samples to understand how these essays work? We are here to help you write a descriptive essay with remarkable success!
So stay with us to learn the basics with the help of some great descriptive essay examples.

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What is a Descriptive Essay?
A descriptive essay describes and gives sensory details about a person, place, event, or thing in an in-depth and detailed manner. It is different from writing a narrative essay.
The aim of descriptive essay writing is to make the reader feel and see a certain thing, place, or person from your perspective. Your readers may have different points of view about the topic, your job is to make them see what you feel and believe.
These types of descriptions are often found in the literature; novels and dramas, where the writer constricts the whole scene through his or her words.
Ever noticed how you feel like actually seeing the character from a novel in your mind? Or a place? This is the power of a descriptive narrative.
What is The Aim of Descriptive Writing?
The sole aim of a descriptive essay writer is to draw a realistic and actual picture in front of the reader. These essays are a part of high school and college level and students.
Teachers give this type of descriptive writing task to students for developing the students’ skills of describing and explaining something in a detailed manner.
This skill is quite helpful in professional life as the students will know how to analyze something in detail and by considering its different angles.
While writing a descriptive essay can be a fun and enriching experience. Describing your emotions and feelings and dealing with a sensitive topic can be a challenging and daunting task. However, with practice, you can do it successfully.
Good Descriptive Essay Examples
It is not an easy task to write a descriptive essay at first attempt. This is why many students turn to the examples of a descriptive essay to understand its structure and content.
Samples and examples are great to help the students understand how to write certain types of essays. Every essay and assignment is different and, therefore, to score well, you need to be mindful of the content that you add to them.
Effective descriptive essay writing is more about describing different aspects and traits of the chosen subject and the type of feelings they inspire. Commonly, these types of essays describe a particular person, an event, a place, or an emotion with the aim to make the reader feel your way.
Below we have given some good descriptive examples free for students
Descriptive essay example for grade 6
Descriptive essay example college
Descriptive essay example for university
Don’t give up! Continue reading to explore more amazing examples
Descriptive Essay Example about a Person
Writing about a person is probably the first choice of many students. They like to describe their parents, especially siblings, best friends, and teachers in their essays. However, when you choose to write about a person, it is better that you write about someone who you know.
This will add the needed depth into the description. Below is an example of a descriptive essay on ‘My Mother’.
Descriptive Essay Example about a Person (PDF)
Descriptive Essay Example about an Event
As humans, we come across a number of events and happenings. From casual friends get together to very formal weddings and parties, each one of us has something to talk about.
The descriptive essays about events describe the event, how the writer felt about it along the surrounding details.
Just like we say, a descriptive essay ‘describes’ the topic. In the case of descriptive essay examples about an event, the details will include the kind of event, the level of excitement of the writer, the surroundings, and an overall feeling.
Check out the sample essay below.
Descriptive Essay Example about an Event (PDF)
Descriptive Essay Example About a Place
Describing a place that you visited in your summer holidays is quite an enjoyable experience. It is like you are visiting the same place again and having the same feelings.
When describing your favorite place in an essay, use vivid language. You can describe the details like the weather of the place, the main place that you visited, the kind of feeling you had.
Besides, you should also describe why you like the place. The memorable events should be presented in proper order. To have a better idea of how to write a descriptive essay about a place, read the following sample.
Descriptive Essay Example about a Place (PDF)
Descriptive Essay Example about Emotions
Describing emotions and feelings is difficult.
Memories, emotions, and feelings are abstract and, therefore, explaining them is not easy. They cannot be explained independently, as you can explain a place or event.
A descriptive essay about emotions includes an event and the feelings associated with it. These could be feelings of sadness, anxiousness, confusion, surprise, and happiness.
Whatever emotions you describe, you can use related adjectives and adverbs to describe them.
To know how to write a good descriptive essay based on emotions, check the following sample.
Descriptive Essay Example about Emotions (PDF)
Descriptive Essay Example About a Visit
A visit to a doctor, a visit to a zoo, and your first visit to a museum, all make excellent descriptive essay topics.
If you go somewhere for the first time, it is natural to have a plethora of feelings and emotions. These could be feelings of joy and even fear.
For a better understanding of writing about a visit, check the sample below
Descriptive Essay Example about a Visit (PDF)

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Descriptive Essay Outline
Like every essay sample, a descriptive essay has an outline and format. The essay follows the traditional essay structure and includes:
1. An Introductory Paragraph
The first paragraph of an essay is the introduction and it usually sets the mood for the entire essay.
A good descriptive essay has a strong opening. It introduces the reader to the main topic and what the essay will be about. However, these details are brief and introduce the main topic only.
Some students think that adding more details in this section will add value to their work. Wrong. It will only minimize their chances of expanding the topic in the main paragraphs and leave them with fewer details.
2. Thesis Statement
A thesis statement tells the reader about the thesis question, based on the topic, and the writer’s claim and main argument. It is written after the introduction and before the main paragraphs.
A thesis statement is written at the end of the introduction, it is mainly a single sentence that describes the essay objective.
3. Body Paragraphs
The body paragraphs take more than half of the entire essay and include all the main claims and arguments of the essay. Generally, it has three paragraphs but depends on the topic and its scope. Some topics may not have much to write about while others may have a wide scope and material.
However, if you feel that your topic does not have much room for expansion, do not try to drag it. It will only ruin its essence and overall feel.
4. Conclusion
A solid closing means a solid essay.
Some students think that because it is a closing paragraph, it requires less focus and is less important. But it is not the case. A clumsy conclusion will leave a bad impression and all your hard work may go to waste.
But, a conclusion is also not a place for new ideas. Stay brief and to the point.
To learn more about descriptive essay structure, you can watch this helpful video
Now that you know the basic outline, you can learn how to write a descriptive essay by visiting our blog and working with those tips and tricks.
Descriptive Essay Topics
Got inspired by the examples and looking to write your own essay? So select the topic of your choice from the list below and write a tempting essay…
- The street I love to walk around in
- Exploring the beauty of nature
- The pleasing sounds of rain
- The most meaningful experience I had in college
- Exploring a hidden gem in my hometown
- My favorite book character
- A day spent in my dream destination
- Memories of various festivals I have celebrated
- My favorite food that always brings back memories
- These are some
- The beauty of the rising sun in winter
Choosing a Topic for your Essay
Choosing a topic for your descriptive essay can be difficult and challenging. The reason is there are so many things to write about like
- Relationships
- Favorite place
- Experiences
- Things
- Scenarios and many more.
All of these subjects make great descriptive essay topics. Some quick tips to help you choose a great descriptive essay topic include:
- Choose a topic that interests you
- Choose a topic with a good scope
- Choose something that inspires you emotionally
- Choose a topic that appeals to all five or at least one to two senses
- Choose the topic according to your audience
- Choose a topic that is interesting and will keep your readers glued and engaged
For interesting essay topics and ideas, visit our blog and get 100+ descriptive essay topics to choose from.
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Elements of a Great Descriptive Essay
Great essays are based on elements relevant to the main topic and explain it in detail. Just like other types of essays, descriptive essays are specifically based on describing the main topic. You can do this by using figurative language and words that appeal to the five senses like touch, taste, sight, etc. of the readers.
Some core elements include:
- Choosing a specific subject:
Choosing the right and appealing subject is essential for a good descriptive essay. Research and make a list of the topics that interest you and see which one you could use for your essay. make sure that you know how to work on that topic before finalizing it.
- Select the Details:
You cannot write about everything. No matter how many details there are, you have to choose the most dominant ones and stick to them closely.
- Organize the Details:
Once you have chosen the details and organize them in chronological order. This step is especially important if you are talking about an event because then you have to add details related to the event.
- Use Descriptive Language:
Descriptive and figurative language is a must if you want to draw a clear picture in front of your readers. Adjectives and adverbs, similes and metaphors, and comparisons are some techniques that you could use to compose your descriptive essay.
- Use Appropriate Language:
Relevant language will help you in presenting the information in a coherent and simple manner. The topic of your essay will decide the kind of language that you will use in your essay.
- Do Not Drag the Essay:
Dragging the essay will do no good for your essay. Writing an engaging essay is essential for successful descriptive essay writing. Coherent, relevant, and engaging facts will add credibility and a natural flair to your essay.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many paragraphs are in a descriptive essay.
Like any other essay, a descriptive essay also must have at least five paragraphs. The number of paragraphs could increase, based on the scope and need of the topic.
How can I write a good descriptive essay?
Writing a good descriptive essay requires vivid and detailed descriptions, creating an experience for the reader. To do this, it’s important to use clear language that creates images in the reader’s mind.
Additionally, using sensory details can help engage the reader and make them feel as if they are partaking in the experience described.
What are some examples of things you could describe in a descriptive essay?
Examples of things you could describe in a descriptive essay include a location, person, object, or event. Each of these should be explored in detail to help the reader form an accurate mental image.

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What Is a Descriptive Essay? Examples and Guide

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Have you ever had a really delicious cookie? Just the most perfectly balanced sweetness with chunks of melty chocolate and a little salt to bring it all together? And have you described it to a friend, family member, or curious stranger? If you’re nodding your head, you have already partaken in the writing tradition known as the descriptive essay (at least a little bit). With some polishing and tightening up, you can turn that description of a baked good into an award-winning piece of writing.
What Is a Descriptive Essay?
A descriptive essay is sort of what it says on the tin. It’s a type of essay that involves describing a person or object, though it can really extend to any sort of noun , like a place, event, experience, or emotion. If you think that seems pretty broad, you’re right. You’re technically describing something in every essay.
What makes the descriptive essay notable is that focus on description — the details, colors, feelings, sights, and sounds. Some descriptive essays might have a slight argument in their theses, but it’s not really a requirement. Your thesis statement could be as simple as “I had a cookie that changed my entire life.”
You can think of “descriptive essay” as more of an umbrella category. It can encompass other essay types , particularly analytical essays , expository essays , and personal narrative essays .
Ideas for Descriptive Essay Topics
Truly, the hardest part of descriptive essays is coming up with a topic. You really do have your entire world to potentially write about, which is understandably daunting for anyone.
Just remember that you can quite literally describe anything as long as you yourself find it interesting enough to write about. That might include:
- A long nature hike through beautiful surroundings
- Your favorite sport or a specific game/match that was memorable
- Your most recent birthday and all the things that have shaped you in the past
- A country or city, broken down into geography, climate, politics, religion, and culture
- A historical event, including its causes, ramifications, and consequences
- A news story that includes context about the people involved, information about where it occurred, and insight into other events it links to
General Format and Structure of a Descriptive Essay
There isn’t a set format for descriptive essays. A lot of it really comes down to the subject that you’re describing and your own approach to how you experience things, and it turns out that we all experience and see things differently.
A good outline structure that you can start with might look like this.
- Write a hook that helps your reader relate to the senses you’re tapping into.
- Provide some general background about the thing you’re describing.
- Form a thesis statement that makes a claim (but may not necessarily include an argument or opinion).
- Provide a topic sentence introducing the subject.
- Give an in-depth physical description of the subject.
- Describe your subject within its given context, like its physical surroundings or temporal environment.
- Describe how the subject emotionally or mentally affected those who interacted or experienced it.
- Restate your thesis about the subject’s description.
- Consider the subject (and its description) outside of what you’ve already mentioned in the essay. How might it apply to other people or society at large?
Obviously, if you have a different angle, go with that. For example, if you’re going more for a personal essay, the structure might have more of a narrative (beginning, middle, end) format.
Descriptive Essay Examples
With a better understanding of how to approach a descriptive essay, you’re ready to prosper and write an essay of your own. We can’t write your essay for you because we don’t know your subject, but you will absolutely have more interesting and insightful descriptions than us. However, if you need some tips for writing descriptive essays , we can give you a descriptive essay example to guide your way.

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Example of a Descriptive Essay Introduction
Your introduction exists to provide a little background context for your essay. What’s difficult with a descriptive essay is that you want your introduction to intrigue without giving away too much of your description (that’s what the body of your essay is for).
Home is where the heart is, but not everyone has the same heart. For some, a home is four walls, some furniture, and a fireplace. For others, home is a cactus, sand dunes, and a nearby oasis. Comfort is subjective, and the only comfort I have known is from the mud and gunk of my humble swamp.
Sample Body Paragraph for a Descriptive Essay
Unlike with other essay forms, you do not have to worry about providing evidence. You obviously can if you think it’ll help you with your description, but it’s largely about you and your experience of the subject. Outside evidence is purely secondary at that point.
A swamp, a bog, a quagmire, whatever you might call it, my swamp is the only place I would ever consider home. The climate ranges with the season, and the mud pits offer a surprising level of insulation from the weather, never too hot or too cold. Nights are filled with the sounds of crickets, toads, and the wayward donkey, the soft sounds of the angry village in the distance.
Descriptive Essay Conclusion Example
The crux of your descriptive essay will feel mostly concrete as it focuses on the subject at hand and your experience of it through the five senses. The conclusion is where you can go outside of that, and expand outward to include larger ideas and themes. In fact, if you really wanted, you could use the conclusion to essentially create an opinion or argument that could become the thesis for an entirely different essay.
To many, the swamp might seem like a scary and unwelcoming space, but for me, that is part of its charm. It is a place of warmth and love if you look close enough, and much like an onion, it is a place of layers. The humble bog may be the most ideal environment to live, and yet part of its appeal is that it is not for everyone. That is the ideal home; a place that perfectly fits you.

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Descriptive Writing

What is descriptive writing?
Descriptive writing helps the reader visualize the person, place, thing, or situation being described. When a text conjures a vivid, sensory impression in the reader’s mind, not only does it make the writing more interesting to read; it helps the reader understand the text better and recognize the author’s intention more clearly.
Why teach descriptive writing?
- It helps students make their writing more interesting and engaging to read.
- It creates opportunities for students to practice using new words in meaningful contexts, a key strategy for building vocabulary.
- Descriptive writing tends to include figurative language, such as simile, metaphor, and onomatopoeia. Noticing figurative language in mentor texts and incorporating it into their own writing help students build critical verbal reasoning skills. To find out more about verbal reasoning and other components of language comprehension, see the “In Depth” section from the Comprehension module of our Reading 101 Course.
- It encourages students to learn from—and be metacognitive about—the techniques other authors use to write vivid descriptions.
- It can help students clarify their understanding of new subject matter material and remember more of what they learn.
How to teach descriptive writing
If only descriptive writing were as simple as “show, don’t tell”! Descriptive writing is a skill — and a craft — that takes instruction, practice, and time to learn. The good news is that it can be explicitly taught. An understanding of the characteristics of effective descriptive writing, combined with a toolkit of structures and strategies to scaffold learning and practice, can enhance students’ development as authors of vivid, evocative writing.
What effective descriptive writing looks like
Authors of descriptive writing use a variety of styles and techniques to connect with readers, but effective descriptive writing often shares these characteristics:
- Vivid details. Specific details paint a picture in the reader’s mind and appeal to the reader's senses. Descriptive writing may also go beyond creating a strong sensory impression to give the reader a “picture” of the feelings the description evokes in the writer.
- Figurative language. Tools of the writer’s craft such as analogy, simile, and metaphor add depth to authors’ descriptions.
- Precise language. General adjectives, nouns, and passive verbs are used sparingly. Instead, specific adjectives and nouns and strong action verbs give life to the picture being painted in the reader's mind.
- Thoughtful organization. Some ways to organize descriptive writing include: chronological (time), spatial (location), and order of importance. Descriptive writing about a person might begin with a physical description, followed by how the person thinks, feels and acts.
What effective instruction in descriptive writing looks like
There isn’t one right approach to teaching descriptive writing, but effective instruction often includes:
- Mentor texts. Reading aloud and analyzing high-quality mentor texts to help students understand how authors use descriptive writing to connect with readers.
- Focus on the five senses. Helping students make the connection between sensory input (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) and descriptive writing.
- Teacher modeling. Modeling different ways to generate descriptive writing.
- Guided practice. Repeated, structured practice scaffolded to meet students’ needs.
- Feedback and revision. Cycles of constructive teacher and peer feedback followed by thoughtful revision.
Watch a demonstration: show NOT tell using your 5 senses
In this virtual lesson, the teacher models generating written descriptions of a hot day using the five senses as a framework.
Watch a classroom lesson: five senses graphic organizer
Students use their five senses and a graphic organizer to brainstorm ideas for writing a report on a recent school event and to help them think about interesting words to include in their report. See the lesson plan .
Watch a classroom discussion: writer’s workshop
Writer's Workshop connects great children's literature with children’s own writing experiences. In this video clip from our Launching Young Readers PBS series , Lynn Reichle's second graders practice their use of descriptive writing.
Collect resources
Here are some routines and structures for teaching descriptive writing:
The RAFT strategy encourages descriptive writing and supports writing in general by encouraging students to think through the writer's Role, the Audience, the Format, and the Topic. ReadWriteThink offers this RAFT Writing Template .
This Sense Chart — organized into sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch categories — helps students capture sensory details related to a topic. The Describing Wheel offers a more open-ended format for capturing and organizing descriptive language.
The Show-Me Sentences lesson plan from ReadWriteThink was created for students in grades 6-12. However, elementary teachers can modify the Show-Me sentences to make them interesting for younger students.
This lesson plan from Utah Education Network guides students through the process of writing about a favorite place using descriptive language.
This lesson plan from the Philadelphia Museum of Art has students work collaboratively to generate descriptive writing about works of art. It is intended for upper elementary and middle grades but can be adapted for lower grades.
Teacher Laura Torres created a lesson plan that uses images to jumpstart vivid writing: Three Descriptive Writing Picture Prompts .
This resource from Greenville County Schools in South Carolina provides several ideas for writing in math class . Writing and mathematics are similar in that they both require gathering, organizing, and clarifying thoughts. Writing can assist math instruction by helping children make sense of mathematics and by helping teachers understand what children are learning.
Writing in science gives students an opportunity to describe observations and scientific phenomena, and can help them comprehend new material by having to explain it in their own words. Fazio and Gallagher propose two instructional strategies to assist teachers and student when writing in science: a mnemonic acronym (POWER) and an editing checklist.
Social Studies
In social studies, descriptive writing can help students describe an important historical figure or event more clearly. Writing rich in detail will create vivid depictions of people and places and help make history come alive.
Differentiate instruction
For English-learners, readers of different ability levels, or students needing extra support:
- Use dictation as a way to help capture students thoughts and ideas.
- Provide sentence frames for writing descriptive sentences or paragraphs.
- Use pictures and other sensory prompts.
- Provide budding writers with real-life or virtual experiences that give them something to write about. Trips to a relative’s house, playground or grocery store provide real-life experiences that can be recorded by a new writer.
- Encourage students to work with a buddy or in a small group to develop first drafts .
- Work with students to brainstorm a word bank of interesting and descriptive words students can incorporate into their writing.
Extend the learning
This resource from Greenville County Schools in South Carolina provides several ideas for writing in math class . Writing and mathematics are similar in that they both require gathering, organizing, and clarifying thoughts. Writing can support math instruction by helping students make sense of important concepts and procedures.
Descriptive writing in science can help students capture observations and scientific phenomena with greater precision, and can help them comprehend new material by explaining it in their own words. Fazio and Gallagher propose two instructional strategies to assist teachers and student when writing in science: a mnemonic acronym (POWER) and an editing checklist.
Related strategies
- RAFT helps students understand their roles as writers, the audience they will address, the varied formats for writing, and the topic they'll be writing about.
- Revision teaches students about the characteristics of good writing, which will carry over into their future writing. Revision skills complement reading skills; revision requires that writers distance themselves from the writing and critically evaluate a text.
- Writing Conferences give students a chance to share their writing and and receive feedback from peers or the teacher.
- Think-alouds can be used for writing as well as reading instruction
Learn more about building writing skills in our self-paced module Reading 101: Writing .
See the research that supports this strategy
Akerson, V. L., & Young, T.A. (2005). Science the 'write' way. Science and Children , 43(3), 38-41.
MacArthur, C., Graham, S., & Fitzgerald, J. (2016). Handbook of research on writing (2nd Edition). NY: Guilford.
Miller, R.G., & Calfee, R.C. (2004). Making thinking visible: A method to encourage science writing in upper elementary grades. Science and Children , (42)3, 20-25.
Mitchell, D. (1996). Writing to learn across the curriculum and the English teacher. English Journal , 85, 93-97.
Children's books to use with this strategy

The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza)
In this spin-off off from the traditional tale, the indomitable bread-making Little Red Hen makes pizza. Describe why her friends wouldn't help her and in the order they refused her request. Make the pizza, its maker, and the ingredients irresistible in your description. Compare it to a time-honored version.

Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme
A prolific (and popular) poet, Prelutsky provides poem starters for slightly older children. Young poets can either finish the "poemstarts" suggested here or create their own original poem.

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella
Cinderella stories are found around the world; here, they have been fused into one tale with special characteristics in text and illustrations that reflect the different origins. Expand parts of the story to echo the traditions of the culture and its history from which it comes. It may be possible to develop a map of tales (e.g., ancient vs. modern countries, or as a visual as to where it is/was told).

Each Orange Had 8 Slices: A Counting Book
Counting is fun especially in this sophisticated but accessible and handsomely illustrated book. Various situations are introduced in straightforward sentences followed by questions that are answered by counting. Describe each situation in the order presented.

A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder
Arresting photographs of water in various states not only introduces water but also weather, solids and liquids, and more. The sophisticated text further encourages experimentation and observation, although is not necessary to use the entire book with younger children.

26 Letters and 99 Cents
Sequencing, sets, counting, and money (coins) are introduced in crisp photographs in this wordless concept book. Upper and lower case letters from A to Z with attendant objects are half of the book; turn it over and numbers, counting, and more are presented.

I Face the Wind
Children are encouraged to observe as experiment as they learn about wind and air as well as practice science writing by describing their findings.

Benny's Pennies
A boy has five pennies and spends them one at a time as he meets people during a walk. Told in rhyme, this cumulative story is appealing and well supported by illustration.

Jack and the Beanstalk
The traditional tale of a boy who planted magic beans is reimagined as a city story of a spell broken. Illustrations are photographs that have been manipulated for good effect.

A mother and her child get the ingredients for soup on a snowy day and then add everything to the pot. The pair plays snug and warm while the soup simmers until Dad comes home when they enjoy soup together. Crisp collage and a simple text make for a cozy read.

No Easy Way: The Story of Ted Williams and the Last .400 Season
Ted Williams never flinched at hard work or a challenge. In his last season with the Boston Red Sox, Williams had to decide if he wanted to take the chance and lose his rare .400 average or go to bat. Williams' decision creates a riveting read in this handsome and thoughtful look at one man's ethics and the times in which he lived.

The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth
Two machines captivated young Philo Farnsworth: a telephone and a phonograph. Both had cranks and both connected people with others (one in real time, the other through music). These and other inspirations motivated young Philo to invent what was to become known as the television. His early story is fascinatingly told and well illustrated.

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11
Relive the journey of the Apollo 11 where the first people stepped on the Moon's surface and saw Earth from a very different perspective. Eloquent language and illustrations combine to present this historical event in a unique, unforgettable way.

If America Were a Village: A Book About the People of the United States
If all of the 300 million people were simply one village of 100 people, its diversity is easier to understand. That's just what the author has done to make the complex make-up of the U.S. residents (in terms of languages spoken, ages, and more). Colorful illustrations accompany the understandable text. Additional resources complete the book. If the World Were a Village: A Book About the World’s People , also by Smith, looks at the inhabitants of the world as a village to allow its diversity to become more understandable for adults and children.

One World, One Day
Every day children around the world awake to begin their days having breakfast, going to school, coming home to families. A poetic text combines with photographs from myriad countries to visually highlight the richness of the world and its people.

10 Minutes Till Bedtime
At One Hoppin' Place, the countdown to bedtime is about to begin when a family of hamsters — a mother and father with nine kids and a baby all wearing numbered striped jerseys — arrives at the front door.

The Mysterious Tadpole
When Louis' uncle sends a tadpole from a certain lake in Scotland, the small tadpole grows to enormous proportions. With the help of a resourceful librarian, Louis figures out a way to feed his large and ever-hungry Alphonse as well as determine a permanent solution. Humor abounds in this contemporary classic.

Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. grew up fascinated by big words. He would later go on to use these words to inspire a nation and call people to action. In this award-winning book, powerful portraits of King show how he used words, not weapons, to fight injustice.

Squids Will Be Squids
Scieszka and Smith set sights on creating fresh fables — short traditional tales intended to teach a moral lesson. With humorous twists and take-offs, new, different and wacky fables are presented for readers' edification and amusement.

Science Verse
This boy's curse begins when his teacher suggests that the "poetry of science" can be heard everywhere. From Moore to Frost, familiar poems are parodied and turned into science verse. Again art and illustration are inseparable as are the laughs in this offbeat look at science.
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Descriptive Essay Writing
Descriptive Essay Examples


Amazing Descriptive Essay Examples for Your Help
Published on: Jun 5, 2020
Last updated on: Jan 3, 2023

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Descriptive essays are very commonly assigned essays. This type of essay tends to enhance their writing skills and allow them to think critically.
A descriptive essay is often referred to as the parent essay type. Other essays like argumentative essays, narrative essays, and expository essays fall into descriptive essays. Also, this essay helps the student enhance their ability to imagine the whole scene in mind by appealing senses.
It is assigned to students of high school and all other students at different academic levels. Students make use of the human senses like touch, smell, etc., to make the descriptive essay more engaging for the readers.
Examples make an understanding of things better. But before moving on to the examples, let us have a quick look at how to write a good descriptive essay.
Examples make it easy for readers to understand things in a better way. Also, in a descriptive essay, different types of descriptions can be discussed.
Here are some amazing examples of a descriptive essay to make the concept easier for you.
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Descriptive Essay Example 5 Paragraph
Descriptive Essay Example 5 Paragraph 5 paragraphs essay writing format is the most common method of composing an essay.
- Introduction
- Body Paragraph 1
- Body Paragraph 2
- Body Paragraph 3
5 Paragraph Descriptive Essay (PDF)
Descriptive Essay Example About A Person
Descriptive essays are the best option when it comes to describing and writing about a person. A descriptive essay is written using the five human senses. It helps in creating a vivid image in the reader’s mind and understanding what the writer is trying to convey.
Descriptive Essay Example About A Place
If you have visited a good holiday spot or any other place and want to let your friends know about it. A descriptive essay can help you explain every detail and moment you had at that place.
Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 6
Descriptive essays are frequently assigned to students of the school. This type of essay helps the students enhance their writing skills and helps them see things in a more analytical way.
Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 7
Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 8
Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 10
Essay writing is an inevitable part of the academic life of a student. No matter what grade you are in, you will get to write some sort of essay at least once.
Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 12
If you are a senior student and looking for some great descriptive essay examples for grade 12, you are exactly where you should be.
Descriptive Essay Example for University
Descriptive essays are assigned to students at all academic levels. University students are also assigned descriptive essay writing assignments. As they are students of higher educational levels, they are often given a bit of difficult and more descriptive topics.
Look at the below given example and see how a descriptive essay at the university level looks like.
Short Descriptive Essay Example
It is not necessary that every time a descriptive essay isn't written in detail. It totally depends on the topic of how long the essay will be.
Subjective Descriptive Essay Example
It is a common concept that a descriptive essay revolves around one subject. Be it a place, person, event, or any other object you can think of.
Following is one of the subjective descriptive easy examples. Use it as a guide to writing an effective descriptive essay yourself.
Writing a descriptive essay is a time-consuming yet tricky task. It needs some very strong writing, analytical, and critical thinking skills. Also, this is a type of essay that a student can not avoid and bypass.
But if you think wisely, work smart, and stay calm, you can get over it easily. Learn how to write a descriptive essay from a short guide given below.
How to Write a Descriptive Essay
A writer writes a descriptive essay from their knowledge and imaginative mind. In this essay, the writer describes what he has seen or experienced, or ever heard from someone. For a descriptive essay, it is important to stay focused on one point. Also, the writer should use figurative language so that the reader can imagine the situation in mind.
The following are some very basic yet important steps that can help you write an amazing descriptive essay easily.
For a descriptive essay, you must choose a vast topic to allow you to express yourself freely. Also, make sure that the topic you choose is not overdone. An overdone will not grab the attention of your intended audience.
A thesis statement is the essence of any academic writing. When you have selected the descriptive essay topic, then you create a strong thesis statement for your essay.
A thesis statement is a sentence or two that explains the whole idea of your essay to the reader. It is stated in the introductory paragraph of the essay. The word choice for creating the thesis statement must be very expressive, composed, and meaningful. Also, use vivid language for the thesis statement.
Once you have created the thesis statement and you are done writing the introduction for your essay, it's time to move towards the body paragraphs.
Collect all necessary information related to your topic. You would be adding this information to your essay to support your thesis statement. Make sure that you collect information from authentic sources.
To enhance your essay, make use of some adjectives and adverbs. To make your descriptive essay more vivid, try to incorporate sensory details like touch, taste, sight, and smell.
An outline is yet another necessary element of your college essay . By reading the outline, the reader feels a sense of logic and a guide for the essay.
In the outline, you need to write an introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs and end up with a formal conclusion.
Proofreading is a simple procedure in which the writer revises the written essay. This is done in order to rectify the document for any kind of spelling or grammatical mistakes. Thus, proofreading makes content high quality and gives a professional touch to it.
You might be uncertain about writing a good enough descriptive essay and impress your teacher.However, it is very common so you do not need to stress out.
Hit us up at CollegeEssay.org and get a descriptive essay written by our professional writers . We aim to facilitate the students in every way possible and to ease their stress. Get in touch with our customer support team, and they will take care of all your queries related to your writing.
Place your order now and let all your stress go away in a blink!
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Descriptive Essay
Descriptive Essay Examples

Descriptive Essay Examples & Writing Tips
12 min read
Published on: Aug 22, 2018
Last updated on: Feb 28, 2023

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Struggling to write a descriptive essay that engages your reader? It can be frustrating to spend hours writing, only to feel like your essay is not meeting your expectations.
Relax, you're not alone! Many students find it difficult to capture readers' attention through descriptive writing.
But don't worry! Our examples of descriptive essays are here to help. These examples provide you with the perfect starting point, helping you to understand how to structure your essay to make it memorable.
Don't let your descriptive essay fall flat. Explore our examples and learn how to write an essay that your readers won't be able to forget.
Let's dive in to learn more.
What is a Descriptive Essay?
A descriptive essay is a type of essay in which a writer describes a specific subject in detail. The writer takes help from vivid language to paint a picture in the reader’s mind by engaging the human senses.
Whether you are writing about a person or an event, use strong adjectives and adverbs to present sensory details. The main objective of writing a descriptive essay is to describe a particular subject, person, place, or situation.
It is written in a way to make the reader feel the same way as you do. It is like a narrative essay where you provide a detailed description of the subject.
To understand descriptive writing, good and handy descriptive essay samples work best. It is a fact that we learn better with examples. This is why we have added some amazing examples of descriptive essays.
These samples will help you understand the dos and don’ts of a good descriptive essay. Move forward and go through the writing samples below.
How to Write a Descriptive Essay - Example
Don't know how to write a descriptive essay? We understand! Here is an example that might help you.
Introduction of a Descriptive Essay - Examples
How to Start a Descriptive Essay - Examples
How to End a Descriptive Essay - Examples
Subjective Descriptive Essay Example
Subjective descriptive essays are written based on personal experiences. Take a look at the below example to understand this format better.
Objective Descriptive Essay Example
The objective descriptive essay is a type of descriptive essay in which you describe a person, place, or thing without any emotions or opinions. Take a look at the below examples to understand this format better.
Descriptive Essay Example About an Object
Personal Descriptive Essay Example
Descriptive essay example about a person.
Descriptive Essay Example About A Place
Describing a place can be tricky. If you want to write a descriptive essay about a place, it is even more difficult. To understand this format better, let's take a look at the below example.
Good Descriptive Essay Example
Struggling to write a good descriptive essay? Understandable!
Writing an impressive essay in a descriptive tone is not everyone's cup of tea. Observe the below example to get an idea of how to craft a good descriptive essay.
Short Descriptive Essay Example
Many students fail to understand the essence of writing a short descriptive essay. If you are one of them, here is an example that will help you get an idea of how to write it.
Narrative Descriptive Essay Example
A narrative descriptive essay is a type of descriptive essay where you narrate a story in an interesting manner. Take a look at the below example to understand how to write this type of essay.
Descriptive Essay Example for Middle School
Middle school students often struggle to write essays. Descriptive essay assignments might even prove to be more difficult. Here is an example that will help middle schoolers understand this format better.
Descriptive Essay Example for Middle School Students
Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 6
Descriptive Essay Example for High School
High school students face similar challenges as middle schoolers when it comes to descriptive writing. It is difficult to describe something without being generic. If you're going through something similar, here are some examples for you.
Descriptive Essay Example for High School Students
Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 10
Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 12
Descriptive Essay Example for University and College
College and University students have to deal with complex and more challenging descriptive essay topics. Mostly, they don't have time to write such lengthy essays. Here are some examples that can help them understand such essays better.
Descriptive Essay Example for University Students
Descriptive Essay Example College
Thesis for Descriptive Essay Example
How to Write a Descriptive Essay?
There are many elements to an amazing descriptive essay. For starters, it's important that the writer stays focused on one point. Also, uses figurative language so readers can imagine what they're reading about in their minds.
Below are some steps that you should follow for writing a great descriptive essay.
The best way to make an interesting essay is by choosing a unique topic. It will allow you the freedom of creativity. Be careful not to choose something familiar because it might get boring quickly for readers.
It is the most important part of any essay. When you are planning a descriptive essay, you need to come up with a strong thesis statement .
A thesis statement is usually one or two sentences that explain the whole point of your essay to the reader.
To write a good essay, you need relevant information supporting your thesis statement. Make sure that you get your information from reliable sources.
An essay outline is a way to organize your thoughts and plan what you will say in your essay. In the outline, you should have an introduction, a thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Don’t know how to make an outline? Visit our descriptive essay outline blog and learn to create impressive outlines for your descriptive essays.
Proofreading is the process of looking for and correcting any spelling or grammatical errors in a written essay. Proofreading makes a document look more professional, so it is important to do it before submission.
Tips to Write a Good Descriptive Essay
Writing a good descriptive essay is both a difficult and easy task. Here we have listed some useful descriptive writing tips that will make your writing process easy and simple.
- Choose the Topic: Choosing a topic to write your essay is the very first step in any essay writing process. Make a list of the descriptive essay topics that you like and choose one from them.
Short on descriptive topic ideas? Check out our extensive list of descriptive essay topics to get inspiration.
- Preplanning: Before you start writing, plan your essay, and write all the essential details. Please do not think that you will remember it just because you know something; it does not happen this way. Write down all the details and assemble them all in one place.
- Create an Outline: Creating a descriptive essay outline before starting the essay will keep you focused on the essay topic. Include what you will add to each of the sections. Divide it into the introductory paragraph, thesis statement, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
- Edit and Revise: No writing process is complete without thorough editing and proofreading. Spelling and grammar checking the essay for plagiarism are the main steps before the final submission of the essay.
Want more tips to improve your descriptive writing skills? Here is a short video clip to help you out.
If you are not sure that you could write the essay yourself, give it to MyPerfectWords.com . Our descriptive essay writers are professionals and experts in crafting top-notch essays in no time.
We specialize in providing custom-written papers and essays for various academic levels and subjects. Trust our essay writing service to deliver you top-notch papers at the most affordable prices.
Order your essay now and get the best value for your money.
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How to Write a Descriptive Essay

In this article, we examine the descriptive essay and present a step-by-step writing guide. Stick around for helpful writing tips near the end! Also, check out custom writers at EssayPro — political science essay service, if you need private tutoring or essay editing.
What is a Descriptive Essay?
The definition of a descriptive essay is a type of composition or paper which describes an object, person, process, or event. The writer’s goal is to create a vivid reading experience, or to show instead of tell (metaphorically).
Descriptive writing usually appeals to the five senses: taste, touch, smell, hearing, and sight. (Ex: Jack’s coffee mug exploded into tiny shards of glass, catching the attention of everyone at the office.) Always appealing to the senses is key to writing a good descriptive essay.
When writing a descriptive essay, your goal will be to paint a comprehensive picture for the reader by appealing to the five senses. Last but not least, your work should have a purpose. It could be anything from a lesson you learned from an experience, to a story of how an object impacted your life. It’s all about making your bright ideas come to life.
Difference Between a Description and a Descriptive Essay
When writing this type of paper, you should know the difference between a description and a descriptive essay. A description can be just a simple paragraph, or several ones with no specific structure, meanwhile, a descriptive essay has five or more paragraphs and a clear and complete structure. A descriptive essay is usually written coherently, has a good thesis statement at the end of the introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. A description however, does not necessarily have a structure. Its main purpose is to just describe an object, or something else, without having any extra academic layers.
The Issues that Could be Described in Your Paper
- A person. In this paper, you can talk about a person. It can range from simply writing about their appearance to more complex descriptions like actions, behaviours, mood, and qualities of your chosen individual.
- A place. The main thing you should do when describing a place in your work is to describe it interestingly and originally. Your reader(s) should feel, for example, the beauty of your chosen cities—perhaps New York or Rome.
- An event. Here you need to describe the story of what happened. It can be your last vacation, concert, wedding, anniversary, summer music festival, graduation day, or so on.
- An animal. In this type, you need to describe the animal. It may be its appearance, behaviour, or biology.
- An occupation. Here you need to write about a job or occupation.
- A behaviour. This is the type of descriptive writing you should go for if you would like to write about someone’s behaviour. Perhaps you want to describe the strange behaviour of your friend, or highlight how certain people act under different conditions.
Two Classic Approaches to the Descriptive Essay

1. Personal Essay
Here you need to describe an experience using your feelings and responses. This work can awake empathy in readers. It can also be vague and disorganized. If you want to write a good personal essay, you should try to focus only on those aspects that most fully express your experience. Do not shy away from vivid, evocative language in this type of assignment.
A few examples of personal essay topics might be:
- Describing the experience of swimming in the azure sea in summer
- Explaining your favourite movie and its impact on you
- Reflecting on your birthday and all the things that have shaped you in the past
2. Formal Description
This type of descriptive writing resembles an argumentative essay. Your main goal should be communicating a set of key points or describing something in detail—according to a clear structure. Rather than focusing on your own experience, you need to use specific categories of information to provide the fullest possible portrait of what you are describing. This approach can also be engaging, especially when the reader is more curious about the subject of the paper than the writer's response to it. Still, try not to make it dull with too formal language.
Topics for formal descriptions can include:
- A descriptive essay about climate change, politics, or historical events.
- A news story that provides a summary of an event or information about the place where it occurred.
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Descriptive Essay Topics & Ideas
Finding descriptive essay topics isn’t hard. You can describe pretty much anything—from your favourite car to today’s weather. We’ve gathered some ideas to help you get started. Hopefully, you’ll find good descriptive essay topics to spark your imagination.
Describe a Person
Pick a person who you know well—doing so gives you a lot to write about. Choose from family members, friends, teachers, etc. You can even write about a celebrity who exposes most of their private life to the media: The Kardashians, Kanye West, or Taylor Swift for instance. A famous superhero like Spider-Man is also interesting. Such fictional figures have undergone many character studies from both academic and non-academic perspectives.
Examples: Why my father is my favourite person. How Kim Kardashian changed my life.
Describe an Object or a Place
You may also describe an object or a place with which you have a special connection. This could be your high school, a playground, or a toy which used to scare you as a kid. Fictional places also count!
Examples: My native city – Paris My trip to London
Describe an Emotion
Remember the most sincere emotion you’ve experienced and turn it into a descriptive essay writing. You may choose a strong feeling like anger, happiness, loss, desire, or rage. It doesn’t have to be a personal emotion, it could be an observed one.
Examples: How love changed me Hatred and love – how they are similar
You can also write a descriptive essay about anything you can describe according to human senses: touch, sight, taste, smell, or hearing.

Creating a Descriptive Essay Outline
When thinking about descriptive essay writing, remember that a structured paper outline is your golden ticket. Not only does it help you organize thoughts, but it will also help your essays flow better.
A descriptive essay outline is composed of the following:
- An introduction
- Hook sentence
- Context/Background information
- Thesis statement
- Body paragraphs
- Topic sentence
- Sensory details
- Actual details
- A conclusion
- Summary of all main points
- Clincher Statement
It is important to spend enough time considering the victim of description because all of your illustrations will be based around it.
Introduction
The introduction serves to introduce your subject to the reader and give them enough context to fully understand your work—but keep it brief and interesting for the reader(s). When learning how to write a descriptive essay introduction, remember – the first paragraph of your paper is the part that can make your descriptive essay stand out from the others.
As with any college paper, a descriptive essay introduction must contain the following points:
- Hook Sentence: Although the entire paper should be full of exciting and vivid descriptions, grabbing the reader's attention from the very beginning is ideal.
- Context/Background Information: Tell the reader what you’re about to describe and explain why it is crucial to you. Give them a brief context for your paper.
- Thesis Statement: The descriptive essay thesis should be a short yet concise summary of the work. It must include the subject of your description, and your purpose for describing it.
For further information on how to write a thesis for a descriptive essay, check out the examples below.
Place. If you were to write about Buckingham Palace: “Even though the monarchy is long gone, Buckingham Palace serves to remind us of the aesthetic beauty which that era had built.” Person. For describing Spider-Man: “The defining characteristics of Spider-Man are his youthfulness, New York City, and the fact that he talks to himself more than Hamlet.” Emotion. A piece about a personal experience of fear: “For many reasons, the dark forest is my greatest fear, though not a fear which I would necessarily like to venture into.”
Body Paragraph(s)
There are usually three body paragraphs in a paper. They cover three different points or arguments. How many body paragraphs to include in your descriptive essay is entirely up to you—or your professor. Sometimes it only takes a paragraph to tell a story, while other times it takes books.
How to write a body paragraph:
- Start with a topic sentence. ex. The orange looks familiar; it is a round citrus fruit whose colour matches its name.
- Add sensory details. When describing the orange, appeal to relatable senses.
- Include actual details. Always include descriptive information within your body paragraphs. Finish a body paragraph by introducing the next. Transition sentences are essential because they create immersion within your writing. Your writing will become better and it won’t appear as if you are reading a list of facts.
The descriptive essay is one type of 5 paragraph essay , which is the most common type of essay a student may encounter.
According to the descriptive essay format, your conclusion should be a summary of all of the main points in the body text. It is a good idea to write a final sentence that relates to the main point of your paper. Once this is done, the paper is now complete. We advise that you proofread your descriptive essay to correct any grammatical errors.
Try to incorporate the following into your conclusion:
- The first thing to do at the end is to reflect on the initial purpose of the work. Spill the beans on why you decided to write about this subject, and how this subject has affected your life. An article about reflection paper may also be helpful to you.
- Signify the Importance of the Details: Go over some key moments of the paper. Give a summary of what you have covered, and prepare the audience for the clincher statement.
- Clincher Statement: The clincher is the final sentence that reinforces your paper’s overall purpose or leaves your audience with an intriguing thought, question, or quote. You’ve probably spent a lot of time thinking of a hook to pull the audience in. Do not allow the paper to escape your audience’s thoughts right after they have finish reading it.
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Writing and Reviewing Your Descriptive Paper Writing
Writing the paper consists of the following stages:
- Pre-writing stage. Here you need to examine all of the sources you have and define if they all offer important information on the topic of your choice.
- Writing the beginning. You should start your paper with a powerful, engaging hook that will grab the readers' attention. It may include an unusual metaphor or an interesting literary quote.
- Creating the first draft of your descriptive essay. Here is where you just need to write down all of the words that come to your mind; you'll have a chance to narrow down your ideas later.
- Adding details to your paper with the help of enriched English vocabulary and online dictionaries. Use your English vocabulary to add missing feelings, like hearing, to help make the descriptive essay leave a lasting impression.
- Revising and editing the paper with the help of different free online grammar checking tools.
Let’s talk in detail about the final step here: reviewing your paper. After you finish writing, take a break. It’s always best to clear your mind before editing your paper.
When you come back to your descriptive essay, here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Have you provided enough context in the introduction?
- Is the paper easy to read?
- Does the thesis relate to the content of the paper?
- Does the paper feature vivid, descriptive language?
- Will the clincher statement leave a lasting impact?
- Are there enough details to make it possible for your readers to obtain a full and vivid perception of your description?
- Does each section of your work focus on one aspect of your description?
- Does your paper possess any unnecessary details in your description that can be thrown away or replaced by more meaningful information?
- Overall, if you were the reader, does this paper make sense to you?
- Are there any problems with grammar and punctuation?
Sometimes web applications like Grammarly or the Hemingway app can help you sort your grammar. However, it’s always best to master the rules of grammar yourself and become the best writer you can be. Once you’re convinced you have the final draft, read it out loud or give it to a friend to read. Sometimes you need some constructive criticism to tie up loose ends in your writing. You can also trust the professionals and buy cheap essay on EssayPro service.

Descriptive Essay: Video Guide
descriptive essay good examples.
This is a commonly assigned and most opted-for form of an essay. Why not have a look at our written descriptive essay examples. In this section, you can find some of the top examples and quotes followed by some critique.
The writer of this descriptive essay example explains how there was a lot of life before humans existed. The world was full of Blue Jays and North Cardinal birds that most probably ate pansy seeds as a stable diet. In this example, it is clear that the writer has put himself/herself in the perspective of someone in the far future. He/she describes how we were in the 21st century, and how we used the poles as communication portals.
In the eyes of the untrained, a rugby game is just a bunch of huge individuals senselessly fighting one another, struggling to move an oval ball inch by inch down a field full of mud towards the goal line of the opposing team. Players don’t put on pads or get a timeout in the event of injuries. Yet rugby is a different thing, a gentleman’s sport—to those who understand it. While rugby appears rough, its players maintain good respect toward both teammates and opponents.
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Ultimate Resource For Cambridge Assessment International Education
Descriptive essays.
In descriptive essays, you have to describe a person, place or thing. If the question states “describe a person that helped you in the time of need”, don’t just go on about how the person helped you, you have to describe the person and his attributes as well.
Describing people:
- Add the characteristics of the person such as “tall, well built, shiny black hair, etc.”. Remember to describe the height, age, build, face, eyes, hair and clothing of the person.
- Describe the attributes and hobbies of the person and why he/she inspires/motivates you.
Example(s):
- When he laughed, he revealed a set of horribly discoloured teeth.
- Everybody stared at her. She had beautiful dark hair piled high on her head, a delicately shaped face, large soft eyes and the most dazzling smile I had ever seen.
Describing places:
- State where and what the place is (For example Lulu Island in Abu Dhabi).
- Describe how far the place is from your house (how you got there) and why do you like the place.
- Describe the unique features of the place and what is so good about it. Describe the weather and how it felt “hot” or “cold” when you were there.
- Would you recommend the place to others (for vacations, etc.)? If yes, then why?
She strolled to the back of the house by herself, and she saw the most beautiful backdrop. Trees were everywhere and sunlight was trying its best to penetrate the thick lush greenery. Right at the very middle of the trees was a small lake. Danielle leaned against the fence and admired the scene before her with awe.
Describing things:
- Name the thing and what type of gadget/thing it is (For example your 24-carrot Rolex WATCH 😛 )
- Describe the appearance of the thing, remember to be precise in mentioning the color, shape and size of the object.
- Describe the features of the object and why it is so special to you.
Starting Descriptives; start by naming the person/place/thing. For person, describe if he’s popular or not. For places, describe it’s location and popularity. For things, name the brand and how the people world – wide adore it.
Main body; go into further detail on the topic.
- If you’re describing a person then go in detail of the appearance, characteristics and qualities of the person (in separate paragraphs).
- If you’re describing a place, go in depth about the wonders of the place, the key features and leisure facilities, the weather (decide paragraphing accordingly).
- If you’re describing things, most preferably two paragraphs in detail of its appearance and how its features and background make it an important object for you.
Ending your essay; conclude your essay by summarizing all you’ve described and recommending (in case of place) or wishing best of luck (in case of people such as teachers/sportsmen) or admiring the object that you hold so dear.
Key point; in descriptive, VOCABULARY is very important because you want the reader to imagine what you’re describing! Nobody just likes to read a description of a person or place or object. With appropriate vocabulary you have to make it an interesting read.
Vocabulary for Describing People’s outlook
Vocabulary for Describing types of People
Here are a few links to help you build your vocabulary: Link 1 Link 2 Link 3 Link 4
IGCSE Examiner Tips for Descriptive Writing:
- It is difficult to write interesting descriptions, so this type of composition should not be attempted unless you have had practice and success at this type of writing. To write a strong descriptive answer you will need to use a wide range of vocabulary and even use imagery to engage reader interest. Unless the reader can see the picture they will not be able to relate to the experience.
- You will need to use a variety of sentence structures. All forms of repetition should be avoided – unless you are deliberately using it carefully for effect.
- You will need to evoke all five senses to create an environment and atmosphere, as well as details of size, shape and colour. Make colour precise, e.g. ‘scarlet’, ‘azure’, ‘off-white’, ‘bluish-grey’.
- Try to avoid common, overused, vague, short and childish vocabulary, such as ‘nice’, ‘big’, ‘little’, ‘a lot of’, ‘good’, and ‘bad’.
- Each noun probably needs one or more adjectives in front of it to give sufficient detail.
- Don’t let your description become static – give structure and progression to your description e.g. moving towards or through something, such as a street market or busy shoppingmall, or going through a period of time, an hour or a day for instance, and recording the changes.

Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts

Descriptive Essays

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The Modes of Discourse—Exposition, Description, Narration, Argumentation (EDNA)—are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. Although these genres have been criticized by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL recognizes the wide spread use of these approaches and students’ need to understand and produce them.
What is a descriptive essay?
The descriptive essay is a genre of essay that asks the student to describe something—object, person, place, experience, emotion, situation, etc. This genre encourages the student’s ability to create a written account of a particular experience. What is more, this genre allows for a great deal of artistic freedom (the goal of which is to paint an image that is vivid and moving in the mind of the reader).
One might benefit from keeping in mind this simple maxim: If the reader is unable to clearly form an impression of the thing that you are describing, try, try again!
Here are some guidelines for writing a descriptive essay.
- Take time to brainstorm
If your instructor asks you to describe your favorite food, make sure that you jot down some ideas before you begin describing it. For instance, if you choose pizza, you might start by writing down a few words: sauce, cheese, crust, pepperoni, sausage, spices, hot, melted, etc. Once you have written down some words, you can begin by compiling descriptive lists for each one.
- Use clear and concise language.
This means that words are chosen carefully, particularly for their relevancy in relation to that which you are intending to describe.
- Choose vivid language.
Why use horse when you can choose stallion ? Why not use tempestuous instead of violent ? Or why not miserly in place of cheap ? Such choices form a firmer image in the mind of the reader and often times offer nuanced meanings that serve better one’s purpose.
- Use your senses!
Remember, if you are describing something, you need to be appealing to the senses of the reader. Explain how the thing smelled, felt, sounded, tasted, or looked. Embellish the moment with senses.
- What were you thinking?!
If you can describe emotions or feelings related to your topic, you will connect with the reader on a deeper level. Many have felt crushing loss in their lives, or ecstatic joy, or mild complacency. Tap into this emotional reservoir in order to achieve your full descriptive potential.
- Leave the reader with a clear impression.
One of your goals is to evoke a strong sense of familiarity and appreciation in the reader. If your reader can walk away from the essay craving the very pizza you just described, you are on your way to writing effective descriptive essays.
- Be organized!
It is easy to fall into an incoherent rambling of emotions and senses when writing a descriptive essay. However, you must strive to present an organized and logical description if the reader is to come away from the essay with a cogent sense of what it is you are attempting to describe.

Descriptive Essays
There are different types of essays, from descriptive essays and expository essays to compare/contrast essays and persuasive essays . You can choose the type of essay you want to write depending on the subject and the purpose of the essay. Regardless of the type of essay, description as a writing technique can be used in all types of essays including narrative writing in order to create a powerful impression. A narrative descriptive essay, for example, would combine the writing elements of a narrative and descriptive writing.
Descriptive Essay Examples
► descriptive essay: amusement parks.
Amusement parks are by far one of the most thrilling places on earth. As you wait in a long line to get in park, you can hear numerous kids, adults, and tourist shouting off the top of their lungs due to a tremendous jaw-dropping drop on their beloved roller coasters.
► Descriptive Essay: Descriptive Writing
A descriptive essay, in essence, attempts to create more involved and clear encounter so that the reader can understand it better. It enables you to paint a clear picture for your readers with words. A good descriptive essay accomplishes this impact by using a more detailed observation and description.
► Descriptive Essay: My Camping Trip
I awoke to the sun piercing through the screen of my tent while stretching my arms out wide to nudge my friend Alicia to wake up. “Finally!” I said to Alicia, the countdown is over. As I unzip the screen door and we climb out of our tent, I’m embraced with the aroma of campfire burritos.
► Descriptive Essay: Beach Hacks
When you visit Daytona, regardless of the reason, it is almost criminal not to at least stand in the sand before heading back home. Everyone in Daytona knows the way of life here is golden sands and cool ocean breezes. Rather they are a local or tourist, they know to make the most of the beach whenever they can.
► Descriptive Essay: My Racing Heart
I was so tired, even attempting to keep my eyes open was a struggle. My whole body was drunk with fatigue after a hard day’s work, constantly staring at a computer screen and typing away as if in a solemn trance.
► Descriptive Essay About Climate Change
My parents grew up in small town in Mexico. There was a little river that went through part of the town when they were growing up. Every weekend or so they would go out and would go swimming with their families, it almost became a tradition to go swimming there until they noticed that the river ‘s water level was becoming smaller.
► Descriptive Essay: Central Park
Central Park When you think about New York, you think about Times Square, The Statue of Liberty, or The Empire State Building, however most people are blind to other attractions going on all the time. Since I am from the wonderful state of New York, I can fill you in on other attractions.
► Descriptive Essay on Basketball Gym
The gym where I practice to win, the YMCA, is a place where I know who I am. It is a place I can go to escape my problems for awhile and release some stress. It is not the actual physical building, but rather the events that have occurred over the years.
► Descriptive Essay: ‘The Darkness Of The Night’
The purple hue surrounding my eye extenuates the fairness of my skin and makes me stand out more than an elephant in a room. I examine my bloodied, bruised face in the cracked mirror and begin to wash away at my stained skin, watching the rogue substance gurgle down the drain.
► Descriptive Essay: ‘Candy’
Meta: Candy is the theme of the moment within the world of slots, with Mobilots jumping on the trend with its latest release. Promising to deliver a taste worth savouring, is this game as sugary sweet as it proclaims? Sugar and Ice Review. Everyone loves candy.
What is a Descriptive Essay?

A descriptive essay is an essay in which you describe a single event or subject using sensory details such as sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. Descriptive writing is often seen in travel writing, poetry, and in the short story and novel form, but it is not restricted to them. The rule of thumb in descriptive writing is “show, don’t tell.” You can see the power of description in these lines from Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita : “Her skin glistening in the neon light coming from the paved court through the slits in the blind, her soot-black lashes matted, her grave gray eyes more vacant than ever.” While this example is taken from a novel in which the narrator describes a character, a descriptive essay is a good format to consider if you want to write an essay about a person. When writing a descriptive essay about a person, you can describe what the person looks like and what he/she is wearing as well as the other sensory details such as smell, touch, and sound.
A successful descriptive essay is one that recreates the experience such that readers too experience it. It often describes a single event or subject and pushes forth a dominant impression. Therefore, choosing a dominant impression is the first step to writing a descriptive essay. Ask yourself: What was the impression that a place or person left you with? Was the atmosphere bleak? Was there a sense of anxiety? A bleak atmosphere can be recreated by describing the shabbiness, musty smell, the light, or the lack of it – such as the summer sun hesitating to enter the room, dead colors, a draft too tired to rustle up goosebumps, or the low buzz of a flickering light bulb. On the other hand, anxiety can be created by describing the shallow breathing, the restless foot-tapping, clenched jaws, fingers worrying a loose shirt button, and darting eyes.
Sensory language is used to evoke an experience or illustrate an object in vivid detail. While there is a general preference for visual language, by employing all the senses, you will create a better picture. You can describe what you saw, what you heard, what you smelled, tastes and flavors, and the tactile sensations. Consider this: a mewing black cat with soft fur and stale breath, and the disgusting memory of a sour salmon meal .
Certain techniques too are used to make descriptive essays powerful, such as naming, comparing, and detailing. Naming involves identifying what is seen. When you walk into a study, you may see a fireplace, a table, a bookshelf, a chair, a cat, and curtains. Detailing makes the named objects more specific. For example, an antique table of redwood, mint-green curtains with sunflowers that had not seen the sun in a long time, or a mewing cat. Comparison creates a stronger impression and employs the use of literary devices such as metaphors or similes. For example, the study looked like a forgotten forest from another age. Besides language, senses, and techniques, the type of description is important. Descriptive essays can be either objective or subjective. Objective descriptions are used in writing that does not involve emotions such as an essay by a marine biologist about the condition of coral reefs. Subjective descriptions are more personal – such as your personal experience going scuba diving for the first time. It is essentially your point of view. The approach – subjective or objective – determines the tone of your essay. An objective description may sound more academic while a subjective description may sound more personal. An objective description may describe the coral reefs as, “The corals, without the algae that lend them their color and nutrition, are now white,” whereas a subjective description may say, “I was caught in the midst of a rush of colorful reef fish and the deafening sounds underwater.”
How to Write a Descriptive Essay

Once you are clear about the thesis statement and the purpose, you can start prewriting to determine what details you would like to share with your reader and the sensory details that elaborate on the dominant impression that you want to recreate in your essay. After you determine the points that you would like to cover, you can then begin organizing it. The body paragraphs can be organized in a spatial (how everything relates to each other or physical positions), emphatic (the most important information appears first), or chronological order (follows the order of events). You can also organize the essay according to the sensory perception with each body paragraph dedicated to a single sense. Similar to all academic essays, each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence followed by evidence and a concluding sentence that ties up the focus of the paragraph. Transition words need to be incorporated to ensure that the essay is cohesive and flows smoothly.
Once the structure and the essay outline are in place, you need to pay attention to the language and the sentence structure. In a descriptive essay, language has to be rich in sensory detail. Metaphors and similes can make the essay sound more vivid but you have to take care not to use common and overused comparisons. Adverbs weaken writing and need to be avoided. On the other hand, verbs, sentence diversity in terms of length and structure, and the use of active voice are effective. Lastly, with the help of a review checklist which includes grammar checking, you can polish your essay and make it readable. If you are in doubt about how to start writing the essay, going through essay samples and personal descriptive essay samples can help. You may benefit from reading a descriptive essay for college students or descriptive essay examples for high school. On 123HelpME, you can see many descriptive essay example pdfs. Once you are familiar with how a descriptive essay is written, you can start writing your own essay. The time spent reading these essays may give you a few descriptive essay ideas. If you are still unsure about what to write about, you can go through the good descriptive essay topics below or look for grade-specific essays such as descriptive essay topics for grade 10.
Descriptive Essay Outline Template
You can use the following descriptive essay outline to help you compose a descriptive essay. A normal five-paragraph essay consists of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
I. Introduction
a. Hook: It should grab the attention of the reader and entice them to read on. It could begin with a question, an interesting fact or statistic, or a quote. The hook should match the intention of the essay. A good hook is also one that is unique.
b. Background/context: It tells the reader what the essay is about and sets the tone of the essay. But it needs to be broad. That is, it provides the outline of the essay without giving away everything too soon. It is also an opportunity to familiarize the reader because they may not be aware of the context.
c. Thesis statement: It focuses on the dominant impression and the main purpose of your essay. It clearly communicates what the essay is going to be about. An effective thesis statement consists of a central point and support, which clearly lay out the focus, emphasis, and range of the essay.
II. Body Paragraph 1
a. Topic sentence: It is the key point of the paragraph related to the supporting points of the thesis statement. It is required to introduce a new idea or a new point. Topic sentences can be considered as signposts of your essay. It helps you organize your paragraphs and lend structure to your essay.
b. Evidence: It includes supporting details which hold up the claims made. In case of descriptive essays, it includes sensory details. Each sentence should stay in line with the main point of the paragraph which is identified in the topic sentence.
c. Conclusion: It is the last line of the body paragraph. It ties back to the topic sentence and transitions to the next idea to ensure that the essay flows smoothly from one body paragraph to the next one.
III. Body Paragraph 2
b. Evidence: It includes supporting details that hold up the claims made. In the case of descriptive essays, it includes sensory details. Each sentence should stay in line with the main point of the paragraph which is identified in the topic sentence.
c. Conclusion: It is the last line of the body paragraph. It ties back to the topic sentence and transitions to the next idea to ensure that the essay flows smoothly from one body paragraph to the next one.
IV. Body Paragraph 3
b. Evidence: It includes supporting details that hold up the claims made. In case of descriptive essays, it includes sensory details. Each sentence should stay in line with the main point of the paragraph which is identified in the topic sentence.
V. Conclusion
a. Reflect: It considers what the essay has so far revealed to you and any insights gained. These could be revelations or provocative insights that are the culmination of what you have described so far in the essay. However, no new ideas should be introduced at this point.
b. Reinforce: It revisits the main points discussed and restates the thesis statement. It is more effective to synthesize rather than summarize the points, which is to say that you need to show how the points made fit together instead of repeating the same points.
c. Closing statement: It is the last sentence of the entire essay and the concluding paragraph, and it needs to be an impactful one. It should leave the reader with a strong impression, a question to consider, or ideas to explore further depending on the purpose of your essay.
Popular Descriptive Essay Topics
If you are looking for good descriptive essay topics and descriptive essay ideas, these are a few popular ones you could consider.
- Your favorite place or holiday
- Your best friend or favorite person
- A concert you attended
- The house where you grew up
- Describe yourself
- An object that is special to you
- Your favorite food
- Your happiest memory
Additional Descriptive Essay Samples
► descriptive essay – the baseball diamond.
Many people don’t understand the point in playing baseball. Why would someone swing a stick, hit a ball, and try to get back to where they started before the ball returns? What pleasure is there in that?
► Descriptive Essays – The Horse Farm
I am jarred out of a relaxing sleep by a voice yelling my name in a loud whisper, and a light burning through my eyelids. Groggily, I open my eyes to see my father standing in the doorway to my messy room.
► Descriptive Essay – The City Dock
The perfect place in the city is one that is incredibly versatile – it may be bustling with activity one minute and nearly deserted the next. The city dock has been a mainstay of the city for as long as anyone can remember
► Descriptive Essay – The Evangelic Church
It may seem a little bit strange, but my favorite place in town in none other than this beautiful Evangelic Church. However, it wasn’t always so. When I was a child I used to be frightened of entering such a place for it seemed so imposing and somewhat dangerous, especially when music was being played.
► Descriptive Essay – A Mountain Resort
For those who like winter sports like skiing and snowboarding, we have just the perfect place- the remote yet very popular mountain resort called Balea Lake. It is situated at an altitude of 2,034m, being the highest mountain resort of Romania.
► Descriptive Essay – The Pier
Naples, not the most exciting place on the planet. No, people have seemed to conclude that Naples, FL is the place to go for a nice, relaxing retirement. And I have to agree, they are right.
► Descriptive Essay – Fifth Avenue
Naples is a very unique city that attracts people from all over the world to its beautiful surroundings. Amongst the pristine beaches and championship golf courses, a teenager can find many entertaining locations.
► Descriptive Essay – The Dump
My mom and I were cleaning up our attic this weekend, and in the process, I found all sorts of old junk that I had forgotten about. Of course, I wanted to keep everything I saw; otherwise, I would not have stashed it there in the first place.
► Descriptive Essay – The Woods in Autumn
It is not true that the close of a life which ends in a natural fashion—life which is permitted to put on the display of death and to go out in glory–inclines the mind to rest. It is not true of a day ending nor the passing of the year, nor of the fall of leaves.
► Descriptive Essay – The Meadow
On a crisp autumn afternoon, I sat idly under an enormous oak tree watching as a whirlwind whisked across the rolling hills of the meadow. As it passed by me, the whirlwind scooped up a dormant pile of leaves lying next to the oak tree.
► Descriptive Essay – The Football Practice Field
Imagine a small town with green trees and windy roads slowly fading into the “dobes” of the desert that surrounds its southern border. Along with the desert is a vast mountain range that snuggles against its northern and eastern borders.
► Descriptive Essay – The Old Root Cellar
Our summer trips to Colorado seemed to take forever. I was an eager four-year-old child who couldn’t wait to get to my secret place. Every child has a special place
► Descriptive Essay – Our Mountain Cabin
The ruckus from the bottom of the truck is unbearable, because of the noise and excessive shaking. As we slowly climbed the mountain road to reach our lovely cabin, it seemed almost impossible to reach the top, but every time we reached it safely.
► Descriptive Essay – College Dorm Room
As I lifted my head, I was greeted by at least fifty naked models, all in various X-rated positions, each eyeing me with an expression that suggested nothing but lust and desire.
► Descriptive Essay Example: The Football Field
The wheels on the bus went round and round, all the way to Paonia. The ten-mile trip seemed to last forever. Whoosh, Whoosh was the only sound could be heard as the wheels ran through the new rain puddles that were created earlier that day.
► Descriptive Essay – The Wrestling Room
As I sit here with my eyes closed, I imagine a tropical breeze. The warm wet air slides over my face. The humidity seems almost heavy enough to crush me. As I take a deep breath, the realization that this is no tropical air comes crashing in.
► Descriptive Essay: A Beautiful Place
I think we all have a beautiful place in our mind. I have a wonderful place that made me happy a lot of times, years ago. But sometimes I think that I am the only person who likes this place and I’m asking myself if this place will be as beautiful as I thought when I will go back to visit it again.
► Descriptive Essay: A Healing Place
In my hometown, there is not much to do on any night of the week, so many nights I found myself walking around town with my friends. After walking an hour of so we would often become tired and need a rest.
► Descriptive Essay Example: The Photo
This picture, probably the only one in existence of all my friends together, has more meaning than it seems. At first, it appears to be nothing more than a happy congregation of teenagers, all from the ages of fifteen to sixteen.
► Descriptive Essay: A Beautiful Paradise
The other night I was sitting by the blazing fire eating a juicy orange, and the sweet smell reminded me of my vacations to Florida over winter break. I will never forget the fresh smell of the air when we stepped off the airplane.
► Descriptive Essay – New York City in the Morning
A violin song pulls us out of sleep, dreams of trains and pineapples, like a silk rope. He notices the morning light come to the wall. In the city we left only a few days ago, we learned about waking up before dawn, not to the light, but to the stirring that moves the blood in our thighs and hands.
► Descriptive Essay – The Interesting Bus Ride Home
When most people think about an eventful or memorable place, they almost certainly would not picture a bus. As we all know, buses are not exactly attractive. The design scheme is the same in almost every bus
► Descriptive Essay: Lou’s Place
It is years later and I can still remember my first visit to Lou’s Cafe. Stopping in to see if anyone could tell us where to locate the turn we had missed, my dad and I received a large dose of culture shock. It seemed as if we had opened the door to a place where time stood still.
► Descriptive Essay: The Courthouse
When we are young, most of us are somewhat naive. We are inherently taught that good will always triumph over evil. A courthouse is the forum where evil should be dealt with. But, in reality, this is seldom the case.
► Descriptive Essay: The Arena
Standing here, in this arena that’s larger than five of my houses, I feel like a needle in a haystack. So many people surround me it’s like I’m a little grain of sand in a huge ocean. The people in the round gymnasium all form a crimson, white, and blue rainbow.
► Descriptive Essay: Grandpa’s Place
I know to take one last breath of fresh, clean air before I open the front screen door and then the faded, chipped white wood door. I walk in, and the blend of the aroma of apples and old people suffocates me.
► Descriptive Essay about Sunset Beach
Ever since Sunset Beach has been officially opened to the public, there has been a drastic increase of tourists present. Television programs concluded that at least a thousand people visit the beach everyday.
► Descriptive Representation Of The American Democracy Essay
Citizens of the United States rely heavily on their representatives to ensure that their concerns are heard, as well as that their needs are met. Descriptive and agency representation are two types of representation.
► Descriptive Essays – The Good Old Truck
My dad bought his red Dodge Dakota truck in 1995. When he got the truck it had already hit a deer and two cows. Since he has owned it, its value has gone down considerably, even though he has spent more money fixing it than he paid for it.
► Descriptive Essay – The Local Golf Course
Our town is notable for having several interesting golf courses. For those residents whose interests lie in other pursuits, those courses are a waste of large quantities of otherwise useful space that could be better used to construct another mall or store. These results are sorted by most relevant first (ranked search). You may also sort these by color rating or essay length.

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The sky, slate grey and heavy, bore the promise of rain. A knot of cloud hung low and obscured the mountain's peak. It should have unnerved me
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Descriptive writing is just like painting a picture (with words). In this video, you will learn how to write an amazing descriptive essay
What makes the descriptive essay notable is that focus on description — the details, colors, feelings, sights, and sounds. Some descriptive essays might have a
Precise language. General adjectives, nouns, and passive verbs are used sparingly. Instead, specific adjectives and nouns and strong action verbs give life to
It is assigned to students of high school and all other students at different academic levels. Students make use of the human senses like touch
Personal Descriptive Essay Example ... Moving up to our north cabin and spending time there had always been something that I enjoyed and looked up
A descriptive essay is usually written coherently, has a good thesis statement at the end of the introduction, three body paragraphs, and a
Starting Descriptives; start by naming the person/place/thing. For person, describe if he's popular or not. For places, describe it's location and popularity.
If you can describe emotions or feelings related to your topic, you will connect with the reader on a deeper level. Many have felt crushing loss in their lives
A narrative descriptive essay, for example, would combine the writing elements of a narrative and descriptive writing. Descriptive Essay Examples. ▻