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• How to write a descriptive essay | Example & tips

How to Write a Descriptive Essay | Example & Tips

Published on July 30, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 14, 2023.

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

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Table of contents

Descriptive essay topics, tips for writing descriptively, descriptive essay example, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about descriptive essays.

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

• Describe a place you love to spend time in.
• Describe an object that has sentimental value for you.

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

• Describe the experience of a soldier in the trenches of World War I.
• Describe what it might be like to live on another planet.

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

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

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The key to writing an effective descriptive essay is to find ways of bringing your subject to life for the reader. You’re not limited to providing a literal description as you would be in more formal essay types.

Make use of figurative language, sensory details, and strong word choices to create a memorable description.

Use figurative language

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

Take the following description of a park.

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

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

Here we have used a simile to compare the park to a face and the trees to facial hair. This is memorable because it’s not what the reader expects; it makes them look at the park from a different angle.

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

Use your senses

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

Obviously not all senses will apply to every subject, but it’s always a good idea to explore what’s interesting about your subject beyond just what it looks like.

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

Choose the right words

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

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

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

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

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

• My feline perambulates the allotment proficiently and capers atop the palisade to regard it from aloft.

An example of a short descriptive essay, written in response to the prompt “Describe a place you love to spend time in,” is shown below.

Hover over different parts of the text to see how a descriptive essay works.

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

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

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

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

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The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

If you’re not given a specific prompt for your descriptive essay , think about places and objects you know well, that you can think of interesting ways to describe, or that have strong personal significance for you.

The best kind of object for a descriptive essay is one specific enough that you can describe its particular features in detail—don’t choose something too vague or general.

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Short Descriptive Essay

Have you ever tried or wrote a descriptive essay before? Either it was for school or you simply wanted to try and see if you could write one? Was it a long descriptive essay or a short one? If you did, how did it go and what did you write about? If you have not written one or you may have and still want to try your luck in writing a better essay (which you will), here is a good article for you to check out. 3+ Short Descriptive Essay Examples. Did I mention they are on PDF?

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3+ Short Descriptive Essay Examples

1. short descriptive essay template.

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2. Office Short Descriptive Essay

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3. Short Descriptive Essay in PDF

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4. Structured Short Descriptive Essay

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Defining Essay

An essay is a literary piece of writing that focuses on the views of the author. It focuses mainly on the point of view of a certain topic the author is writing about.

Define Descriptive

Descriptive means to describe something. To expound on a certain topic may it be about an object, a person or a place. To describe it in a non-judgmental way. 

Categories of Essays

The four categories of essays are Argumentative, Expository, Narrative and Descriptive . There are a lot of types of essays, however they are all categorized by the four types above. 

Define Descriptive Essay

When we hear the word descriptive and essay put together, the first few things that pop into our heads would be writing a topic wherein we are going to describe. A descriptive essay is a t ype of essay that describes the topic a writer wishes to write about. It uses the 5 senses of a writer. Describing something through taste, touch, sight, hearing and smell. By doing so, the writer uses descriptions to explain in their essay. It gives the reader a sense of what the writer is trying to say.

Ways on Writing a Short Descriptive Essay

Here are some simple ways to write a good short descriptive essay. We start of with:

• Introduction: Introduce your topic in the first paragraph. What is your topic about? Simply talking about the topic in a general way and not in a detailed way. This is where you are going to attract your reader’s attention. So do not give out everything in the introduction. Leave a few information. Hook your readers in. Give them some background information but keep it generalized. Add a few sentences in the paragraph, around one to four sentences. Keep it short.
• Body: In the body of your essay, this is where you are now going to start describing the topic you chose. Remember in the introduction, you were merely giving a general overview. In the body, you are now able to give the specific overview of your chosen topic. Add the five senses as much as possible in your body of the essay. Let your reader know how it all goes for the character or the person or object you chose to write about .  Add the sense of touch, what your character is seeing or what you are seeing if you are talking about an object. Remember to put as much detail as possible. Keep your sentences short in this part of the paragraph as well as giving out specific details. Not less than six sentences.
• Ending: End your essay with a conclusion. In a neutral thought or a happy thought. Your conclusion or ending must not be longer than your body of the essay. 

Tips on Writing a Short Descriptive Sentence

• Think it over: Writing an essay may seem easy but it’s only easy if you think about what you wish to write. This also makes it easier to gather your thoughts before you write.
• Make a draft: Before you start writing the actual essay, make a draft. This helps you see which ideas you want to add and which ones you do not want to add in the actual essay.
• Read out loud:  Once you have made a draft and finalized what you wish to add, read out loud. As much as it’s not that obvious, reading your draft or finalized work out loud can really help with seeing what you want to write or take out of the essay.
• Be creative: Be creative with your essay. Just as long as you are descriptive and follow the guidelines when writing. Draw your readers in.

How much is the word count for a short descriptive essay?

For a short descriptive essay, the word count may depend on the writer. But it should not be lower than 300 words nor higher than 2000 words.

Do I really have to be very descriptive with my short essay?

You must be descriptive since you are writing an essay that describes what the topic is about. Use the five senses when writing your essay. Describe what you are talking about as well.

How important is using the five senses when writing a descriptive essay?

Since you are writing a descriptive essay, writing with the five senses helps the reader understand your essay. You are using this to help describe what you are trying to imply.

How do I write a good descriptive essay?

Follow the guidelines and the tips above. They may help you write a good essay.

It goes without saying finding ways to write a good descriptive essay can be challenging. You have to go through a lot of drafts before you can finalize what you wish to write. But writing your drafts for your essay can be a good start. This is where you can edit and reread everything before writing a good short descriptive essay. From the term itself, describing. So you must always remember to describe your topic.

The best way to do so is to use the five senses, touch, smell, sight, taste and hearing. This helps your readers understand what you are trying to show through your words. With all that being said, as long as you follow the tips and the guidelines, you are now able to write a good short descriptive essay in no time.

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Writing Handout E-7: Descriptive Essay Structuring a Descriptive Essay

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Essay Templates

6+ descriptive essay.

One of most common type of essays is the descriptive essay. To know more about them, we’ve provided you an array of descriptive essay templates to boost up your writing productivity.

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Favorite Food Descriptive Essay Sample

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Points to Note About Descriptive Essays

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FREE 6+ Descriptive Essay Samples in PDF

In order to describe something or a place or a person one should write commonly used Descriptive Essay Examples. These essay samples can express emotion, sound or even an emotion. It is a method of writing about something so that the reader can himself feel, hear or see whatever the writer meant. It uses an explanation of sensory observations schedule in order to express an object, unlike narrative essays which reveal an object through personal stories. The writer should be able to bring an emotional connection between the reader and the subject.

Descriptive Essay Example

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Personal Descriptive Essay Example

Size: 65 KB

The personal descriptive essay is meant for readers to understand a person. The main thing to be careful about in personal descriptive essay is that there should not be any over-exaggeration. It can be used in such cases when a person has impacted your life.You may also see personal essays .

Sample Descriptive Narrative Essay Template

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Descriptive Narrative Essay Example can be used mainly to recreate an event. This is mainly meant to say an incident that has happened to the writer. Although the component of the story is to narrate a story, all points should be backed up. You can also see the  essay outline examples .

Descriptive Essay on Market Template

Size: 155 KB

Descriptive Essay on Market can be used by tourists or visitors that have no prior knowledge of a market. They can be used in order to describe the items that you get in the market.You may also see interview essay examples .

Who is the Target Audience for the Descriptive Essay Examples?

The descriptive essay examples can be on any principle and used by a broad range of people. For people who cannot personally experience something, descriptive essays provide a means to them to actually feel that by reading. For a reader who reads a descriptive essay before actually experiencing it can have a better picture of what is going to happen.You may also see literary essay examples .

It can be used by tourists as they will be uncommon with the practices in some place, office or a market. If there is confusion on what food to have, these descriptive essays describe exactly an item would taste. The reader can mentally taste the food without actually tasting it. You can also see the  argumentative essay examples .

Descriptive Essay about Office Format

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Templates like Descriptive Essay about Office can be useful for a person who is planning to visit an office. It can describe how an office works and the procedures. The whole process of going to the office should be described.You may also see  narrative essays

Printable Introduction of a Descriptive Essay Example

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As the whole idea of a descriptive essay is to provide a mental picture of someone, something or a place Introduction of a Descriptive Essay should give a briefing of that picture. The reader should get the idea of the whole essay from the introduction.You may also see  self-assessment essay

Descriptive Essay about a Person in PDF

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What are the Benefits of Descriptive Essay Examples?

There is an illusion of reality as the description will have proofs bringing the reader to your fictional dream. It not only engages the reader intellectually but also emotionally. If the details are chosen correctly, the writer’s character can be expressed quickly. It can change the tension of the story by speeding it up or slowing it down. The situation literally comes alive for the reader as the reader reads through the essay. You can also see  persuasive essay examples .

Unlike other objective essays it not only provides the big picture but also provides the inside details of the situation. It clearly conveys the point of view of the writer. They give the right intentions of the writer.

These descriptive essay examples use language to convey all five senses and emotions. personal essay examples will convey why a person appeals to you in life. The physical appearance and character traits can be described using descriptive essays. The writer should make sure that the reader understands the conclusions made in the essay.

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