Drafting a descriptive essay is a popular creative writing exercise that often requires you as the writer to tap into one or more of the five human senses – sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. The senses you focus on will depend on your chosen topic.

 

For example: If you’re describing a delicious and beautifully prepared meal, you would likely focus on the senses of taste, smell and sight. If you’re describing a walk around your neighbourhood, you could focus on sight, hearing, smell and maybe touch as well.

 

Why we write descriptive essays

The purpose of a descriptive essay is to create a picture in the reader’s mind, by describing your topic (this could be a place, a person, an object or an event) in a detailed and creative way.

 

 

The structure of a descriptive essay

A descriptive essay should be structured as follows:

 

• Introduction (one paragraph)
• Main body (three to five paragraphs)
• Conclusion (one paragraph)

Your introduction is the place to include the main theme or idea of your essay (which we call your ‘thesis’). Start off by introducing your topic with two or three descriptive sentences. This first paragraph should capture the reader’s attention and set the mood for the rest of the essay. Don’t get into in-depth detail yet; save that for the main body of your writing.

 

Note: The thesis (main idea) of a descriptive essay shouldn’t be contradictory or controversial. This type of essay isn’t intended to prove an argument, but rather to share your description and give the reader a vivid experience.

 

After hooking your reader’s attention in the introductory paragraph, you are free to delve into a more detailed description of your topic. The length of your essay will depend on how long your description is.

 

Conclude your essay by returning to the main idea from your introduction, and summing up your topic.

 

 

Different types of descriptive essays

A descriptive essay may fall into one of these main categories, depending on the topic you are writing about

• Personal descriptive essay: You describe something based on your own experience.

 

Example: Write about your favourite place to take a walk.

 

• Imaginative descriptive essay: You use your imagination to describe something you have not experienced.

 

Example: Describe the experience of an astronaut travelling to the moon in a rocket.

 

• Conceptual descriptive essay: You describe a more abstract topic, like an emotion.

 

Example: Write about the feeling of loss.

 

Read our previous essay guide: How To: Write a Narrative Essay.

 

Using figurative language

When writing a descriptive essay, you can use creative figures of speech to bring your topic to life and “paint a picture using words” for your readers. Here are some common examples of figurative language you can use:

 

• Simile: Compares one thing to another, using the word “like” or “as”.

 

Example: The surface of the lake sparkled like diamonds.

 

• Metaphor: Compares one thing to another, without using the word “like” or “as”.

 

Example: Her smile is sunshine.

 

• Hyperbole: A big exaggeration or overstatement, to emphasise a point or add humour to your description.

 

Example: Mom’s Christmas dinner could feed an army!

 

• Personification: Gives human traits to an object, to make it more relatable.

 

Example: The old wooden bench protested loudly as I put my weight on it.

 

• Onomatopoeia: Describes or closely mimics a sound.

 

Example: Tick-tock, tick-tock went the grandfather clock.

 

Remember to proofread and edit your essay after writing, to make sure all your descriptions make sense and accurately paint a picture of the topic.

 

Read an example of a descriptive essay online to see descriptive writing in action.

 

 

References

1. Tips for writing a descriptive essay. https://www.essayjack.com/blog/tips-for-writing-a-descriptive-essay
2. Scribbr – Knowledge Base. How to write a descriptive essay | example & tips. 2020. https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/descriptive-essay/
3. How to write a descriptive essay in 7 steps. 2020. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-a-descriptive-essay#how-to-write-a-descriptive-essay
4. Types of figurative language (with examples). 2021. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/figurative-language-examples