What is a Descriptive Essay?

The word “descriptive” comes from the word “describe,” which means “to tell about how something looks, feels, smells, sounds, or tastes.” A descriptive essay is a piece of writing that describes something, such as an object, place, person, or event.

What is the Purpose of a Descriptive Essay?

A descriptive essay is meant to show the reader, through the use of illustrative language, something that the writer has experienced. Writing teachers often instruct their students: “Show, don’t tell.” This means that writers should strive to create a picture in the minds of their readers rather than simply telling their readers about the setting, the characters, etc. For example, a writer could directly tell the reader that it was raining, but it would be more effective to show the reader that it was raining by using specific details and descriptive language. Good writers are able to create such effective descriptions that their readers feel like they are experiencing the subject matter firsthand.

• Telling: I got caught in the rain.
• Showing: My wet hair clung to my face, cold water dripped from my sodden clothes, and my feet sloshed and squeaked in my shoes.

Writers use specific details to show their readers that it is raining.

Characteristics of a Descriptive Essay

Writers “show” by using imagery, figurative language, and precise language.

An image is a representation of something. A photographer can take an image of a woman with a camera, a painter can paint an image of a woman, and a writer can describe an image of a woman. Imagery is language that creates an image in readers’ minds by addressing the five senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. Writers can make their readers see, smell, taste, hear, and feel what it is like to go to the beach by using only words. They describe the sight of the cloudless blue sky and sparkling turquoise water, the fishy smell of the breeze, the salty taste of the sea air, the sound of seagulls squawking and waves crashing, and the feel of hot, gritty sand under one’s feet. The sensory details create a vivid image that shows the reader what it is like to experience the beach.

Good writers can create an image using only their words.

Figurative language is language that makes a comparison between two unlike things. People use figurative language every day without even realizing it. The phrase “You’re on fire!” means that someone’s body temperature is high, but no one overhearing this would rush to grab a fire extinguisher. It is widely understood that a phrase like this is a figure of speech and not literal. Simile, metaphor, and personification are three types of figurative language.

• A simile is a type of figurative language that uses the words like, as, than, or resembles to compare two unlike things. “Gloria’s laugh sounded like the call of a wild turkey” is a simile that compares two unlike things, Gloria’s laugh and a turkey’s call, to create an effective description of a person’s laugh.
• A metaphor is another type of figurative language that makes a comparison between two unlike things, but it does not use a connective word such as like or as. Rather, a metaphor declares that the thing being being compared is something else. “This bedroom is a garbage dump” is a metaphor that compares two unlike things, a bedroom and a garbage dump, to describe a messy bedroom.
• A third form of figurative language is personification, which gives human qualities to a nonhuman object, animal, or abstract idea. “The car’s engine growled down the road” is an example of personification. A car cannot really growl because it doesn’t have a mouth or vocal chords, but the language used gives a good description of what the car sounds like.

Using precise language keeps writing more descriptive and interesting. Choose specific details and relevant adjectives to describe a subject rather than merely listing its features. The language and details used to describe a subject will create a specific mood or give the reader an impression of how the writer feels about it. To describe a bedroom without using figurative language, one could merely list details about it: My room is small and blue; it has a bed, dresser, and a desk. But this would not be very descriptive, interesting, or make the reader feel anything. Using precise language creates a more interesting, effective description while also projecting a mood or feeling. For example: The serene blue walls of my modest yet cozy room are as calming as an ocean view on a cloudless day.

Descriptive Essay Format

A descriptive essay should have three parts: beginning (introduction), middle (body), and end (conclusion). The total number of paragraphs may vary.

Introduction:

• Get the reader’s attention through the use of an attention getter or hook sentence.
• Identify the subject to be described.
• Include a thesis statement, which illustrates the main impression of, or feeling about, the paper’s subject based on the details that will be provided in the body paragraphs.

Body Paragraphs:

• Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence, which states the topic of the paragraph.
• Use transitions (next to, another, on top of, below, around) to guide the reader to “see” the subject of the paper.
• Use imagery, figurative language, and precise language to describe the subject.
• End each body paragraph with a closing sentence, which concludes the current paragraph and hints at what will be described in the next.

Conclusion:

• Restate the thesis by reiterating or echoing the main impression of the subject that was given in the introduction.
• Leave the reader with a final thought about the subject.

Writing a Descriptive Essay

Follow these steps to begin writing a descriptive essay.

• Choose a topic. Some possible topics to describe are an object, a place, a person, or an event.
• Gather details about the topic. Write down all the sensory (pertaining to the five senses) details and jot down any analogies (comparisons between two things) that come to mind. This could be done as a list, a chart, or a cluster.
• Decide how to organize the essay. Descriptive essays can be organized spatially, chronologically, or from general to specific. Spatial organization means that the details are organized according to their location (from top to bottom, left to right, close to far, etc.). In chronological organization, the details are arranged according to when they happened in time. This would be a good choice for describing an event. General to specific organization starts with the most general details of the paper topic and moves to the most specific details. Choose the most logical method of organization for the chosen topic.
• Create an outline with an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Descriptive Essay Examples

Below is a sample paragraph from a descriptive essay example at the Excelsior Online Writing Lab at owl.excelsior.com. Notice how the writer uses precise language and imagery to describe an experience. The link to the full essay can be found in the sources.

“When we stepped out of the car, the October air instantly chilled the sweat on my arms through my pink corduroy jacket. My body took on the c-curve slouch of discomfort, and I tugged at the hem of my t-shirt. The church sanctuary had that meeting-house feel, with short straight-back benches enclosed by swinging doors. The school principal’s resounding, and unselfconscious, voice seemed to echo off the balcony as we took our seats. The c-curve deepened. Richie and I sat several inches apart on the faded red cushions while banjo sounds swirled around the rafters. Time had lost its normal momentum, and I picked at the three or four blue jewels on my lightly distressed jeans. The vacuum returned.”

Here are some descriptive essay prompts to get started:

• Describe a special object that holds meaning to you.
• Describe a favorite place.
• Describe a person who has made an impression on you.
• Describe an important event in your life.

Lesson Summary

A descriptive essay describes or tells about something that the writer has experienced. Topics may include an object, place, person, or event. Descriptive essays “show” readers what the writer has experienced by using illustrative language such as imagery (language that appeals to the five senses), figurative language (comparisons between unlike things), and precise language (concrete details). Three types of figurative language are similes (comparison using like or as), metaphors (comparison using is), and personification (giving human qualities to something that is not human).

Descriptive essay outlines should include the following elements: an attention getter/hook to capture the reader’s attention and a thesis statement that states the subject and gives a general impression about the subject in the introduction; topic sentences to begin each body paragraph; transitions such as next to or under to guide the reader through the descriptions; closing sentences to end each body paragraph; and a rephrasing or restatement of the thesis in the conclusion. The length of the essay may vary, but all essay should include an introduction, body, and conclusion. The details described in the body of the essay should be arranged logically. Three arrangement types are spatial (according to location), chronological (according to time), or from general to specific (begin with broad impressions and move to particular details).