Best Tips on How to Write a Descriptive Essay
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Academic writing is not only about strict rules and requirements. There is always room for creativity and you can spot it by writing descriptive essays. This piece of writing has the purpose of depicting an object or a phenomenon in a very vivid manner. In a descriptive essay, you don’t have to persuade readers. You have to evoke your audience to imagine.
Descriptive essays are more difficult to perform in terms of using the proper language. A person who writes this piece of academic writing should have perfect narrator skills. In this guide, you will find a lot of helpful information on how to compose a first-class descriptive essay. So follow for more!
What Is a Descriptive Essay?
A descriptive essay provides a detailed description of a certain object. The goal of this piece of writing is to create for readers a clearly depicted picture of its subject. Descriptive essays should also awaken feelings and emotions.
This piece of writing is not only used for college and high school students. You can find a descriptive essay in a newspaper, book, or any other written work. The difficulty in writing this piece of writing lies in the proper use of creative language. That is why before starting an essay, it is essential to learn the basics of composing a good descriptive essay.
Descriptive Essay Topics
Below are our carefully selected sample topics spanning various niches.
Descriptive Topics About a Person
Do you want to describe the best person in your life? Here are topics to accelerate your essay.
- The best primary school teacher who influenced your life.
- Describe the closest relative who inspires you the most.
- Your best childhood friends and the adventures you shared with them.
- Describe the best role model in your family.
- Describe a great historical personage who inspires you the most.
- The most compassionate medical expert you’ve ever met.
- Describe the most human police officer you ever encountered.
- The most remarkable athletes and how they inspire you.
- Describe a successful local business person and how their achievements inspire you.
- A stranger whose kindness significantly changed your view of people.
Descriptive Topics About a Memory
Do you want to travel back in time and describe something? Then, here are excellent sample topics to inspire you.
- A clear childhood memory that shaped your view of kindness.
- Describe a memorable school outing.
- Your excitement on your first day at school.
- Describe the most treasured memory at the family table.
- A memorable moment of personal achievement.
- Describe your most memorable childhood birthday party.
- The emotional moment of bidding farewell to a close friend.
- Describe a memorable family outing in the wild.
- The feeling of failing an exam you expected to pass.
- Describe a moment of unexpected success.
Descriptive Essay Topics About Daily Life
Here are great descriptive topics to write about in daily life.
- Analyze your daily routine as a student.
- Describe daily routines at your family’s dinner table.
- The memorable routine of evening walks.
- A day in the life of a college professor.
- Describe a day in the life of a nurse.
- Daily activities in a local food market.
- The sights and sounds of a local bus terminal.
- The ups and downs of a nursing mother.
- A day in the life of a working mom.
- A day in the life of a stay-home dad.
Descriptive Topics for High School Students
Here are the top topics to inspire your high school assignments.
- The benefits of summer school.
- How you trained your dog.
- An ideal roommate.
- Nelson Mandela, the African icon.
- Describe your dream career.
- The most inspiring 21st-century invention.
- Your favorite national holiday.
Descriptive Essay Topics for College Students
Below are sample topics to inspire your next paper.
- Your first day of staying in a college dormitory.
- Experience with exam cheating in college.
- Your best academic mentor.
- Describe the best player on your college team.
- Your first experience with violent crime.
- Describe your first encounter with a refugee.
- Describe how you prepared for your first college exam.
How to Start a Descriptive Essay: Preparation Tips
The most challenging moment is always starting an essay. You might have tons of ideas in your head and don’t know what to begin with. We prepared several tips to help you divide the descriptive essay writing process into small steps. See them below.
- Choose an appealing topic. By selecting an engaging topic your creativity will definitely increase. If you find yourself in the theme you are writing about, it will be easier for you to describe the things in a descriptive essay.
- Come up with a strong personal statement. Even though the main idea of writing descriptive essays is to bring vivid understanding around the chosen topic, a personal statement is still the main part of it. This is the core idea of your work that should be strong and in-depth.
- Gather the information. To get inspiration for writing your own descriptive essay, read examples of essays by other authors. Collect useful phrases for describing the object of your essay.
- Create an outline. Depending on how many paragraphs your essay will consist of, you can write an outline for it. Brainstorm some ideas that come to your mind. Choose one idea for one paragraph.
- Start with a hook. To get the reader’s attention you have to do something unusual. Why don’t you start a descriptive essay with a question or a fascinating fact? Use your creativity and attract your audience from the first words.
Essay on Descriptive Writing: How to Describe Properly
To write descriptively, it is essential to use a specific type of language and appropriate expressions. You can be a real storyteller in a descriptive essay as it is required to be creative. However, to describe professionally, learn how to use the following details in your writing.
Use Figurative Speech
Figurative language is full of literary devices: metaphors, similes, personifications, idioms, and so on. These details make the language sound more captivating and engaging. However, it is important to remember that not every sentence should be filled with literary devices. You have to distribute them evenly in the text.
Add Creativity to the Words You Use
When writing a descriptive essay, it is essential to pay special attention to the words you use. Thus, you should carefully select the adjectives for your work as well as other parts of speech. When using comparison, try to find the phrases that don’t sound usual like “to be clear as crystal” or “to be red as a cherry”. In the description, every word plays a crucial role. Thus, make the words meaningful.
Engage All Senses
A description is not only about what you use. It is also about what you hear, smell, and feel. So why don’t you share these details with your reader? Use all senses in your descriptive essay to make a picture of the object you write about.
Descriptive Essay Example
Learning from a perfect example is the best way to sharpen your descriptive writing skills. Below is a model descriptive essay to inspire your writing.
My elder brother and I are very close. We are more than just brothers; we are the best of friends. My brother Jose is ten years older than me, and he’s a hero and father figure to me.
People say that we look much alike physically. However, I know that they are trying to be economical with their words because I don’t have blonde hair or a mustache like him. Jose usually stands tall and walks around, stomping the earth as if he owns a share in it. However, I don’t walk that way. On the contrary, I am a soft person who doesn’t attract much attention with my physical movements.
Jose is a doctor and works in a private hospital in my hometown. I always expect his monthly visits when he comes home to see the entire family. He always lights up the family with his kind and jovial personality. He is a master of cracking ribs and keeps everyone laughing during his short stays. He gives everyone their deserved attention and socializing time despite his limited time and tight work schedule.
Jose is a hero that I will always look up to. All the weekends we spend together when he’s around seem like the shortest days in my life because they never seem enough.
Common Mistakes in Writing a Descriptive Essay
Knowing the tips on how to write a high-quality descriptive essay, you should also be aware of common mistakes students make when making descriptions. Here they are.
- Being too fuzzy. Even when you describe an object, it doesn’t mean you have to be vague.
- Using the same words. Try to look for synonyms for the words you use.
- Filling the text with a lot of adjectives. The use of any part of the language should be moderate.
- Writing without a character. There should always be a particular character in a description even if it is an object.
Writing Descriptive Essays: Conclusion
Writing a descriptive essay equals creating a piece of art. This piece of academic writing is special as it requires putting a lot of creativity into it. Use our tips, train your skills in doing writing descriptively, and the essay will be a super easy task for you!
FAQ
What is a descriptive essay?
A descriptive essay is a piece of writing that depicts a certain object. It tells readers all the details regarding someone or something. This type of essay evokes emotions and trains the imagination.
What are some good topics for a descriptive essay?
The best topic for a descriptive essay is the one you like. Unless you are given a specific topic, you can write descriptively from your personal experience. Describe a strange person you met, a picturesque view, a place of your childhood, or your idol.
How to write a descriptive essay thesis?
A thesis is the main idea of your essay. Think about what goal you pursue when writing your work. Your thesis statement should be comprehensive and strong.
