Get a Descriptive Essay Example for Better Writing
All descriptive essays have one goal in mind. It is to depict a person, object or place in the most engaging and memorable manner. After reading your work the audience must have this clear feeling they’ve just talk to a person depicted in your paper, hold or looked at the object or been in the place.
Unlike narrative essays, which are meant to dwell upon a personal story which had happened with you before and thus influenced your life or worldview greatly, a descriptive essay about a person or place, or thing uses stylistic devices and English language means to convey a detailed, meaningful description. With this in mind, if a reader feels deep emotional connection or appreciation, or admiration, then you’ve done some great job out there!
How to write a descriptive essay well?
Show, don’t tell. This is the main and hands down most important thing to remember about descriptive writing in general. Most students err on the side of simple narration about a person or object, then wondering why they got C.
As a matter of fact, all examples of descriptive essays will show you that appealing to an emotional side of a reader, which is the key foundation of a descriptive essay definition in a textbook, is possible only through exploiting verbs triggering person’s senses on the first place. Sight, touch, smell, taste, hearing – you have to make sure readers experience at least three of these five human senses when familiarizing with a subject of your paper.
For example, ‘Mr. Cattinhton is an old cat.’ Does the sentence appeal to any emotion? Does it give any specific detail which will trigger any emotional or cognitive reaction? Now check out the example number two. ‘Mr.Cattington has been with us for 15 years. When I was born, that rufous rascal already was there for me from day one. Mr.Cattington is my first true friend, although back in the cradle I didn’t even know what the word ‘friend’ means. Today he and I don’t play a lot. Most of time Mr.Cattington spends sleeping, but a couple of times a day we chase each other and ‘play mouse’ just like when I was two, but there’s one exception though. More often than not, I find my eyes wet in the corners.’ Now, that was the difference between narration and proper emotional description!
Are descriptive essay topics important after all?
With a descriptive essay, topics play a secondary role, they’re almost non-important. You can opt for the plainest theme in the world, like your favorite toy, your grandfather, kindergarten friend or computer game, but it is the style and content which makes all the difference.
No one will care about the topic if it fulfills this main goal – evoke strong emotions. Your story has to carve out in memory of those learning of it. Otherwise, your task failed. Since everyone can fetch a simple narration of events with adjectives following one another, such essays imply you to step up to some pretty higher level of writing mastery and make an effort to put a part of your soul into a story.
Care to take a look at examples from our website? Point out that the focal point of description is never put on adjectives and adverbs. The focus is always put on verbs, although similes, hyperboles, and other stylistic means may contain adjectives, in this case, they’re genuine, just like ‘rufous rascal Mr. Cattington’.
Descriptive essay examples for your reference needs
As can be seen from below, the topics are simple by nature. Hence, it is here where emotions and experience your story conveys which makes the world of difference and determines whether you get an A.
- What happened when I saw my little brother for the first time
- My best friend leaves
- How I moved on when parents got divorced
- Farewell, Grandpa!
- My unusual hobby
- A journey to Europe
- How sports changed my life
- The things I learned when got into a hospital
- Going to a summer camp for the first time
- The day mother told me I’m adult now
