The primary purpose of descriptive writing is to describe a person, place, or thing in such a way that a picture is formed in the reader’s mind. Capturing an event through descriptive writing involves paying close attention to the details by using all of your five senses. Teaching students to write more descriptively will improve their writing by making it more interesting and engaging to read.

What is descriptive writing?

Descriptive writing helps the reader visualize the person, place, thing, or situation being described. When a text conjures a vivid, sensory impression in the reader’s mind, not only does it make the writing more interesting to read; it helps the reader understand the text better and recognize the author’s intention more clearly.

Why descriptive writing is important to learn?

• It helps students make their writing more interesting and engaging to read.
• It creates opportunities for students to practice using new words in meaningful contexts, a key strategy for building vocabulary.
• Descriptive writing tends to include figurative languages, such as simile, metaphor, and onomatopoeia. Noticing figurative language in mentor texts and incorporating it into their writing help students build critical verbal reasoning skills. To find out more about verbal reasoning and other components of language comprehension, see the “In Depth” section from the Comprehension module of our Reading 101 Course.
• It encourages students to learn from—and be metacognitive about—the techniques other authors use to write vivid descriptions.  
• It can help students clarify their understanding of new subject matter material and remember more of what they learn.

What effective descriptive writing looks like

Authors of descriptive writing use a variety of styles and techniques to connect with readers, but effective descriptive writing often shares these characteristics:

• Vivid details. Specific details paint a picture in the reader’s mind and appeal to the reader’s senses. Descriptive writing may also go beyond creating a strong sensory impression to give the reader a “picture” of the feelings the description evokes in the writer.
• Figurative language. Tools of the writer’s craft such as analogy, simile, and metaphor add depth to the authors’ descriptions.
• Precise language. General adjectives, nouns, and passive verbs are used sparingly. Instead, specific adjectives and nouns and strong action verbs give life to the picture being painted in the reader’s mind.
• Thoughtful organization. Some ways to organize descriptive writing include: chronological (time), spatial (location), and order of importance. Descriptive writing about a person might begin with a physical description, followed by how the person thinks, feels, and acts.

What effective instruction in descriptive writing looks like

There isn’t one right approach to teaching descriptive writing, but effective instruction often includes:

• Mentor texts. Reading aloud and analyzing high-quality mentor texts to help students understand how authors use descriptive writing to connect with readers.
• Focus on the five senses. Helping students make the connection between sensory input (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) and descriptive writing.
• Teacher modeling. Modeling different ways to generate descriptive writing.
• Guided practice. Repeated, structured practice scaffolded to meet students’ needs.
• Feedback and revision. Cycles of constructive teacher and peer feedback followed by thoughtful revision. 

Descriptive Writing Techniques

Select a Right Topic

The first and most important thing is to choose the right topic. Before writing anything, choose the topic right. You should be able to write on your selected topic. You must be able to provide a precise description of your topic to the reader. Your topic should have enough details to convince and involve the reader. Your topic should be able to make a picture in the reader’s mind.

Use Descriptive Words

As it is descriptive writing, so words should also be descriptive. If your words are descriptive only then it will help you in a precise description. Use words that can provide sensory details more clearly.

Organize all the details in a Chronological Order

When you are writing a descriptive article, structure everything logically and in the correct order. Your details should not be erratic. Otherwise, it will reduce the readability and the reader will not stay connected.

Use Figurative Language

Whenever you are writing a descriptive essay or paragraphs, use figurative language like simile and metaphors. For example, Her smile was like sunshine.

The figurative language will add feelings to your text and enhances the value of your work. A reader will also find your work as a masterpiece of writing. It will help in stimulating the interest of the readers.

Descriptive Writing Examples

Now after talking so much about descriptive writing techniques, I think we should now see examples. Below you can see a few good examples of descriptive writing:

• The Life of Princess Diana

• Describe the Castle at Vincennes
• Describe the Beauty of Niagara Falls
• The Great Himalaya Mountain Range
• The Hot Fudge Sundae
• Description of your childhood memories
• An event that changed your life
• A trauma or happiness
  

Types of Descriptive Writing 

Let’s have a look at them one by one:

Biography

A biography is a form of detailed work, that tell you about famous people’s life. A biography may include many surprising facts and details which you never heard.

Travel writing

This would be the best thing one would love to experience. Being a writer, you will love to write on travel topics. Being a reader one would love to read about travel topics. Travel writing also allows the writer to portray the skills of descriptive writing in a great way. You have to describe the beauty and uniqueness of the places you visit. Your words will take the readers to that place.

Nature writing

Nature writing also describes the beauty of nature. It can be fictional or non-fictional. You must read John Keats’s poems, or Wordsworth’s poems to learn the art of nature writing.

Journal

Many people form a journal. It is a daily record of events or work you do. Journals also refer to periodicals and newspapers that are published daily. In Journal writing work you must give details of important events to meetings in the extended form to make it informative.

Poetry

This is a form of descriptive writing that describes feelings, emotions, and ideas. A poem is the best form of descriptive writing when it comes to expressions. The poem expresses the best. A poet can bring a dead person to live with his/her writing and use of words.