Descriptive Essays

Descriptive Essay A genre of essay that asks the student to describe something—object, person, place, experience, emotion, situation, etc. Encourages student to write an account of a particular experience. More, this genre allows for a great deal of artistic freedom (the goal of which is to paint an image that is vivid and moving in the mind of the reader).

Guidelines For Writing Here are some guidelines for writing a descriptive essay Take time to brainstorm Use clear and concise language Choose vivid language Use your senses! What were you thinking?! Leave the reader with a clear impression Be organized!

Organizing A Descriptive Essay Introduction: Introduce the scenario you will be describing Body Each body paragraph should detail an aspect of the scenario Body paragraphs should flow together logically Conclusion There should be a logical conclusion to your essay

Don’t Tell…Show! Enjoy the process of describing the subject—it can be a rewarding experience. A descriptive essay doesn’t rely on facts and examples, but on the writer’s ability to create a mental picture for the reader. Use descriptive and figurative language, as well as concrete images to describe the subject. Similes and metaphors work well. Here are some examples: Telling The house was old. Showing The house frowned with a wrinkled brow, and inside it creaked with each step, releasing a scent of neglected laundry. He was smart. If you had to pick a study buddy, you would pick this guy.