Descriptive Essay Example: Objective, Types and Ideas

Descriptive essays are a type of essay in which a writer describes a specific subject in detail. The author uses vivid language to paint a picture in the reader’s mind by engaging the human senses.

Whether you are writing about a person or event, descriptive essays use strong adjectives and adverbs to present sensory details.

This article analyzes the descriptive essay and provides a detailed writing guidance with examples.

Objective and Purpose of a Descriptive Essay

A descriptive essay is a sort of composition or paper in which an object, person, process, or event is described. The writer’s objective is to produce a lively reading experience or to show rather than tell (metaphorically).

Typically, descriptive writing appeals to all five senses: taste, touch, smell, and sight. The key to creating a successful descriptive essay is to always appeal to the senses.

The purpose of a descriptive essay is to construct a complete image for the reader via the use of the five senses. Your work should have a purpose.

It might be anything, from a lesson you gained from an experience to a tale about how an object influenced your life. It is all about bringing your brilliant ideas to reality.

Description Vs. Descriptive Essay

When writing this form of paper, it is essential to understand the distinction between a description and a descriptive essay.

A description may consist of a single paragraph or numerous paragraphs with no particular organization. In contrast, a descriptive essay contains at least five paragraphs and a clear, comprehensive structure.

Typically, a descriptive essay is coherent and contains a strong thesis statement at the end of the introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

However, a description is not necessarily structured. Its primary objective is to provide a detailed description of an object or other subject, devoid of academic complexities.

Types of Descriptive Essay Example

1. Personal Essay

You must describe your experience utilizing your emotions and reactions. Your essay should draw a reader’s empathy.

To write a successful personal essay, you should focus on only those specific components that convey your experience. In this type of work, you should use vivid, emotive language.

Examples of personal essays include:

• Providing a description of summertime swimming in the azure sea
• Describe your preferred film and its impact on you.
• Consider your last birthday and all that has shaped you over the previous years.

2. Formal Description

This descriptive writing is similar to an argumentative essay. Your primary objective should be conveying a list of critical points or discussing something in depth, using a clear framework.

You must use specific types of information rather than your personal experience to get the best idea of what you are describing.

This method can also be intriguing, mainly when the reader is more interested in the paper’s topic than the author’s response. Nonetheless, avoid using overly formal terminology.

Topics for formal descriptions can include:

• A descriptive essay on global warming, politics, or historical events.
• A news article that provides a summary of an event or location-specific information.

Description Essay Subject Theme and Ideas

Finding themes for descriptive essays is not difficult. You can describe virtually anything, from your favorite automobile to the current weather. We have compiled some suggestions to help you get started.

Hopefully, these descriptive essay ideas will inspire your creativity.

1. Describe a Person

Choose a person you know well, as this will provide you with much material to write about. Choose from family, friends, and teachers, among others.

You can even write about celebrities whose private lives are primarily visible to the public, such as the Kardashians or Taylor Swift.

A well-known superhero such as Spider-Man is also intriguing. Such fictional characters have been the subject of several academic and non-academic character analyses.

2. Describe an Item or a Location

You may also describe an object or location to which you have a unique relationship. This may be your high school, a playground, or a scary item from your childhood. Even fictional places count!

3. Describe a Feeling

Remember the most genuine emotion you’ve ever felt and write an essay describing it. You may select an intense emotion such as anger, happiness, loss, desire, or rage. It need not be a personal emotion; it can be an observed emotion.

You can create a descriptive essay about anything you can describe using the five human senses: touch, sight, smell, and hearing.

To Wrap Up

A descriptive essay uses techniques to make readers imagine a scene, a particular person, or a person’s characteristic.

Writing a descriptive essay is easier than you think. There is no right or wrong way. Start by focusing on your thoughts, feelings, and external activities. Pictures are beneficial when it comes to writing. Write about what you know and what you have experienced.