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- The four main types of essay | Quick guide with examples

The Four Main Types of Essay | Quick Guide with Examples
Published on September 4, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on December 6, 2021.
An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays.
Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and descriptive essays are about exercising creativity and writing in an interesting way. At university level, argumentative essays are the most common type.
Essay type | Skills tested | Example prompt |
---|---|---|
Has the rise of the internet had a positive or negative impact on education? | ||
Explain how the invention of the printing press changed European society in the 15th century. | ||
Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself. | ||
Describe an object that has sentimental value for you. |
In high school and college, you will also often have to write textual analysis essays, which test your skills in close reading and interpretation.
Table of contents
Argumentative essays, expository essays, narrative essays, descriptive essays, textual analysis essays, frequently asked questions about types of essays.
An argumentative essay presents an extended, evidence-based argument. It requires a strong thesis statement —a clearly defined stance on your topic. Your aim is to convince the reader of your thesis using evidence (such as quotations ) and analysis.
Argumentative essays test your ability to research and present your own position on a topic. This is the most common type of essay at college level—most papers you write will involve some kind of argumentation.
The essay is divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion:
- The introduction provides your topic and thesis statement
- The body presents your evidence and arguments
- The conclusion summarizes your argument and emphasizes its importance
The example below is a paragraph from the body of an argumentative essay about the effects of the internet on education. Mouse over it to learn more.
A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.
An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a topic. It doesn’t require an original argument, just a balanced and well-organized view of the topic.
Expository essays test your familiarity with a topic and your ability to organize and convey information. They are commonly assigned at high school or in exam questions at college level.
The introduction of an expository essay states your topic and provides some general background, the body presents the details, and the conclusion summarizes the information presented.
A typical body paragraph from an expository essay about the invention of the printing press is shown below. Mouse over it to learn more.
The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.
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A narrative essay is one that tells a story. This is usually a story about a personal experience you had, but it may also be an imaginative exploration of something you have not experienced.
Narrative essays test your ability to build up a narrative in an engaging, well-structured way. They are much more personal and creative than other kinds of academic writing . Writing a personal statement for an application requires the same skills as a narrative essay.
A narrative essay isn’t strictly divided into introduction, body, and conclusion, but it should still begin by setting up the narrative and finish by expressing the point of the story—what you learned from your experience, or why it made an impression on you.
Mouse over the example below, a short narrative essay responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” to explore its structure.
Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.
Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.
A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.
The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.
A descriptive essay provides a detailed sensory description of something. Like narrative essays, they allow you to be more creative than most academic writing, but they are more tightly focused than narrative essays. You might describe a specific place or object, rather than telling a whole story.
Descriptive essays test your ability to use language creatively, making striking word choices to convey a memorable picture of what you’re describing.
A descriptive essay can be quite loosely structured, though it should usually begin by introducing the object of your description and end by drawing an overall picture of it. The important thing is to use careful word choices and figurative language to create an original description of your object.
Mouse over the example below, a response to the prompt “Describe a place you love to spend time in,” to learn more about descriptive essays.
On Sunday afternoons I like to spend my time in the garden behind my house. The garden is narrow but long, a corridor of green extending from the back of the house, and I sit on a lawn chair at the far end to read and relax. I am in my small peaceful paradise: the shade of the tree, the feel of the grass on my feet, the gentle activity of the fish in the pond beside me.
My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from above. From his perch he can watch over his little kingdom and keep an eye on the neighbours. He does this until the barking of next door’s dog scares him from his post and he bolts for the cat flap to govern from the safety of the kitchen.
With that, I am left alone with the fish, whose whole world is the pond by my feet. The fish explore the pond every day as if for the first time, prodding and inspecting every stone. I sometimes feel the same about sitting here in the garden; I know the place better than anyone, but whenever I return I still feel compelled to pay attention to all its details and novelties—a new bird perched in the tree, the growth of the grass, and the movement of the insects it shelters…
Sitting out in the garden, I feel serene. I feel at home. And yet I always feel there is more to discover. The bounds of my garden may be small, but there is a whole world contained within it, and it is one I will never get tired of inhabiting.
Though every essay type tests your writing skills, some essays also test your ability to read carefully and critically. In a textual analysis essay, you don’t just present information on a topic, but closely analyze a text to explain how it achieves certain effects.
Rhetorical analysis
A rhetorical analysis looks at a persuasive text (e.g. a speech, an essay, a political cartoon) in terms of the rhetorical devices it uses, and evaluates their effectiveness.
The goal is not to state whether you agree with the author’s argument but to look at how they have constructed it.
The introduction of a rhetorical analysis presents the text, some background information, and your thesis statement; the body comprises the analysis itself; and the conclusion wraps up your analysis of the text, emphasizing its relevance to broader concerns.
The example below is from a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech . Mouse over it to learn more.
King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.
Literary analysis
A literary analysis essay presents a close reading of a work of literature—e.g. a poem or novel—to explore the choices made by the author and how they help to convey the text’s theme. It is not simply a book report or a review, but an in-depth interpretation of the text.
Literary analysis looks at things like setting, characters, themes, and figurative language. The goal is to closely analyze what the author conveys and how.
The introduction of a literary analysis essay presents the text and background, and provides your thesis statement; the body consists of close readings of the text with quotations and analysis in support of your argument; and the conclusion emphasizes what your approach tells us about the text.
Mouse over the example below, the introduction to a literary analysis essay on Frankenstein , to learn more.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.
At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.
Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”
The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.
Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:
- In a literary analysis essay, you might make an argument for a specific interpretation of a text
- In a history essay, you might present an argument for the importance of a particular event
- In a politics essay, you might argue for the validity of a certain political theory
An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.
An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.
The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.
Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.
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Types of descriptive essay…
I received an email a few weeks back looking for clarification on desciptive essays. Specifically, what different approaches can students take when writing a descriptive essay?
When it came up as an option on Leaving Cert paper 1 recently, the marking scheme stated that students could adopt a “ narrative or discursive approach “. Confusion often arises here because when we think “ narrative ” we think story – plot, characters, setting. And when we think “ discursive ” we think argument, opinion…
I’ve tried to tease out the ways personal essays, descriptive essays and short stories are related yet distinct in the past, with some limited success. Truth is, the ties that bind them are stronger than any scissors which seeks to cut them apart but with so many marks going for “ clarity of purpose ” [this includes responding to the topic as well as writing within the specified genre] it’s not surprising that both teachers and students seek clarity on what exactly defines each genre.
Here’s a graphic I created for this very purpose, which first appeared in the 2015 Irish Independent Written Word Supplement. You’ll notice that description forms the trunk, or backbone, and feeds into all three.
Looking through a different lens this time, becuase of the email I received, I would say that a narrative descriptive essay has a lot in common with the short story and a discursive descriptive essay has more in common with the personal essay.
If a student or a teacher wanted a definition, I’d say : Descriptive essay with narrative approach = descriptive in style, with a story to tell. Descriptive essay with discursive approach = descriptive in style, with an issue to discuss.
What does this look like in practice?
Here are a few descriptive essays taking a narrative approach (I wrote the first one; junior cycle students wrote the other two):
- http://leavingcertenglish.net/2013/11/fragments-from-a-lost-weekend/
- http://leavingcertenglish.net/2014/03/long-days-journey-into-light/
- http://leavingcertenglish.net/2014/03/a-vivid-memory/
However, a descriptive essay can also take a discursive approach , where the language is descriptive but an issue is also being discussed and the thoughts, opinions, knowledge and understanding of the writer come into play.
Have a look at this example which is extremely descriptive (it uses metaphor throughout) but which is also discussing an issue – bullying: http://leavingcertenglish.net/2014/03/abcs-of-bullying/
Why combine them?
Why not just have descriptive essays be descriptive and discursive essays be discursive?
Well, when an issue is being discussed it’s discursive [all paper two essays are discursive] but a writer can achieve wonderful aesthetic effects, and really engage the reader, if they combine discussion and description.
For me, it helps to remind myself that the boundaries between genres are fluid, and as long as a student embraces some elements of description if asked to write a descriptive essay, they won’t be penalised for the approach they take.
You might also want to take a look at this essay I wrote: http://leavingcertenglish.net/2011/05/ict-in-education-conference/
It’s a perfect example of the fluidity of genres.
It begins with a poem [hence, aesthetic use of language] It goes on to discuss an event and an issue – use of ICT in education [hence, discursive ] It takes a descriptive approach throughout [using lists and metaphors and moment by moment description] It ends by linking to a personal story – the death of my friend [hence, a personal essay with a narrative thread holding it together].
I just thought I’d post my reply to this query, as coming up with an answer really got me thinking in depth about how fluid the boundaries between genres can sometimes be… that’s not a bad thing, but it does make assessing with genre as one of the criteria that bit trickier. To my mind, as long as it’s clear that the student is controlling their use of genre conventions, rather than being oblivious to genre, then they should be ok. On the other hand, if a student comes across as having no awareness of genre, audience and register, that’s where problems arise…
One response to “ Types of descriptive essay… ”
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Types of academic writing
- Planning your writing
- Structuring written work
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The four main types of academic writing are descriptive, analytical, persuasive and critical. Each of these types of writing has specific language features and purposes.
In many academic texts you will need to use more than one type. For example, in an empirical thesis:
- you will use critical writing in the literature review to show where there is a gap or opportunity in the existing research
- the methods section will be mostly descriptive to summarise the methods used to collect and analyse information
- the results section will be mostly descriptive and analytical as you report on the data you collected
- the discussion section is more analytical, as you relate your findings back to your research questions, and also persuasive, as you propose your interpretations of the findings.
Descriptive
The simplest type of academic writing is descriptive. Its purpose is to provide facts or information. An example would be a summary of an article or a report of the results of an experiment.
The kinds of instructions for a purely descriptive assignment include: 'identify', 'report', 'record', 'summarise' and 'define'.
It’s rare for a university-level text to be purely descriptive. Most academic writing is also analytical. Analytical writing includes descriptive writing, but also requires you to re-organise the facts and information you describe into categories, groups, parts, types or relationships.
Sometimes, these categories or relationships are already part of the discipline, while in other cases you will create them specifically for your text. If you’re comparing two theories, you might break your comparison into several parts, for example: how each theory deals with social context, how each theory deals with language learning, and how each theory can be used in practice.
The kinds of instructions for an analytical assignment include: 'analyse', 'compare', 'contrast', 'relate', and 'examine'.
To make your writing more analytical:
- spend plenty of time planning. Brainstorm the facts and ideas, and try different ways of grouping them, according to patterns, parts, similarities and differences. You could use colour-coding, flow charts, tree diagrams or tables.
- create a name for the relationships and categories you find. For example, advantages and disadvantages.
- build each section and paragraph around one of the analytical categories.
- make the structure of your paper clear to your reader, by using topic sentences and a clear introduction.
In most academic writing, you are required to go at least one step further than analytical writing, to persuasive writing. Persuasive writing has all the features of analytical writing (that is, information plus re-organising the information), with the addition of your own point of view. Most essays are persuasive, and there is a persuasive element in at least the discussion and conclusion of a research article.
Points of view in academic writing can include an argument, recommendation, interpretation of findings or evaluation of the work of others. In persuasive writing, each claim you make needs to be supported by some evidence, for example a reference to research findings or published sources.
The kinds of instructions for a persuasive assignment include: 'argue', 'evaluate', 'discuss', and 'take a position'.
To help reach your own point of view on the facts or ideas:
- read some other researchers' points of view on the topic. Who do you feel is the most convincing?
- look for patterns in the data or references. Where is the evidence strongest?
- list several different interpretations. What are the real-life implications of each one? Which ones are likely to be most useful or beneficial? Which ones have some problems?
- discuss the facts and ideas with someone else. Do you agree with their point of view?
To develop your argument:
- list the different reasons for your point of view
- think about the different types and sources of evidence which you can use to support your point of view
- consider different ways that your point of view is similar to, and different from, the points of view of other researchers
- look for various ways to break your point of view into parts. For example, cost effectiveness, environmental sustainability, scope of real-world application.
To present your argument, make sure:
- your text develops a coherent argument where all the individual claims work together to support your overall point of view
- your reasoning for each claim is clear to the reader
- your assumptions are valid
- you have evidence for every claim you make
- you use evidence that is convincing and directly relevant.
Critical writing is common for research, postgraduate and advanced undergraduate writing. It has all the features of persuasive writing, with the added feature of at least one other point of view. While persuasive writing requires you to have your own point of view on an issue or topic, critical writing requires you to consider at least two points of view, including your own.
For example, you may explain a researcher's interpretation or argument and then evaluate the merits of the argument, or give your own alternative interpretation.
Examples of critical writing assignments include a critique of a journal article, or a literature review that identifies the strengths and weaknesses of existing research. The kinds of instructions for critical writing include: 'critique', 'debate', 'disagree' and 'evaluate'.
You need to:
- accurately summarise all or part of the work. This could include identifying the main interpretations, assumptions or methodology.
- have an opinion about the work. Appropriate types of opinion could include pointing out some problems with it, proposing an alternative approach that would be better, and/or defending the work against the critiques of others.
- provide evidence for your point of view. Depending on the specific assignment and the discipline, different types of evidence may be appropriate, such as logical reasoning, reference to authoritative sources and/or research data.
Critical writing requires strong writing skills. You need to thoroughly understand the topic and the issues. You need to develop an essay structure and paragraph structure that allows you to analyse different interpretations and develop your own argument, supported by evidence.
This material was developed by the Learning Hub (Academic Language and Learning), which offers workshops, face-to-face consultations and resources to support your learning. Find out more about how they can help you develop your communication, research and study skills .
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Types of descriptive writing, descriptive writing.
A descriptive essay is an artistic writing form. Here, the writer has to write in such a way that it forms a picture in the mind of the reader. The writer may describe a person, place, or object, or be reminiscing a memory. The descriptive essay strives to communicate a deeper meaning than description, it has to be such that the reader experiences himself in the happening of events. The reader feels personally touched with the painting of the writer's words.
To sum up, there are some criterions of descriptive writing. They include:
- Writing chronologically: all events must be coherent
- Using a figure of speech: words or phrases that aren't literal but have a vivid meaning
- Use more strong verbs than technical term: she walked leisurely is better than she sauntered.
- Use sensory details of touching, seeing, feeling etc.
- Think before writing, and end with revising and correcting.
T ypes of Descriptive Writing
There are three major forms of descriptive writing:
- Writing about a person
- Writing about an object
- Writing about a place
When describing a person, you should add his physical features and details that appeal to the reader emotionally. Again, when talking about an object, emotions would work less, so try to appeal to the readers physically by the use of metaphorical terms. Writing about a place means that the place and everything around and in it should be discussed in detail so that the reader can picture the place.
Other types of descriptive writing include:
- Writing about oneself
- Writing about others
- Writing poems
- Writing about traveling, memory or experience
- Writing about nature etc.
Writing about Oneself
This kind of writing may include articles like My school, My favorite Hobby, My favorite season , etc. Here the writer has to tell about himself, about the topic in question, how they are linked, what impact it has, everything should be mentioned in detail, and in the form of telling a story that doesn't strike the reader as boring.
Writing about Others
This type of writing can include articles like My Best Friend, My Mother etc. Here again, the writer has to create a picture of that person in the mind of the reader. Even though they have never met, the reader should be able to create an image and learn about the nature of that person in question with the writing.
Types of Persuasive Writing
Types of Narrative Writing
Writing Poems:
Here simple, rhyming words are used for aesthetic appeal. However, complex words can be used too, as well as sentences that don't rhyme. It all depends on the poet. But at the end of the day, it leaves an impact in the mind of the reader.
Writing about Traveling, Memory or Experience:
Here the writer has to recall a past event but can use a present form of the verb as if he is actually present there and is seeing what's happening and is a part of it. For example, recalling a visit to the Sundarbans, or recalling a football match can be just the article.
Writing about Nature:
Here, the writer has to discuss the beauty of nature. Many poets have compared nature to a woman, or something relative to describe their beauty and nature. That leaves a better understanding and adds a personal or emotional touch to that form of writing.

Connotations - Definition & Types with Examples
Paradox: definition, types and examples, oxymoron: definition, types & examples, what is anecdotes use anecdotes, quotations and quotes in writing.

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Descriptive Essay Writing

Descriptive Essay: Definition, Tips & Examples
12 min read
Published on: May 24, 2020
Last updated on: Jan 3, 2023

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A descriptive essay is the most popular type of essay writing. They are based on the writer’s personal thoughts. High school students usually go for a descriptive essay because this genre of essay allows the student to think broadly.
However, the writing process for this type of essay does not require a lot of research. It allows you to describe your thoughts in your own way.
Descriptive essays are quite similar to the narrative essay because it describes the sense of smell, touch, taste, hearing, and sight through words. A descriptive essay provides in-depth details of the event, place, or incident.
Wondering how to write a good descriptive essay? Read our article and write a flawless descriptive essay with descriptive essay samples.
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What is a Descriptive Essay?
A descriptive essay is a type of essay which asks the students to give a description of something; for example, a person, place, incident, or an emotion, or an event. It is a detailed description, where the writer is painting a picture in words.
Different people have different thoughts and points of view. A descriptive essay allows you to explain your point of view in your own way. You should give a description of every aspect of the topic so that a reader can feel as if he has personally experienced that.
A good description will bring the reader to the actual happening of the event. Every point has to come out clearly so that the reader won’t be left in suspense. To write a perfect descriptive essay, you need to learn how to draw a real picture in the reader’s mind. A descriptive essay needs a creative mind.
What is the Purpose of a Descriptive Essay?
The descriptive essay describes an event, a person, an emotion, or anything. The actual purpose of a descriptive essay is to provide a real image to the reader through a detailed description.
Unlike argumentative essays, a writer can use vivid language to bring an actual image into the reader’s mind, where the writer has to persuade the reader by providing facts and logic.
The descriptive essay uses the power of language to activate the five human senses, including touch, smell, sight, taste, and hearing. This type of essay is usually assigned to the creative students so that they can bring their creativity on the paper as well as in the reader’s mind.
Features of Descriptive Essay
There are five basic features of a descriptive essay that distinguishes it from other writing types.
Let's discuss them in detail.
- Sensory Details - A great descriptive essay appeals to the emotions of the audience and forms an association for them. In this essay type, a writer paints a picture with words so they have to be really engaging and appealing to the senses.
- Central Theme - The content of your descriptive essay is shaped according to the central or major theme. Make sure to define the central theme explicitly and focus it on one single point.
- Figurative Language - A key to writing an impactful descriptive essay is to use figurative language throughout the content. Use metaphors, similes, adverbs, and adjectives to describe settings and characters.
- Precise Language - the vocabulary you use for the content should be appropriate and accurate. The language, as well as the tone, should reflect the major theme of the essay vividly.
- Organization of Ideas - Arrange all your ideas and information in a properly structured manner.
Make sure that your descriptive writing is based on these elements to ensure its effectiveness and success.
Descriptive Essay Format
All formal writing types, including descriptive papers, require a proper format to be readable and understandable. Therefore, before starting your essay, you should create an outline of your essay. It will help you organize your essay.
List the point of discussion of each paragraph. List all the main points of each paragraph. This essay type is written using the basic essay outline. The standard 5-paragraph essay consists of one paragraph of introduction, followed by three body paragraphs, and the conclusion paragraph.
Descriptive Essay Outline Template
How to Start a Descriptive Essay?
As a name implies, a descriptive essay is a form of essay that describes something – place, person, emotion, or event. This genre allows students to think creatively. If you want to connect with the reader on a deeper level, you should describe all the feelings and emotions related to your topic. And, if you are unable to connect with the reader try, try again!
Writing a strong descriptive essay requires a writer to form a strong plan. Following are the steps involved in the pre-writing or planning procedure of a good descriptive essay:
Follow the below-mentioned steps to finally begin your writing procedure for the descriptive essay:
Usually, professors assign the topic for a descriptive essay. But, if you have a choice to select a topic, then you have a great chance to select something which you know a lot about.
Descriptive essay revolves around a single point, i.e., a person, an event, or a location. While writing a descriptive essay, it is the reader’s duty to convey a detailed description of the topic. So, while choosing a topic, a writer needs to keep that in mind.
The next step is brainstorming about the selected topic. At this point, think of all the relevant points that exactly describe your topic.
Brainstorm every little detail about your topic. Note down everything on paper. Organize the points and try to make sense.
After the brainstorming session, develop a strong thesis statement. It is a very crucial part of the whole essay because it will be a prominent part of the essay.
Your thesis statement should be designed to present the crux of the whole essay and set out the topic framework. It should be strong enough to guide the reader on what to expect in the body.
How to Write a Descriptive Essay
When you have drafted a plan for your essay, it is time to execute it effectively. The writing process of your essay will only get simpler if you have taken all the required pre-writing steps.
An introduction is the entry point of your essay. It should be designed to grab the reader’s attention. Usually, it sets the mood for the entire essay. Introduce the reader to the topic and what the essay will be about.
Do not put all the details here; just give a brief introduction to the main topic.
Start the introductory paragraph with suspense so that you can capture the eye of the reader. You can even pose a question so that the reader tries to find the answer in your essay and continue reading.
Give a brief introduction. Describe the topic in 2 or 3 sentences by using vivid language. Use clear and concise language that leaves the reader in a satisfying situation. Use of adjectives and adverbs will also help you write good sentences.
The body part gives you the freedom to write the details about your selected topic. Here you have 3 to 4 paragraphs where you can paint a picture in the reader’s mind through vivid language, persuading dialogues, or images.
This part should support your thesis. Describe all the points in detail. The idea should come out at the beginning.
The paragraphs should be interlinked by good transition words. Organize your paragraphs in a way that they make sense.
As you are telling a story, create some drama. Make your essay an exciting and interesting piece of writing. Focus on your feeling and write exactly what you have experienced.
Do not try to exaggerate things. Stick to your point!
The use of good vocabulary is very important. The language should be clear and concise. Choose the best word for your essay description. Without the usage of proper words, you won’t be able to invoke the readers’ emotions.
Choose the vivid language that serves the better image of your topic. Use your senses to appeal to the reader. Write slowly and thoughtfully, and use good words to convey your feelings. Be organized and leave the reader with a clear impression.
Finally, the conclusion paragraph presents a summary of the whole essay. It should reaffirm the thesis statement. It should be well organized and well written. It is the last thing that a reader is going to read and it will leave the final impression.
It is the last chance to impress the reader. So, you need to pay all attention to this section. Restate your thesis statement and give a short reminder to the reader what the essay was required to cover. Make a good final statement so that the reader can leave thinking about your essay.
Proofread your essay to make a review. You can identify the mistakes and correct your tone. Go through your essay 2 or 3 times so that you can identify all the mistakes and correct them before final submission.
Do not rely on autocorrect; sometimes your wrong word is also a word, i.e. “is” or “in”. Autocorrect won’t identify it as a problem, and it will change the whole meaning of the sentence. Take a short break from your work. Stepping away from your work allows you to clear your mind and relax your eyes.
After taking a break, read your essay from the reader’s perspective.
Does it making sense? Is it engaging? Is it appealing? Is the tone polite?
Are your words good enough? Is it conveying the exact image of what you had in your mind?
If your essay is answering all of the questions, you are good to go. But, if not, then you might have to correct the problem and rethink all the things which you have missed. Follow the same procedure again and again until you get to the desired image of your topic.
Descriptive Essay Examples
Below are presented some examples to help you draft your descriptive essays professionally. Follow the structure and score well in your academics.
Descriptive Essay Example About a Person
Descriptive Essay Example About an Event
Descriptive Essay Example About a Place
Descriptive Essay Topics
Choosing the right topic is very important. Because you are going to write all the tiny details of your topic. So, choose something which you know a lot about.
A descriptive essay includes writing about a person, event, emotion, a feeling. Make sure your essay engages all the 5 senses, taste, touch, smell, view, hearing, of the reader, or at least one of them.
Have a look at some popular descriptive essay topics.
Descriptive Essay Topics About a Person
- Describe your favorite person
- Describe your best friend
- Describe your favorite teacher
- Describe your enemy
- Describe someone whom you love the most
- Describe your mother
- Describe your father
- Describe your family
- Describe your favorite brother
- Describe a person whom you idealize
- Describe that person who inspires you.
Descriptive Essay About an Event
Writing about an event is quite an interesting thing. You have a lot of things to describe, people over there, the food, the environment, and many more things. The first thing that you need to define is what kind of event you are going to write about.
When you write an essay on an even you should consider the following things:
- What kind of event was it?
- Time of the day
Descriptive Essay Topics About an Event
- Describe your friend’s wedding
- Describe your college’s farewell
- Describe the last Christmas party
- Describe your brother’s bachelor party
- Describe your own wedding
- Describe the memorable concert you have attended
- Describe your last convocation
- Describe the best dinner party you have ever attended
- Describe the event you have attended where you were not invited
Descriptive Essay Topics About a Place
- Describe your favorite place
- Describe the place you have visited in the summer
- Describe your grand mama’s farmhouse
- Describe your hometown
- Describe your favorite college
- Describe your favorite vacation destination
- Describe your favorite tourist spot
- Describe your favorite museum
- Describe your dream house
- Describe a fancy place that you have created
- Describe your favorite mall
Essay writing is an essential part of academic writing, and descriptive essay writing is one of them. The descriptive essay is one of the most popular types of essays in high school. It gives the students freedom of thinking, as a writer is allowed to paint a picture for the reader in simple words.
But writing an essay first draft requires practice and good writing skills. So if you doubt your skills, get a professional’s help online.
CollegeEssay.org is an essay writing company that provides custom services and high-quality essays and papers. Be it a simple descriptive essay or a complex college essay our writers can provide quality assistance.
Simply place an order to get amazing content written at the best price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 4 elements of descriptive writing.
The four elements of descriptive writing are:
- Metaphors
- Similes
- Adjectives
- Adverbs
What are the 2 types of description?
The two types of description are:
- Objective
- Impressionistic
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Description in Rhetoric and Composition
Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms
- An Introduction to Punctuation
Examples and Observations
- Show; Don't Tell
Selecting Details
- Chekhov's Advice to a Young Writer
Two Types of Description: Objective and Impressionistic
- Lincoln's Objective Self-Description
- Rebecca Harding Davis's Impressionistic Description of a Smoky Town
- Lillian Ross's Description of Ernest Hemingway
Description of a Handbag
- Bill Bryson's Description of the Residents' Lounge in the Old England Hotel
Stronger Than Death
- Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
- M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
- B.A., English, State University of New York
In composition , description is a rhetorical strategy using sensory details to portray a person, place, or thing.
Description is used in many different types of nonfiction , including essays , biographies , memoirs , nature writing , profiles , sports writing , and travel writing .
Description is one of the progymnasmata (a sequence of classical rhetorical exercises) and one of the traditional modes of discourse .
"A description is an arrangement of properties, qualities, and features that the author must pick (choose, select), but the art lies in the order of their release—visually, audibly, conceptually—and consequently in the order of their interaction, including the social standing of every word." (William H. Gass, "The Sentence Seeks Its Form." A Temple of Texts . Alfred A. Knopf, 2006)
Show; Don't Tell
"This is the oldest cliché of the writing profession, and I wish I didn't have to repeat it. Do not tell me that the Thanksgiving dinner was cold. Show me the grease turning white as it congeals around the peas on your plate. . . . Think of yourself as a movie director. You have to create the scene that the viewer will relate to physically and emotionally." (David R. Williams, Sin Boldly!: Dr. Dave's Guide To Writing The College Paper . Basic Books, 2009)
"The descriptive writer's main task is the selection and verbal representation of information. You must choose the details that matter—that are important to the purposes you share with your readers—as well as a pattern of arrangement relevant to those mutual purposes. . . . " Description can be an engineer describing the terrain where an embankment must be built, a novelist describing a farm where the novel will take place, a realtor describing a house and land for sale, a journalist describing a celebrity's birthplace, or a tourist describing a rural scene to friends back home. That engineer, novelist, realtor, journalist, and tourist may all be describing the very same place. If each is truthful, their descriptions will not contradict each other. But they will certainly include and emphasize different aspects." (Richard M. Coe, Form and Substance . Wiley, 1981)
Chekhov's Advice to a Young Writer
"In my opinion, descriptions of nature should be extremely brief and offered by the way, as it were. Give up commonplaces, such as: 'the setting sun, bathing in the waves of the darkening sea, flooded with purple gold,' and so on. Or 'swallows flying over the surface of the water chirped gaily.' In descriptions of nature one should seize upon minutiae, grouping them so that when, having read the passage, you close your eyes, a picture is formed. For example, you will evoke a moonlit night by writing that on the mill dam the glass fragments of a broken bottle flashed like a bright little star and that the black shadow of a dog or wolf rolled along like a ball.'" (Anton Chekhov, quoted by Raymond Obstfeld in Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes . Writer's Digest Books, 2000)
" Objective description attempts to report accurately the appearance of the object as a thing in itself, independent of the observer's perception of it or feelings about it. It is a factual account, the purpose of which is to inform a reader who has not been able to see with his own eyes. The writer regards himself as a kind of camera, recording and reproducing, though in words, a true picture. . . . " Impressionistic description is very different. Focusing upon the mood or feeling the object evokes in the observer rather than upon the object as it exists in itself, impressionism does not seek to inform but to arouse emotion. It attempts to make us feel more than to make us see. . . . "[T]he writer may blur or intensify the details he selects, and, by the clever use of figures of speech , he may compare them to things calculated to evoke the appropriate emotion. To impress us with the dreary ugliness of a house, he may exaggerate the drabness of its paint or metaphorically describe the flaking as leprous ." (Thomas S. Kane and Leonard J. Peters, Writing Prose: Techniques and Purposes , 6th ed. Oxford University Press, 1986)
Lincoln's Objective Self-Description
"If any personal description of me is thought desirable, it may be said, I am, in height, six feet, four inches, nearly; lean in flesh, weighing, on an average, one hundred and eighty pounds; dark complexion, with coarse black hair, and gray eyes--no other marks or brands recollected." (Abraham Lincoln, Letter to Jesse W. Fell, 1859)
Rebecca Harding Davis's Impressionistic Description of a Smoky Town
"The idiosyncrasy of this town is smoke. It rolls sullenly in slow folds from the great chimneys of the iron-foundries and settles down in black, slimy pools on the muddy streets. Smoke on the wharves, smoke on the dingy boats, on the yellow river—clinging in a coating of greasy soot to the house-front, the two faded poplars, the faces of the passers-by. The long train of mules, dragging masses of pig-iron through the narrow street, have a foul vapor hanging to their reeking sides. Here, inside, is a little-broken figure of an angel pointing upward from the mantel-shelf; but even its wings are covered with smoke, clotted and black. Smoke everywhere! A dirty canary chirps desolately in a cage beside me. Its dream of green fields and sunshine is a very old dream—almost worn out, I think." (Rebecca Harding Davis, "Life in the Iron Mills." The Atlantic Monthly , April 1861)
Lillian Ross's Description of Ernest Hemingway
"Hemingway had on a red plaid wool shirt, a figured wool necktie, a tan wool sweater-vest, a brown tweed jacket tight across the back and with sleeves too short for his arms, gray flannel slacks, Argyle socks, and loafers, and he looked bearish, cordial, and constricted. His hair, which was very long in back, was gray, except at the temples, where it was white; his mustache was white, and he had a ragged half-inch, full white beard. There was a bump about the size of a walnut over his left eye. He had on steel-rimmed spectacles, with a piece of paper under the nose-piece. He was in no hurry to get to Manhattan." (Lillian Ross, "How Do You Like It Now, Gentlemen?" The New Yorker , May 13, 1950)
"Three years ago at a flea market, I bought a small, white-beaded handbag, which I have never since carried in public but which I would never dream of giving away. The purse is small, about the size of a paperback bestseller, and thus it is totally unsuited for lugging around such paraphernalia as a wallet, comb, compact, checkbook, keys, and all the other necessities of modern life. Hundreds of tiny pearl-colored beads dot the outside of the handbag, and on the front, woven into the design, is a starburst pattern formed by larger, flat beads. Creamy white satin lines the inside of the bag and forms a small pocket on one side. Inside the pocket someone, perhaps the original owner, has scrawled the initials "J.W." in red lipstick. At the bottom of the purse is a silver coin, which reminds me of my teenage years when my mother warned me never to go out on a date without a dime in case I had to telephone home for help. In fact, I think that's why I like my white beaded handbag: it reminds me of the good old days when men were men and ladies were ladies." (Lorie Roth, "My Handbag")
Bill Bryson's Description of the Residents' Lounge in the Old England Hotel
"The room was casually strewn with aging colonels and their wives, sitting amid carelessly folded Daily Telegraph s. The colonels were all shortish, round men with tweedy jackets, well-slicked silvery hair, an outwardly gruff manner that concealed within a heart of flint, and, when they walked, a rakish limp. Their wives, lavishly rouged and powdered, looked as if they had just come from a coffin fitting." (Bill Bryson, Notes From a Small Island . William Morrow, 1995)
"Great description shakes us. It fills our lungs with the life of its author. Suddenly he sings within us. Someone else has seen life as we see it! And the voice that fills us, should the writer be dead, bridges the gulf between life and death. Great description is stronger than death." (Donald Newlove, Painted Paragraphs . Henry Holt, 1993)
- 5 Examples of How to Write a Good Descriptive Paragraph
- Yeats and 'The Symbolism of Poetry'
- The Power of Connotations: Definition and Examples
- List (Grammar and Sentence Styles)
- 40 Topics to Help With Descriptive Writing Assignments
- Hypallage in Grammar
- What Is Composition? Definition, Types, and Examples
- Object Predicative in Grammar
- AP English Exam: 101 Key Terms
- What Is a Noun Clause (or Nominal Clause) in English Grammar?
- Mood in Composition and Literature
- Synathroesmus: When Words Pile Up
- Comparison in Composition
- Agents in English Grammar
- Brevity in Speech and Writing
- Inexpressibility (Rhetoric)
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Essay Writing Guide
Types Of Essay

Different Types of Essays In Academic Writing
11 min read
Published on: Sep 20, 2017
Last updated on: Mar 17, 2023

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As a college or high school student, you will be assigned to compose several different types of essays. Professional essay writing provides an effective way to learn to write such essays for middle school, high school, and college applications.
There are 4 types of essays you are most likely to get assigned in your academic years. Your teacher will not tell you which type of essay you should be writing. So, you need to figure it out from the question you have been asked.
While most of them share the same basics and format, there are a few differences as well. In this article, we have discussed the basic types of essays with examples for your help.
Refer to this article and learn different types of essay writing to score brilliant grades.
Major Types of Essays In Academic Writing
Essay writing is a part of academic activities that students have to deal with. Academic essays can be formal and informal, argumentative, persuasive, critical, and narrative.
There are four types of academic essays and each type is different in nature and is written with a different perspective. Your first step is to identify the type of essay you are assigned with. After that, the methods are involved while composing it.
Since every essay type is different, each of them aims to achieve different goals. That is why you should understand and remember the main objective of writing an essay on any topic.
The different types of essay formats include the following. Here you can find the definition of each essay type in detail along with examples to help you understand better.
Descriptive Essay
A descriptive essay ‘describes’ the main topic in detail and with the aim of letting the reader relate to your experience. The topic, or the object in the discussion, could be anything from a place or a person.
Writing a descriptive essay is all about in-depth details, information, and discussion regarding the subject in question. It describes the topic, or matter under scrutiny, from different angles and perspectives.
The descriptive essay must evoke the senses and emotions of the reader. In simple terms, the reader should see what you saw and feel what you felt. To make it better, you can use several literary devices like;
- Alliteration
All of them help in making the experience and your essay better.
Descriptive Essay Example
Creating a perfect descriptive essay for an assignment is not difficult if you go through some expert descriptive essay examples first.
Here we have provided a well-written descriptive essay for you to get inspired from and start the writing process confidently.
Related: Descriptive Essay Examples and Writing Tips
Narrative Essay
Narrative essays refer to the narration of a study or experienced by the writer. It is usually written in the first person and expounds on the main topic in detail. The purpose of writing a narrative essay is to indulge the reader in the personal experience of the writer.
The central idea is to create an essay that is clear, detailed, and explains the main topic. The topic can be an event, a story, an incident, to the reader.
Your aim is to explain it with such detail that readers feel as if they were with you at that time.
Narrative Essay Example
Wondering how to get your story into an interesting narrative? Learn the best way to write a perfect narrative essay with the help of expert narrative essay examples.
Here are some more narrative essay examples for your help.
Expository Essay
An expository essay is about facts, and facts only. Unlike the other types of essays, where the writer has the freedom of adding his own opinion and analysis. Expository essays involve facts only. This makes it simple, but, at times, it could be challenging as well.
Therefore, it is important that you make a focused outline and stick to it throughout the process.
In higher education, show your ability to research your selected topic and cite expert sources along the way. In the end, provide the final perspective and also point out how other sources can contribute to it.
An expository essay incorporates a wide array of essays such as:
- Cause and effect essays
- Process essays
- Analytical essays
- Compare and contrast essays
Expository Essay Example
To start the writing process, here is an expository essay example from one of our expert writers to understand the basics.
Related: Free Expository Essay Examples to Help you Get Started
Argumentative Essay
Similar to a persuasive essay, the argumentative essay aims to convince the reader about a particular point of view.
The goal is to examine the information available regarding a subject and develop an argument based on it. However, it is necessary for the writer to support his claims and stick to one side.
The argumentative essay provides both sides of a particular issue or strongly establishes one approach towards the subject matter.
In this type of essay, the writer develops an argument and defends his side with solid proof and reasoning.
Argumentative Essay Example
Before beginning the writing process, it is better to go through some expert argumentative essay examples . In this way, you can understand the argumentative essay outline and the writing style of an argumentative essay better.
Here is a high-quality argumentative essay example for you to get inspiration for your essay.
Persuasive Essay
A persuasive essay is another type of academic essay. In this essay type, the writer utilizes logic and reasoning to show one’s idea is more convincing than another idea.
In writing a persuasive essay , the main aim is to persuade the reader to accept a certain point of view. The presented argument or claim must use solid evidence and sound reasoning by stating facts, examples, and quotes.
Persuasive Essay Example
Since persuasive essays are the most common type of essay, it is essential to get familiar with their writing style. For that, here is an interesting persuasive essay example that you can explore for your better understanding.
Analytical Essay
An analytical essay is a type of academic essay in which the writer analyzes a topic bit by bit. Writing an analytical essay is not about convincing readers of your point of view. But wanting readers to agree with what you have written.
So, there is no need to use strong persuasive language in an analytical essay. Rather you should aim to provide enough analysis to make sure your argument is clear to the readers.
Analytical Essay Example
If you are looking for an analytical essay example, here is one from one of our expert writers. Explore this great analytical essay example and learn how to master your analytical essay writing task.
Reflective Essay
A reflective essay is a type of essay writing where you examine your personal experiences through self-reflection. In the process of writing a reflective essay , you provide insight into what you have gained from those experiences.
What makes reflective essays different from other essay types is the fact that it examines the past experience from the present. Reflective essays take the reader through a journey of self-growth.
Reflective Essay Example
The following reflective essay example will help you get a clear idea of how to structure your analytical essay.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay
It is a form of a textual analysis essay in which the student examines and analyzes a persuasive text. It is like an essay, speech, or visual art and analyzes the rhetorical devices used in it. Writing a rhetorical analysis essay is different from writing other essays because it will be more than adding facts only.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example
Here is a rhetorical analysis essay example that will help you learn better. For more samples, refer to the below downloadable PDF.
Literary Analysis Essay
A literary analysis essay is based on close reading and analysis of a work of literature like poetry and novel. It identifies different literary factors like themes, setting, characters, setting, and the kind of language used in it. A literary analysis essay has the same 5 paragraphs as any other essay but the main subject and topic are different.
Literary Analysis Essay Example
Need help with your literary analysis essay? Below is a sample essay to help you understand better.
Get All of Your Essays Done Here!
Now you know what are the different types of essays in academic writing that you are most likely to get assigned. However, if you still find it difficult to compose your essay, leave it to our expert writing services and get a perfect essay according to your requirements.
The following writers are available 24/7 to help you with your essay writing needs:
- Descriptive essay writer
- Persuasive essay writer
- Expository essay writer
- Argumentative essay writer
- Narrative essay writer
Let our professional essay writers help you write different kinds of essays; be it descriptive, narrative, argumentative, or expository. If you are looking for different types of essays pdf, we can also help.
Contact us and we will help you with writing problems to write A+ grade essays within your specified timeline!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important element in any essay.
A thesis statement is the most important part of any essay. Other than the research itself, the thesis statement is the most important part of an essay or research paper. A thesis statement summarizes the main point and essence of the argument.
What type of essay is most common at university?
Usually, university students get argumentative kinds of essays. No matter what kind of essay you write, you will need to develop an argument.
Here are some kinds of essays and the kind of arguments added to them.
- Analysis and interpretation of literary texts are discussed in literary analysis essays.
- The importance of a particular event or theory is analyzed in a history argumentative essay.
- A political theory is examined in a political argumentative essay.
Besides, there are a number of different kinds of argumentative and analysis essays.
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How to Take Descriptive Writing to the Next Level

Sometimes, writing feels like you’re climbing up a hill. A slippery, muddy hill. During a rainstorm.
Even when the words are there, it can be tough to get the feeling onto the page. You might have listed the events you’re covering and presented all the facts clearly and logically, but when your writing doesn’t feel engaging, something’s missing. That something is descriptive writing.
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Descriptive writing consists of a variety of techniques and choices you make in an effort to give your reader an accurate, three-dimensional impression of the subject you’re writing about. It’s part word choice , part figurative language, part comparison, and part knowing what to include and what to leave out of your writing to set just the right mood .
When to use descriptive writing
Use descriptive writing almost anywhere your writing can benefit from immersive scene-setting. Most kinds of writing can benefit from a little bit of descriptive writing. Some, like fiction, poetry, and memoir, can benefit from a lot of it.
Instead of listing all the types of writing that can benefit from descriptive words, phrases, and sentences, here is the short list of the kinds of writing where this type of content is not appropriate:
- Technical writing
- Academic writing
- Professional emails and other correspondences
Descriptive writing is juicy. It evokes the reader’s senses. It’s the perfect tool for accurately communicating something that isn’t tangible, and that’s precisely why it’s not appropriate for the more formal, objective kinds of writing listed above.
Use descriptive writing when your goal is for the reader to feel like they’re standing in your shoes. The most effective way to write about the euphoric feeling of affection you felt when you adopted your puppy may be to use descriptive writing techniques to make the reader feel like they’re the one seeing Fluffy wag her tail and feeling her lick your hand, rather than simply listing her physical features. Descriptive writing promotes empathy in your reader and personalizes your work.
Descriptive writing techniques
There are lots of different ways you can make your writing more descriptive. Here are a few of the most common descriptive writing techniques:
A metaphor is a descriptive technique that likens one thing to another. Take a look at these examples of common metaphors:
- My child is the light of my life.
- He’s the black sheep of our family.
- She’s a tornado that destroys everything in her path.
By stating that one object is another, you’re saying they share certain traits. You aren’t saying they’re indistinguishable or that they’re actually the same object; you’re expressing that the reader will encounter these specific traits in a very similar way in both objects.
A simile is like a metaphor . And yes, that was a simile.
Just like a metaphor, a simile describes something by comparing it to something else. The difference between the two is that a simile uses the word “like,” “so,” “than,” or “as” to make the comparison. For example:
- The building was as tall as Mt. Fuji.
- She drives faster than a NASCAR racer.
- They ate like a bunch of vultures.
With a simile, the comparison typically isn’t literal—it’s hyperbole that emphasizes the statement being made, much like it does with a metaphor. If you aren’t familiar with the term “hyperbole,” don’t fret—we’re covering it later on in this section.
Sensory writing
Sensory writing depicts a scene through your senses. Take a look at these examples:
- When the cool water splashed my face, the contrast made me realize just how red-hot my skin had gotten.
- Their home always smelled like freshly baked cookies; a constant cloud of chocolatey, sweet warmth wafted through the house.
- The sticky substance reached every centimeter of my skin, oozing into my pores and gluing my fingers and toes together.
As you can see, sensory writing typically incorporates other kinds of descriptive writing, like similes, metaphors, and hyperbole.
Freewriting is a great way to channel your senses and craft some spot-on sensory writing. Just open your word processor or notebook and start writing what you think, feel, or have experienced. There are no rules, no restrictions—just move everything that’s happening in your mind onto the page, walking through sensations like how you feel, what you hear, what you see, and what these sensations are driving you to do.
When you use an extreme statement to make a point, you’re using hyperbole . Here are a few quick examples:
- It was a million degrees out yesterday.
- I haven’t heard that name in a hundred years.
- He was the sweetest boyfriend ever.
You know it wasn’t actually a million degrees, you most likely haven’t been alive long enough to not have heard a specific name in the past century, and surely there are many other boyfriends who are kind and thoughtful. But when you say things like this, you aren’t confusing or lying to your listener—you’re intentionally exaggerating to express just how extreme something was: It was very hot outside, you haven’t heard that name in a long time, and your boyfriend was very romantic.
Personification
It was a joyful bouquet. Each flower had a distinct, vibrant face and together, they were a happy choir of enthusiastic friends, ready to break into song at any moment.
We’re talking about flowers here and, as you know, flowers don’t have faces, voices, or friendships. But see how giving the flowers in this description human qualities like faces, voices, and interpersonal bonds gives you a clear image of the bouquet being described? It’s not just a collection of flowers; it’s a coherent group of fresh, healthy, colorful flowers.
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia are words for specific sounds. If you’ve ever watched the live Batman TV show from the 1960s, you’ve seen such onomatopoeia as “bam!” and “thwap!” flash across the screen during the fight scenes, creating a comic book-like feel. That’s what onomatopoeia does—it immerses you in the scene by giving it a “soundtrack.”
What is a descriptive essay?
A descriptive essay is an essay focused on describing something. That “something” can be anything, such as an event, a place, an experience, an object, or even a person. Descriptive essays aren’t exactly the same as other kinds of essays , though you might find yourself using descriptive writing in other essay types to strengthen your argument.
In a descriptive essay, your goal is to make the reader feel like they’re experiencing the subject you’re describing firsthand. For example, let’s say you’ve been assigned to write a descriptive essay about the role pizza plays in your campus culture.
Your descriptive essay might include lines and passages like:
Sweet relief came over me when I got that notification text saying my pizza had arrived. My stomach was roaring; it was 2:00 a.m. and I hadn’t eaten since dinner at 6:00. Unlike my roommate, whose study habits and time management allowed her to go to bed at midnight, I was up working on a paper that was due in about eight hours. Thick socks on my feet, I quietly stepped away from my desk and out into the hallway to meet the driver at the door. The pizza was already paid for, so all I needed to do was take my hot pie of cheesy stamina from his nocturnal hands and get back to work. While walking back to my room, the garlicky smell emanating from the box lulled me into a state of relieved relaxation, but this relaxation was gone in a flash when I realized where my key was: not in my pocket, but sitting on my desk.
Compare this to a cause-and-effect essay on the same topic. Instead of trying to make your reader’s mouth water, you’d instead craft a narrative of the effect the local pizza shop has had on your campus culture. You might start by discussing the food options you had before it opened and how the pizza shop upgraded students’ access to delicious food and changed their approach to ordering out. In a persuasive essay , your goal might be to convince the reader that adding the pizza shop to the list of local vendors who accept meal plan credits is a good idea, and in an analytical essay, you’d state a specific position about the pizza shop (for instance, how it’s an inextricable part of campus life). And you’d defend that position with clear evidence (more than half of the pizza shop’s deliveries are to campus, the shop regularly hires students, and the shop caters a significant number of events on campus, for example).
Give your writing extra polish
Crafting a compelling piece of descriptive writing can be tough, especially if descriptive writing is new to you. The two keys to becoming a pro at descriptive writing are to read a wide variety of writing types and practice, practice, practice. This doesn’t mean you have to write an immersive novel or start cranking out poems by the page—you can train your descriptive writing muscles by working a little bit into each of your future assignments. Maybe you add a metaphor to your next history essay’s intro or work some similes into your upcoming economics presentation.
Wherever you’re working on descriptive writing, Grammarly is here to help. Before you hit “send” or “submit,” have Grammarly give your writing a once-over to catch any spelling mistakes , punctuation errors , and even instances where your tone is less than perfect for your writing’s goals. No matter what you’re aiming to achieve with your writing, Grammarly can help you achieve your goals.


Types of academic papers. Academic Library 2022-11-20
Academic papers are a critical part of the educational process and are used to showcase a student's knowledge, understanding, and research skills. There are several types of academic papers, each with its own unique characteristics and purposes.
One type of academic paper is the research paper. Research papers are typically longer and more in-depth than other types of academic papers, and are used to explore a specific topic or question in detail. These papers typically involve extensive research and analysis, and are often based on original research conducted by the student. Research papers can be written in various formats, including APA, MLA, and Chicago style, and are often used to demonstrate a student's ability to conduct independent research and present their findings in a clear and concise manner.
Another type of academic paper is the review paper. Review papers are similar to research papers, but instead of presenting original research, they review and summarize the findings of other research studies on a specific topic. Review papers are often used to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of research on a particular topic, and can be a helpful resource for other researchers looking to gain a broad understanding of a field of study.
A third type of academic paper is the argumentative essay. Argumentative essays are used to present a specific position or argument on a topic, and are typically shorter than research papers. These essays involve presenting evidence and reasoning to support a particular point of view, and may involve research and analysis to back up the argument being made. Argumentative essays are often used to persuade readers to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a specific action.
Another type of academic paper is the narrative essay. Narrative essays are written in a story-like format and are used to tell a personal or fictional story. These essays may be based on the writer's own experiences or may be fictionalized accounts of events. Narrative essays are often used to explore themes or ideas and can be a creative and engaging way to present information.
Finally, there are also descriptive essays, which are used to describe a person, place, or thing in detail. These essays often involve using vivid language and sensory details to paint a detailed picture of the subject being described. Descriptive essays can be used to explore the characteristics of a particular subject, or to convey a sense of place or atmosphere.
In conclusion, there are several types of academic papers, each with its own unique characteristics and purposes. Research papers, review papers, argumentative essays, narrative essays, and descriptive essays are all commonly used in academia, and play a vital role in the educational process.
Different types of scientific papers

As they are relatively short, the format helps scientists with time-sensitive results, for example, those in very competitive or quickly-changing disciplines. We hope this information was useful for you and can help you cope with your assignments because accomplishing this kind of project is important for your overall academic success! During the trajectory in college or graduate school, the student comes into contact with various types of academic work. Libraries for Vocational and Technical Colleges These are not specialized libraries like that of research, and academic libraries nor have the extensive outreach and varied goals and interests of vocational libraries. Do you also know that each of them has their own style of writing and format? You have to use more accurate language. The material of each paper type page is similar to well-known Wikipedia and WikiHow combined, where it is stated what the exact academic work means, its main functions, specifics, and direction.
Different Types Of Research Papers

These are great articles to find when you are conducting your own research review and are writing your paper. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. These are often written by more seasoned researchers and tend to be short, usually about 2,000 words. From case studies to short reports, all are considered educational documents. Every day, I work hard to make sure my clients are satisfied with the projects and papers I write for them.
Types of academic papers

You can easily find the exact type of work you are interested in and click on the link. Two types of book chapters are commonly found: edited and refereed. Writing that uses literation helps paint a picture for your reader to help them relate to a character or event. This area of the term paper might call for additional research and might require the student to seek out the assistance of someone who has more expertise in that specific topic. Rule 3 — Write for a Motive: Every Academic essay you write has a motive.
Types of academic papers and their characteristics

Hence, with our plagiarism software, we give you the opportunity to produce an original dissertation or a research paper. So, despite its name, an opinion article will require some research. Many lectures have designated styles and academic writing forces students to consider them when writing their papers. The Four Main Types of Essay Quick Guide with Examples. Click to expand Narrative essays A Narrative essays test your ability to build up a narrative in an engaging, well-structured way. This method not only outlines the predicted results but identifies several different results that could appear depending on the specific conditions. The garden is narrow but long, a corridor of green extending from the back of the house, and I sit on a lawn chair at the far end to read and relax.
Types of academic writing

They are commonly assigned at high school or in exam questions at college level. They often use this type of research in medicine to report previously unknown or emerging pathologies. The basic and useful step-by-step tips will teach and help you master writing skills in a specific area. In social sciences, it is used to compare theoretical opinions, while in philosophy, it is used to compare ideologies held by politicians, religious and business leaders, among others. These types of academic papers are usually one page and two pages maximum. Journal articles are the backbone of academic publishing and a wonderful source for research on specific questions.
The Four Main Types of Essay

The Four Main Types of Essay Quick Guide with Examples Published on September 4, 2020 by An There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays. Although their roles vary depending on the institution they serve, academic librarians have some conventional roles. Publishing is vital for getting a faculty position and critical in the tenure decision. Maximise your publication success with Charlesworth Author Services. In any case, the debut is that readers will devote time consuming. Cause and effect papers are usually the first types of research papers that high school and college students are confronted with. It should be structured, backed up by evidence, critical and precise.
6 Types of Academic Papers and Journal Articles

In business and education fields, cause and effect papers will help trace a range of results that could arise from a particular action or situation. However, attachments can be several pages. How is one type of publication weighted compared to another? Experiments aimed at improving and acquiring new knowledge, testing scientific hypotheses, the establishment of laws that are manifested in nature and in society, scientific generalizations, and scientific confirmation of projects. Reports writing must always be factual and represent the situation on grounds. You have to add a persuasive element in at least the discussion or the conclusion of your research article.
The Most Popular Types Of Academic Research Papers

Sometimes, these categories or relationships are already part of the discipline, while in other cases you will create them specifically for your text. Researchers use three principal methodology types, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. There are too many nuances to keep in mind and apart from following the requirements of a particular project type, you also have to follow the right structure and format. But what do we mean by publishing? You need to write the paper based on an established theoretical framework and use valid supporting data to back up your statement and conclusion. Instead, what matters is that you were able to present all of your thoughts and ideas in a logical way.
Types Of Academic Papers: Basic Guide For Beginners

Students academic events , such as seminars. Which ones have some problems? Cause and Effect Paper Cause and effect papers are usually the first types of research papers that high school and college students are confronted with. Methods or Methodologies, Types of Academic Papers These types of academic papers present a new experimental method or procedure. This form of academic publishing allows authors to analyze and provide reactions to the book. They are not looking for a summary of the research as much as a critical analysis. Exposition Essays - usually informs your reader of something in the body of the essay.
TYPES OF ACADEMIC WRITING

Its umbrella encompasses various educational structures, including four-year online e-Learning schools, local independent campus-based programs. The purpose of the academic article is to persuade by reasoned discussion. Another important aspect is that the investigation must be unprecedented and contribute to some significant advance in the field of The scientific study of the thesis is based on a very specific theme and a detailed investigation. A good way to approach an opinion paper is by first developing your argument and then presenting it as a list of claims with reasons instead of one long paragraph. They offer more attention to the report body.
Types of Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing describes a person, place or thing in such a way that the reader feels she is experiencing what is being described. The details in the writing vividly come alive in the reader's mind. Descriptive writing is found in all genres of writing, from the setting of a historical fiction novel to the details of a recipe.There are many types of descriptive writing that place the reader in the middle of the plot, scene, essay or article.
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Vivid Details
Descriptive writing includes details that show instead of tell. Sensory details allow the reader to see, hear, smell, taste and touch what the writer is describing. "The cat walked down the street," does not include descriptive details. "The gray tabby slinked across the cul de sac" includes details that create a picture in the reader's mind.
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Figurative Language
Descriptive writing often includes figurative language, or language that employs figures of speech. Figurative language departs from literal meaning to creatively make a point. This type of descriptive writing includes devices like metaphors, similes and personification. A metaphor compares two unlike things using the words "is" or "are." One of the most memorable metaphors is "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players" from William Shakespeare's play "As You Like It." In contrast, a simile compares two unlike things using "like" or "as." Ernest Hemingway used this device in "The Sun Also Rises" when he wrote: "The cafe was like a battleship stripped for Action." With personification, an inanimate object takes on human qualities. For instance, a tree branch grasps like a pointing finger or a dependable pick-up truck becomes a trusty confidante.
Strong Verbs
Descriptive writing includes as much detail as possible in as few words as possible. Using active verbs makes writing more precise. Linking verbs--"is," "was" and "are"--are not active. Action verbs--"race," "sing" and "dance"--create compelling writing. Instead of writing "she walked slowly," it is more precise to write "she meandered." Using strong verbs draws in the reader.
Writing from Observation
One way to put the reader in the middle of a piece of writing is to write from observation. If you want to write about a basketball game, go to a game and take notes. Write about what you see, taste, touch, smell and feel. If writing a narrative from memory, sketch the setting and all of its objects. If possible, visit the place where the action in the narrative occurred and notice the particulars of the setting.
- Bookrags: How to Use Effective Metaphors in Writing an Essay
- Copywriting.com: How to Add Instant Flair to Your Writing
- Writing Mode: Teacher Tips: The Descriptive Mode
- OutskirtsPress; Using Descriptive Nouns and Verbs; Christie Craig, et al
- Smarthinking: Smarthinking Writer's Handbook
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Descriptive Essay
Descriptive Essay Writing
Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023
How To Write An Impactful Descriptive Essay?
By: Cathy A.
12 min read
Reviewed By: Melisa C.
Published on: Dec 17, 2019

Wondering how to write an impressive descriptive essay? Writing a descriptive essay is both fun and challenging. You need to describe the main topic in detail and by engaging the five senses of the readers.
Students usually get this type of essay in high school and college. Writing a descriptive essay is different from other essays.
You need to focus on describing a certain person, place, or event.
Luckily for you, the following blog post will provide some helpful tips on how to create an engaging essay.
Continue reading to learn how to write an A-worthy descriptive essay.

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What is a Descriptive Essay?
A descriptive essay is a detailed paper that describes a place, person, situation, object, or emotion. Different people have different points of view and your job is to explain yours in detail.
You may be asked to write a descriptive essay about the beach or forest or about a person or situation. The purpose of this essay is to test the writer’s ability in expressing and explaining their experiences.
Descriptive writing should create a picture in the reader’s mind. You may be required to write a descriptive essay as a high school or college essay assignment.
For a compelling essay, using adjectives and adverbs, details, and figurative language is fundamental. Without proper usage of words, you will not be able to invoke the readers' emotions.
What is the Purpose of a Descriptive Essay?
The purpose of a descriptive essay is to describe a person, place, or personal experience in vivid detail so that the reader can create a picture in his mind.
The descriptive essay is written to get the reader to understand by using descriptive language. It is different from narrative essays, where the writer tells the story about someone else. Usually, it starts with a real-life event and then the content follows the author's imagination.
Descriptive essays are not intended to persuade the reader or show facts and figures to prove something. Descriptive essays are like word paintings that contain personal and descriptive details and these are mostly assigned to students of creative writing.
How to Start a Descriptive Essay
A strong start for your descriptive essay is essential. Analyze your topic from every angle and document the following details:
Analyze the main subjects in detail and observe minute things.
- Start with observing all the possible aspects of the subject.
- Don't just observe the object but also its surroundings.
- Focus on details and features of the subject and develop opinions about them.
- Be thoughtful; this first step will be the basis for the essay.
Physical Settings
Describing the physical settings is a must in a descriptive essay. When describing, keep the following points in mind.
- Focus on the subject's position and observe nearby objects
- Note the time of day and kind of lighting: natural or imitated
- Physical settings: all the basic and decorative elements
- The position and shape of the objects
- Alignment and any other observable information
Physical Features
When describing the physical features of the subject, living or nonliving, consider the following points.
- Living or nonliving; describe the features in detail
- The subject's skin color, texture, smoothness, expression, and age
- The features of inanimate objects in the picture, color, surface, and texture
Create Drama
Storytelling and drama are the life and blood of a good descriptive essay. It turns your essay into an exciting and interesting piece of writing. However, be subtle about adding drama to your sentence structure and add it to complement your story only.
Focus On Your Feelings
Focus on how you feel about the particular topic or person and stick to it. It is easy to get involved when working on the essay. But, focus on your own feelings and write an essay based on them.
Use Of Specific Vocabulary
Vocabulary is important. Select the best words for describing an action or object. Don't always use the first word that comes to mind.
Write slowly and thoughtfully, and use specific words to convey your thoughts.
Psychological Aspects
Writing about a certain situation or behavior of a person focuses on the mental aspects and emotions involved in them.
For Example, describe your emotions when your friend misplaced your notes right before the exam.
You may have had several emotions in that incident. Maybe you were prepared for exams, but this situation put you under pressure and made you feel frustrated and hurt.
Explore those emotions and describe the feelings they aroused. Describe the body language also, if relevant.
Ask Yourself, WHY?
This is the most valuable tip for students. When you are looking at a particular subject, and having difficulty analyzing its aspects, ask yourself "WHY".
- Why is the subject the way it is?
- Why does the person you are describing have such a deep-set and cold eyes?
- Why is the animal so wounded and terrified?
- Why is this particular place famous?
It is a good practice and after some time you will do it naturally. Knowing the why is important if you want to describe your topic properly.

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How To Write A Descriptive Essay?
When you write a descriptive essay, you help your readers visualize an event, a person, or a story. It is written to make your readers feel what you feel about the respective subject.
A descriptive essay seeks to appeal to some or all of the audience’s five senses. Some key things to consider are:
- Discussing your subject thoroughly
- Focusing on details and adding them in your essay
- Sharing your personal feelings and experience about the subject
- Observing and describing all sensory details of your subject
Here are the steps to write a descriptive essay easily.
1- Choose an Engaging and Focused Essay Topic
An important step that all strong descriptive essays share is having a focused topic. Before you make the outline, identify the purpose of your essay and use it to create an appropriate thesis statement.This type of paper does not require much personal opinion from you. Its main goal should be focusing on information that will make a dominant impression in readers' minds instead.
2- Research and Gather Important Details
When writing a descriptive essay, it is important to make sure you include as many details and sensory information as possible. This helps your reader fully understand the images that are being presented in their mind's eye.You can organize these ideas into categories so they're easy for you to access when needed.
3- Create an Outline of Your Essay
Your essays must be organized by having subheadings that are clear and concise. Group your main points into individual body paragraphs, each of which should only cover one idea or topic at a time.
4- Write your Essay’s Introduction
A good introductory paragraph is much like a road map because it provides direction to your readers.
It provides relevant background information before diving into more specific details related to how something works or why something happens. These could include statistics or stories from real-life scenarios.
5- Write the Main Body Section of Your Essay
Each body paragraph should start with a topic sentence that keeps the reader hooked on what you are saying. Use specific details instead of making generalized statements, and make sure to give examples if necessary.
6- End with a Strong Conclusion
The conclusion of an essay is the final paragraph, and it should summarize all that you have said throughout. It's a good idea to restate the main points and key details from the essay in this section.
It is important so the reader has everything they need for better understanding before ending off on something new.
If necessary be sure not to introduce anything odd or unusual, to avoid any confusion.
7- Proofread and Revise the Essay Carefully
Once you are done writing the essay, proofread and revise it carefully. Make sure that it is free from all kinds of errors.
Descriptive Essay Outline
Like all the other essays, a descriptive essay also follows the usual 5-paragraph essay structure and format.Before starting, it is important to create an outline. Following are the fundamental elements of your descriptive essay outline:
Descriptive Essay Introduction
The introduction sets the footing for the entire essay. Before heading towards the body section, the reader will come across the introduction.
It is the first impression of your work. It is very important to write an engaging introduction so that the readers read the essay till the end.
Start the essay in an easy-to-understand way and language. Provide background information on your topic so they can understand it and its importance.
To make sure the reader feels your emotions and decides to continue reading further, incorporate the following points in your introduction.
The following tips will guide you on how to write a good introduction for a descriptive essay.
- Attract the reader's attention with an interesting fact, phrase, or quote
- Don't bombard them with information
- Go straight to the main pointsInclude enough information to introduce the topic and its significance.
- Summarize the argument and the main topic and craft your thesis statement
Descriptive Essay Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is an integral part of your essay. It focuses on the argument and the writer’s main idea, which is to be discussed in the essay.
This statement also provides the writer with a chance of explaining the purpose and scope of the topic. It is intriguing and engaging.
A thesis statement is written at the end of the introduction, it is mainly a single sentence that describes the essay objective. The thesis statement should act as a guide to the reader on what to expect in the essay body. It is like a table of contents of a book, to the reader on contents you will get an idea of what the book is all about so you get to understand it better.
It is like a table of contents of a book. By reading it, you will get an idea of what the book is all about.
A good thesis should contain the following things:
- Define the essay scope - it should narrow down all the points to clarify its purpose.
- Avoid using common words - you should be creative with your choice of words.
- Create suspense - it should attract the reader to the body paragraphs of the essay.
For further information on how to write a thesis for a descriptive essay, check out the following examples.
- Descriptive essay example about a Place
“Even though monarchy is long gone, Buckingham Palace is here to remind us of the aesthetic beauty of that era.”
- Descriptive essay example about a Person
“One of the characteristics of Spider-Man is his youthfulness, and the fact that he talks to himself more than Hamlet.”
- Descriptive essay example about an Emotion
“For numerous reasons, the dark forest is my greatest fear, though not a fear which is necessarily smart to face.”
Descriptive Essay Body Paragraphs
Body paragraphs of the essay come next after the introduction and thesis statement. It is the main part that continues your essay.
Usually, an essay consists of three body paragraphs but you can add more if needed.
Don't add more than one central idea in one paragraph. Fusing different ideas will confuse the reader.
Build your paragraphs according to the thesis and introduction.
- Start each body paragraph with the main sentence
- Use transitions to move between paragraphs smoothly
- Each paragraph should be five to six sentences long
Descriptive Essay Conclusion
The concluding paragraph is the last part of an essay, and probably your last chance to impress your reader.
The last part that the reader can keep in mind is the conclusion, which is as important as the rest of the essay.
To make it interesting and thought-provoking, include the following points:
- Restate the thesis statement
- Summarize the main points
- Add an intriguing closing statement
After writing the conclusion, make a review of your essay, identify the mistakes and maintain a good tone throughout the essay.
Descriptive Essay Format Sample
Here is the descriptive essay format to help you understand how you can write a winning descriptive essay.
DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY FORMAT (PDF)
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Descriptive Essay Topics Ideas
Descriptive essay topics are often related to physical settings, locations, living beings, and objects.
Make sure that your essay includes the five senses, touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing, or at least one of them. It depends on the topic and the kind of feeling that you want to arouse.
Below are some descriptive essay ideas and ways to achieve them.
Living Beings
When you want to write about a person like a family member, consider the following elements:
- Gender, age, complexion, and expressions
- Physical features
- Height, body type, and approximate weight
- Kind of clothes
These details will add depth to the description and your readers will actually see your narrative.
When animals are the subject, you can add the above points plus the following details:
- Species and animal
- Size, weight, color
- Behavior patterns
- Temperament
- Trained or wild?
- Real or fictional?
Inanimate Subjects
Geographic locations and structures.
When your subject is a place or a building, add the following points:
- Research about the place and its historical background
- The color and the building's type
- A famous place or landmark to draw a comparison and inspire interest
Human behavior and psychology is a compelling descriptive essay subject. When writing about it:
- Describe the consequences of a particular behavior
- Discuss the emotional dimension of the topic and how you perceive it personally
Event Or Travel Experience
A travel experience makes a good descriptive essay since you have experienced the event first hand.
Give a detailed description of the place, people at the venue, and the atmosphere of the location.
Idea, Concept, or Occupation
When writing on such topics, focus on how an idea or concept affects society and its different aspects.
Example Descriptive Essay Topics for Students
Choosing a topic for your descriptive essay is quite interesting. You get to choose something that you have an emotional connection with.
When writing a descriptive essay about a person or place, adding their personal traits will be helpful.
Some examples of descriptive essay topics include:
- Compose a detailed descriptive essay about your best friend.
- Describe a fancy place that you have created.
- Describe your dream vacation destination.
- Describe your favorite mall or store.
- Describe your childhood home.
- Descriptive essay about nature.
- Descriptive essay about a place you visited.
- Describe the personality of your Maths teacher.
- Discuss the main characters of your favorite movie.
- Descriptive essay about chocolate.
- Write an essay using unique Words to describe yourself.
- What makes me unique?
- My first love.
Descriptive Essay Examples
Study these descriptive essay examples and sample papers to understand the main idea, structure, and purpose of descriptive essays.
DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY ON MARKET (PDF)
DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY EXAMPLE PERSON (PDF)
To help you understand how to write a great descriptive essay, we have a whole blog post dedicated to it. We know that talking about something is one thing and demonstrating it is completely different.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the features of a descriptive essay.
A descriptive essay provides a perfect opportunity for writers to express their feelings on any subject. Descriptive writing has rich sensory details which appeal to all of your senses.
How do you start a descriptive essay introduction?
The introduction to the descriptive essay should set the scene and introduce the main topic. You can use these sensory details to get a sense of what the essay is all about.
What are the two types of descriptive essays?
There are two types of descriptive essays. The first type deals with people, and the second one is about objects.
What are the elements of a descriptive essay?
Here are the key elements of a descriptive essay.
- Sensory details
- Figurative language
- Central and main theme
- Precise and clear language
- Proper organization of ideas
What makes good descriptive writing?
Good and effective descriptive writing consists of vivid sensory details that appeal to all senses including the sense of sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste. Moreover, these essays also explain people’s feelings in writing.

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Cathy has been been working as an author on our platform for over five years now. She has a Masters degree in mass communication and is well-versed in the art of writing. Cathy is a professional who takes her work seriously and is widely appreciated by clients for her excellent writing skills.
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How To Write A Descriptive Essay?
26 April, 2020
11 minutes read
Author: Tomas White
Descriptive essay is one of the hardest forms of writing. To master descriptive writing, you must be creative and craft a scene that all readers can picture with words alone. This freedom and creativity can make it one of the most rewarding and fun essays to write. It is the backbone of all artful writing like poetry, novels, and even television scripts. We prepared this guide for You to learn all you need to know about descriptive writing. Let's start!

What is a Descriptive Essay?
The goal of a descriptive essay is simple, choose a subject and describe it. The subject could be anything:

A descriptive essay is all about describing the subject in great detail. Being a type of expository writing , it gives you great freedom to paint a picture with your words, shares a once in a lifetime event with the reader or makes them feel something. It is better to choose a descriptive essay topic that has lots of qualities to discuss for example a person might have a more interesting feature to describe than a paper towel. Choose a subject you connect with emotionally or have a personal history with. The best descriptions come from retelling an experience.
The Difference Between Descriptive and Narrative Essays
The main difference between descriptive and narrative essays lies in the structure and purpose of the essay. A descriptive essay is used to describe a subject to present a clear picture of it. As such, it only requires you to describe the item in a logic fashion. A narrative essay’s purpose is to tell a story. As such, it requires a plot and logical progression to an outcome. A person’s face can be the subject of a descriptive essay. But it would be hard to write a narrative piece that follows the person’s face as the central plot of a story.
Showing VS Telling

A descriptive essay values details over facts. This is also known as showing vs. telling. To show something is to describe using the five senses, how it looks, how it smells, how it tastes, how it feels and how it sounds. Imagine the reader as an alien, who has never experienced the subject for themselves. How would you describe it then?
To give you an understanding of how to differentiate between showing and telling I’ll write an example of a descriptive paper that describes my favorite place.

The above example tells you, as it doesn’t evoke any of your senses. It is a senseless description . It’s vague and hard to imagine.

This description is more detail and easier to imagine because of the following changes:
- The choice of words like ‘haven’ instead of ‘like’ add a showing element as it is showing in what way I like the library.
- Putting describers before items like ‘brightly colored’ books makes it easier to see.
- And choosing words with more like ‘towering’ instead of ‘tall’ makes the description less full.
- The description of the books shows what they do, not what they are. These are important points to consider when writing a descriptive essay.
A good exercise for descriptive writing and is to read descriptive essay examples and pick out the words that do the four points outlined above. Analyzing other’s descriptive writing will make your own descriptive work stronger. Can you pick out another place in the descriptive essay example above where those four changes occur and what it lends to the description?
Still having problems with your descriptive paper? All you need is to request help from our top-notch essay writing service and our essay writer make it for you !
How to Choose a Descriptive Essay Topic?
When deciding what to highlight about your topic, take a step back and look at what draws you to it. A campfire has bright, flickering colors, a satisfying crackling sound, and a sort of flow as it moves from the bottom to the tip of the flame. Place yourself in proximity to the subject and describe the parts that stimulate your senses the most.
Title Examples of Descriptive Essays
Here are some examples of descriptive essay topics that are fun to write:

Pick something you can see right now and think about how you’d describe that.
Related Posts: Argumentative essay topics | Compare&Contrast essay topics
How to Set Up a Proper Description?
Slow down and think about what you want to invoke. Don’t rush into a description or you’ll likely end up with something weaker than you could have. Take your topic aside and write some sentences describing how it charms each sense – the five senses being:
Keep a thesaurus on hand to switch some of the more basic words out. If you can read your paragraph back and vividly imagine the item you’ve described, you’ve done it.
How to write a Descriptive Essay Outline

Starting your descriptive essay without a plan can lead to a messy and sprawling description. Learning to outline your ideas is just as important as knowing how to write them.
Related Posts: How to write an Essay outline | How to write an Essay introduction
Creating an Introduction for a Descriptive Writing
Once you have chosen the subject to write you need to plan the introduction for your descriptive paper. An introduction needs to include a thesis statement and three features of the thing you are describing. The introduction should start with a thesis statement that states how you feel about your topic. This should then be supported with three qualities defining those feelings.

These thesis statements aren’t meant to be complex. All they’re meant to do is to set up your reader for your descriptions. It is important to include three reasons that you can expand on describe in great detail as they will form the paragraphs of your descriptive paper.
Planning and Writing the Body of a Descriptive Essay
Looking at your thesis statement, take those three reasons and break them down into their own paragraphs. Describe hanging out with your friends at the beach, talk about the food you’d eat, the activities you’d participate in. Detail what huskies do when they’re energetic, what shows that they get along with other dogs?
It helps to write about each way you can describe an item on a separate sheet of paper. Use that sheet as your descriptive essay outline. Take each item and write what sense you can use to describe the item in each paragraph.
For example, if you want to talk about eating a popsicle on the beach you could include how cold against your tongue for touch, that it smelt and tasted like raspberries, it was a bright red, and shaped like a rocket for sight, and the sound you made it as you bit on it, or the sound you made as it rocketed into your mouth. Expand this into a paragraph keeping the most vivid description.

Force your reader to imagine these objects in their head. Help them visualize it, pour your vision into the paper and focus on both the small and the big details. Just don’t go overboard. It’s important to have a few great descriptors rather than a ton of average ones.
When describing an object, go about it in a practical sense. Don’t just throw details on the page, talk about them in order. Describe a mountain from its peak to it’s middle all the way down to its base. You wouldn’t go from the middle to the base to the peak, would you? This way, you’re keeping your reader engaged with the topic.
Concluding a Descriptive Essay
Concluding descriptive writing is easy. All you have to show why the subject you described is important to you. All you have to do is show the reader what you implied. Show why it has meaning, and why they should care.
Descriptive Essay Example
Drafting your essay.

Where the organization comes to fruition. When writing your essay, keep the reader in your head at all times. Constantly as yourself: “Is this vivid enough?” Don’t focus much on grammar, get the content onto the paper.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Once you’ve finished writing your essay, read it back and make sure it responds positively to each of these questions:
- Are these descriptions making my writing visual? Could I make them more vivid?
- Have I used these descriptions to detail my emotions to the reader?
- Do these descriptions convey each of the five senses?
- Have I gone into enough details in each paragraph?
- Are my descriptions in an orderly fashion?
If you believe your essay fits these criteria, then you’re good to go on the content side.
Perfecting the Essay

Read it through a couple more times. Take some time away from it and then come back with a fresh mindset. Correct any grammar issues you see, and double check that it answers all of the questions mentioned above. Once that’s done, you’ll have an essay worthy of an A+ grade.
From Our Writers: Tips on How to Write a Good Descriptive Essay
- Be sensitive. Some writers are scared to show their true selves, but the point of a descriptive essay is to talk about how an object affects your senses and emotions. Keep this in mind during all stages of the essay.
- Put effort into unique descriptions. Don’t settle for standard words, spend some time searching out alternatives to common descriptive words. It will only help the reader envision your thoughts.
- Write about something that you care about. If you choose something you don’t have much personal experience with, you can’t truly write from the heart.

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Types of descriptive essay. What are the 2 types of descriptive language? – Find what come to your mind 2022-10-17
A descriptive essay is a type of essay that aims to describe something, whether it is a person, place, object, or experience. There are several different types of descriptive essays, each with its own unique purpose and focus.
One type of descriptive essay is the personal essay. This type of essay focuses on the personal experiences and observations of the writer. It allows the writer to describe their feelings, emotions, and perceptions about a particular subject in detail. Personal essays can be about any topic, as long as the writer is able to provide a personal perspective on the subject.
Another type of descriptive essay is the sensory essay. This type of essay focuses on the five senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell) to describe a subject. Sensory essays are meant to engage the reader's senses and help them experience the subject as if they were there. They are often used to describe food, nature, or other sensory experiences.
A third type of descriptive essay is the place essay. This type of essay focuses on describing a specific place, whether it is a physical location or a virtual space. Place essays can be about any location, including cities, neighborhoods, parks, or even specific buildings or rooms. They often focus on the unique features and characteristics of the place, as well as the writer's personal experiences and observations of the place.
Finally, a fourth type of descriptive essay is the object essay. This type of essay focuses on describing a specific object in detail. Object essays can be about any object, from a piece of clothing to a piece of furniture to a piece of technology. They often focus on the physical characteristics and features of the object, as well as the writer's personal experiences and observations of the object.
In conclusion, there are several different types of descriptive essays, each with its own unique focus and purpose. Whether you are writing about a personal experience, using your senses to describe a subject, describing a specific place, or focusing on a particular object, a descriptive essay is a great way to bring a subject to life for your readers.
125 Unique Descriptive Essay Topics for Students

Its white glow is soft enough to ignore if you choose it but bright enough to make even broken glass glisten and shimmer like a treasure all its own. Use it as a game to help your audience guess and understand the subject. Looking through a different lens this time, becuase of the email I received, I would say that a narrative descriptive essay has a lot in common with the short story and a discursive descriptive essay has more in common with the personal essay. If there are any major points to discuss, it is best to create another body paragraph. It would make sense to start the introduction with a description of the context of the subject on which the entire description would focus. Therefore, emergency preparedness is required by any health system to minimize the loss of life and maximize patient recovery by ensuring its functionality.
Types Of Essay

The company strives to do the same by creating an eco-friendly and creative climate. I burn for you like the sun as it sits fixedly in the bright sky. The writer should make use of vivid language to help the reader understand what the essay is all about. With this, you are not just gaining new information but also checking the correctness of your knowledge. Considering that your whole descriptive essay would revolve on this specific subject, choosing a topic that you recognize would keep everything simpler for you. Below we have provided some amazing examples to help you know the process. Typically, a However, a description is not necessarily structured.
13 Best Descriptive Essay Examples
AdventHealth is owned by the Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital System Community Report 2018, 2018. Your essay must be minimum 500 words. Such fictional characters have been the subject of several academic and non-academic character analyses. Blake Medical Center, 2019. Both for-profit and not-for-profit hospitals are considered private. Types of Descriptive Detail Sensory Detail.
Free Descriptive Essays Examples. Best Topics, Titles GradesFixer

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example Literary Analysis Essay A literary analysis essay is based on close reading and analysis of a work of literature like poetry and novel. Choose a Topic Choosing a good topic for your essay is important. The five human senses include hearing, touch, taste, sight, and smell. It all depends on the poet. This means not only referring to what something looks like but also exploring its sense of smell, sound, taste, touch, etc.
Major Types of Hospitals: Descriptive Essay

Gender expectation refers to a normative conception of appropriate attitudes and activities for a particular racialized and gendered group. It is expected that once a student graduates from high school, they will get an opportunity to expand their knowledge via the higher learning. It need not be a personal emotion; it can be an observed emotion. Private or public hospitals? However, the writer can also use it to reiterate the main point of the essay discussed in the introductory paragraph. Writing an So, there is no need to use strong persuasive language in an analytical essay.
Descriptive Essay: Definition, Topics, and Examples

Even if it's extremely hard to complete everything your professor gave you, you still have to learn how to write in different styles, meet all the requirements, including all the essentials you need to have in your text. Descriptive Writing A descriptive essay is an artistic writing form. Write about what you know and what you have experienced. Many poets have compared nature to a woman, or something relative to describe their beauty and nature. Conclusion Hospitals are categorized from public to privately owned.
Descriptive Essay Examples

In any case, here are our topics for descriptive essay for the struggling students. It basically describes an event and the purpose, motive or anything it could be. The following is the process of descriptive writing. In contrast, a descriptive essay contains at least five paragraphs and a clear, comprehensive structure. Gather the necessary information and ideas. . They paint a picture of the subject for the reader and engage their senses like sight, touch, smell, and taste.
Descriptive Essays Examples 100% Free

Provide yourself a clear plan of your descriptive essay writing. Purpose of a Descriptive Essay The purpose of writing a descriptive essay is to describe something such as a person, object, place, or situation. Moreover, also focus on the sensory words that correspond to sight, smell, taste, sound, and touch of the given subject. This also involves other members of the medical teams like the doctors, nurses and health care professionals. HCA Healthcare is owned by a private investor group.
Types of descriptive essay…

Considering the point of view of an employee, it reveals the benefits people might be looking for while taking the job. One should keep in mind that each and every point covered in the body paragraphs should help in creating a strong base for the thesis. If you ask a college student to name the easiest type of paper, he would probably recall a descriptive essay. You should be able to slide a couple of fingers between it and your waist, but no more. What are the names of belt buckle parts? Once the carabiner is connected to both the shoulder and waist strap of the seat belt, attach the carbiner through the top layer of webbing on the back strap on the harness. Its primary objective is to provide a detailed description of an object or other subject, devoid of academic complexities. Here you can find the definition of each essay type in detail along with examples to help you understand better.
What are the 2 types of descriptive language? – Find what come to your mind

Read More: Writing Poems: Here simple, rhyming words are used for aesthetic appeal. Therefore, in narrative essay writing one tells a story making his own plots, characters, and timing. Regarding time, subculture and individuals involved, marriage means distinctive things to people. Major Types of Essays In Academic Writing Essay writing is a part of academic activities that students have to deal with. What Is a Descriptive Essay? Descriptive Essay Topics Whether you are writing about a person or a place, your topic should have good supporting points that explain the topic. Assignments and descriptive essays are issues every student faces during studying period. This article will briefly describe each of these methods, their advantages, and their drawbacks.

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Tips for writing descriptively. Use figurative language. Figurative language consists of devices like metaphor and simile that use words in non-literal ways to create a memorable ... Use your senses. Choose the right words.
The descriptive essay is a genre of essay that asks the student to describe something—object, person, place, experience, emotion, situation, etc. This genre encourages the student’s ability to create a written account of a particular experience.
There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: ...
Descriptive Essay - A Complete Guide Types of Descriptive Essay. Descriptive essays can come in two types: formal and personal. The personal descriptive... Elements of a Descriptive Essay. A descriptive essay involves arousing the emotions of the readers and creating an... Descriptive Essay Topics. ...
Descriptive essay with narrative approach = descriptive in style, with a story to tell. Descriptive essay with discursive approach = descriptive in style, with an issue to discuss. What does this look like in practice? Here are a few descriptive essays taking a narrative approach (I wrote the first one; junior cycle students wrote the other two):
Descriptive. The simplest type of academic writing is descriptive. Its purpose is to provide facts or information. An example would be a summary of an article or a report of the results of an experiment. The kinds of instructions for a purely descriptive assignment include: 'identify', 'report', 'record', 'summarise' and 'define'. Analytical
10 types of essays 1. Narrative essays. Narrative essays tell a story and often are the most personal type of essay you may write. They... 2. Descriptive essays. Descriptive essays provide a detailed description of your subject. This may be a person, place,... 3. Expository essays. Expository essays ...
To decide which essay style best suits your needs as a writer, check out the list below: 1. Expository essay: An expository essay, also known as a definition essay, is the most basic type of essay. Expository essays aim only to explain an idea or define a concept, without making an argument.
There are three major forms of descriptive writing: Writing about a person Writing about an object Writing about a place When describing a person, you should add his physical features and details that appeal to the reader emotionally.
While there are many reasons why you might be putting pen to paper or tapping away on the keyboard, there are really only four main types of writing: expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative. Each of these four writing genres has a distinct aim, and they all require different types of writing skills. What are descriptive elements?
Other essays like argumentative essays, narrative essays, and expository essays fall into descriptive essays. Also, this essay helps the student enhance their ability to imagine the whole scene in mind by appealing senses. It is assigned to students of high school and all other students at different academic levels.
Descriptive essay revolves around a single point, i.e., a person, an event, or a location. While writing a descriptive essay, it is the reader’s duty to convey a detailed description of the topic. So, while choosing a topic, a …
Two Types of Description: Objective and Impressionistic Lincoln's Objective Self-Description Rebecca Harding Davis's Impressionistic Description of a Smoky Town Lillian Ross's Description of Ernest Hemingway Description of a Handbag Bill Bryson's Description of the Residents' Lounge in the Old England Hotel Stronger Than Death By …
Different Types of Essays In Academic Writing. Argumentative Essay. Similar to a persuasive essay, the argumentative essay aims to convince the reader about a particular point of view. Persuasive Essay. Analytical Essay. Reflective Essay. Rhetorical Analysis Essay.
While there are many reasons why you might be putting pen to paper or tapping away on the keyboard, there are really only four main types of writing: expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative. Each of these four writing genres has a distinct aim, and they all require different types of writing skills.
A descriptive essay is an essay focused on describing something. That “something” can be anything, such as an event, a place, an experience, an object, or even a person. Descriptive essays aren’t exactly the same as other kinds of essays , though you might find yourself using descriptive writing in other essay types to strengthen your ...
Descriptive essays can be used to explore the characteristics of a particular subject, or to convey a sense of place or atmosphere. In conclusion, there are several types of academic papers, each with its own unique characteristics and purposes. ... Two types of book chapters are commonly found: edited and refereed. Writing that uses literation ...
Figurative Language Descriptive writing often includes figurative language, or language that employs figures of speech. Figurative language departs from literal meaning to creatively make a point. This type of descriptive writing includes devices like metaphors, similes and personification.
A descriptive essay should have three parts: beginning (introduction), middle (body), and end (conclusion). The total number of paragraphs may vary. Introduction: Get the reader's attention...
A descriptive essay, on the other hand, is a form of writing in which writers have to describe something based on a particular format of essay writing. Furthermore, the former can be divided into two types- formal and personal.
The descriptive essay is written to get the reader to understand by using descriptive language. It is different from narrative essays, where the writer tells the story about someone else. Usually, it starts with a real-life event and then the content follows the author's imagination.
Descriptive essay is one of the hardest forms of writing. To master descriptive writing, you must be creative and craft a scene that all readers can picture with words alone. This freedom and creativity can make it one of the most rewarding and fun essays to write. It is the backbone of all artful writing like poetry, novels, and even ...
Sensory essays are meant to engage the reader's senses and help them experience the subject as if they were there. They are often used to describe food, nature, or other sensory experiences. A third type of descriptive essay is the place essay.