creative writing describe a place in your state

Descriptive Essay

Descriptive Essay About A Place

Writing a Descriptive Essay About A Place - Guide With Examples

Published on: Jan 25, 2023

Last updated on: Feb 28, 2023

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Are you writing an essay about a place and need to know where to start?

The beauty of the world lies in its diversity, and every place has something unique to offer. A descriptive essay can bring these places alive for readers. But the question is, how do you write one?

Don't worry! We've got the right answer for you!

With a few examples and some tips on crafting your own essay, you can write it easily.

So read on to find good samples and tips to follow!

What is a Descriptive Essay?

A descriptive essay is a type of writing that aims to describe and portray an object, person, or place. The essay typically includes sensory details to help the reader imagine its contents more vividly.

A descriptive essay about a place should provide enough details for the reader to build a mental image of it. To do this, you need to include vivid descriptions and relevant information that could paint a picture in their minds.

Let's read some examples to see what a good descriptive essay looks like.

Examples of Descriptive Essay About Any Place

Here are some examples of descriptive essays about a place

Example of a Descriptive Essay About a Place

Descriptive Essay About a Place You Visited

Descriptive Essay About a Place Called Home

Descriptive Essay About a Place You Loved as a Child

Descriptive Essay About a Place of Interest I Visited

Do you need more sample essays? Check out more descriptive essay examples to get inspired.

Tips for Writing an Excellent Descriptive Essay About A Place

Now that you've read some examples of descriptive essays about places, it's time to learn how to write one yourself. Here are some tips on writing a great essay:

Choose The Right Topic

The topic of your essay should be something that you have a strong connection to or feeling about. It could be a place you've visited recently or a place from your childhood. Moreover, make sure that it's something that you can write about in enough detail to make your essay interesting.

Check out our other blog to check out 100+ descriptive essay topics to get your creative juices flowing.

Gather Information

Gather as much information as possible about the topic of your essay. This will help you craft vivid descriptions and portray an accurate picture for your readers. Gather your observations, research online, and talk to people who have visited the place you're writing about.

Make sure to research the topic thoroughly so you can provide accurate and detailed descriptions. Read up as much as you can about the history of the place, and any interesting facts or stories about it.

Structure Your Essay

Outline your essay before beginning to write so all points flow logically from one to another throughout the entire piece.

Make sure to include a strong introduction and conclusion, as well as several body paragraphs that help support your main points.

Include Sensory Details

Use sensory language by including details such as sights, smells, tastes, sounds, etc. This helps to engage readers and transport them into the setting of your essay.

When writing a descriptive essay, make sure to include vivid descriptions that involve all five senses. This will help create a more engaging and immersive experience for your readers.

Use Vivid Language

Make sure to use strong and powerful words when describing the place you're writing about. Use metaphors and similes to bring your descriptions to life and make them more interesting for readers.

Proofread Your Essay

Proofreading is an important step in any writing process, especially when it comes to descriptive essays. Make sure to check for any typos or spelling errors that may have slipped through in your writing.

You also need to make sure that the flow of your essay is logical and coherent. Check if you've used a consistent point of view throughout, and make sure that all ideas are well-supported with evidence. You can also take help from a professional descriptive essay writer in proofreading.

Follow these tips and examples, and you'll be well on your way to writing a great descriptive essay.

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How to Write a Descriptive Essay about a Place

creative writing describe a place in your state

If you’re not sure what exactly a descriptive essay is and how to write one, you’ve come to the right place. I’m Tutor Phil, and in this tutorial I’ll explain how a descriptive essay works and how to write it, step by step.

We’ll write one together, so you’ll have a great example of a descriptive essay.

What Is a Descriptive Essay?

A descriptive essay is a piece of writing in which the author describes a place, a person, an object, an animal, or a process. The purpose of a descriptive essay is to move the reader to some kind of a revelation, conclusion, or decision about the subject.

It is very important to note that a descriptive essay is not an argumentative essay. You’re not presenting an argument and doing whatever it takes to support it.

In a descriptive essay, your intention should be to describe the subject in such a way that the reader would create her own impression of it.

At the same time, your essay is not neutral because it is colored by your own perception or experience of the subject.

In other words, you are implying and suggesting, not blatantly pushing an opinion.

You want to let the reader see, hear, touch, smell, and taste the place you’re describing. And that experience should lead the reader to an appropriate impression or conclusion.

Writing a Descriptive Essay Is a 6-Step Process

Step 1. choose the subject.

Maybe your instructor has already chosen the subject for you. If not, choose a country, city, or a place within a city or a geographical location that you are familiar with.

Ideally, it is a place that you have been to and have a good memory of it. A descriptive essay about a place should not rely solely on research, in most cases.

The real value of your essay is that you know that place, and perhaps it has a special meaning for you or evokes feelings that no other place can evoke.

So, unless you have to write about a specific place where you have never been, choose a location that has a special place in your heart.

Sometimes, your subject can be a place with which you may have negative associations. But most likely, it is a beloved place that has left an indelible impression on your heart and mind.

Criteria for choosing the place

Ideally, this place should be dear to your heart
It is unique. It is unlike any other place you’ve ever been to, in at least one or two important ways
It has left a strong impression on you
Perhaps you learned something there
Perhaps something wonderful happened to you there, such as meeting your soulmate or discovering something about yourself
Ideally, it has special visual qualities that stand out in contrast to what your audience is probably used to. In other words, being visually striking is a huge plus.

I’ll give you an example. For me, one particular little spa town in Europe won me over when I first visited it many years ago. Its name is Carlsbad, or Karlovy Vary. The terms are interchangeable. One is of German origin, and the other is native Czech.

It is located in the western part of Czech Republic, not too far from the German border. It is serene, spectacular, and magical, and I’ll choose it as the subject for our sample descriptive essay.

By the way, Carlsbad, California was named after Karlovy Vary because of the similar mineral content of the underground waters found in the American cousin city.

Step 2. Pick an audience

I understand that you’re probably writing this essay to fulfill a requirement for your class. In which case, your audience is your teacher or professor.

But even if you’re writing for your instructor, you should still have a particular audience in mind because this will help you form ideas and keep your thoughts flowing.

Knowing your audience will inform your choices of what to include and what to exclude in your descriptive essay because your reader may care about some aspects of this place but not others.

Criteria for choosing an audience

Your ideal reader is someone who is most likely to be interested in this place
It is someone who is likely to enjoy reading your essay
Your ideal audience is also someone who will benefit from reading about this place and derive the most value from it

Let’s come back to our example of Karlovy Vary. As I already mentioned, it is a spa town, which means that its attractiveness lies in its therapeutic qualities.

I first visited this gem of a town back in 2004 as a result of a real academic and professional burnout. I believe I was still an undergraduate student finishing up my studies, and I also had a stressful job.

I lived in Brooklyn, which is a borough of New York City, and this metropolis is known for its stressful lifestyle.

New York has all the disadvantages of living in a large city, such as pollution and other stressors that can really suck the life energy out of its dwellers if they are not careful.

I lived in New York for 25 years, and I love this city. I don’t want to come across as totally negative about it.

But focusing on the negatives about my city in this case will help you see how I am choosing the audience for this essay we’ll be writing together in this tutorial.

You see, New York City is a direct opposite of Karlovy Vary in several critical ways.

Establishing a contrast helps define an audience

New York is noisy. Drivers here are notorious for incessant horn honking. And you can hear an ambulance or a police siren probably every 15 minutes or so.

Conversely, Karlovy Vary is super quiet. Such a crazy hustle and bustle doesn’t exist here, and drivers don’t have a reason to honk the horn all the time. It is also very rare to hear a police or an ambulance siren.

Air quality in New York is decent for a big city, but it is still relatively polluted . All the millions of cars and trucks produce way too much carbon dioxide. You can actually see the smog from some vantage points.

The air in Karlovy Vary is virtually pristine. The town is surrounded by hills, and car traffic is not allowed in the city center.

The landscape in New York is a bit monotonous and often fails to inspire. They don’t call this city “a concrete jungle” for nothing. The overall atmosphere is hardly conducive to a great mood or daily inspiration.

Conversely, Karlovy Vary offers aesthetically pleasing, relaxing, and inspiring architecture and landscape. It’s like entering a spa, only the spa is a whole town.

Now that we have this contrast, it is easy to see who might be interested in learning more about Karlovy Vary. Our ideal audience is someone who:

Lives in a big metropolis, such as NYC or another big city
Can relate to being excessively stressed out
Is aware of noise and air pollution
Would love an escape to relax and renew, even if only by reading an essay.

So, our essay becomes a sort of a virtual or a fantasy escape until an actual trip becomes possible.

Your audience might have different challenges, needs, and desires. It could be someone who:

Is nostalgic about their childhood and a place associated with it
Dreams about a perfect place to live and work
Plans a retirement location

Think of these factors when determining your audience. In the meantime, because we’ve already identified our ideal reader – a stressed out urban dweller – we can move on to the next step.

Step 3. Divide the subject into subtopics

No matter what kind of an essay you’re writing, you want to divide the main topic into subtopics. In other words, you want to create some kind of a structure that will consist of parts.

I use and teach my students to use the technique I call the Power of Three.

What this means is that instead of having just one big topic, such as one town, we can have three aspects of this town to discuss.

Incidentally, we already talked about three major differences between NYC and Karlovy Vary. These are noise levels, air quality, and landscape. So, perhaps we can use one or more of these aspects of a city as sections of our essay.

We must keep in mind that we’re not writing a comparative essay , although that’s a possibility, too.

We’re writing a descriptive essay. So, we need to find three aspects of the town that we can discuss one after another to put together a rich and detailed enough picture of this place.

Note that these three aspects correspond to the senses of hearing, smell, and sight.

Let’s make a preliminary list of such aspects of Karlovy Vary:

Quietness. Does this aspect present an interesting description opportunity? This will depend on our ability to turn it into an asset.
Air quality. This may be too specific. We may want to zoom out a little and discuss more than one natural asset of this city. Some of the others include water quality and the industries associated with it.
Landscape. This is the most conspicuous aspect of this city. The first thing you’re struck with is how beautiful this place really is. This one is definitely a winner.

If we go about writing about these three aspects of Karlovy Vary creatively, we will have three nice sections or paragraphs that will form the body of our essay.

Note that we’ll probably use more than one sensory perception, such as sight or smell, in each section. We’ll simply use one of three senses as a primary focus in each of our three sections.

It would make sense to begin the discussion of the city by describing it visually. So, this will be our primary focus in the first section.

Then, we can proceed to the sense of hearing. Why? Because our last section will be about air and water. And we should probably leave those for last because we can hear the water before we can taste it. That’s just the way it works in Karlovy Vary.

So, the primary sense perception in our second section will be hearing. And this section won’t be just about how quiet it is.

In fact, the real contrast between a big city and Karlovy Vary is the quality of the soundscape, not just the simple quietness, although it’s a part of it. So, we’ll focus on all the little sounds that make this place unique.

Finally, in the third section or paragraph, we’ll talk about the air and the water, which will correspond to the senses of smell and taste, primarily.

Again, we’ll be using any sense perceptions we feel necessary to make the reader’s experience as real as possible.

And now we have our place, we know our audience, and we have our three main ideas about this place that we’ll use to structure the essay.

We can begin writing, and we’ll start with the opening paragraph.

Step 4. Write the introduction

An introductory paragraph in a descriptive essay offers you a lot of flexibility in how you choose to write it.

You can start off with a particular example of a sense perception, drop your reader in the middle of a town square, or begin with an abstract concept.

I would like to suggest an easy and practical way to do it. In the first sentence or two, pull your reader from the outside world into this particular magical place you’ve chosen to write about.

Then, focus on the place you want to describe and say something general about it that would set the context or provide a perspective.

And finally, set some kind of an expectation for what’s to follow. You can create a sense of mystery, if you like. Remember, this is not an argumentative essay. So, you have more room for creativity.

This is where we begin to put together our descriptive essay example. Let’s write our introductory paragraph.

Descriptive Essay Introduction

“When the city has worn you down, the body is tired, and the soul yearns for a respite, you can count on a little magic gem of a town that will nourish you back to life. The name of the place is Karlovy Vary, and it is nested in the heart of Europe, in Western Bohemia, a region in Czech Republic famous for its spa towns. Its beautiful architecture, therapeutic landscape, clean air, and mineral waters offer the weary a healing adventure and a feast for the senses.”

What have we done in this paragraph?

We’ve pulled the reader into the world of this small spa town. We first descended in their world of the stressful city, and then we turned their attention to its opposite. We named the town and explained where it is located.

And finally, we provided a glimpse of what to expect in this descriptive essay about this town. Now, we’re ready to write the body of the essay.

Step 5. Write the body of the essay

We know our three main sections, which in this case correspond to three sense perceptions. Each section can have more than one paragraph. It all depends on how long your essay has to be.

If you are writing an essay of about 500-600 words, then a five-paragraph structure will do the job. If you need to write 2000 words or more, then you’ll have three sections instead of just three paragraphs.

And then each section can also be divided into two or three subsections (using the Power of Three, if you like). And each subsection can be a paragraph or more.

Just remember – the more words you need, the more dividing into subtopics you must do. The key to writing more is dividing one idea into several supporting ideas. And then you simply treat each supporting idea as a tiny essay.

If you struggle with essay writing in general or need to brush it up, I recommend you read my tutorial on essay writing for beginners . This would be a great place to turn to next.

Now, let’s write out our body paragraphs. Since there’s quite a bit to cover, we’ll probably take two paragraphs per section to get the job done.

Descriptive essay body paragraphs

“When you stay in one of the pretty little hotels in Karlovy Vary, you are likely to be descending the hills towards the hot springs every morning. No matter which part of town you live in, you’ll be greeted with a magnificent sight of little hotels and spas whose architecture has a unifying 19th century style. At the same time, each building has its own character, color, and features. The town is situated on several hills, and the hotels are lined up along about four levels.

The first level is down by the river Tepla, and these hotels are only a few because most of the downtown is occupied with hot springs colonnades where people gather and drink hot mineral water. The next three levels ascend from the springs, and you can either take the stairs or even use a funicular that will take you to the highest level to the Hotel Imperial. As you exit your hotel in the morning, you are greeted with a sight of a collection of small, three to four story buildings that look like birthday cakes. They are pink, green, blue, red, turquoise, and any color you can imagine. You suddenly realize how this variety of colors and shapes strewn over the hillsides all facing you and the city center makes your head spin and makes you feel like you’ve never felt before. Your healing has begun with landscape therapy.

As you descend the stairs to reach the hot springs, you notice the abundance of oxygen in the air because it has a subtle but distinct smell, a bit like the way air smells right before a rain. Then, as you pass by another hotel, and you’ll pass more than one, a light whiff of toast and fried eggs with bacon hits you, stirring your appetite. It is customary to drink a cup of hot mineral water before you come back to your hotel for breakfast. It is called a drinking cure.

As you keep walking towards the geyser and the springs that surround it, you notice another astonishing detail. Nobody is in a rush. Nobody has anywhere to be except right here, right now. Travelers with cute little porcelain cups stroll along without a worry in the world, taking in the sights, the smells, and the sounds of the birds chirping and singing all around. Their serenity infects you. You slow down, too. You begin to look, smell, and listen. This town has got you.

Karlovy Vary is famous for its healing mineral waters that are known to alleviate gastrointestinal issues. These waters really do have magic powers. You have your little sipping cup with you, and when you reach one of the springs, you wait for your turn to fill it up, walk off, and begin sipping. The water has a very subtle smell, but its taste is pretty strong for water. It has very high mineral content and tastes salty. Most people like the taste. Some find it too strong. But one thing is for sure – by the time you’re about half way through with your cup’s content, your digestive juices have begun to stir.

The hot springs flow out through several fountains, each with its own intricately detailed colonnade. The mineral content of water bursting out of each fountain is identical. But the temperature of the water varies from really hot to mild and comfortable. Your “spa doctor” actually prescribes which fountains to use and how much to drink. Sipping the water out of a special porcelain cup with a built-in straw-like system is a special pleasure of its own. The point is not to rush but to take about 20 minutes to empty the cup. In the meantime, you have a chance to take in the magnificent serenity that surrounds and infuses you. When you’ve drunk your water, it is time to head back to your hotel and eat breakfast. You repeat this routine three times a day for the duration of your stay. By day three, you are serenity itself. By day fourteen, you are a brand new person.”

Step 6. Write the conclusion

A conclusion in a descriptive essay is, like the introduction, more flexible than a conclusion in an argumentative essay.

You can conclude your essay in any way you really want as long as you observe one rule. Just make sure you zoom out and write in more general terms.

It is not the time to add specific details and examples. This is the time to wrap things up and end on a general note.

Your conclusion can be very short – only a couple of sentences. But you can take your space and write as much or as little as you feel like. You can always go back and trim it down or beef it up.

Let’s write our conclusion.

Our Conclusion

“Upon reading this, you may feel that this town is described as some sort of a paradise. And in a way, it is, especially if you are traveling from a big city and carrying a load of accumulated stress. But it’s not until you see, touch, smell, hear, and taste it for yourself that this European jewel will become a part of your entire being forever.”

It’s okay to be a little emotional and perhaps to even exaggerate a little in the concluding paragraph. Just notice that this one is more general than any of the body paragraphs.

It also touches upon or mentions every sense perception evoked in the body of the essay.

Your Key Takeaways

A descriptive essay is much more flexible and has a lot fewer rules than an argumentative essay.
Use the five sense perceptions – sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing – to structure your essay.
You don’t have to organize your essay by sense perceptions. You can divide your place into sections and walk the reader through each one.
You can even structure your essay as a string of paragraphs that describe one particular walk or route, from beginning to end.
Our last body paragraph is a description of the process of drinking hot mineral water in Karlovy Vary. It is a perfect example of a description of a process, if you ever want to write that kind of an essay.
Don’t persuade but subtly suggest.
Show, don’t tell, whenever you can.

A Few Scenic Snapshots of Karlovy Vary’s Charm

I hope this was helpful. Now go ahead and write that descriptive essay about a place!

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

Describing a Place| Tips, Techniques, & Examples

Describing a place paragraphs.

When describing a place , you have to be able to use all of the five senses so that the readers feel as if they are there too. An easy way to do this is by using adjectives to describe what you see, hear, touch, taste and smell while you are in the environment . The human brain is a powerful instrument , one that we shouldn’t take for granted.

Descriptive Writing about a Place- Some Techniques to Describe a Place

If you want to describe a place, you will need to use some specific adjectives and verbs . To start, you might want to use general words like “beautiful,” “serene,” or ” majestic.” However, these words alone will not give your reader a clear picture of the place. You will need to be more specific. For example- If you are describing a mountain, you might say that it is “covered in snow” or that it has “a jagged peak.” If you are describing a forest, you might say that it is “dense with trees” or that it has “a thick canopy of leaves.” By using specific adjectives and verbs, you can give your reader a much clearer picture of the place you are trying to describe. So finally let’s sum up –

When describing a place, it is important to include as many sensory details as possible. Describe what you see, hear, smell, and feel.

Be sure to use vivid language to bring the reader into the scene. Here are some tips on how to describe a place: 1.Use all five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste means if you ate something at the place you are describing. 2.Be as specific as possible with your adjectives. Instead of saying “nice,” try “splendid,” “gorgeous,” or “wonderful.” 3.Create a mental image for the reader by including as many sensory details as possible. What does the place look like? What does it sound like? What does it smell like? What does it feel like? 4.Use active verbs and strong adjectives to create an engaging description. 5.Vary your sentence structure to keep the reader engaged. Use simple sentences, complex sentences, and short paragraphs. 6.Paint a picture with your words and help the reader feel like they are there in the moment with you.

There are many different ways to describe a place. Some people might describe the physical features of the place, while others might focus on the emotions that they feel when they are there.

Here are a few examples of how you could describe a place:

Example of Describing a Happy Place like Beach- The sound of the waves crashing against the shore, the smell of salt in the air, and the feel of sand between my toes; these are some of the things that come to mind when we think of a happy place like beach. Example of Describing a Happy Place like Home- To me, home is a place where I can be myself and relax. It’s a place where I am surrounded by people who love and support me. It’s a place where I feel safe and secure. Example of Describing a Happy Place like Park- The park is my favorite place to go to clear my head. It’s a peaceful oasis in the middle of the city, where I can forget about my troubles and just enjoy nature. Here are some examples of adjectives and phrases that could be used to describe different places: Example of Describing a Comfortable Cottage by the Sea Side A small, cozy cottage by the sea: The cottage was small and cozy, with whitewashed walls and a thatched roof. It sat right on the water’s edge, with a small dock where you could tie up a boat. The waves lapped at the shore, and seagulls cried overhead. Example of Describing a Bustling Busy City Street: The street was busy and noisy, with cars honking and people shouting. The sidewalks were crowded with people rushing to get where they were going. The air was thick with smog and the smell of garbage. Example of Describing a Peaceful Forest: The forest was quiet and peaceful, with tall trees shading the path. Birds sang in the branches, and squirrels chattered in the leaves. A cool breeze drifted through the woods, making the leaves rustle softly. Example of Describing an Uncomfortable Place like a Small Room: The room was small and cramped, with bare walls and a single window. It smelled musty, as if it hadn’t been aired out in months. The only sound was the drip of water from a leaky faucet. The air was heavy and oppressive. The floor was cold and damp. Example of Describing a Nice Place like Garden: The garden was a riot of color and scent. Flowers of every hue filled the air with their fragrance. Birds sang in the trees, and insects buzzed among the flowers. The grass was soft and cool beneath my feet. Following are a few links for the examples of describing a place. Click the links below and learn-

1.Describing Place: An Angry Mob

2.describing place: a railway station, 3.describing place: my school, 4. describing place: a visit to a historical place, 5. describing place: hill station, 6. describing place: indian village, people also ask:.

1. How do you describe a beautiful place? Ans : When giving a description of a place, the use of all five senses will help make it come alive. Consider what you see, the sounds that surround you, what you smell and taste, and how it feels to be in this place. Using as many adjectives will create an immersive experience for your readers.

2.What words best describe a place? Ans : The best words to describe a place would be the adjectives that can be used to describe it. These would include words like beautiful, stunning, majestic, and so on.

3. How do you describe a place in a short story? Ans : You can use all five senses to describe a place in a short story. For example, you can describe the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and textures of a place. You can also use similes and metaphors to describe a place.

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Knowledge Base
How to write a descriptive essay | Example & tips

How to Write a Descriptive Essay | Example & Tips

Published on July 30, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 14, 2023.

A descriptive essay gives a vivid, detailed description of something—generally a place or object, but possibly something more abstract like an emotion. This type of essay , like the narrative essay , is more creative than most academic writing .

Descriptive essay topics, tips for writing descriptively, descriptive essay example, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about descriptive essays.

When you are assigned a descriptive essay, you’ll normally be given a specific prompt or choice of prompts. They will often ask you to describe something from your own experience.

Describe a place you love to spend time in.
Describe an object that has sentimental value for you.

You might also be asked to describe something outside your own experience, in which case you’ll have to use your imagination.

Describe the experience of a soldier in the trenches of World War I.
Describe what it might be like to live on another planet.

Sometimes you’ll be asked to describe something more abstract, like an emotion.

If you’re not given a specific prompt, try to think of something you feel confident describing in detail. Think of objects and places you know well, that provoke specific feelings or sensations, and that you can describe in an interesting way.

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The key to writing an effective descriptive essay is to find ways of bringing your subject to life for the reader. You’re not limited to providing a literal description as you would be in more formal essay types.

Make use of figurative language, sensory details, and strong word choices to create a memorable description.

Use figurative language

Figurative language consists of devices like metaphor and simile that use words in non-literal ways to create a memorable effect. This is essential in a descriptive essay; it’s what gives your writing its creative edge and makes your description unique.

Take the following description of a park.

This tells us something about the place, but it’s a bit too literal and not likely to be memorable.

If we want to make the description more likely to stick in the reader’s mind, we can use some figurative language.

Here we have used a simile to compare the park to a face and the trees to facial hair. This is memorable because it’s not what the reader expects; it makes them look at the park from a different angle.

You don’t have to fill every sentence with figurative language, but using these devices in an original way at various points throughout your essay will keep the reader engaged and convey your unique perspective on your subject.

Use your senses

Another key aspect of descriptive writing is the use of sensory details. This means referring not only to what something looks like, but also to smell, sound, touch, and taste.

Obviously not all senses will apply to every subject, but it’s always a good idea to explore what’s interesting about your subject beyond just what it looks like.

Even when your subject is more abstract, you might find a way to incorporate the senses more metaphorically, as in this descriptive essay about fear.

Choose the right words

Writing descriptively involves choosing your words carefully. The use of effective adjectives is important, but so is your choice of adverbs , verbs , and even nouns.

It’s easy to end up using clichéd phrases—“cold as ice,” “free as a bird”—but try to reflect further and make more precise, original word choices. Clichés provide conventional ways of describing things, but they don’t tell the reader anything about your unique perspective on what you’re describing.

Try looking over your sentences to find places where a different word would convey your impression more precisely or vividly. Using a thesaurus can help you find alternative word choices.

My cat runs across the garden quickly and jumps onto the fence to watch it from above.
My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from above.

However, exercise care in your choices; don’t just look for the most impressive-looking synonym you can find for every word. Overuse of a thesaurus can result in ridiculous sentences like this one:

My feline perambulates the allotment proficiently and capers atop the palisade to regard it from aloft.

An example of a short descriptive essay, written in response to the prompt “Describe a place you love to spend time in,” is shown below.

Hover over different parts of the text to see how a descriptive essay works.

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.

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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.

If you’re not given a specific prompt for your descriptive essay , think about places and objects you know well, that you can think of interesting ways to describe, or that have strong personal significance for you.

The best kind of object for a descriptive essay is one specific enough that you can describe its particular features in detail—don’t choose something too vague or general.

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Caulfield, J. (2023, August 14). How to Write a Descriptive Essay | Example & Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved September 26, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/descriptive-essay/

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How to describe to immerse readers (complete guide)

Descriptive writing brings stories and characters to life. Read tips on how to describe places and characters, descriptive writing examples from a selection of genres, and more.

Post author By Jordan
23 Comments on How to describe to immerse readers (complete guide)

Knowing how to describe well is sure to immerse readers in your world. Read a complete guide on describing places and characters, different types of description, descriptive writing examples from popular genres, and more. Use the links above to jump to what you want to learn more about now.

What is description? Definitions and terms

Description is writing that tells your reader what a person, object or place is (or isn’t) like. As Oxford Learner Dictionaries define it: ‘a piece of writing or speech that says what somebody/something is like; the act of writing or saying in words what somebody/something is like’.

Description:

Creates tone and mood (for example, whether a scene is bright, dark, cheerful, ominous)
Shows, infers or implies personality and emotion (for example, a character speaking very fast may imply fear or excitement)
Colors in the story so that scenes that could feel grey or beige become imbued with specificity and the potential for drama, events
Draws your reader’s attention to significant or important objects and events: For example, a treasure being lost overboard in a sailing expedition may set up a storyline in another timeline where explorers dive for sunken treasure

These are just some of the important uses for description in storytelling.

Descriptive writing: useful terms

Useful terms in descriptive writing include:

Mood: Describes that which is evocative of a specific state of mind or feeling
Tone: The general attitude or character of a piece of writing (e.g. ‘The tone of the opening description is cheerful, matching the sense of excitement of guests about to arrive at a party’)
Tableau (plural tableaux): A picture, as of a scene. For example: ‘In the first scene, we see the tableau of a family dinner at Thanksgiving, where the main characters are all seated together’
Mise en scène: A French term meaning ‘the action of putting onto the stage’. It’s the arrangement of actors and scenery in a scene. Cambridge gives the example , ‘The general mise en scène – solitary figure, moving down gloomy Victorian streets at twilight – brings to mind Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde .’
Figurative language: Figurative language such as metaphor and simile (more on this under descriptive writing devices ) is often used to compare, contrast, and breathe fresh life into familiar ideas and images (e.g. ‘He blushed as red as a bottlebrush tree in spring’)

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One of the things that I tell beginning writers is this: If you describe a landscape, or a cityscape, or a seascape, always be sure to put a human figure somewhere in the scene. Why? Because readers are human beings, mostly interested in human beings. Kurt Vonnegut

Why is description in writing important?

In all kinds of writing, but in fiction especially, description draws readers in and creates immersive character, specificity. The opposite of bland, beige writing.

Description is important in writing because it:

Establishes setting to create context. If you describe an old cobbled street, your reader knows they’re not in Dubai’s modern CBD.
Helps to create tone and mood. The emotional state of a narrator or the emotion of a scene is deepened by evocative description.
Draws attention to important symbols or themes. For example, in the opening description in Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, the main character dwells on heavy-drinking workers which calls to mind the post-war setting and echoes the story’s core themes of society, class and trauma.
Makes writing more engaging. Instead of reading being like watching paint dry, description pigments your world.
Implies and infers. A shrug, a sigh – small gestures and signs may create exact or ambiguous implications, so that description adds narrative suspense to a scenario and creates intrigue.
Supports plot and story development. For example, a gun concealed in a glove compartment at the start of a story warns us it may fire.
Distinguishes and differentiates . One character may wear their hair down mostly, another up. The small details that differentiate people and things create realism.
Evokes emotions or elicits empathy. For example, a kid sitting alone at the back of a school bus may suggest loneliness or exclusion. A tableau has great power to elicit empathy or other emotions, as visual artists understand.

Why is description in writing important infographic

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Types of description: Ways to bring worlds to life

There are many types of description you could use to make your story a tapestry of vivid detail:

Physical description

Clear, precise physical description gives your reader a more detailed sense of your world. Succinct description doesn’t necessarily sacrifice pace, either. It may include elements of physicality such as:

For describing characters, you might describe a person’s:

Facial features
Body language

See description examples for descriptions that represent several of the above qualities.

Emotional description

Emotional description suggests a character’s emotional state or mood. Voice and action contribute emotion too (and types of physical description such as posture or body language).

Ways you could show a character’s emotions include:

Adverbs: These should be used sparingly, though. For example, ‘”Of course,” he said happily.’
Actions: A useful substitute for adverbs. Compare the above to: ‘”Of course.” His smile reached all the way to his eyes.’
Deep POV: The way a character describes their surrounds may be indicative of how they’re feeling. For example, ‘I sat down on my stupid bed and opened my homework book.’ This character is clearly not enthused by homework.

Filtering passing description through your character’s viewpoint and state of mind is a great way to indirectly describe their emotion.

As an exercise, take the same scenario and setting, write down four or five different emotions, and have your character describe the same scene so that it is colored by each of those emotions in turn.

Historical description

Historical description is narrative that shows what time and place are like. For example, the way Dickens’ description of Coketown in Hard Times (1854) conveys what a rapidly industrializing town is like, with its miasma of smog:

Seen from a distance in such weather, Coketown lay shrouded in a haze of its own, which appeared impervious to the sun’s rays. You only knew the town was there, because you knew there could have been no such sulky blotch upon the prospect without a town. A blur of soot and smoke, now confusedly tending this way, now that way, now aspiring to the vault of Heaven, now murkily creeping along the earth, as the wind rose and fell, or changed its quarter: a dense formless jumble, with sheets of cross light in it, that showed nothing but masses of darkness. Charles Dickens, Hard Times (1854), full text public domain on Project Gutenberg .

This type of description is especially common in historical fiction which seeks to create an authentic sense of a period or era and its notable features, changes and developments.

Impressionistic description

This type of description is not as concerned with accurate (or rather literal) representation as it is with capturing the essence of the described thing.

Think of this as the way Cubism may represent a person in a portrait as having both eyes on one side of their face.

If you wrote, for example, ‘she was all hard edges and acute angles’ to describe a severe, unforgiving character, you might not literally mean that they’re like a line-drawing. Yet the metaphor in this geometrical description creates the impression of sharpness, hardness, stern qualities of character.

Another example: In this quote from The Great Gatsby (1925) where the character Nick Carraway gives a romanticized view of New York City, he says that to see the city from a specific vantage point is always to see it for the first time:

The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and beauty in the world. F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1925. p. 67.

The narrator does not mean this literally, of course. It is an impressionistic description of what this specific vista feels like, emotionally.

Impressionistic description relies on devices such as metaphor, metonymy, simile, personification and hyperbole (more on these under descriptive writing devices ).

Describing characters: Not shoe size (but where he’s off to)

In her poem ‘Writing a Résumé’, the Nobel Laureate Wisława Szymborska pokes fun at the characterless language one has to use sometimes in, for example, writing a CV or bio or other document for bureaucratic purposes. She gives dry instructions about what to do (implying the wealth of humanity that we have to skip over in doing this exercise).

It’s a great example of what not to do in writing more rounded, complex – i.e. fully human – characters:

Write as if you’d never talked to yourself and always kept yourself at arm’s length. Pass over in silence your dogs, cats, birds, dusty keepsakes, friends, and dreams. Price, not worth, and title, not what’s inside. His shoe size, not where he’s off to, that one you pass yourself off as. Wisława Szymborska, ‘Writing a Résumé’, Poems, New and Collected (1957-1997)

Describing characters well brings them to life. It’s the opposite of a dry, everywoman CV.

What are some ways you can describe characters better?

Make first introductions count. A vivid first line, gesture, outfit, attitude – what will cement your character in your reader’s mind?
Favor concrete over haziness or abstraction. Not, ‘She was kinda tall’ or ‘sometimes, she was mean’. How tall? Under what circumstances was the character typically mean?
Show more than just appearances. For example, ‘his eyes were blue’. Many people have blue eyes (though the gene is recessive). How blue? and what do the man’s blue eyes suggest about his character (are they kind, alert, critical?).
Use viewpoint and voice to imply mood and emotion. Part of why Salinger’s teen narrator’s voice is so memorable in Catcher in the Rye is his narration is filtered through how jaded and deeply frustrated he feels.
Build character description over your story’s course. Does a character’s limp get worse or better, a country woman who moves to the big city lose (or keep) the rural sound of her accent? How might description change subtly (or dramatically) to echo the life your character’s lived?

See the recommended reading below (and the description examples further on) for more on how to describe characters with vivid acuity.

Character writing: Complete guide to creating your cast
How to describe a person vividly: 8 ways
How to describe hands: 6 ways to make characters real
Describing characters’ first appearances: 6 tips

For me, writing for kids is harder because they’re a more discriminating audience. While adults might stay with you, if you lose your pacing or if you have pages of extraneous description, a kid’s not going to do that. They will drop the book. Rick Riordan

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Describing settings: Making place a character

Illustrating your story’s settings is vital to make your world feel real and lived in (rather than like so much empty green screen). Setting description is a crucial part of worldbuilding.

Types of description that tell places’ stories

There are so many details, like with characters, that define what a place is like. You can describe a place via its:

Physical qualities. See for example that description dense with smog by Dickens in the example above.
Environment and Geography. Terrain, biomes – in historical, fantasy and science fiction in particular, geography is often important because it may determine how long travel takes, where character’s can or cannot go, the rules of engagement in war or trade, or other plot factors.
Architecture. Architectural description may create a sense of scale, wealth, age of a city or society, what raw materials are available, and more. See Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities for inventive descriptions of imaginary cities, as recounted by a fictionalized Marco Polo.
Historical events. If you narrate a paragraph describing the history of a city, for example, that place immediately gains further historical character.
Social makeup. What proportion of inhabitants are wealth, and what proportion are underprivileged? Class, culture, religion and other elements of society help us understand a place’s diversity (and often also the lines of difference that explain historical or present tensions).
Political elements. The political system in a place may have far-reaching effects from public life (e.g. whether there is a curfew or not) and infrastructure to the happiness of its people. Under a corrupt dictator, roads and public services may deteriorate faster, for example, as autocrats redirect public funds to a private purse.

How can you describe place in your story so that it has vivid character?

Ways to describe place in fiction

To create a more immersive sense of place:

Brainstorm key place details. What you describe will be determined to an extent by the plot and character arcs of your story. For example, if your story is about a sheltered country dweller who travels to the big city, you might brainstorm what would be awe-inspiring (or terrifying) about a big city upon arrival.
Create vision boards of similar settings. Use Pinterest ( follow Now Novel while you’re there) or another image sharing platform to curate a library of images connected to your story locations. This is a great way to gather visual inspiration for scenes and ideas for objects or moods and atmospheres.
Use precise adjectives. This applies to character description, too. Find the concrete word that compresses the most meaning (instead of ‘very small’, you might say ‘tiny’ or ‘minute’, for example).
Think about who, what, why, where and when. Who (or what) would you be likely to find in this place? What is great or awful about it? What is its atmosphere, tone and mood? Why does this place exist? What does it tell us about your world, its where and when (period, era)?

Read more about how to create vivid story locations, places, worlds:

Story setting and worldbuilding: Complete guide
How to describe setting: 6 ways to bring setting to life
Novel settings: 7 tips to get setting description right
Setting the scene: 6 ways to introduce place in stories
Vivid story setting description: Examples and insights

The fantasy that appeals most to people is the kind that’s rooted thoroughly in somebody looking around a corner and thinking, ‘What if I wandered into this writer’s people here?’ If you’ve done your job and made your people and your settings well enough, that adds an extra dimension that you can’t buy. Tamora Pierce

Descriptive writing devices

Descriptive writing devices such as figurative language bring in the freshness of unexpected comparisons and get playful with language. Learn more about descriptive writing devices that add depth, humor, surprise and other good things to descriptions:

Metaphor and simile: Comparing unlike things to describe

Metaphor and simile compare unlike things to create striking imagery.

The key difference between the two is that metaphor removes the comparison words, simile keeps them in.

Metaphor examples:

‘His stork legs poked out of baggy yellow swim shorts.’
‘The moon was a silver platter, more beautiful for its antique, tarnished patches.’

Compare to simile which makes the act of comparison more obvious:

Simile examples:

‘The spacecraft was as dark as a moonless desert, save for the blinking lights of the control console.’
‘She got up from the table without a word, as difficult to read as a seasoned croupier.’

Metonymy: Making part stand for the whole

Metonymy is a figurative device where the part of something stands for the whole (the way we say ‘The Crown’ to refer to a queen, for example).

Examples of metonymy:

“Mouth over here won’t shut up,” my sister said, casting a dark look my way.’
“I will call this House to order, and you will be orderly,” the Speaker said, glaring at the back benches.’

Hyperbole: Exaggerating for effect

Another figurative language device, hyperbole is often used for either dramatic or comical (for example, mock-heroic or arch) effect.

Hyperbole example:

“This sandwich is a masterpiece and belongs in the Louvre,” my brother said, mock-retching at the days-old sub I found under the car seat.’

Personification: Bringing the non-human to life

Personification is another common descriptive device in figurative language. Here, human-like characteristics are attributed to objects or non-humans.

Personification example:

‘The old oak stood sentinel over the entrance to the town, cautioning horseback arrivals in its gnarled, ancient presence that this was an old place where people took their time and took even longer to warm to strangers.’

There are many other rhetorical and figurative devices you can use to play with description.

For example, ‘zeugma’, which combines unrelated images in one sentence (e.g. ‘That day changed it all, the day she opened her door and her heart to an imploring kid who rocked up shoeless and afraid and wouldn’t say a word.’) The verb ‘opened’ applies to two different nouns, one use of the verb literal, one figurative.

Read more about writing descriptive sentences and using figurative language devices:

Writing descriptive sentences: 6 simple rules
Adjectives for description: 60 precise words
Artificial intelligence for writing: 10 helpful AI uses

I’m a failed poet. Reading poetry helps me to see the world differently, and I try to infuse my prose with figurative language, which goes against the trend in fiction. Jesmyn Ward

Description pitfalls: What to avoid in descriptive writing

Description has its pitfalls. As Rick Riordan says in the quote above, lots of spurious description may lose a reader. Read ideas of what to avoid in description:

Overused, on the nose or dead language

‘Tall, dark and handsome’ – that’s an example of the kind of phrase you might find in a Barbara Cartland or old Mills & Boon title that might make modern readers groan. Sites such as TV Tropes can help you keep track of what is overdone and troped to death.

Tautology (redundant words or phrases)

Tautology is saying the same thing twice in different words. A ‘pleonasm’ is using more words than necessary to convey one meaning. For example, ‘The shower’s wet water was a relief after the day’s grueling work.’ The reader knows water is wet, so the adjective isn’t needed in that sentence.

Lack of sensory details

Effective descriptive writing involves the senses: Sight, touch, sound, smell, even taste. This isn’t to say that every sentence has to draw on all of the senses, but if the reader never hears or feels the touch of anything, the story’s world could read more drab and nondescript.

Telling far more than showing

Although ‘Show, don’t tell’ is a common adage, stories need both.

‘Telling’ is useful for what Ursula K. Le Guin calls ‘leaping’ in narrative. For example, skipping over an uneventful sequence of time. ‘They rode hard for three days and eventually reached the city.’

It’s showing though, ‘crowding’ a scene with the detail of the senses, of what viewpoint characters experience, that really puts your reader in the film-like quality of a scene in 4K definition.

Stereotyping or generalizing

Saying ‘all the women in the bar had dolled up for the night’ might draw readers’ ire, an example of a generalization that is also stereotyping. The idea that all women, men, non-binary people, or other categories behave a similar way (or hold similar interests or behaviors). Think about how descriptions can speak to the variety that is inherent to a space.

There are cases, of course, where certain places are very homogenous in culture, inhabitant or type. A fancy club on a beachfront might attract a very specific type of patron. Yet if context does not help to explain a generalization, it’s best to avoid it.

Watch a concise video with further tips to write stronger description:

How to describe: Writing clear places and characters

What are some of your descriptive writing pet peeves? Let us know in the comments.

Read more about descriptive issues and how to avoid them:

What is cliché? Cliché examples (and how to avoid)
Choosing description words: 10 questions to ask
‘Show, don’t tell’: Examples from books balancing both

Description examples: Descriptive writing across genres

Here we gather effective description examples across a range of genres: Fantasy, romance, historical, science fiction, mystery, thriller and more. Share one of your favorite descriptions and the author and book title it’s from in the comments and help us grow this resource for description examples.

Introductory descriptions for scene-setting

Description at the beginning of a story can set the scene in a wide variety of ways. See below how it can establish tone and mood (the levity of Pratchett’s style, for example), or the inside/outside of a detective’s world where peace or violence are always just over the hedge.

See in the example from Julia Quinn how description of an activity typical of an era (Regency women doing needlework) can create a sense of time and place. Or reference to interplanetary spectacle or a woman tailing a man create intrigue in a sci-fi and thriller novel respectively.

Fantasy/humor description example

Local people called it the Bear Mountain. This was because it was a bare mountain, not because it had a lot of bears on it. This caused a certain amount of profitable confusion, though; people often strode into the nearest village with heavy duty crossbows, traps and nets and called haughtily for native guides to lead them to the bears. Since everyone locally was making quite a good living out of this, what with the sale of guide books, maps of bear caves, ornamental cuckoo-clocks with bears on them, bear walking-sticks and cakes baked in the shape of a bear, somehow no one had time to go and correct the spelling. Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad (1991), pp. 16-17.

Mystery description example

“Hell is empty, Armand,” said Stephen Horowitz. “You’ve mentioned that. And all the devils are here?” asked Armand Gamache. “Well, maybe not here, here” – Stephen spread his expressive hands-“exactly.” “Here, here” was the garden of the Musée Rodin, in Paris, where Armand and his godfather were enjoying a quiet few minutes. Outside the walls they could hear the traffic, the hustle and the tussle of the great city. But here, here there was peace. The deep peace that comes not just with quiet, but with familiarity. Louise Penny, All the Devils are Here , 2021 (p. 3)

(Regency) romance description example

“Look at this!” Portia Featherington squealed. “Colin Bridgerton is back!” Penelope looked up from her needlework. Her mother was clutching the latest edition of Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers the way Penelope might clutch, say, a rope while hanging off a building. “I know,” she murmured. Julia Quinn, Romancing Mr Bridgerton (2002), p. 3.

Science fiction description example

At 09:46 GMT on the morning of 11 September, in the exceptionally beautiful summer of the year 2077, most of the inhabitants of Europe saw a dazzling fireball appear in the eastern sky. Within seconds it was brighter than the sun, and as it moved across the heavens – at first in utter silence – it left behind a churning column of dust and smoke. Arthur C. Clarke, Rendezvous with Rama (1973), p. 4.

Spy thriller description example

The quality of the light was the first thing that struck her when she went to Madrid in the spring of 1960. The afternoon shadows were the deepest and darkest she had ever seen. Like all old men, the doctor was a creature of habit. He always shopped for groceries on Saturday afternoons. She tailed him to a place near Atocha station that sold international food. He bought black bread, beer and slices of cured sausage that resembled Westphalian salami. Patrick Worrall, The Partisan (2022), p. 7.

Character description examples

Read examples of character description across a range of genres. See how voice can describe a character’s age and outlook in Rick Riordan’s example, or how an ensemble description can evoke the character of an era in Doctorow’s Ragtime .

Read how Colleen Hoover creates the portrait of a person through their name and the hyper-specific conditions of their being fired from a restaurant. Or Alice Munro’s portrait of a music teacher who throws recitals she doesn’t call recitals (and an invitee’s attempts to get out of attending them).

YA/fantasy character description example

My name is Percy Jackson. I’m twelve years old. Until a few months ago, I was a boarding student at Yancy Academy, a private school for troubled kids in upstate New York. Am I a troubled kid? Yeah. You could say that. I could start at any point in my short miserable life to prove it, but things really started going bad last may, when our sixth-grade class took a field trip to Manhattan – twenty-eight mental-case kids and two teachers on a yellow school bus, heading to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to look at ancient Greek and Roman stuff. Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (2005), p. 8.

Literary/historical fiction character description example

There seemed to be no entertainment that did not involve great swarms of people. Trains and steamers and trolleys moved them from one place to another. That was the style, that was the way people lived. Women were stouter then. They visited the fleet carrying white parasols. Everyone wore white in summer. Tennis racquets were hefty and the racquet faces elliptical. There was a lot of sexual fainting. E.L. Doctorow, Ragtime (1974), p. 3.

New adult character description example

“There was that guy who did the dishes before you hired Brad. What was his name? He was named after some kind of mineral or something – it was super weird.” “Quartz,” I say. “It was a nickname.” I haven’t thought about that guy in so long. I doubt he’s holding a grudge against me after all this time. I fired him right after we opened because I found out he wasn’t washing the dishes unless he could actually see food on them. Glasses, plates, silverware – anything that came back to the kitchen from a table looking fairly clean, he’d just put it straight on the drying rack. Colleen Hoover, It Starts with Us (2022), p. 3.

Literary character description example

Miss Marsalles is having another party. (Out of musical integrity, or her heart’s bold yearning for festivity, she never calls it a recital.) My mother is not an inventive or convincing liar, and the excuses which occur to her are obviously second-rate. The painters are coming. Friends from Ottawa. Poor Carrie is having her tonsils out. In the end all she can say is: Oh, but won’t all that be too much trouble, now ? Alice Munro, ‘Dance of the Happy Shades’ in Selected Stories (1996), p. 16

Science fiction character description example

Lenar Hoyt was a young man by the Consul’s reckoning – no more than his early thirties – but it appeared that something had ages the man terribly in the not too distant past. The Consul looked at the thin face, cheekbones pressing against sallow flesh, eyes large but hooded in deep hollows, thin lips set in a permanent twice of muscle too downturned to be called even a cynical smile, the hairline not so much receding as ravaged by radiation, and he felt he was looking at a man who had been ill for years. Still, the Consul was surprised that behind that mask of concealed pain there remained the physical echo of the boy in the man […] Dan Simmons, Hyperion (1989), p. 11.

Read more character description examples:

Character description examples: Creating people not caricatures

Get feedback on your descriptive writing in Now Novel groups from a constructive community. Start now to brainstorm characters and settings in the Now Novel dashboard, a step-by-step tool to outline your story.

Story planning and outlining: Complete guide
Story plotting and structure: Complete guide
Tags describing characters , how to describe , setting

Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town.

23 replies on “How to describe to immerse readers (complete guide)”

“Lieutenant Koudelka returned to curtailed light duties the following month, apparently quite cheerful and unaffected by his ordeal. But in his own way he was as uninformative as Bothari. Questioning Bothari had been like questioning a wall. Questioning Koudelka was like talking to a stream; one got back babble, or little eddies of jokes, or anecdotes that pulled the current of the discussion inexorably away from the original subject.”

— Barrayar (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold

A few extra descriptive tidbits here making me think. Always good to have a reminder of the senses. Thanks!

Love the extension of the usual ‘like talking to a wall’ simile in this Bujold quote, Margriet, thank you for sharing it. It’s a pleasure, thanks for reading and for sharing your reading 🙂

thanks for posting. I will bookmark this site!

Hi Paul, it’s a pleasure, thanks for reading.

I’m ready to get started please help me I feel my story will inspire individual their lives

Hi Karen, that is great that you want to inspire others. Have you created an outline or do you prefer to draft freely and do organizing/structuring as you go? Either way, feel free to create a member account so that you can access our critique community and get feedback in chat and our critique forum. If you are writing memoir, you may find this article on life-writing helpful. Good luck!

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Teach homeschool teens to describe a place with vivid vocabulary

by Kim Kautzer | Dec 7, 2021 | Teaching Homeschool Writing

“Descriptive writing is an art form. It’s painting a word picture so that the reader ‘sees’ exactly what you are describing.” ~Brenda Covert

What’s the big deal about writing descriptively? For one thing, it’s much more than page-filling fluff. Descriptive writing imprints images into the reader’s mind , making you feel as though you’re “right there.” It ‘ s all about engaging the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch to transport the reader and stir emotion.

By choosing vivid details and colorful words , good writers bring objects, people, places, and events to life. Instead of merely telling you what they see, they use their words to show you.

Writers use this powerful method to make their pieces memorable—even brilliant—rather than dry and boring. In many ways, description is the most important kind of writing you can teach your children. Why? Because it supports other reasons for writing such as storytelling , informative reports, or persuasion .

By choosing vivid details to describe a place, your teens will bring life and emotion to their writing.

Even if your child never aspires to write stories or poetry, description is a wonderful skill to develop. Without it, all other writing falls flat.

1. What It Means to Describe a Place

Vivid writing is especially important when your middle or high schooler needs to describe a place — whether describing a vista for a travel guide or fleshing out a scene in a short story.

Master storyteller Charles Dickens was gifted at using description to create a mood.

But students don’t have to be a Dickens to add color, depth, and interest to their writing. Here, a 14-year-old draws on all five senses to describe a place and create a mood.

With a few tips and tools, homeschool tweens and teens can effectively describe a place too.

A Desert Example

Suppose they’re planning to write about a desert. They’ll need to describe basic desert features, of course: sand, rock, hills, and dunes. But deserts aren’t all alike, so their word choices will need to reflect the kind of desert they want to write about .

Describe a Place | Teaching Teens to Write with Vivid Vocabulary

For example, if they choose a desert in the southwestern United States, they’ll probably describe plants such as sagebrush, Joshua trees, yuccas, or saguaro cacti .

But if they’re writing about an oasis in the Sahara Desert, where vegetation is much different, they’d instead describe date palms, oleanders, acacia trees, succulents, and desert grasses . Their description of either desert scene will spring to life when they tell about these places using rich and appropriate details.

2. Where to Find Vocabulary to Describe a Place

How can you help your homeschoolers study a subject and choose strong words that make their writing sparkle? Whether they decide to write about a desert, city, rain forest, or pond, these ideas will help students find words that form the foundation of their descriptive piece, narrative story, or report.

Search Engine: A Homeschooler’s Best Friend

Search engines such as Google make a great resources for inspiration. In addition to collecting general terms about the location’s flora and fauna (the desert, for example), teens can find concrete, specific nouns and adjectives that add color to their writing. Suggest they begin their search by looking up terms like these:

desert landscape
desert features
desert climate
desert plants
desert animals
desert description

What if your teen wants to describe a city instead of a desert? City words are trickier to find, and they may have to hunt more. Try some of these search terms:

describe city sights
describe Chicago, describe Pittsburgh , etc.
“describe downtown” (use quotes)

Other Sources for Descriptive Vocabulary

While search engines can lead students to a wealth of information, don’t discount the value of print media such as magazines and books. Also consider digital media such as TV documentaries or YouTube videos about the subject.

When describing a place, visit in person , if possible. But if not, can you explore a spot with similar features? Many children are visual and tactile learners. If they want to describe what a sidewalk looks like, send them outside to explore the sidewalk on your street. It will help them describe the texture, color, and appearance of a city sidewalk, even if you live in a suburb.

3. Expanding Descriptive Vocabulary

As your teens search the Internet, ask them to keep an eye out for adjectives that describe desert or city features (or whatever place they want to write about). Encourage them to come up with words on their own, but also to watch for words they meet in articles or photo captions.

When kids don’t understand some of the words, pull out the dictionary and make it a teaching moment! And show them how to use a thesaurus (we love The Synonym Finder ) to find other words that say the same thing. A focused thesaurus, such as the ones below, will also help their vocabularies grow.

The Rural Setting Thesaurus gives teens the inspiration to effectively write about nature, home, and school settings. The Urban Setting Thesaurus helps them draw on all five senses and jogs their memory to help them create believable scenes in city spaces.

4. Descriptive Examples

Some desert adjectives.

Desert: harsh, dry, arid, sparse, severe, hot Rock: sharp, rough, jagged, angular Grasses: windblown, bent, dry, pale green, brown Sand: coarse, fine, glittering, shifting, rippling, sifting, white, golden Sky: pale, intense, cloudless, azure, purple, crimson Cactus: tall, short, squatty, spiny, prickly, thorny , bulbous Date palm: tall, bent, leathery (leaves), frayed (leaves)

Some City Adjectives

City: active, bustling, noisy, busy, clean, dirty, windy Traffic: loud, congested, snarled Buildings: old, shabby, rundown, crumbling, modern, futuristic, sleek, towering, squat Buildings (walls): brick, stone, marble, glass, steel, graffiti-covered Monuments, statues: stone, copper, carved, ancient, moss-covered, faded, green, bronze Sidewalk: concrete, cement, slick, cracked, tidy, littered, swept Paint: fresh, weathered, peeling Signs: neon, weathered, worn, bright, welcoming, flashing Buses, cars, taxis: belching, crawling, speeding, honking, waiting, screeching People: hurried, bundled, smiling, frowning, eager, rushed

Use these suggestions to encourage teens to come up with ideas to describe a place of their own. You’ll both discover that hunting for words can become a favorite prewriting game ! And as your kids dabble more and more in descriptive writing, I’m confident their words will soon begin to “ show” more and “tell” less .

Do you struggle with teaching and grading writing in your homeschool? Does your middle- or high schooler’s writing need a boost? Consider adding WriteShop to your curriculum choices for this school year! The first seven lessons of WriteShop I specifically teach descriptive writing . This important skill is then practiced in the remaining informative and narrative writing lessons. In addition, WriteShop teaches—and offers practice in using—a wide array of sentence variations that enhance a student’s paper with fresh style and vigor. When combined with strong, dynamic word choices, sentence variations give dull writing new life .

For younger children, WriteShop Primary introduces K-3rd graders to activities that widen their writing vocabulary. Book C contains three specific descriptive writing lessons. WriteShop Junior for grades 3-6 also provides many opportunities for students to incorporate description.

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How To Write A Descriptive Essay About A Place (Step By Step)

Table of Contents

Descriptive essay about a place

Descriptive essay focus on specific details about an object, a place or an event. It presents an object to the reader using vivid language for the reader to have a mental picture of what the writer is describing. When composing a detailed essay about a particular place, the paper needs to present clear descriptions about the location to the reader. Writing an essay about a familiar place gives the writer an opportunity to present his personal experience and feelings the place invokes in him.

How to start a descriptive essay

Before presenting the beautiful scenery, the author needs to be observant of the surroundings because the essay would require detailed explanations and the vibrant experiences about the place. The author needs to identify all the important items that make the place worth describing. A good essay should be based on personal experience whereby the author can easily reflect about his experience.

The first step of developing an essay is to start with a brief introduction, a descriptive introduction would determine whether the reader would want to continue reading the article or not. The author needs to use words that would attract the reader’s attention at the beginning of the essay. An introduction should start with a strong statement, and in the end, the writer needs to present the thesis statement by relating it to what is being described. The thesis statement reveals why the place is important to the author.

A good introduction can start with an anecdote, the author can narrate an interesting story to heighten the reader’s curiosity. A good anecdote sets a good tone for the essay and acts as a transition sentence from the introduction to the body of the essay. An introductory paragraph needs to mention the name, the exact address, and other exciting things that makes to reader wants to visit the location.

How to write main part

The essay body should express feelings, the taste, the smell, the sights and sounds of the place. The author describes the different aspects of the location for the reader to develop a mental picture of how the place looks like. For instance, when describing your grandmother’s home, the body essay describes how beautiful the place looks like, including the lovely trees, her tasty cookies, the most soil around the nearby river, the dishes clicking in the kitchen and how you feel the about the particles of the wood on the staircase. The author can also talk about the people living nearby and any unique features around the home .

Apart from detailed descriptions, the author needs to reflect about the place and make important connections to it. For instance, the essay needs to highlight why the place is a safe haven from everyday stress. The author can also present some of the feeling associated with the location, this will make the readers aware why the place is important to the author.

How to conclude a descriptive essay

The concluding paragraph should rephrase the inspiration of the essay providing detail and personal feelings and also make recommendations for the readers. A good conclusion should describe why the place is significant. Even though the descriptive language used can provoke the reader’s emotion, the audience wants to know why the author spent a lot of time describing the place. Apart from just highlighting the good experience about the place, a good conclusion explains the significance of the essay theme. The conclusion simply confirms to the audience what was already presented, but using selected sensory language for the readers to believe that the place is amazing. A good paper should end on a strong note, leaving the audience feeling satisfied in the concluding paragraph. A good descriptive essay should create excitement for its readers.

Outline example

Introduction

Hook sentence with detailed descriptions that grabs the reader’s attention
Brief background about the place
Sensory descriptions of the place.

Body paragraph

Topic sentence that supports the thesis statement
Describe the place by the name and the exact location
Description about the feelings the place invokes
Provide additional sensory descriptions about the place, including the surrounding areas.
Opening sentence justifying why the place is significant
The facts that support the descriptions using attractive descriptions.
Explain intensely about the place
Describe the important details for the readers
Present emotional background
Present the author’s emotional response based on the place being described.
Expand the feelings described in the above paragraphs
Provide additional emotional details using a decisive factor statement
Restate the feeling of the location.
Restate the main thesis ideas described in the paragraphs
Repeat to the reader why this particular location is important
Review the major things that the author vividly recalls
The feeling and the difference the location makes in the author’s life.

How to Describe a Place in English

A green place with green field and a tree with leaves

Haven’t you ever been asked by someone to describe a place you loved visiting? Or didn’t you ever feel like talking with your friend about a lovely place you visited? Whether a place is exciting or dull, you can draw a picture of the place with a vivid description. An accurate description can help your audience to experience that place through your eyes.

In this post, I’ll help you with some useful adjectives and other expressions to describe a place in English.

Use descriptive adjectives and visual & auditory imageries to describe a place in English. You may also share your feelings (good or bad) and give recommendations on whether to visit the place or not. If you have been to a place more than once, you can talk about the changes you noticed now and then as well as the best time to visit it.

Are you looking for a book or a guide to help you learn and improve your English? You may try English Made Easy Volume One: A New ESL Approach: Learning English Through Pictures (Amazon Link) .

Use Descriptive Adjectives for a General Description

Using descriptive adjectives is the best way to describe anyone or anything. So is a place. From such adjectives, one can get an overall idea of a place. Here I present several descriptive adjectives with their use in sentences to help you to develop your skill in describing a place.

Use Vivid Visual Imagery to Describe a Place

Visual imagery can play a significant role in describing a place, no matter whether you talk or write about it. It helps you to share what you have experienced through your sense of sight. If you can use visual imagery well, you can make your audience visualize the place, even without visiting it in person.

Your vivid description of a place with visual imagery can even take someone to the place for a moment through their visualization.

Here, let me give you some examples of how you can create visual imagery through your words.

Example 1: I loved the green paddy fields beside the river. The boats of different designs, shapes, and colors made a mesmerizing picturesque. On a moonlit night, you can spend hours after hours sitting by the river’s shore, looking at the moon’s reflection on the water.

Example 2: The landscape with a snowy mountain and a sun setting behind it will let you forget all the odds of your life.

Describe Places with Auditory Imagery

Like visual imagery, auditory imagery can be crucial while describing a place. It appeals to your sense of hearing. Every place has its sound. For example, suppose you were at a big car factory a few days ago. While describing the place, you can talk about the sounds of the machines to help your audience to get a good idea about the place.

Now, imagine you are sitting on a seashore in the evening. It’s usually a very calm and quiet place, except for the sounds of the wave. So if you tell someone that you were sitting at a place where there were sounds of waves, people will be able to guess where the place is.

Here comes the power of auditory imagery. If you can describe the sounds well with your words, your audience may be able to get the feeling of hearing that sound without being there.

Now, let’s see some examples of the description of sounds while describing a place in English.

Example 1: in the bungalow, in the morning, you will wake up with birds chirping, while at night, you will go to sleep listening to the rhythmic sound of crickets.

Example 2: The sound of the waves will outdo all the other noises around the beach.

Talk about Your Feelings about the Place

You get a feeling wherever you go, which can be good or bad. A place may seem fascinating, while another place may seem dull. It’s just a general feeling of you about the place. However, the different elements of the place can influence your sense and emotions.

Suppose you love to stay close to nature. In that case, it’s obvious that you would love to go to places full of greenery, hills, seas, etc. such sites will give you a good vibe. But, on the other hand, if you go to a very crowdy and clumsy city where everything seems deserted, you may not like it.

Below are some examples of how you can share your feelings about a place.

Example 1: I felt relaxed for the whole vacation staying here. The place helped me to rejuvenate myself.

Example 2: I didn’t enjoy the stay here at all. The rooms are very clumsy.

Describe the Changes You Noticed Now and Then

If you like a place, you may visit it again and again. Whenever you get some time, you go there to feel different and relaxed. However, the place you went to three years ago may not remain the same this year. So, if you describe a place you visit frequently, you can talk about the changes you notice now and then.

For example, suppose someone asks you about your hometown. In that case, you can talk about the changes since you have experienced the changes your town went through. For example, maybe your hometown was calm and quiet in your childhood, but now it has become noisy.

Now, let me share some examples that show how to talk about changes that occurred in a place.

Example 1: I visited my hometown last month after twelve years. In my childhood, there were so many playgrounds and open fields there. But now, most playgrounds are converted to parks, while mills and factories have occupied most open places.

Example 2: Though the city was historically primarily horizontal, you will see that most places have become horizontal in recent years. There are multi-storied buildings here and there.

Make Recommendations about the Place

Suppose someone new to your city has asked you about the places they would visit here. First, you should recommend places with short descriptions. Then, you can talk about their beauty, specialty, culture, and history.

You may also share the beauty and good things about any place you have visited with your friends. Then, you can recommend to them when to visit that place and what they would do and experience there.

The following examples show some words and phrases you can use to recommend a place while describing it in English.

Example 1: You must visit the longest natural seabeach in the world if you ever visit Bangladesh. This is a fantastic place to enjoy your vacation.

Example 2: Have you ever been to Sundarban? This is the most extensive mangrove forest in the world. I recommend you to visit this forest if you want to explore the true natural beauty.

In Conclusion

While describing a place, you are expected to talk about every minute detail of the place. You can talk about anything associated with that place, such as the history, scenery, people, facilities, and whatnot!

Happy learning!

Niaj A A Khan

Niaj A A Khan is an ESL Instructor with over 7 years of experience in teaching & developing resources at different universities and institutes. Mr. Khan is also a passionate writer working on his first book, "Learn English at Ease."

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How to Describe a Place

by Jill Williamson | Jul 15, 2015 | Writing

Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming, creator of kingdoms. She writes weird books for teens in lots of weird genres like, fantasy ( Blood of Kings trilogy ), science fiction ( Replication ), and dystopian ( The Safe Lands trilogy ). Find Jill on Facebook , Twitter , Pinterest , or on her author website . Welcome to Part Two of my four-part series on description. Today we are going to talk about describing places. But first, let’s ponder why we should even bother writing out descriptions. Wouldn’t it be better to leave all this up to the reader’s imagination?

Why Bother Describing Things? Editors and writing instructors vary on their insistence that setting and characters be fully described. Some say to leave it out so that the reader can imagine everything. Others say you need to paint the scene for the reader because if you describe nothing, you have what’s commonly referred to as “talking heads.” The reader sees faces floating in space, uttering strings of dialogue. On the other hand, if you describe too much you can pull the reader right out of the story.

I think somewhere in the middle is best. Give your reader enough details so that they know where the characters are and who is in the scene, then let them fill in the other details however their imagination sees fit to do so.

List the Facts Consider creating a checklist for each scene you need to describe. This will help you remember things when it’s time to go back to that location. You don’t need to create such a list for every location in your story. But I find it helpful to know this for places that my characters spend a lot of time.

The LOCATION is: Use simple words: alley, classroom, gym, bedroom or a specific place if that is important like the great hall at Hampton Court. TIME of day: Morning, afternoon, night—especially if the scene takes place outdoors.

WEATHER/TEMPERATURE: You really only need to share this if it is abnormal or important to the scene. People will assume that the temperature is average and the weather is nice unless you tell them differently. WHO is present? Early on in the scene, list the important characters who are present, especially any who will have dialogue so that they don’t seem to appear from nowhere.

The FIVE SENSES: Be aware of all the things your character might experience with his or her senses in each location. You don’t have to type them out every time you are in the scene, and you don’t always have to use all five, but keep them in mind and try to work them in here and there. It will give your reader more unique things to remember. -What can the POV character SEE? -What can the POV character SMELL? -What can the POV character HEAR? -What can the POV character TASTE? -What can the POV character FEEL?

Any important objects or features to PLANT for later? Do you plan to have one character throw a pillow at another? If so, it’s important to mention pillows in your initial description of the room. That way they won’t become what Jeff Gerke calls “magically appearing” pillows.

Describing Places Now that you have your list, here are some tips as to how to use it.

– First time : Describe important places early on in depth. You don’t have to go on and on for paragraphs, but make sure that your description is thorough.

– Start big and zoom in : It helps readers if you start the description with big information, then get smaller. For example: The Dayville Middle School “gymnasium” was a half-court slab of pavement out back of the cafeteria. One basketball hoop stood at an eighty-five degree angle on one end. What remained of the net looked more like two shoelaces tied together. (We start with the gymnasium, which is biggest, mention that its outside, mention the hoop, then the net, which is smallest.)

– Repeat important details throughout story . Next time the characters travel to that “gymnasium,” you can repeat important details like the fact that it’s outside and only has a half court. The net isn’t really important to repeat. And you could always add a different detail, like a three-row set of wooden bleachers or that the concrete got puddles when it rained.

– In each new scene, give location, time of day, and characters present . When you move between scenes, the reader needs to know that. Tell them that Mark drove home from school. Don’t have him magically appearing at home without having traveled there. Now, if you’re starting with a scene break, you can skip telling us how he got home. But you still need to tell us where he is. So you’d say that Mark entered his house or that he was in his living room after school. Give us the time if it has changed drastically. And always be sure to tell us what important characters are present. If it’s just Mark and his dad in the living room, make sure we know it. But if Mark was in a class at school, you don’t need to name every kid in the class. The reader will assume there are other kids in the class. Just make sure to describe those who speak. (We’ll talk about ways to describe people next week.)

– Plant important objects or features . As mentioned above, be sure to plant any important objects or features in advance of them being useful. If you write that your character is freezing from the cold, but you didn’t mention the cold until three pages into the chapter, that’s confusing to the reader. Make sure the reader knows it’s cold early on.

Editor Jeff Gerke taught me to imagine my scene taking place on a stage and to think about what necessary set design, props, and actors need to be out on the stage before the scene begins. This always helped me avoid “magically appearing” things when setting up my scenes.

– Use specific words . Always use the most specific word. Specific words in description really help paint a picture in the reader’s mind. You want them to see things in as few of words as possible, so make every word count! For example: oily asphalt, rocky cape, rusty iron bars, freshly mowed grass, a cluttered desk, colossal pillars, etc. All these phrases paint pictures in your mind.

– Avoid too many “ly” adverbs . If you need an -ly word in your description, use it. Just be careful not to rely too heavily on them because it’s cheating. Work hard to find specific words to show your reader the scene.

– Use metaphors and similes . Use these whenever possible. They provide your reader with an instant visual. For example: An impressive stone building loomed over ten stories high. The top tapered into a point, tier upon tier like a square wedding cake. A large staircase marked the entrance. (Can you picture the top of the building?)

– Always bring in the POV character’s voice . The description should sound like your point of view character. That means using the types of words he or she would use.

Here are a few different examples of descriptions:

“You’re just not imagining it right,” Joel said, walking up and resting one hand on his friend’s shoulder. He held his other hand in front of him, panning it as if to wipe away their surroundings—the green lawns of Armedius Academy—and replace them with the dueling arena. — The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

In this example, “green lawns of Armedius Academy” say all we need to know. We’ve all seen school campuses. We can imagine green lawns and sidewalks and buildings and lampposts. And when we need to know more, the author will give us that information.

“No, the Seahawk was a ship like countless others I had seen before or for that matter have seen since. Oh, perhaps she was smaller and older than I had anticipated, but nothing else. Moored to the dock, she rode the swell easily. Her standard rigging, tarred black for protection against the salt sea, rose above me, dark ladders to an increasingly dark sky, and indeed, her royal yard seemed lost in the lowering night. Her sails, tied up, that is, reefed, looked like sleeves of new-fallen snow on lofty trees.” — The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

Here we get a nice description of the ship in the voice of our POV character, Charlotte, who clearly knows some things about boats. We also get a nice metaphor at the end.

And finally I have a longer description from Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson that really makes you feel like you’re there. And it’s deliberate that the authors took longer on on this scene since many things will take place there later. They need the reader to see this place well.

Not far from where Peter lay unconscious, a lagoon connected to the sea. It was, in good weather, a beautiful place—a near-perfect semicircle of flawless white sand, perhaps a mile across, bordered by a curtain of tall, graceful palms. In the center of the curved beach lay two dozen or so massive, sea-smoothed boulders, some of them the size of a sailing ship, forming a hulking jumble of rock that stretched from the trees into the blue-green water. Behind the beach the island rose steeply to a ridge several hundred feet high, jungle-thick with vegetation, forming a curved green wall that cut the lagoon off from the rest of the island. The lagoon teemed with life—turtles, jellyfish, crabs, and vast schools of lavishly multihued fish. Normally these creatures were sheltered from the surge of the sea by a coral reef; it ran across the mouth of the lagoon from one side to the other, with only a small break in the center, through which the tide flowed in and out. But the low reef was no match for the waves churned up by this storm. Every few seconds, a towering wall of wind-driven water rose high over the reef and broke upon it with a thunderous crash, sending a surge of churning, foaming water rushing high onto the beach, then back toward the sea, leaving the surf-scrubbed beach empty for a few seconds, awaiting the next incoming surge.

How are your descriptions of places? What do you do well and what do you need to work on? Share in the comments below.

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How to write a descriptive essay about a place?

Essay describing a place is one of the main papers you need to write at college. The purpose of this type of paper is to develop a topic through details. If you have an opportunity to go to the place you want to describe, it would be helpful. Observation supported by sensations will allow creating a powerful paper expanding readers imagination and triggering emotions. The goal will be reached.

We all have a beautiful location in our mind that means something. The assignment has to include a clear description of the place and to draw its picture in readers' mind. In this article, we are giving tips on how to write a descriptive essay about a place that impacted you and how to get a high grade.

Guide to composing a descriptive essay about your favorite place

Introduction . Start the essay by making readers curious. An interesting fact or an anecdote creates a certain mood and grabs readers’ attention. Consider what can draw readers’ attention and make them follow your story. Mention the name, address, and give the reason why it has a soft spot in your heart.
Main part – description . The body of the essay has to describe emotions regarding the place. All the feelings, tastes, smells, and sights describing your favorite place help readers to imagine. A lot of students write about locations they used to go with parents and grandparents in their childhood. It can be a country home or a caravan you used to stay at. Describe nature, colors of trees, the smell of flowers and fresh grass, the sound of river and birds singing, the look of neighborhood area, taste of the food you used to enjoy.
Such details heat the imagination and help to transfer readers to the location you describe. For example, you can get inspiration from the following sentences: “The house we went to every summer was on the hill covered with little trees I used to sit under during hot sunny days. I still cannot forget the smell of fresh bread my grandmother used to bake every day. Even when I went fishing with my father by the river that was 200 meters away from our house, we could smell pastry, and we knew it was time to pack our rods and go for lunch.”
Conclusion . A winning essay has to be meaningful. Learn how to describe a place in an essay by expressing thoughts and feelings. A good paper should make readers excited and curious about visiting the area. The fact that the location made a difference in writer's life has to be proved. Tell how this experience changed you and provide a clear example.

Extra tips on descriptive writing about my favorite place

Consider some more tips for creating such type of college assignment.

Choose one idea that will be visible in all paragraphs of the paper.
Create the list of questions about the taste, sight, touch, smell, and sound of your topic, then answer them. The more questions, the better description.
Write the list of feelings and sensations related to the place you describe. Use expositive words to make a paper rich.
Find interesting facts about the area if it is well-known. Historical and unique facts bring more attention to the topic.
If you have a few places to talk about and cannot choose one, write down ideas and see which place you can describe as clearly as possible.
Writing a descriptive essay on a place is an art and you need to learn how to do it. Review photos of the location to refresh your memory and give a better description.
Create an outline and follow the plan. This helps authors to stick to structure and make an essay look professional.
Remind readers the idea of writing an assignment in a sentence with the thesis statement in conclusion.
Review and edit an essay to make sure it does not contain errors, and there are no parts that take readers away from the topic. Avoid slang and clichés.
Give it to someone to read. Someone else's opinion can be helpful. Moreover, someone can spot mistakes you did not notice.

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Descriptive Writing

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

Key Information

Appropriate group size, what is descriptive writing.

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

Why teach descriptive writing?

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

How to teach descriptive writing

If only descriptive writing were as simple as “show, don’t tell”! Descriptive writing is a skill — and a craft — that takes instruction, practice, and time to learn. The good news is that it can be explicitly taught. An understanding of the characteristics of effective descriptive writing, combined with a toolkit of structures and strategies to scaffold learning and practice, can enhance students’ development as authors of vivid, evocative writing.

What effective descriptive writing looks like

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

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

What effective instruction in descriptive writing looks like

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

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

Watch a demonstration: show NOT tell using your 5 senses

In this virtual lesson, the teacher models generating written descriptions of a hot day using the five senses as a framework.

Watch a classroom lesson: five senses graphic organizer

Students use their five senses and a graphic organizer to brainstorm ideas for writing a report on a recent school event and to help them think about interesting words to include in their report. See the lesson plan (opens in a new window) .

Watch a classroom discussion: writer’s workshop

Writer’s Workshop connects great children’s literature with children’s own writing experiences. In this video clip from our Launching Young Readers PBS series , Lynn Reichle’s second graders practice their use of descriptive writing.

Collect resources

Here are some routines and structures for teaching descriptive writing:

The RAFT strategy encourages descriptive writing and supports writing in general by encouraging students to think through the writer’s Role, the Audience, the Format, and the Topic. ReadWriteThink offers this RAFT Writing Template .

This Sense Chart (opens in a new window) — organized into sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch categories — helps students capture sensory details related to a topic. The Describing Wheel (opens in a new window) offers a more open-ended format for capturing and organizing descriptive language.

The Show-Me Sentences (opens in a new window) lesson plan from ReadWriteThink was created for students in grades 6-12. However, elementary teachers can modify the Show-Me sentences to make them interesting for younger students.

This lesson plan from Utah Education Network (opens in a new window) guides students through the process of writing about a favorite place using descriptive language.

This lesson plan from the Philadelphia Museum of Art (opens in a new window) has students work collaboratively to generate descriptive writing about works of art. It is intended for upper elementary and middle grades but can be adapted for lower grades.

Teacher Laura Torres created a lesson plan that uses images to jumpstart vivid writing: Three Descriptive Writing Picture Prompts .

Differentiated instruction

For second language learners, students of varying reading skill, and younger learners.

Use dictation as a way to help capture students thoughts and ideas.
Provide sentence frames for writing descriptive sentences or paragraphs.
Use pictures and other sensory prompts.
Provide budding writers with real-life or virtual experiences that give them something to write about. Trips to a relative’s house, playground or grocery store provide real-life experiences that can be recorded by a new writer.
Encourage students to work with a buddy or in a small group to develop first drafts .
Work with students to brainstorm a word bank of interesting and descriptive words students can incorporate into their writing.

Extend the learning

This resource from Greenville County Schools in South Carolina provides several ideas for writing in math class . Writing and mathematics are similar in that they both require gathering, organizing, and clarifying thoughts. Writing can support math instruction by helping students make sense of important concepts and procedures.

Descriptive writing in science can help students capture observations and scientific phenomena with greater precision, and can help them comprehend new material by explaining it in their own words. Fazio and Gallagher propose two instructional strategies to assist teachers and student when writing in science: a mnemonic acronym (POWER) and an editing checklist.

Social Studies

In social studies, descriptive writing can help students describe an important historical figure or event more clearly. Writing rich in detail will create vivid depictions of people and places and help make history come alive.

Related strategies

RAFT helps students understand their roles as writers, the audience they will address, the varied formats for writing, and the topic they’ll be writing about.
Revision teaches students about the characteristics of good writing, which will carry over into their future writing. Revision skills complement reading skills; revision requires that writers distance themselves from the writing and critically evaluate a text.
Writing Conferences give students a chance to share their writing and and receive feedback from peers or the teacher.
Think-alouds can be used for writing as well as reading instruction

Learn more about building writing skills in our self-paced module Reading 101: Writing .

See the research that supports this strategy

Akerson, V. L., & Young, T.A. (2005). Science the ‘write’ way. Science and Children , 43(3), 38-41.

MacArthur, C., Graham, S., & Fitzgerald, J. (2016). Handbook of research on writing (2nd Edition). NY: Guilford.

Miller, R.G., & Calfee, R.C. (2004). Making thinking visible: A method to encourage science writing in upper elementary grades. Science and Children , (42)3, 20-25.

Mitchell, D. (1996). Writing to learn across the curriculum and the English teacher. English Journal , 85, 93-97.

Children’s books to use with this strategy

This boy’s curse begins when his teacher suggests that the “poetry of science” can be heard everywhere. From Moore to Frost, familiar poems are parodied and turned into science verse. Again art and illustration are inseparable as are the laughs in this offbeat look at science.

Science Verse

When Louis’ uncle sends a tadpole from a certain lake in Scotland, the small tadpole grows to enormous proportions. With the help of a resourceful librarian, Louis figures out a way to feed his large and ever-hungry Alphonse as well as determine a permanent solution. Humor abounds in this contemporary classic.

The Mysterious Tadpole

Martin Luther King Jr. grew up fascinated by big words. He would later go on to use these words to inspire a nation and call people to action. In this award-winning book, powerful portraits of King show how he used words, not weapons, to fight injustice.

Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

At One Hoppin’ Place, the countdown to bedtime is about to begin when a family of hamsters — a mother and father with nine kids and a baby all wearing numbered striped jerseys — arrives at the front door.

10 Minutes Till Bedtime

Every day children around the world awake to begin their days having breakfast, going to school, coming home to families. A poetic text combines with photographs from myriad countries to visually highlight the richness of the world and its people.

One World, One Day

If all of the 300 million people were simply one village of 100 people, its diversity is easier to understand. That’s just what the author has done to make the complex make-up of the U.S. residents (in terms of languages spoken, ages, and more). Colorful illustrations accompany the understandable text. Additional resources complete the book. If the World Were a Village: A Book About the World’s People (opens in a new window) , also by Smith, looks at the inhabitants of the world as a village to allow its diversity to become more understandable for adults and children.

If America Were a Village: A Book About the People of the United States

Relive the journey of the Apollo 11 where the first people stepped on the Moon’s surface and saw Earth from a very different perspective. Eloquent language and illustrations combine to present this historical event in a unique, unforgettable way.

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11

Two machines captivated young Philo Farnsworth: a telephone and a phonograph. Both had cranks and both connected people with others (one in real time, the other through music). These and other inspirations motivated young Philo to invent what was to become known as the television. His early story is fascinatingly told and well illustrated.

The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth

Ted Williams never flinched at hard work or a challenge. In his last season with the Boston Red Sox, Williams had to decide if he wanted to take the chance and lose his rare .400 average or go to bat. Williams’ decision creates a riveting read in this handsome and thoughtful look at one man’s ethics and the times in which he lived.

No Easy Way: The Story of Ted Williams and the Last .400 Season

A mother and her child get the ingredients for soup on a snowy day and then add everything to the pot. The pair plays snug and warm while the soup simmers until Dad comes home when they enjoy soup together. Crisp collage and a simple text make for a cozy read.

The traditional tale of a boy who planted magic beans is reimagined as a city story of a spell broken. Illustrations are photographs that have been manipulated for good effect.

Jack and the Beanstalk

Benny’s Pennies

Children are encouraged to observe as experiment as they learn about wind and air as well as practice science writing by describing their findings.

I Face the Wind

26 Letters and 99 Cents

Arresting photographs of water in various states not only introduces water but also weather, solids and liquids, and more. The sophisticated text further encourages experimentation and observation, although is not necessary to use the entire book with younger children.

A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder

Each Orange Had 8 Slices: A Counting Book

Cinderella stories are found around the world; here, they have been fused into one tale with special characteristics in text and illustrations that reflect the different origins. Expand parts of the story to echo the traditions of the culture and its history from which it comes. It may be possible to develop a map of tales (e.g., ancient vs. modern countries, or as a visual as to where it is/was told).

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella

Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme

The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza)

Scieszka and Smith set sights on creating fresh fables — short traditional tales intended to teach a moral lesson. With humorous twists and take-offs, new, different and wacky fables are presented for readers’ edification and amusement.

Squids Will Be Squids

Liked it share it, topics this strategy is especially helpful for.

Adjectives to describe a place in English

Updated November 10, 2022

Ever visited a place that was drop-dead gorgeous? Or maybe you visited somewhere that totally sucked? Whatever the case may be, describing places and locations in English is a useful skill to learn, because it helps you paint a picture in the mind of your listeners.

So, how do you do that?

That’s where adjectives are your best friends.

Now I’ll go over how to describe places in detail using adjectives.

Why descriptive adjectives matter for describing places

Positive adjectives to describe places, negative adjectives for describing places, other adjectives for describing places, ready to start learning with lingoda.

Adjectives are words that describe something such as “good” or “bad”.

However, generic adjectives like “good” or “bad” aren’t that useful when it comes to describing locations. It’s better to use more specific words to give an accurate description of a place.

For example, let’s say you want to describe two different locations you visited recently: an archaeological site and a beach town.

Both places were “good”, but each appeals to different people and has different things that make it “good”.

So when you can use stronger adjectives, not only does it more accurately describe your experience, it’s also an essential element of English fluency .

I’ll now cover more detailed adjectives you can use to describe locations both negatively and positively.

If you are wondering how to describe the positive traits of a place, consider first what captured your attention.

Were the sights breathtaking? Was the place interesting from a historical point of view? What about the people you met?

What made your holidays memorable? Did the place satisfy your needs?

Let’s say you spent a week relaxing in a rural town, immersed in the local culture. There are specific words you can use to express how relaxing the town was.

If you went mountain biking and enjoyed the scenery, you are still describing the place in a positive light, but you’ll need to use different words.

Adjectives that express calm

Some people simply enjoy the tranquility of the location. They are looking for relaxation, and they enjoy taking their time to do stuff. In that case, you could use adjectives such as:

All of these adjectives describe a place that conveys a sense of peace.

Check the following examples:

The place was quiet , I enjoyed my stay.
The week at the farm was peaceful .

Adjectives that express beauty

Some places offer breathtaking sights – be it from nature, or from a city with a rich culture. If that’s the case, you could describe the place as:

picturesque

When you use these adjectives, you are talking about how beautiful the place is.

Here are two examples with beauty adjectives :

I went mountain biking at Steamboat Springs and the landscape was picturesque .
Venice is a charming city.

Adjectives that express cultural relevance

Museums, religious places, and archaeological sites are all interesting places. If a location has many such places, you could describe it with:

interesting
fascinating
stimulating

These adjectives refer to how the city is attractive not for its looks, but for what it represents.

For example, cities like Jerusalem and Rome fit well into this category. They are beautiful places in their own right, but they are also important places for mankind’s history.

Compare these two with a city like Dubai: the metropolis is beautiful, but for different reasons.

Unfortunately, not all places are great. You might want to guard someone against visiting certain locations, because they’d be wasting their money and time – or even worse, risking their lives.

Here are some negative adjectives you can use to dissuade people from visiting certain locations:

dangerous: dangerous cities have high crime rates. They are the kind of cities in which you don’t feel safe walking alone at night.
polluted: visiting a polluted city can be a miserable experience, especially if your respiratory system is weak. Luckily most polluted places are big industrial cities, so they aren’t that appealing to begin with.
expensive: there’s nothing wrong with expensive cities per se. In fact, if you can afford to live in or to visit them, you will surely enjoy the experience. But they aren’t for everyone, so you want to dissuade people on a budget to visit them because they risk not enjoying the trip.
boring: calm places are great, but you might be looking for a little more action. If you’re after exciting nights and great avenues to socialize, smaller rural towns will be boring for you.

When you use these words that describe places, you are painting it in a negative light to discourage the listener from visiting it.

There are adjectives that can be interpreted depending on subjective factors. While no one can deny that a city like Rome is charming, there are attributes that some people might find desirable, while others might not.

I grouped some examples of such adjectives, together with their opposites, so you can better understand what I mean:

bustling vs isolated : a bustling city is a great environment for people who enjoy a faster-paced lifestyle, but they are undesirable for those who prefer isolated places.
modern vs traditional : some people love technologically advanced places, while others prefer a more traditional approach to life.
warm vs cold : this is a debate that will never end. Some people enjoy warmer climates, while others feel more comfortable in colder ones. Who am I to judge?

How do you learn the thousands of adjectives present in the English language? I know it sounds like a monumental task, but you can start small and build up from there. Before you know it, you’ll be able to easily describe places !

Focus on learning a couple of adjectives for each category and integrate them into your vocabulary. Once you are confident with their usage, look for synonyms in the dictionary and start using them. As always, practice makes perfect .

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Describing a Place

Work first by yourself, and then with a partner to edit your paragraph. Write a paragraph in which you describe a place that is special to you, or choose one of the places listed below.

TOPIC SUGGESTIONS

Prewrite to Get Ideas

Your classroom

The student cafeteria at lunchtime Your grandmother's kitchen A crowded bus on a hot day The subway at rush hour A disco on a weekend night A beach at sunset A holiday parade

Your house or apartment after a big party A cemetery at midnight Your workplace A hospital emergency room The town square on market day The town square in a town in the evening

Follow these steps:

• Use the clustering technique shown on pages 91-92.

Outline to Organize the Ideas

Topic Sentence:

• The second step is to develop an outline. An outline from the clustering about "My Garden " might look like this:

Concluding Sentence:

Even on a hot summer day, my garden feels cool.

• white vines

• birch trees

• Japanese maple trees

C. Fountain

• peaceful, quiet sound

My garden's soft colors and quiet sounds make it a peaceful place to relax.

STEP 3: • In the next step, the writer changed the outline in order to use space

Revise the Outline organization. She started with the flowers along the fence and moved to to Show Space the fountain in the corner of the fence and then to the trees around the

Order fountain. Since the white vines are not with the flowers but are in another part of the garden (on the side of the garage), she put them last.

Then she added the prepositional phrases of place to show the space order . Her new outline might look like this:

A. Along the inside of the fence, flowers

B. In the corner of the fence, small fountain

C. Around the fountain, trees

D. On the side of the garage, white vines

Write the First Draft

Begin your paragraph with a topic sentence that names the place and gives a main idea about it. Use an adjective such as luxurious, messy, beautiful, plain, wild, mysterious, or ugly. Your first sentence should be like these:

The Club 100 is especially fun on Friday nights. Oceanside Beach is very peaceful at sunset. Our classroom is very functional.

Use some kind of space order (right to left, top to bottom, far to near, etc.) Use prepositional phrases to show the order. Put some of the prepositional phrases at the beginning of their sentences. Write several sentences that give descriptive details. Be very specific. Try to paint a picture with words. You can describe objects, and you can also tell what people are doing in the place. Use adjectives in your descriptive details.

STEP 5: • Edit your paragraph with a partner using this Paragraph Checklist.

Continue reading here: Listing Characteristics

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Readers' Questions

How to describe a small town in writing?

When it comes to describing a small town in writing, it is important to capture the essence of its charm, simplicity, and close-knit community. By focusing on its physical attributes, the atmosphere, and the daily life of its residents, you can paint a vivid picture of this quaint setting. Here is a sample description of a small town: Nestled among rolling hills, embraced by a smattering of colorful cottages, lies the enchanting small town of Willowbrook. With its cobbled streets and blooming flower beds, it exudes a timeless charm that instantly transports visitors to a simpler era. As one meanders through the town's heart, a vibrant sense of community dances in the air. The locals, with warm smiles and a collective sense of familiarity, greet each other by name. Strolling past the bustling farmer's market, the scent of freshly baked bread mingles with the lively chatter of neighbors, creating a symphony of homeliness. The town square serves as the pulsating heart and gathering spot for residents. Blessed with a majestic oak tree standing tall in its center, the square plays host to casual conversations, lively music performances, and children's laughter echoing from the nearby playground. It is a sanctuary where stories are shared, forgotten dreams are rekindled, and friendships flourish. Beyond the square, the streets, lined modestly with local shops, ooze with character. The friendly faces of shopkeepers invite passersby into their quaint boutiques, where treasures ranging from handcrafted jewelry to vintage knick-knacks await discovery. Wandering along, one cannot help but stumble upon the local diner, serving up hearty meals for hungry souls seeking comfort in its nostalgic ambience. Surrounded by nature's embrace, the town reveals itself as an idyllic haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Pristine hiking trails wind their way through lush forests, leading to hidden watering holes and panoramic vistas that leave the adventurous breathless. While the river meanders alongside the town, its gentle flow provides the backdrop for leisurely picnics and lazy afternoons spent fishing. In the evenings, the cozy glow of warm street lamps casts a soft illumination over the town, creating a fairy-tale ambiance. Residents, with their open doors and flickering fireplaces, invite visitors to join them in celebrations of life's simplest joys. From seasonal festivals that light up the night sky with fireworks to intimate gatherings held amidst flickering fireflies, communal spirit thrives within these close-knit streets. Willowbrook, with its picturesque beauty and unyielding sense of community, is indeed a testament to the magic that dwells within small towns. A place where time slows down, hearts find solace, and strangers transform into family—a haven of simplicity that lingers in the weary traveler's soul long after its streets disappear from view.

Where is a topic sentence located?

A topic sentence is typically the first sentence of a paragraph, serving as an introduction or preview of the main idea or point of that paragraph.

How to start a sentence about a place?

To begin describing a place, you can start your sentence with an introductory phrase, an adjective, or a statement that establishes the geographic location. Here are a few examples: 1. "Nestled in the heart of the countryside,..." 2. "With its breathtaking views,..." 3. "Located in the bustling city center,..." 4. "Surrounded by majestic mountains,..." 5. "In the vibrant and historic district of..." Remember to tailor your sentence introduction to the specific place you are describing to capture its unique features and characteristics.

How to dscribe a place?

To describe a place effectively, consider the following steps: Observe: Take in the surroundings and pay attention to every aspect of the place, including its physical appearance, atmosphere, people, sounds, smells, and any unique features or landmarks. Determine the purpose: Consider why you are describing the place. Are you trying to create a vivid image for a story or a travel guide? Understanding your purpose will help you focus your description. Choose vivid and specific language: Use words that bring the place to life in the reader's mind. Use sensory adjectives to describe what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Instead of saying "there are trees," you could say "towering oak and elm trees cast a cool, green shade." Organize your description: Decide on a logical order for your description. It can be a chronological progression, focusing on different areas or features, or following a certain pattern. For example, you could describe a city by starting with its bustling streets, then moving to its historical landmarks, and finally its serene parks. Use figurative language and comparisons: Metaphors, similes, and personification can enhance your description. By comparing elements in the place to something relatable, you can create strong imagery. For instance, "The sunset painted the sky with hues of gold and crimson, as if an artist had spilled their palette across the horizon." Include emotions and personal impressions: Share your feelings and experiences associated with the place. Explain how it made you feel, whether it evoked nostalgia, excitement, serenity, or any other emotion. This can add depth and authenticity to your description. Edit and revise: After writing the initial draft, read through it multiple times to ensure clarity, coherence, and consistency. Eliminate any repetitive or unnecessary words, and make sure your description flows smoothly. Remember, everyone's perception of a place is unique, so trust your own perspective and try to capture its essence as accurately as possible.

How to decribe the place of a not?

The place of a knot can be described by its location, appearance, and relation to its surroundings. Here are a few ways to describe the place of a knot: Location: Specify where the knot is situated, whether it is on an object, within a particular area, or in a certain region. For example, "The knot is found on the tree trunk," or "The knot is located in the middle of the rope." Appearance: Describe the physical characteristics of the knot, such as its shape, size, color, texture, or any unique features. For instance, "The knot is large and circular," or "The knot has a rough and rugged texture." Surroundings: Mention the context of the knot by describing what is around it. This could include items, landscape, or other elements. For example, "The knot is surrounded by leaves and branches," or "The knot is found in the middle of a bustling city street." Purpose: Explain the function or significance of the knot's location. This could involve whether it serves a specific purpose, such as securing something, or if it has historical or cultural importance. For instance, "The knot is used to hold the sail in place on the boat," or "The knot is a symbol of unity in the local community." Remember to use vivid language and provide enough detail to paint a clear picture of the place where the knot is located.

How to describe a city in writing?

A city is much more than just a place where people live and work; it’s an ever-changing, vibrant ecosystem of its own. The hustle and bustle of a city street can be both comforting and invigorating. The vibrant colors of a city skyline can be awe-inspiring and beautiful. The grandeur of towering skyscrapers, the warmth of quaint coffee shops, and the smells and sounds of different cultures all combine to create a unique and unforgettable experience. From the busy downtown core to the residential neighborhoods and parks, a city is filled with a diversity of people, cultures, and lifestyles that create a unique atmosphere. Whether it be a bustling cultural hub, a laidback coastal city, or a rural small town, a city has a unique character and charm that can’t be replicated. It provides an ever-changing landscape of experiences that can’t be found in any other place.

How to start a paragraph describing your city and hidden gems?

Nestled between the picturesque Appalachian Mountains and the banks of the Ohio River, my city, Cincinnati, is a unique blend of urban grit and small-town friendliness. It is an eclectic mix of diverse cultures and vibrant charm, and has a plethora of hidden gems which are just waiting to be explored. From the historic Fountain Square and bustling Over-the-Rhine neighborhood to the lush green spaces of Smale Riverfront Park, Cincinnati is a city that offers something for everyone.

How to describe a place that is friendly?

A friendly place is one that is warm and inviting, with people who are kind and welcoming. It is an open space where conversations and connections can be made effortlessly. There is a feeling of camaraderie and acceptance, and people are eager to help and support one another. It is a place that radiates a sense of belonging and harmony, making it a great and uplifting place to be.

How to describe a room in writing?

The room is small but cozy. It is painted a warm shade of yellow and has a fluffy cream-colored rug in the middle of the floor. There is a bookshelf filled with books and a few framed art prints hanging on the walls. The curtains are light blue, allowing the sunshine to pour in. In the corner sits a comfortable armchair, perfect for reading. A small side table holds a lamp, providing soft illumination. The overall atmosphere is one of peace and tranquility.

How to describe a town?

A bustling town with a vibrant atmosphere and friendly people. The streets are lined with colorful buildings and shops, and the locals are always welcoming. Everywhere you look, you can find a variety of restaurants, cafes and bars, as well as parks and other green spaces, providing plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy the scenery. The town is bustling with activity, and its diverse population offers something for everyone.

How to describe a place in detail?

This place is situated in a peaceful, natural landscape. The open sky stretches out above, framed by tall lush trees that create a canopy of shade. The sun penetrates through, illuminating patches of grass and wildflowers in an inviting palette of greens, blues, and yellows. A gentle breeze carries the crisp clean air and sends the leaves rustling. Nearby, a meandering river cuts through the greenery, with sparkling sunlight bouncing off its rippling surface. Along the banks are large stones and rocks that create a unique and picturesque landscape. As you explore further, you find a peaceful pond with a bed of water lilies, a waterfall cascading down rocky hills, and patches of trees and shrubs providing shelter from the sun. The atmosphere here is serene and calming, with birdsong in the air, and chirps and croaks from frogs and crickets hidden in the trees. This place is a perfect paradise for relaxation and tranquility.

How to describe places in writing?

Describe the Location: When describing a place, start by setting the scene and providing a brief overview of the location. Include details such as the general area, nearby landmarks, and buildings. Describe the Physical Setting: Once you've established the location, provide a physical description of the place. Include details about the architecture, natural features like rivers or mountains, and other notable features like statues or monuments. Describe the Atmosphere: Describing the atmosphere of a place can add a great deal of flavor to your writing. Create an image readers can visualize by outlining the sounds, smells, and feelings that characterize the place. Describe the People: If there are people or animals at the location, don't forget to include them in your description. Describe the individuals or creatures in terms of age, facial features, and attire. Describe the Purpose of the Place: Describing why the place exists can be important when painting a picture for readers. Include details such as why the place was built and how it's used today.

How adjective to use when describing a room that looks like a hospital?

What are the steps to follow in describing a place?

Identify the location: Describe where the place is located, such as its city, country, region, or even street address. Describe the physical characteristics: Describe the physical qualities of the place such as its size, shape, topography, climate, and other environmental factors. Describe the architecture: Describe the structures of the place, such as buildings, roads, and other man-made structures, as well as the shapes and materials used. Describe the population: Describe the people living in the place, their culture, language, beliefs, and lifestyles. Describe the atmosphere: Describe the overall feeling or atmosphere of the place and how it affects the people that live there. Describe the notable features: Describe any notable features of the place, such as buildings, monuments, parks, festivals, or events. Describe your experience: Describe what you experienced when you visited the place and how it made you feel.

Which are the steps for decriving a place?

Begin by gathering as much information as possible about the place you are describing. Research the history, geography, and culture. Identify the key elements of the place that you want to describe. Focus on the most important or relevant information. Choose the right words to describe the place. Words that evoke a certain feeling or emotion can help make your description more vivid. Create the overall structure of your description. Decide which facts and details will be included and how they will be organized. Polish your description by adding details and imagery. Describe the sights, sounds, and smells to create a vivid image of the place. Read your description out loud to make sure it has a natural flow and all of the necessary information is included. Revise and edit your work as needed. Make sure the description is detailed, clear, and captures the essence of the place.

How to describe a garden in write?

A garden is a tranquil oasis, a sanctuary of life that can bring peace to the soul. The lush greenery of plants, flowers, and trees provide a lush backdrop for birds to sing and butterflies to flutter, adding a playful ambiance to the atmosphere. The colors of the plants and flowers are a vivid reminder of summer, arranged in neat and creative formations. A garden is also a place of growth, where fruits, vegetables, and herbs can be harvested and enjoyed. The scent of the blooms, the sound of the trickling water, and the sunshine that filters through the leaves create an idyllic refuge that can nourish the mind, body, and spirit.

How to write an outline for describing a place?

I. Introduction A. Opening Statement B. Description of Place II. Physical Description A. Landscape B. Climate C. Flora and Fauna III. Cultural Description A. People B. Music C. Language IV. Aesthetic Description A. Colors B. Architecture C. Scenery V. Conclusion A. Summary B. Closing Statement

How to introduce a writing about "describing a place "?

Welcome to my description of a special place! This is a place near and dear to my heart and I’m excited to tell you all about it. I will share the sights, smells, and sounds of the location and provide a vivid image of the area through my words. So, let's begin our journey together and explore this unique place!

How to describe a place writing?

The city of London is an enchanting place full of history, culture, and vibrant energy. From iconic buildings to inviting parks, the city offers something for everyone. The hustle and bustle of the busy streets radiates life as you explore the unique and colourful architecture. Pass by the ornate Houses of Parliament and the iconic Big Ben. Take a stroll along the River Thames and marvel at the remarkable buildings of the South Bank or take a peaceful rest in the tranquil green of Hyde Park. The ever-changing skyline is a constant reminder of the city's impressive past and exciting future. There's no question why millions of people are drawn to London's captivating charm and timeless appeal.

How do you describe a peaceful place?

A peaceful place is one with a sense of serenity and tranquility, with gentle breezes, calming sounds of nature, and a tranquil atmosphere. Bright sunlight, lush greenery, and idyllic landscapes all add to the feeling of peace and calm that a peaceful place can offer.

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no place to go

The street winds over the hill like a carelessly discarded belt, grey and cracked with age. On each side the houses are separated by yards large enough to accommodate farm animals, but this is no rural district. The homes are many times larger than even the biggest of families might need, yet in each is mostly parents with one child. To each dwelling there are more sports cars than people and kitchens that cost more than our homes just a block over. But I can ride my bike down here, enjoying the wide avenues, the leafy green trees and the relative safety now that the security guards patrol. There is talk of the residents paying to have the road repaved, they don't want the same repair service as the rest of us, nor the same schools or health service. Our parents are the nurses, the technicians and the fast food servers and they would like us to stay in our ramshackle boxes and never enter their plush neighbourhoods.

From the bow of the boat the harbour comes into focus like a high-definition movie. Above the gulls swoop, crying in that repetitive way they do. The houses are identical in shape and size but no two are the same shade. They are yellow, lilac, blue, red, orange and every shade in between. Each one is not only a house but also a shop run by the folks that live above, selling ice-cream, meat, vegetables or fine leather goods. From the bright yellow lampposts hang the flags of European nations and in the town square there is a market. I can't see the fish from here, but I know from my many visits that they are there. Lying on those tables, silver scales to the sun, is the morning's catch. They are fresher than I can hope for back home, were the food has been frozen and breaded with seasoning and sugar some months before. The air here is fresher than in my dreams back in the city. One day I will come here and never leave. One day.

Under the mist that swirls thicker than hairspray in a beauty pageant prep-room lies sand that shifts under the pressure of my boot. I can't see it, only feel. Out there, only meters away is the ocean, alive with constant motion and millions of sea-dwellers. Beyond this wall of white I can smell and hear it. The waves are neither the gentle kind that roll up the beach like a overflowing bath tub, nor the crashing kind that turn murky with golden swirling crystals. They move with force but die within a few feet. From them comes the salty smell, that fragrance that conjures fishing fleets and nets of sun-bleached blue cord hanging out to dry. This place could be anywhere, I guess at a stretch this could be some kind of artificial simulation, but it isn't. This is my hometown beach and that is the sea I swam in as a small child. The wind here carries my mother's voice and her sweet kisses. I stand still, face to the breeze and soak it all in. No technology, no gimmicks, just nature...

In the plaza the pigeons outnumber the red paving slabs. Just to walk from the tall terraced houses around the edges with their stores at ground level I must take small steps to avoid kicking them. These birds have no fear of me, I'm more scared they'll foul up the Italian leather shoes I bought only last week at Darcy's. A few minutes later my efforts are rewarded by being able to sit on the edge of the octagonal pool that surrounds the fountain, water spraying many feet into the dry summer air from the lips of a busty mermaid. The droplets arc high before cascading down at the will of gravity. I dig in my satchel for the baguette I plan to eat for lunch and the mass of grey feathers before me gets so dense you can't see the stone underneath. Between the splashing behind and the squawking in front the sound of the city traffic disappears, and that is why I walk here to eat. Here I can admire the brightly painted old buildings and imagine I am back in my home town. Just for a moment.

This place seems so foreign now. The narrow streets flow like rivers, winding around hills and fields rather than cutting a romanesque line through them. For the most part the lanes are one car wide and the corners blind, obscured behind the hawthorn hedgerow that has been growing unchecked through June and July, giddy with the sunshine and rain. I remember the white blooms and how they are so often over hung by spreading trees, darkening in the sunshine faster than I can tan. I recall the bird song and the gentleness of the sun, even in summer. Even the aroma takes me back to my mis-spent youth. But I've been gone too long and now this is like a half-forgotten dream. The good parts aren't as good as the memory and the bad parts are more frustrating. I'm just not used to it. As much as I want to savour the hear and now I can't wait to board the plane for home; back to straight roads and summer heat that cooks your head.

This street could be any city anywhere. Now that the corporations are global we have the same style buildings in every country. Our STEM education means there are no artists to make our public spaces unique to us, to our culture. The colour scheme is the same for every store. There are no designers since only math and technology counts. So now this place is grey, black and blue. The workers who went to the free schools line the streets in orange coveralls. They are our road sweepers, garbage collectors and factory fodder. The shrinking middle class that is rapidly going under from paying their own medical bills are the low level workers, data entry clerks in cubicle farms and code monkeys. They cram the buses in their blue uniforms that have been the same in many years, no art means no fashion. Then there are the electric self driven cars that ferry the children of the elite to their private schools. It's the class system by another name. The top stay at the top, the poor die young.

Viewed in isolation the patio could be anywhere with its grey stone floor and cafe tables, each with a green sun umbrella. If it were before an Italian vista I could sit for hours, days even, and simply be content. But instead it lies less than two feet from one of the busiest roads in the city. Were I to buy a coffee I wouldn't be enjoying its aroma, but instead the chocking fumes of the traffic that goes by almost without break. This isn't even a quaint city street, compared to my home country it's more of a highway, two lanes in either direction. Under the unbroken cloud this late morning could be the pre-dawn and the street is all the more grey for it. The headache I woke with is thickening like day old stew. The cafe itself looks inviting, on the other side of those doors is warmth and soft jazz, but I have no time to pamper myself today. No money either. The coins that rattle in my pocket are all accounted for: bus fair, lunch and candy from the office vending machine at eleven.

In that place I could be anyone, or perhaps no-one at all. The people flowed like rivers, never stopping for obstacles but swirling around them. On those wide avenues with wilted trees, their leaves curled and blackened in in the August heat, the buildings towered on each side. A hundred years ago I expect it was pretty, the golden light on the sandstone architecture, built in the days when curves and design weren't considered superfluous. Even the street-lamps were dreamt by an artist, built by an engineer following the teachings of a scientist. On days like this, crammed in with more bodies than I could count even in a photograph, I tilt my head to the sky. The empty blue gives me the strength just to walk at the pace of the crowd and bottle my claustrophobia inside my chest.

The cobblestones are wet with the night's rain and made slippery by the wintry temperature, casting the water film into ice. Edward's worn shoes slip and bend, were there any sharp edges he'd feel them though his thinning grey socks but these over-sized pebbles were pounded smooth by the Atlantic ocean long ago. The road is one carriage wide with slim pavements at the edge. As always he takes his chances with the traffic, walking in the middle of the street; a better choice he feels than receiving a bucket of sewage or bath-water from an upstairs window. The crocked houses that are build without gaps, save the odd alley to the long gardens behind. The homes are either redbrick with bare ivy tendrils reaching the rooftops or the tudor style, white with dark beams. He no longer notices the stench, or the sea air that mingles with it. He has no thoughts for yesterday or tomorrow. He only knows that he must reach his employer by dawn or his family won't eat today.

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Places To Write About In A Descriptive Essay: 10 Good Suggestions

Descriptive essays about exotic places must be informative with picturesque description about the beautiful tourist spot. There are top 10 suggestions to write attractive and relevant descriptive essays on the nice places in the world.

First Suggestion

Before concentrating on the descriptive content writing about various places, think of selecting the best place which seems to entice you. This specific place is different from other tourist spots. In the content, mention the difference by providing good examples.

Second Suggestion

Description about the destinations must be clear to readers. Therefore, complicate d hackneyed phrases and difficult words create hassles to compel students to withdraw their interest. They have to have good motivation and inspiration to read the write-up to explore.

Third Suggestion

In the short descriptive write-up about the places, there will be a précised introduction which works as the rudder to direct readers to go through following lines enthusiastically.

Fourth Suggestion

The most important part of jotting down the content on various tourist destinations is to write a brief thesis statement. It will highlight the unavoidable points stating a writer’s motivations and objective to describe the place in easy and understandable language.

Fifth Suggestion

Readers need proper explanation to have new information about the locality. A competent writer has to give the authentic details about the geographical landmark, the environment in the locality and the industry growing around the specific place.

Sixth Suggestion

Instead of writing extensive content about the historical importance of the place, give basic information about the location, the transportation facilities and the availability of the hospitality service in that particular area. Visitors must be familiar with the environment of the place. They have to be give information about the type of climate prevailing in the particular area.

Seventh Suggestion

Your information is very vital to readers who will go through the descriptive content on the place. That’s why, screen data online to steer clear of mistakes.

Eighth Suggestion

Draw a good road map to help newcomers to visit the place without hassle. Therefore, under few subheadings and bullet points, specify main points in the body of the content.

Ninth Suggestion

Arguments, controversies and blasphemous issues are not ingredients to choose to write the descriptive write-ups on any place. Simply tune up your self to delineate the place depending on your imagination, creative faculty and artistic sense.

Tenth Suggestion

Conclusion is the most important to end the content writing. In this section, bring the same thesis statement in different format. Tell about the likelihood of people about the place. Well, give few suggestions and tips to readers.

However, don’t write anything extra which has not been described in the introduction and middle part of the content.

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Describe a place. It can be real or imagined. Try to include as...

Describe a place. It can be real or imagined.

Try to include as many details as possible to give the reader a clear image in their head.

Use descriptive words (adjectives, adverbs and gerunds).

Your goal is to make a feeling for the reader. You may want to tell about a person walking through that place in order to frame the perspective.

Try to include one simile or metaphor to help convey the feeling.

Remember that subjective descriptions do not always make the reader feel or see. Sometimes remaining more objective is best.

Answer & Explanation

As the sun descended below the horizon, it left behind a vivid palette of yellow, orange, and gold tones in the sky. The river's aroma could be smelled in the crisp and clean air that permeated the area. The trail was twisting, and it took the traveler further and deeper into the old woodland with each turn. The trees were quite large and robust, and their branches extended forth in all directions, like the fingers of an open hand. The ground was covered with moss and lichen, giving the impression that the whole place was a magical country.

Someone strolling through the verdant meadow would be surrounded by the soothing buzz of grasshoppers and the musical chirp of birds as they went about their business. The sound of the gentle air rustling through the leaves was reassuring and calming. The way the sun's rays moved through the trees and plants made the ambience seem otherworldly.

The tourist would get the impression that they were in a storybook because of the breathtaking beauty of the surrounding landscape. The location had a vibrant energy, much like that of a live, breathing entity. It seemed as if every blade of grass, every rock, and every tree each have a spirit and a tale to tell. It was as if a symphony had been composed in the air, with all of the many components of nature performing in perfect unison with one another.

The traveler, as they gently made their way through the gorgeous forest, would be overcome with awe at the breathtaking natural scenery they encountered along the journey. It was much like a painting, with each stroke of the brush providing a new dimension to the scene. The experience was incredibly wonderful because of the way the sounds, scents, and sights all came together to make one cohesive whole.

The forest was like a living symphony, with all of its components performing their roles in concordance with one another. It was a location of beauty and magic, almost like entering a fantasy when you were there. The visitor was able to sense the energy of the location, and it seemed as if the location itself was a living, breathing creature that was inviting them to come and bask in its embrace.

When one first lays eyes on this enchanted location, they are sure to be overcome with feelings of amazement and wonder. It was like waking up in a dream, and the traveler could sense love and tranquility pulsing through the forest. It was the kind of environment that made you forget about the problems of the outside world and focus entirely on the here and now.

The tourist had discovered a location of beauty and tranquillity, a place where they might be at one with nature; this place had been located by the traveler. It was just like something out of a dream, and the tourist was certain that they would never forget what they had experienced.

The woodland was a symphony of life; it was a location of beauty and enchantment that gave the tourist the impression that they had entered a fantasy. It was like receiving a warm embrace from Mother Nature, a place where you could forget about the problems of the outside world and just be present in the moment.

The tourist was certain that they would never be able to forget the enchanted atmosphere of this location. It was like waking up in a dream, and the traveler could sense love and tranquility pulsing through the forest. It was a site that was incredible in both its awe and its beauty.

As the sun went down beyond the horizon, it painted the sky in a vibrant pallet of yellow, orange, and gold tones. These colors were left behind as the sun disappeared. It was possible to detect the scent of the river in the fresh and unpolluted air that pervaded the region. The path was winding, and with each curve, it led the wanderer farther and deeper into the ancient forest. The trees were quite tall and sturdy, and their branches spread out in all directions, seeming somewhat like the fingers of an outstretched hand. The fact that the ground was carpeted with moss and lichen created the sense that the whole location was some kind of enchanted land.

If one were to take a walk around the beautiful meadow, they would be surrounded by the lulling buzz of grasshoppers and the melodic chirp of birds as they went about their daily activities. The soothing and peaceful sound of the soft breeze rustling through the leaves was a perfect way to end the day. The otherworldly appearance of the setting was caused by the sun's rays passing through the foliage of the trees and plants.

The amazing beauty of the scenery that encompassed the visitor gave them the sense that they were in a fairytale because of how the setting seemed to them. The setting exuded a lively spirit, much as the energy of a living, breathing organism would do. It seemed as if every strand of grass, every rock, and every tree have a soul and a story to share with the world. It was almost as if a symphony had been formed in the air, with all of the many different elements of nature acting in perfect sync with one another.

The traveler, as they carefully navigated their way through the lovely woodland, would be awestruck by the stunning natural landscape that they experienced throughout the route. It was very much like a painting, where each stroke of the brush added a new depth to the picture that was being shown. The manner in which the sights, smells, and sounds came together to form a unified whole contributed much to the overall quality of the experience, which was very pleasant.

The forest functioned much like a live symphony, with all of its parts playing their parts in perfect harmony with one another. It was a place of extraordinary splendor and enchantment, and being there was almost like stepping into a fairy tale. The traveler was able to feel the energy of the area, and it felt as if the location itself was a living, breathing creature that was beckoning them to come and bathe in its embrace. The visitor was able to detect the energy of the location.

When one first sees this enchanted site, they are certain to be filled with emotions of awe and wonder. This is because the location has a magical quality to it. It was as if the traveler had awakened from a dream, and the energy of love and peace could be felt pouring through the trees all around them. It was the type of setting that made you forget about the worries of the outer world and concentrate completely on what was happening right in front of you at that very moment.

The traveler had found a site that was beautiful and peaceful, a place where they could be at one with nature; this area had been discovered by the tourist. It was exactly like something out of a dream, and the traveler was certain that they would never forget what they had encountered on their trip since it was so unbelievable.

The forest was a symphony of life; it was a destination of beauty and magic that provided visitors with the sensation that they had entered a dream world. It was like getting a warm hug from Mother Nature, a place where you could forget about the concerns of the outer world and simply be present in the moment without having to think about anything else.

The traveler was certain that they would never be able to forget the enchanting ambiance that could be found at this area. It was like waking up in a dream, and the visitor could feel love and calm pulsating through the forest. This place was really a dream come true. It was a place that inspired wonder and beauty in equal measure, making for an extraordinary sight.

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Descriptive Essay: My Favorite Place

Coney island in my mind.

I would really love to visit Coney Island again. The place is far from the bustling city and getting there is already part of the adventure. One can take the tunnel or drive but whichever way you take when one arrives in the island, it’s like being transported in time. There is that feeling of de`javu one gets when you see the heart of the island for the first time. Maybe it is because of the old films that featured the amusement parks or because as a young child you have had countless dreams of coming here. The place is filled with old buildings and structures that remind us of how our parents and grandparents might have enjoyed the Thunderbolt and the mermaid shows and the parachute drop and all the other parks when they where younger.

The merry-go-round, which has been the logo of the island, has been embedded in the minds of my generation. One cannot fail to notice the romance in the air and the sweet butterfly kisses of past and present lovers who had spent a memorable day in the ride. The air is filled with childish adventure and laughter, that when one is walking the streets one would surely smile and be filled with joy.

The place is like a giant playground without the technologically advanced rides and shows of today’s theme parks. It offers pure delight and tons of fun. It is a place where everyone is invited to enjoy the sights and sounds of the place and be like children once again discover how easier it is to smile and throw our miseries away.

The whole island is an amusement park with candy stores, taverns, night shows and a magnificent boardwalk. The chatter of children’s voices, the happy shrieks of teens, and the smiles of everyone tells one why this place was and will always be America’s happy park. The smell of popcorn and hotdog as one walks the streets to the parks reminds us of simple days when our wants and desires were simpler. The people are friendly and in keeping with the amusement business are always ready to make your visit to the island worth remembering. When one strolls around the commercial center, one can do so leisurely without the need to see everything, to ride everything and taste everything in one day, one keeps coming back to Coney Island because it is removed from the hurried, impersonal and rudeness of the city.

In winter, the place is like a giant ice kingdom, where everything is glistening white and silent. During this time, one can feel the sadness of the city, how it has been suspended in time, and like a bear who sleeps in the winter, it wakes up in the spring. Sadly, not many people visit Coney Island these days. Recently, the magnificent Thunderbolt has fallen from its glory, quite literally. It has lost much of its famous rides and has been stripped of its former grandeur, but nevertheless will always be an icon in America’s culture. The more important it is that we visit Coney Island again, by doing so we will help keep it alive and be a living heritage to our children.

Coney Island, wikipedia.com Retrieved June 26, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coney_Island

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Descriptive Essay About A Place
A descriptive essay is a type of writing that aims to describe and portray an object, person, or place. The essay typically includes sensory details to help the reader imagine its contents more vividly. A descriptive essay about a place should provide enough details for the reader to build a mental image of it.
How to Write a Descriptive Essay about a Place
Step 1. Choose the subject Maybe your instructor has already chosen the subject for you. If not, choose a country, city, or a place within a city or a geographical location that you are familiar with. Ideally, it is a place that you have been to and have a good memory of it.
Describing a Place| Tips, Techniques, & Examples
1.Use all five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste means if you ate something at the place you are describing. 2.Be as specific as possible with your adjectives. Instead of saying "nice," try "splendid," "gorgeous," or "wonderful." 3.Create a mental image for the reader by including as many sensory details as possible.
How do you Describe a Place? 6 Setting Tips
1. Describe place through characters' senses We feel connected to place in a story when we see it through characters' senses. Bring senses such as sight, hearing, touch, smell and even taste (there's edible wallpaper in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) into your setting. Using every sense might not make sense for your book, yet it's possible.
How To Write Descriptions And Create A Sense Of Place
Set the scene early on - then nudge. It may sound obvious but plenty of writers launch out into a scene without giving us any descriptive material to place and anchor the action. Sure, a page or so into the scene, they may start to add details to it - but by that point it's too late. They've already lost the reader.
How to Write a Descriptive Essay
Describe a place you love to spend time in. Describe an object that has sentimental value for you. You might also be asked to describe something outside your own experience, in which case you'll have to use your imagination. Imaginative descriptive essay prompts. Describe the experience of a soldier in the trenches of World War I.
List of Words to Describe Places
Attractive - Pleasing; charming Beautiful - Having qualities that are pleasing or appealing Bustling - Full of life, energy Calm - Peaceful; free from stress Charming - Fascinating; likeable Cosmopolitan - Appealing to people from all across the globe Enchanting - Delightful; fascinating Fascinating - Alluring; captivating
Describe to Immerse Readers (Complete Guide)
Description is writing that tells your reader what a person, object or place is (or isn't) like. As Oxford Learner Dictionaries define it: 'a piece of writing or speech that says what somebody/something is like; the act of writing or saying in words what somebody/something is like'. Description:
Describe a Place
What It Means to Describe a Place Vivid writing is especially important when your middle or high schooler needs to describe a place — whether describing a vista for a travel guide or fleshing out a scene in a short story. Master storyteller Charles Dickens was gifted at using description to create a mood.
How To Write A Descriptive Essay About A Place, with Outline
Descriptive essay about a place Descriptive essay focus on specific details about an object, a place or an event. It presents an object to the reader using vivid language for the reader to have a mental picture of what the writer is describing.
How to Describe a Place in English
So is a place. From such adjectives, one can get an overall idea of a place. Here I present several descriptive adjectives with their use in sentences to help you to develop your skill in describing a place. 1. Interesting. I visited an interesting place last month. It was a very boring place for vacation. 2. Bustling.
How to Describe a Place
The LOCATION is: Use simple words: alley, classroom, gym, bedroom or a specific place if that is important like the great hall at Hampton Court. TIME of day: Morning, afternoon, night—especially if the scene takes place outdoors. WEATHER/TEMPERATURE: You really only need to share this if it is abnormal or important to the scene.
How to write a descriptive essay about a place?
Conclusion. A winning essay has to be meaningful. Learn how to describe a place in an essay by expressing thoughts and feelings. A good paper should make readers excited and curious about visiting the area. The fact that the location made a difference in writer's life has to be proved.
Descriptive Writing
The primary purpose of descriptive writing is to describe a person, place or thing in such a way that a picture is formed in the reader's mind. Capturing an event through descriptive writing involves paying close attention to the details by using all of your five senses. Teaching students to write more descriptively will improve their writing by making it more interesting and engaging to read.
How to Write a Descriptive Essay About a Person or Place
A descriptive essay is essentially a short piece of writing in which the author describes a person or place using words that engage all five senses: sight, touch, smell, sound and taste. As the author, you will be required to convey the physical and, more importantly, the emotional attributes of the person or the place you are describing.
How to describe a place in English
Adjectives that express beauty. Some places offer breathtaking sights - be it from nature, or from a city with a rich culture. If that's the case, you could describe the place as: charming. stunning. scenic. picturesque. When you use these adjectives, you are talking about how beautiful the place is.
Describe A Place Teaching Resources
Can be used as part of a short story unit or a creative writing unit, or as an exercise to help students write a short story. Subjects: Balanced Literacy, Creative Writing ... We were writing vignettes, but this can be used for any type of writing to describe a special place. Subjects: Creative Writing, English Language Arts, Writing. Grades: K ...
Describing a Place
Describe the Atmosphere: Describing the atmosphere of a place can add a great deal of flavor to your writing. Create an image readers can visualize by outlining the sounds, smells, and feelings that characterize the place. Describe the People: If there are people or animals at the location, don't forget to include them in your description.
A place
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A List Of Places To Write About In A Descriptive Essay
Sixth Suggestion. Instead of writing extensive content about the historical importance of the place, give basic information about the location, the transportation facilities and the availability of the hospitality service in that particular area. Visitors must be familiar with the environment of the place. They have to be give information about ...
Describe a place. It can be real or imagined. Try to include as
Describe a place. It can be real or imagined. Try to include as many details as possible to give the reader a clear image in their head. Use descriptive words (adjectives, adverbs and gerunds). Your goal is to make a feeling for the reader. You may want to tell about a person walking through that place in order to frame the perspective.
Describe A Place Creative Writing
326 Words 2 Pages Open Document As I'm walking into this creep hotel I see this very nice old lady knitting. She walks up to me with her cane. She asks me what my name is and I say Billy, what's your name? My name is Dianna now come this way ill give you a room. She gives me a room and all that's in it is a bed and a sink nothing else.
Descriptive Essay: My Favorite Place
It is a place where everyone is invited to enjoy the sights and sounds of the place and be like children once again discover how easier it is to smile and throw our miseries away. The whole island is an amusement park with candy stores, taverns, night shows and a magnificent boardwalk. The chatter of children's voices, the happy shrieks of ...