Caleb S.
Caleb S.

Descriptive Essay Examples & Writing Tips

12 min read

Published on: Aug 22, 2018

Last updated on: Feb 28, 2023

descriptive essay examples

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Struggling to write a descriptive essay that engages your reader? It can be frustrating to spend hours writing, only to feel like your essay is not meeting your expectations.

Relax, you're not alone! Many students find it difficult to capture readers' attention through descriptive writing.

But don't worry! Our examples of descriptive essays are here to help. These examples provide you with the perfect starting point, helping you to understand how to structure your essay to make it memorable. 

Don't let your descriptive essay fall flat. Explore our examples and learn how to write an essay that your readers won't be able to forget.

Let's dive in to learn more.

What is a Descriptive Essay?

A descriptive essay is a type of essay in which a writer describes a specific subject in detail. The writer takes help from vivid language to paint a picture in the reader’s mind by engaging the human senses. 

Whether you are writing about a person or an event, use strong adjectives and adverbs to present sensory details. The main objective of writing a descriptive essay is to describe a particular subject, person, place, or situation. 

It is written in a way to make the reader feel the same way as you do. It is like a narrative essay where you provide a detailed description of the subject. 

Descriptive Essay Examples

To understand descriptive writing, good and handy descriptive essay samples work best. It is a fact that we learn better with examples. This is why we have added some amazing examples of descriptive essays.

These samples will help you understand the dos and don’ts of a good descriptive essay. Move forward and go through the writing samples below.

How to Write a Descriptive Essay - Example

Don't know how to write a descriptive essay? We understand! Here is an example that might help you.

Subjective Descriptive Essay Example

Subjective descriptive essays are written based on personal experiences. Take a look at the below example to understand this format better.

Objective Descriptive Essay Example

The objective descriptive essay is a type of descriptive essay in which you describe a person, place, or thing without any emotions or opinions. Take a look at the below examples to understand this format better.

Personal Descriptive Essay Example

Example Number 1: Why Moving North is The Best Decision of my Life

Moving up to our north cabin and spending time there had always been something that I enjoyed and looked up to. It was a nice, beautiful, and serene place. It offered a lot in terms of peace and serenity that you will not find in cities.

We used to look forward to our summer vacations. So that we can go up north and experience things that we cannot do in the city. Even though time has changed and things are not as they used to be, the memory is still fresh.

The atmosphere up north was quite different than in the city. When in the cabin, I used to marvel at how different the atmosphere and life here are from the city. Life in the city is full of noise and tension. You have to get up for work, and the noise of traffic would never let you relax and enjoy nature.

Only if you are lucky to have it around. Things up north were different, you can enjoy the sunshine and greenery, and there is no hustle-bustle. The air was fresh, healthy, and clean. The nights are quiet, and you can hear the animals coming out to hunt for food.

Cities are filled with polluted air. This abundance of polluted air is mainly due to the heavy traffic and factories. The air is thick due to smoke, smog, and other types of air contaminators that no one wants to breathe in. Getting clean air in a city is next to impossible.

Unlikely, the air in up north is fresh and clean. There is a big difference that you will notice between the air that you will find up north. The smell is fresh, and you cannot help but just breathe in it constantly. It cleansed the lungs and filled me with freshness and a sense of cleanliness.

Now that things have changed and those experiences have become memories, I made a decision. The decision of moving up north and raising my family there. Moving here, I have the satisfaction that my family has a clean and healthy environment.

Clean air to breathe in and safe surroundings. I believe that this is the best decision of my life. And, I am happy that my kids will have the same experiences as I had as a kid.


Descriptive Essay Example About A Person

Example Number 2: Dalai Lama: A Powerful and Charismatic Personality

The 14th Dalai Lama, born Lhamo Thondup, is probably one of the most interesting and inspiring personalities alive. Originally from China, the reigning Dalai Lama follows the new school of Tibetan Buddhism.

He is influenced by a number of renowned people, including Mahatma Gandhi and Gautama Buddha. His endeavors to uplift and sustain his culture, religion, and identity are phenomenal. Besides, he is also quite famous for his peaceful and joyful appearance. Also, his humanitarian efforts are difficult to neglect or overlook.

The Dalai Lama was born in 1935. He was from a family of poor farmers and belonged to the Tibetan province of Amdo, Taktser. In 1959, he fled to India due to the Tibetan revolt. And in India, he refused to accept the People’s Republic of China and formed an individual Tibetan government.

He has traveled around the world and worked to promote peace and equality and Tibetan Buddhism ideals. He is a prominent political figure and the winner of the Nobel Prize. He is a true source of inspiration, and he practices compassion as the main source of life and his teachings.

His book, The Art of Happiness, explains the pillars of happiness and how one could train its mind to achieve it. He is always working to communicate his ideas and transform the world around him. Following his teachings, many people have successfully transformed their lives.

Many of what Dalai Lama preaches and practices are the product of ancient Buddhist teachings. He has spent a lifetime learning its philosophy and meditation methods and preaching it to promote peace throughout the world. One of the main features of his teachings and practices is non-violence toward everyone.

Despite being so down to earth and leading a simple life, he is not as simple. His life is complicated and a great source of encouragement for many of his followers. He is a political figure and is actively involved in the Tibetan government. He is well-known for supporting the rights of the Tibetan community and spreading the message of peace, harmony, and patience.

The 14th Dalai Lama has an extremely impressive and strong personality. He has proved himself to be the Dalai Lama’s, Tibetan Buddhist leader, through reincarnation and his actions. One that shines through and serves as a source of guidance and encouragement for his leaders. Whatever he teaches, he practices it himself, which makes his teachings so persuasive and strong.


Descriptive Essay Example About A Place

Describing a place can be tricky. If you want to write a descriptive essay about a place, it is even more difficult. To understand this format better, let's take a look at the below example.

Good Descriptive Essay Example

Struggling to write a good descriptive essay? Understandable!

Writing an impressive essay in a descriptive tone is not everyone's cup of tea. Observe the below example to get an idea of how to craft a good descriptive essay. 

Short Descriptive Essay Example

Many students fail to understand the essence of writing a short descriptive essay. If you are one of them, here is an example that will help you get an idea of how to write it. 

Narrative Descriptive Essay Example

A narrative descriptive essay is a type of descriptive essay where you narrate a story in an interesting manner. Take a look at the below example to understand how to write this type of essay. 

Descriptive Essay Example for Middle School

Middle school students often struggle to write essays. Descriptive essay assignments might even prove to be more difficult. Here is an example that will help middle schoolers understand this format better.

Descriptive Essay Example for High School

High school students face similar challenges as middle schoolers when it comes to descriptive writing. It is difficult to describe something without being generic. If you're going through something similar, here are some examples for you.

Descriptive Essay Example for University and College

College and University students have to deal with complex and more challenging descriptive essay topics. Mostly, they don't have time to write such lengthy essays. Here are some examples that can help them understand such essays better.

Descriptive Essay Example College

Thesis for Descriptive Essay Example

How to Write a Descriptive Essay?

There are many elements to an amazing descriptive essay. For starters, it's important that the writer stays focused on one point. Also, uses figurative language so readers can imagine what they're reading about in their minds.

Below are some steps that you should follow for writing a great descriptive essay.

  1. Choose a Good Topic

    The best way to make an interesting essay is by choosing a unique topic. It will allow you the freedom of creativity. Be careful not to choose something familiar because it might get boring quickly for readers.

  2. Write a Thesis Statement

    It is the most important part of any essay. When you are planning a descriptive essay, you need to come up with a strong thesis statement.

    A thesis statement is usually one or two sentences that explain the whole point of your essay to the reader.

  3. Collect Information

    To write a good essay, you need relevant information supporting your thesis statement. Make sure that you get your information from reliable sources.

  4. Make an Outline

    An essay outline is a way to organize your thoughts and plan what you will say in your essay. In the outline, you should have an introduction, a thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

    Expert Tip

    Don’t know how to make an outline? Visit our descriptive essay outline blog and learn to create impressive outlines for your descriptive essays.

  5. Proofreading

    Proofreading is the process of looking for and correcting any spelling or grammatical errors in a written essay. Proofreading makes a document look more professional, so it is important to do it before submission.

Tips to Write a Good Descriptive Essay

Writing a good descriptive essay is both a difficult and easy task. Here we have listed some useful descriptive writing tips that will make your writing process easy and simple.

  • Choose the Topic: Choosing a topic to write your essay is the very first step in any essay writing process. Make a list of the descriptive essay topics that you like and choose one from them.

Expert Tip

Short on descriptive topic ideas? Check out our extensive list of descriptive essay topics to get inspiration.

  • Preplanning: Before you start writing, plan your essay, and write all the essential details. Please do not think that you will remember it just because you know something; it does not happen this way. Write down all the details and assemble them all in one place.
  • Create an Outline: Creating a descriptive essay outline before starting the essay will keep you focused on the essay topic. Include what you will add to each of the sections. Divide it into the introductory paragraph, thesis statement, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
  • Edit and Revise: No writing process is complete without thorough editing and proofreading. Spelling and grammar checking the essay for plagiarism are the main steps before the final submission of the essay.

Want more tips to improve your descriptive writing skills? Here is a short video clip to help you out. 

If you are not sure that you could write the essay yourself, give it to MyPerfectWords.com. Our descriptive essay writers are professionals and experts in crafting top-notch essays in no time.

We specialize in providing custom-written papers and essays for various academic levels and subjects. Trust our essay writing service to deliver you top-notch papers at the most affordable prices.

Order your essay now and get the best value for your money.

Caleb S.

WRITTEN BY

Caleb S. (Literature, Marketing)

Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.

Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.

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