ShmoopTube

Where Monty Python meets your 10th grade teacher.

Search Thousands of Shmoop Videos

Descriptive Essay 6986 Views


Share It!


Description:

This video defines a descriptive essay—it’s just what it sounds like. It covers what makes a strong descriptive essay—from providing unique details to help the reader live your experience to using comparative language—and helps guide you on your bath to a focused, engaging essay.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:04

Descriptive Essay, a la Shmoop. A Descriptive Essay is exactly what it sounds

00:09

like...

00:09

...it's a piece of writing about a person, place, memory, situation, or... cat, that

00:15

you describe in detail.

00:17

The process of reading your never-ending prose can be an agonizing experience for the reader

00:25

if the descriptions are predictable ...

00:27

For example: My cat is fluffy. He likes tuna. I love him very much.

00:38

Still awake? This description tells the reader nothing new or special or memorable.

00:43

There is nothing that differentiates this cat from the millions of other pet cats in

00:47

the world. The key to a good description is to surprise

00:52

the reader. No jumping out of closets, please.

00:55

But you will need to get their attention by providing unique and memorable details.

00:59

For example:

01:00

My cat, Pirate, has one eye and three legs. He gets into a lot of bar fights. He shows

01:08

his affection by puking hairballs onto my sheets while I'm asleep.

01:16

Sometimes he grooms me by licking my arms with his rough tongue, leaving behind streaks

01:22

of slimy saliva that smell strongly of rotten fish.

01:30

Okay, so this could still describe just about any cat in the world.

01:35

With the exception of the "one eye, three legs" bit.

01:37

But at least it's more descriptive. One of the key things to remember when you

01:41

write your descriptions is that you need to engage your readers' five senses:

01:45

Touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing.

01:49

If they've got a sixth sense, try to engage them on that level, too. Maybe get some of

01:52

the dead people to help. Make your readers live your experience by

01:58

filling in all the details they'll need in order to inhabit your memories.

02:02

It's okay—there's plenty of room in there, and company's welcome.

02:07

Pay close attention to your language; you don't want a line to sit dully on the page

02:11

when a different word choice could really make a sentence pop.

02:15

A popular way to liven up descriptions is to use similes and metaphors, or to compare

02:19

one thing to another.

02:21

Like apples and oranges. Peas and carrots. Anchovies and ice cream.

02:26

Hey, don't judge. Maybe we just have a really sophisticated palate.

02:34

This comparison can be made briefly, within a particular description...

02:37

... or the thread of comparison can run throughout the entire paper. Which is a great way to

02:41

fit in your cardio for the day. Your standards for your comparisons don't

02:47

have to be sky high.

02:50

If you succeed in entertaining your reader, then your essay is a success.

02:56

Another important thing to remember as you write the Descriptive Essay is to keep it

03:00

focused.

03:00

It's easy to meander and lose your way once you start describing something.

03:03

And your GPS won't help you here. To guard against this pitfall, it's a good

03:07

idea to describe in a line or so your purpose for writing the essay.

03:13

Dig deeper. Is it to convince the reader that your grandma's chili is the best in the world?

03:20

Or that the swamps of Florida are an awesome place to wrestle crocodiles?

03:24

Then let all of the descriptions and details grow out of this sentence.

03:28

Okay, now it's time for you to do some describing on your own.

03:33

May the adjectives be

03:55

with you.

Up Next

What Not to do in an Introduction
32940 Views

This video offers some rules of thumb for writing a good introduction. It covers everything from tone (confidence is key!) to phrases and clichés...

Related Videos

What Not to do in a Conclusion
6994 Views

Even the best essays can go wrong in the conclusion—this video covers what not to do in a conclusion to help avoid any essay-ending problems. The...

Using Citations Effectively
3733 Views

You want to be as picky with your citations as Goldilocks was with her porridge—not too many, not too few... juuust right. You want to prove that...

Wordiness
15156 Views

Want even more deets on wordiness? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.

Run-on Sentences
6486 Views

Want even more deets on Run-on Sentences? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.