Question
What is a descriptive essay and how do you write one?
Answer
A descriptive essay is a genre of writing that aims to provide a detailed depiction of a person, place, object, or event, allowing the reader to visualize and experience the subject through vivid sensory details. This type of essay often involves the use of sensory descriptions to evoke imagery and emotional responses from the reader (Bowkett and Hitchman, 2021).
Key Elements of a Descriptive Essay
Sensory Details: Effective descriptive writing involves using sensory details to create vivid imagery, engaging the reader’s senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell (Bowkett and Hitchman, 2021).
Imagery: The use of descriptive language to paint a picture in the reader’s mind, making them feel as if they are experiencing the scene themselves (Bowkett and Hitchman, 2021).
Writing a Descriptive Essay
Choose a Topic: Select a subject that you can describe in detail. It could be a person, place, object, or event that you are familiar with.
Create an Outline: Organise your thoughts and structure your essay. Consider brainstorming or outlining to help organise ideas effectively (Dewi, Jumariati and Arief, 2021).
Use Vivid Language: Employ descriptive language and sensory details to bring your subject to life. This includes using metaphors, similes, and adjectives to enhance the description (Bowkett and Hitchman, 2021).
Focus on the Senses: Describe what can be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched to create a full sensory experience for the reader (Bowkett and Hitchman, 2021).
Maintain Cohesion and Coherence: Ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next, maintaining a clear structure and connection between ideas (Kesulitan et al., 2024).
Revise and Edit: Review your essay for clarity, coherence, and grammatical accuracy. Pay attention to punctuation, spelling, and the use of capital letters (Daulay, Damanik and Annisa, 2023; Kore et al., 2024).
Challenges in Writing Descriptive Essays
Finding Ideas: Students often struggle to find ideas and translate them into written form (Faturohmah, Irianto and Rachmadtullah, 2023).
Vocabulary and Grammar: Limited vocabulary and difficulties with grammar can hinder the writing process (Daulay, Damanik and Annisa, 2023; Rashid and Jawad, 2023).
Motivation and Interest: Maintaining motivation and interest in the topic is crucial for effective writing (Dewi, Jumariati and Arief, 2021).
Descriptive essays require a strong command of language and the ability to engage the reader’s senses through vivid imagery. By focusing on sensory details and maintaining a coherent structure, writers can create compelling and immersive descriptions. Overcoming challenges such as vocabulary limitations and maintaining interest can enhance the quality of descriptive writing.
References
Dewi, N., , J., & Arief, Y., 2021. Students’ Perception on the Affecting Factors in Writing Descriptive Essays. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Education, Language, Literature, and Arts (ICELLA 2021). https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211021.017
Kesulitan, A., Menulis, K., Deskripsi, K., Didik, P., Di, F., Dasar, S., Sitorus, H., Sagita, R., , R., Suriani, A., & Hamka, D., 2024. Analisis Kesulitan Keterampilan Menulis Karangan Deskripsi Peserta Didik Fase B di Sekolah Dasar. Morfologi: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, Bahasa, Sastra dan Budaya. https://doi.org/10.61132/morfologi.v2i3.739
Daulay, S., Damanik, E., & Annisa, N., 2023. STUDENT’S DIFFICULTIES ON WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT. ENGLISH JOURNAL OF INDRAGIRI. https://doi.org/10.32520/eji.v7i1.2195
Faturohmah, N., Irianto, A., & Rachmadtullah, R., 2023. Project-Based Learning Assisted with Mind Mapping on Description Essay Writing Skills : A Study in Elementary School. Journal of Education and Teacher Training Innovation. https://doi.org/10.61227/jetti.v1i1.5
Rashid, A., & Jawad, I., 2023. Quality of Writing in EFL University Students’ Descriptive Essays. مجلة آداب الفراهيدي. https://doi.org/10.51990/jaa.15.53.3.28
Kore, K., Rasdawita, R., Harahap, E., & Akhyarruddin, A., 2024. Analisis Kemampuan Penulisan Tanda Baca, Huruf Kapital dan Kalimat dalam Karangan Deskripsi Siswa Kelas VII SMPN 10 Kota Jambi. Jurnal Ilmiah Dikdaya. https://doi.org/10.33087/dikdaya.v14i1.612
Bowkett, S., & Hitchman, T., 2021. Descriptive writing. Visualising Literacy and How to Teach It. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003184003-39
