What is a descriptive essay?

As the name implies, a descriptive essay, is a type of essay, which describes something, such as objects, places, experiences, emotions and circumstances. Teachers usually expect students to use “sensory descriptors” that can enable readers to use their five senses of touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight to understand the topic of the essay.  

Here is an example written by a student on a grocery store: “The grocery store in my little town rose right up from the sidewalk; standing in a street of family houses, it alone hadn’t any tree or flower bed. It was a plain frame building covered over with brick. Above the door, a little railed porch ran across on an upstairs level and four windows with shades were looking out”

The example provides vivid sensory and imagery information about the grocery store. The readers can imagine how it looks.

Structure of the essay is quite important

Students should note that a typical a descriptive essay task could be more than a paragraph. Writing resources provided by Purdue Universities indicate that a descriptive essay can be more than five paragraphs in order to fully describe the object, which can be either chosen by the students or assigned by the teachers. Students are usually expected to include at least an introduction, several body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Common challenges that students come across

Ewriters, a professional descriptive essay writing service provider, lists four common challenges that students may come across. First, lack of supporting information: unexperienced readers may do not have enough facts, ideas, and arguments to back the idea. Second, the writers may have limited understanding of the subject, which may lead the author write an off-topic essay. Third, writers may have inadequate time. Enough time is usually required to conduct exhaustive research. Fourth, students may have limited understanding of English. These students often find it difficult to convey their views in proper English.