How to Write a Descriptive Paragraph

Writing a descriptive paragraph can be a fun and rewarding task, as it allows you to use your creativity and descriptive language skills to paint a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. Whether you’re describing a person, place, or thing, the key to how to write a descriptive paragraph is to use sensory details and descriptive words to bring the subject to life. 

What is a Descriptive Paragraph?

A descriptive paragraph or essay is characterized by the use of Adjectives. It tells how something looks, feels, smells, tastes, and/or sounds. A good description is a word picture; the reader can imagine the object, place, or person in their mind. When describing a person, you should speak about that person’s physical appearance and personality.

• What does s/he look like? (physically)
• How does s/he dress?
• What does s/he look like? (personality)
• What attracts you to that person?
•  What do you like most about them?

To describe a person, you need to talk about their:

Physical appearance: the way they look like

• Height: tall, short, medium height…
• Build: frail, slim, thin, skinny, stocky, plump, fat, chubby, large, heavy, well-built, fit…
• Age: young, teenager, middle-aged, elderly…
• Face: round, oval, wrinkled, furrowed, dimpled, sun-tanned, fair-skinned, baby-faced, chiseled…
• Eyes: big, round, blue, hazel, small, piggy, narrow, bloodshot…
• Hair: bald; straight, curly, spiky, wavy, black…
• Clothes: casual, shabby, bright, tidy, untidy, messy…

Personality: their psychological traits or attitudes

Intelligent, witty, clever, gifted, brainy…

Shy, timid, introverted, extroverted, optimistic, pessimistic, sensitive, sensible, relaxed, tense…

Compassionate, considerate, courteous, generous, exuberant, practical…

Sociable, quarrelsome, argumentative, logical, rational, easy-going, even-tempered, honest, trustworthy, reliable, sincere…

Tips to help you write a descriptive paragraph

• Choose a subject that you find exciting and can describe in detail.
• Begin by introducing the subject and setting the scene. This will give the reader a general understanding of what you’re describing.
• Use sensory details and descriptive words to help the reader visualize the subject. For example, if you’re describing a person, you might use words like “warm,” “generous,” and “kind.” If you’re describing a place, you might use words like “bustling,” “picturesque,” and “charming.”
• Use vivid verbs and adjectives to bring the description to life and make it more interesting for the reader. For example, instead of saying, “The sky was blue,” you might say, “The sky was a brilliant, cerulean blue.”
• Avoid cliches and try to use original language to describe your subject.
• End the paragraph with a conclusion that ties everything together and reinforces the overall image you were trying to create. This will help the reader remember the subject and the details you included in the paragraph.

An Example of a Descriptive Paragraph (Describing a Person)

(Topic Sentence) Bob is my best friend at school. (Supporting Sentences: Physical Appearance) I’ve known him since primary school. He is a tall person with a strong body. He has a round face with brown eyes. His hair is black and curly. Though young, he looks older than his age because of some wrinkles on his face. He also has dimples on his cheeks which makes him look handsome. Bob usually wears casual clothes. He is not keen on brands and fashion. (Supporting Sentences: Personality)As for his personality, Bob is a shy and introverted person. He does not like being around people. He is a brainy guy. We call him the geek because of his love for IT. Not to mention that he is an honest and trustworthy person. (Concluding Sentence) To sum up, Bob is one of the people I admire most.

Example of a Descriptive Paragraph (2)

When I was two or three years old, I lived in a house with a strange atmosphere. I do not remember anything about the house except the stairway. It was dark, squeaking, and relatively narrow, and its steps were a little high for me to climb up. From the bottom of the stairway, it seemed like an endless climb to the top. Beyond the darkness at the top of the stairway was an elegant, middle-aged woman leaning against the wall. I had to pass her every time I went to my room, for my room was the first room beyond the stairs on the second floor. The woman wore a beautiful dress with a subtle pattern and a tinge of blue, and her peaceful eyes stared at me every time I went up the stairs. As I carefully climbed up the last step, her eyes became fixed on me. She didn’t talk, nor did she move. She just stood there and watched me climb up the stairs. One day I touched her, but she did not react. Her face did not change expression, nor did she even blink. She just kept staring at me with her glittering eyes. Later, we moved out of the house, and I never saw her again. Now I know that the woman was a dummy. My aunt, who lived in the house, used it for her dress.