The purpose of good descriptive writing is to create an image or impression in the reader’s mind by using specific detail. A descriptive paragraph should be interesting and vivid, with a range of sentences and vocabulary. Student writing can often times be too general:
- A girl in a dress sat under a tree.
This sentence is grammatically correct but not very descriptive or interesting. Here is a typical student revision:
- A beautiful girl in a white dress sat under a tall tree.
This sentence is an improvement; however, good description is more than simply using adjectives before every noun in your sentence. The words dress and tree are very general. Try to be more specific:
| General | Specific |
|---|---|
| Dress | Wedding dress, summer dress, evening gown, sari, etc |
| Shoes | |
| Tree | |
| Bird |
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