Descriptive writing is essential in most forms of writing. Its main objective is to describe a person, place, or object. For most writers, descriptive writing is the key to help the readers imagine what is happening in a story.
There are many ways and techniques that can help you improve your writing skills. If you want to dive into descriptive writing, you must focus on certain aspects. Here are some of them:
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Word choice
In descriptive writing, it’s vital to select the right words to describe a resource or examples. To do this, it’s important to consider your choice of adjectives. For example, you can say “The roller coaster ride was a thrilling adventure”. The word “thrilling” describes the emotion felt while riding the roller coaster.
Using the five senses in descriptive writing
To form descriptive sentences, you must use your five senses. Doing this helps build an impression in your readers’ minds. Here’s how you can use your five senses in descriptive writing:
Sight
This is the most often used sense in creative writing. It’s natural for us to write about what we see. The key to using this sense is to go into detail and see beyond what others see. Indicate small details that others may not observe (color, shape, size).
Hearing
Loud and soft are often used to describe the sound. A tip to using our hearing senses is to make it more personal. Mix and match adjectives to create a more vivid sound. Words like whisper and yell can often be mundane.
Smell
The smell is a sense that may be different from each one of us. A good scent for someone may be bad for another. You can go deeper by incorporating objects to a certain scent. Instead of saying “bad smell”, you can use the word “smell of urine” or “dead, wafting from the darkened pit.”
Touch
Theoretically, you would only feel the things you touch. But touch also includes the warmth and pressure detected by your receptors. Touch also includes what you feel inside – pain, butterflies in your stomach, headache, calm, etc.
Taste
Taste is also difficult for each of us. Taste is more than just something that your taste buds sense. It incorporates different things like smell, sight, and even process.
Ways to describe a scene
All types of descriptive writing rely on great descriptions. For instance, if you’re describing a scene, you must add a vivid description. You must do this for both fictional or imaginary worlds and the real ones.
Before you start writing a scene, consider the time and place. The number of descriptions and details you add also depends on your purpose. There are many ways to do this such as listing down details to state what a resource or examples looks like.
Ways to describe a person
Describing a person is more complex in descriptive writing. Most of the details you add aren’t only restricted to physical features. Students must also add descriptive words to show their personalities in that resource.
For example, you must describe the way they think, behave, and speak. When describing a person, it’s best to leave a few features to the reader’s imagination.
As a writer, you can also control the way your readers perceive your characters. For instance, you can use positive adjectives for a likeable character. On the other hand, you can use negative to describe an unlikeable person.
Characteristics of descriptive writing
Here are some characteristics of descriptive writing that can help you achieve better outcomes in creative writing and writing descriptions:
- Must include vivid details and sensory descriptions.
- Ideas must appeal to the five senses.
- Descriptive writing must paint pictures in the mind of a reader.
- Makes use of figurative language to show interesting ideas.
- Makes use of precise language.
- Uses the right adjectives, nouns, and strong verbs.
- Must be organized.
KS2 Descriptive writing strategies
Children in Primary School are often asked to write about different things: poems, essays, reports. It’s important to build their writing skills in a fun and interactive way to let them have a good foundation and perspective towards writing.
Allow students to write about things that they know and like.
Always start from their point of interest. It will be easier for students to write about what they know about and what they enjoy. By introducing descriptive writing this way, you are allowing them to enjoy rather than submit a requirement.
Expose students first-hand experiences
Go out for a walk. Hold a field trip. Visit a farm, park, or nearby market. By giving children resource in real life, they will be able to stimulate their senses.
Role-Play
By teaching students to think and internalize, help children learn to be more observant of their thoughts and their senses. Role-playing is a great strategy to help students dig deep and use their imagination.
Descriptive writing resources
Ks2 descriptive writing resources are a great way to help students improve in creative writing. With the right Ks2 resources, students can develop descriptive writing techniques and help broaden their vocabulary in descriptive language.
Creative writing courses
KidSmart offers a slew of services dedicated to improving students writing. Every course is led by a seasoned writing expert guaranteed to give children writing skills a boost. They offer both tutor-led writing classes and courses perfect for all kinds of learners.
Taking creative writing courses helps students get an upper hand against their rivals in GCSE descriptive writing. Here are some of the benefits of taking creative writing courses with KidSmart:
- Boosts imagination
- Builds confidence
- Teach storytelling and literary techniques
- Award broader vocabulary
- Improves critical evaluation
- Gives artistic self-expression
Sign-up for KidSmart’s creative writing courses so you can gain an edge in descriptive writing!
Writing Vivid Descriptions Lessons
What is a vivid description?
Writing vivid descriptions simply means stating your text which plants an image into that person’s mind. It stimulates their 5 senses into thinking that they can feel the examples.
You would want to award the same thrill and excitement as riding the rollercoaster with you. You would want to accurately state how you felt with your text.
Why vivid description?
Readers like something that they can feel as if they were a part of, and as students we want our works to be able to provide exactly what they want. Writing something bland wouldn’t make the reader interested in your story, rather, we want them to pick it up and feel as if they were in another world.
Once your reader feels connected with your story, then you know that you have succeeded.
Writing vividly is a skill that writers or students who think of writing fiction stories. Activities such as reading, writing reviews, and a report, encourage a student into learning more from the curriculum
How to write a vivid description?
Of course, too much isn’t always the best thing. You don’t want to over clutter your work, instead, you want it to be balanced.
Consider looking up resources that teach how to write a vivid description. A teacher in a classroom could support your education and even help accompany you when reading or writing.
Tips if you’re planning to achieve your goal:
1. Use literary devices
Using literary devices can make your work look more interesting free, and fun. Poetic phrases such as these designed a deeper meaning and make your readers more interested in reading further.
Metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification, etc., play with the meaning of tropes and use comparison to make it more interesting and riveting.
Figures of speech like alliteration, antanaclasis, ellipsis, chiasmus, etc., play with the structure of sentences or the arrangement of the schemes to creatively depict thoughts and ideas.
2. Sensory language
Sensory languages access what you feel. Consider showing your readers the scene instead of telling them in a way that readers feel like they are the ones in those examples of activities. Challenge yourself to change your text to something that feels like a company for students.
Examples: “Her face was red in anger” for sight. “There was a sweet smell all day.” for the smell.
3. Use descriptive verbs
Using advanced vocabulary can let us know exactly what you mean. Avoid using common verbs, this would make your text rather boring. Search for more creative words in order to strengthen your capabilities in describing.
The English subject is teaching many students to challenge themselves to write fiction and let their imagination run free, providing activities that help students.
4. Avoid using passive voice
Passive voice makes your text longer and more complex. Reading something simple and concise is what we want. Try to write in an active voice, that way it will create a natural flow and turn your piece exciting to the readers.
Save some free inspiration from great writers. Reading their text for a day and even years. You will come across several descriptive phrases that you can support in your own text. Search for links of resources that are designed to the primary skills that you need in the coming years.
Students can also sign for an English class or a writing class to hone their skills into success.
See our blog on the 5 ways to write vivid descriptions to learn more
