Descriptive writing is an art form. It’s painting a word picture so that the reader ’sees’ exactly what you are describing.” Descriptive writing imprints | Physical Features Human Features Feature Meaning Feature Meaning Relief Shape of the land . mountainous, flat, steep, sloping Settlement and population The most common settlement sizes are (from small to large): hamlet, village, town, city Landforms . mountain, valley, cliff, beach, bay, plain, river meander Houses Their density, building material, and if they are detached, semi-detached or terraced Drainage . rivers , streams or ditches Land Use . urban or rural, residential or industrial, farm land or forest Soil . fertile or infertile Occupations How people make their living Climate . warm, wet, tropical, polar Transport and communication Roads, railways, port Some City Adjectives City: active, bustling, noisy, busy, clean, dirty, windy Traffic: loud, congested, snarled Buildings: old, shabby, rundown, crumbling, modern, futuristic, sleek, towering, squat Buildings (walls): brick, stone, marble, glass, steel, graffiti-covered Monuments, statues: stone, copper, carved, ancient, moss-covered, faded, green, bronze Sidewalk: concrete, cement, slick, cracked, tidy, littered, swept Paint: fresh, weathered, peeling Signs: neon, weathered, worn, bright, welcoming, flashing Buses, cars, taxis: belching, crawling, speeding, honking, waiting, screeching People: hurried, bundled, smiling, frowning, eager, rushed Useful language I picture it as I’d imagine it’s As far as I remember I think I once heard that Someone told me I saw this place If it’s anything like it must be Note Descriptive writing is an art form. It’s painting a word picture so that the reader ’sees’ exactly what you are describing.” Descriptive writing imprints images into the reader’s mind, making you feel as though you’re “right there.” It‘s all about engaging the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch to transport the reader and stir emotion. By choosing vivid details and colorful words, good writers bring objects, people, places, and events to life. Instead of merely telling you what they see, they use their words to show you. Describing a place Haninhcfl@
