Descriptive Paragraph Exercises
Below is an example of paragraph that needs to be more descriptive. It is hard for the reader to visualize the pizza, smell the pizza, or taste the pizza.
Mildred loves pizza. It is one of her favorite foods. She likes fresh pizza the best. Her all time favorite pizza is the one she orders most often. She likes the cheese that is on it. Extra sauce is something that she likes as well. My friend Mildred loves pizza.
DIRECTIONS for Assignment ONE: The above paragraph is an example of a paragraph that needs some help to make it truly descriptive. Rewrite (on your own paper) the above paragraph so that it becomes a true descriptive paragraph. Make sure you follow the paragraph recipe!
SAMPLE: Below is an example of a pizza paragraph that is descriptive. Notice how it appeals to the senses.
Warm, gooey pizza with a papery thin crust that crunchs is one of my favorite all time foods. (Smell) The enticing, spicy aroma of the warm tomatoey sauce makes the water in my mouth run like a flooded stream. (Touch) The warm, comforting feel of a just baked slice of pizza in my hand makes my stomach growl like a hungry bear. (Sight) The mounds of steamy, melted cheese bring a smile as wide as the
DIRECTIONS for Assignment TWO: Using words that appeal to the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, hearing) make this paragraph better. In its current form, the paragraph does not work as a descriptive paragraph. Use vivid adjectives, etc., to make the paragraph come alive for the reader. Make sure you follow the paragraph recipe!
The night sky is interesting to me. All of the stars are bright. There are many stars in the night sky. I often wonder if there is anything out there in the universe among those stars. Watching falling star gets my attention. I could spend a lot of time just looking up into the night sky. Stars are beautiful.
(I would start like this.) The inky vastness of the night sky filled with the millions of twinkling stars is something I never get bored of seeing. (Now you do the rest.)