What Is a Descriptive Paragraph?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 10, 2020

A descriptive paragraph is a paragraph that describes a person, place or thing. Using this description allows the reader to form a better mental image of the whatever is being described.

Good descriptive paragraphs take into account the five senses: smell, taste, touch, sound and sight. Though sight is often considered the first thing a writer notices, sometimes it is best in writing a descriptive paragraph to leave this detail to the end. Instead, start with something less obvious, such as smell or taste. After this the writer can describe what something feels and sounds like. Using varied descriptive words also helps a reader better understand the subject being described.