Let’s read, for example, Kent Haruf’s description of two aged brothers: When you’re reading and a description leaps out at you, write it down. This is why it’s useful to examine words’ connotations.įor example, the difference between exquisite (sought after) and stunning (a beauty able to cause astonishment).Ī simple way to become skilled at finding the right adjective is to collect your favourites. The reader is able to picture it in a shop window, tantalizing passersby. We might write of an ‘exquisite necklace‘. ‘Exquisite’, though, implies qualities of rarity and demand in the root Latin origin of ‘sought out’. ‘Very beautiful’ tells a reader well enough that a person or thing is visually appealing. Know connotationsĮxamining adjectives shows how subtle language is.įor example, compare ‘very beautiful’ and ‘exquisite’. Specific connotations, concision and precision. The four examples above show the benefits of replacing ‘very + adjective’. Why? Because it lacks variety and specificity.Ĭonsider these ‘very + adjective’ pairs and their alternatives: Adjectives better than ‘very + word’ Very + adjective In a story – even one for children – too much ‘very + adjective’ gets boring. If we say ‘the very small turtle’, we know we’re not reading about giant Galapagos ones.Ĭhildren often describe things using ‘very’ because it’s easier vocabulary we learn young. Let’s explore these description tips further: 1. Find adjectives for description by origin.How to write punchy adjectives for description: This article focuses primarily on descriptive adjectives. Three supernovas changed our understanding of space (out of all the supernovas ever, three are specified by the adjective).That speck is tiny (the adjective makes it clear we are referring to a particular speck and not another).Limiting adjectives tell us a noun’s quantity or a restriction about it. They add specificity, giving shape, size, age, or other attributes. A dazzling supernova.ĭescriptive adjectives tell us what kind of person or object we’re looking at. How do you identify an adjective? It typically appears right before the noun it describes. They describe and make people and things more specific. Try these 7 tips, and create your own describing word dictionary: What is an adjective?Īdjectives are parts of speech used to modify nouns. Finding the right adjectives for description is tough.

What are some adjectives