The four most common forms of descriptive language are adjectives, adverbs, similes, and metaphors:
Adjectives are words that describe what you can sense about a noun including sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and emotion.
For example, an elephant eating grass could be described using adjectives as follows: The huge (sight) elephant sat in the warm (touch) sunshine contentedly (emotion) crunching (sound) the sweet (taste) fragrant (smell) grass.
Adverbs are words that modify verbs. They give more information about the verb by indicating “how” and “when”. Some examples of adverbs are smoothly, destructively, always, very, today, and yesterday.
Similes are phrases that use the words “like” or “as” to describe a noun by comparing it to another noun with similar characteristics. Examples:
The floor tiles were as cold as ice.
She was quick like a bunny.
The night sky was as black as coal.
Metaphors are phrases that describe several characteristics of a noun by comparing it to another noun. Unlike similes, metaphors do not use “like” or “as” and are more difficult to create. Examples:
She is more of an idea person (than a strategic one).
Life is a journey.
I am drowning in homework.
