Descriptive Writing Examples | English Language for Grade 10 PDF Download

Village after heavy rainstorm 

Q. Describe a town or village after a heavy rainstorm.

The first, golden rays of sunlight broke through the horizon, illuminating the tranquil sea and warming the pearly water droplets with it's kiss. The quaint cottages and crimson mud huts felt the sunlight invigorate their polished surfaces — a reward for surviving the destructive night and the terror it brought. The sturdy structures seemed to have roots that reached the core, for it held on to the crusty soil even when humongous trees fell prey to the tenacious claws of the howling wind. Leaves and straw roofs lay jumbled in the mud— remnants of the plethora of items that were stolen in the dark and carried far off into the dense forest.

At one corner of the market square lay splintered remains of a bull cart — the bull nowhere to be seen. Baskets, once a cornucopia of fruits, were scattered on the gooey mud with little more than vestigial bits and pieces of delicacies. A patter of rain drops could still be heard dripping from the roofs and breaking into a splash as they struck the ground. A monotonous repetition — reminiscent of the rain of bullet-drops from last night. The sweet petrichor began to waft. It was bitter-sweet. The same scent brought news of the year's first rains but also reminded people that what gives life, can take it as well. As the sun rose higher, creaky doors were forced open and the villagers began to gather outside. Formal greetings were commonplace but these were accompanied by harsh curses and pleas of mercy from the gods after seeing their valuables mangled and disintegrated in the soil. Hearts were fraught with sorrow as they cleaned up their belongings and in the distance a man picked up the half-broken pieces of his bull cart. His teary eyes glistening in the light yet desperately scanning the land through the haze for his bull.

The petrichor slowly began to dissipate due to the commotion. Farmers came out holding scythes and machetes, preparing themselves to harvest whatever remained of the crops they had invested sweat and blood in. Innocent children — unaware of the losses — cavorted in the mud, jumping in puddles and giggling wholeheartedly. The farmers' eyes shone with little hope that they would reap a good amount to feed their mouths. Soon the commotion faded as the sun rose higher up and the cool breeze was driven away. The folks have survived the cold night to witness another day.

City morning 

Q. Describe a town or city centre in the early hours of the morning. 

I stood transfixed at the middle of the pavement. The sun, hidden behind fluffy clouds, radiated its luminescence onto towering skyscrapers. The sunlight bounced off the pristine glass panes of commercial office buildings, blinding onlookers. Hordes of people walked past in a flurry, like a time-lapse, the noise gradually amplifying as shops opened and customers rushed in.

The smell of sweet confectioneries wafted past my nose, quickly followed by the greasy touch of smoking bacon making me queasy in the summer heat. Burgeoning cafés and fast food restaurants opened their doors which were immediately flooded by throngs of the ravenous youth. Filling their appetite with meals lathered in fat and guzzling acidic drinks that wear away their teeth.

Curtains on the windows of luxury shops were rolled up as struggling passersby looked on with covetous gleams. Not even daring to visualize any of those impeccable clothes and exorbitantly priced accessories on their filthy bodies. On the other hand, men and women clad in immaculate clothing trod lightly into those shops. Their eyes filled with clairvoyant images of themselves proudly swathed in meticulously woven fabric.

Cars zoomed past the blemished roads with an echoing, metallic grind that grated my ears with a harsh dissonance. They varied in sizes from two-seater sport cars with revving engines to sand-filled trucks trundling towards construction sites. Carefree teenagers filled with the exhilarating exuberance of youth whizzed past the pavement floors on electric skateboards, paying little attention to safety. No helmets but rather wearing branded hats and black coated sunglasses as they pulled off impossible tricks and revelled in the gawking stares of onlookers.

I slowly began shuffling across the pavement, hearing the leaves scrunch under my feet. Wrappers lined the path, swirling and surging as cars crossed. A homeless man sat in the corner, with a board that read, 'NEED MONEY FOR FOOD', right beside an opulent hotel as people walked in to wallow in pleasure and luxuries. I picked a few coins of my leather wallet and let it slip into his bowl trying to avoid his pleading gaze as much as possible. I looked at my watch and realized I was late, but it didn't matter. I was fed up of this monotonous life. I needed an escape.

Firework display

Q. Describe a firework display, including sounds and smells as well as what you see, and how the spectators react to it.

I felt congested in the humid air that grew around me as the seconds ticked by. It was long past midnight and I had lost count of the hours as I was waiting in the interminable cold of the night, shuddering with every passing moment. It was the event of the year: New Year's Firework Battle. All the teams were spaced 400 meters apart to display the magnificent show they had prepared. I stood behind the safety line — where thousands of spectators had gathered — fighting my way through giants of men to get a crystal view of the night sky. It was lit with incandescent stars that shimmered and flickered like my old torch light. There was raucous laughter and excited giggling as groups of boisterous teenagers huddled behind. Drinks in their hands and wantonly pressing girls in promiscuous clothes. The smell of liquor permeated the massive throng, combining with the nauseating stench of pubescent sweat, creating a toxic team. Immediately, all that was dissipated as the loudspeakers stationed at the corners throbbed and the host drew the green flag for the first team to alight their collection on fire. Days and even months of hard work set on fire for momentary happiness.

Tsstt....I heard the stream of fuse being lit. There was trail of light as the fuse burned into the central area packed with fireworks. Suddenly, there was a sizzling sound like sausage in a frying pan and a bright light growing in the centre as sparks flew. A burst of flame and a rocket the size of a man's head catapulted towards the sky, wavering in its course and seemingly halting at the pinnacle of its reach. Boom! The head exploded within an infinitesimal fraction of a second with a garish display of intense colors. The smell of gunpowder dispersed though the area, reminding me of war stories my grandpa told me as a kid. A dispersing stream of smoke choked the ones too close as they breathed in lung-burning chemicals whilst trying to cheer through tear-filled eyes. The firework was a supernova. All the colors densely packed inside revealed a luminous, exciting gamut of colors that touched every receptor in my eye. I knew the night was going to be long...But a truly marvelous one.

Underwater 

Q. Describe what you see and experience as you dive downwards to explore under the sea. 

The turquoise waters battered lightly against my sleek and pristine canoe, making it see-saw precariously as I maintained balance — like walking a slack rope. I calmly pulled on my blue spandex suit with practiced efficiency, and prepped my mini-oxygen support before taking a scrutinizing look at the depth of the sea. Ploosh! I dived head-first and broke the frothing barrier as the burbling of water covered my ears and I segued into another world.

The water was cold. I could feel it around my face but the suit trapped a flimsy layer of warm air that kept me snug. Looking through my crystal clear goggles as the radiance of the sun permeated the ocean floor, I could see underwater as clear as the morning sky. A couple of delicate strokes and my azure flippers propelled me towards the magnificent coral reef embedded at the bottom. Air bubbles kept obscuring my view as I took deep breaths that resonated in my ears like a sick person gasping for air.

The reef was an underwater paradise. A large, living and breathing structure consisting of a plethora of unimaginable organisms that survived in harmony. It was pure aesthetic scenery. The base was a large structure resembling a huge porous rock but it was barely perceivable. There was a lurid cornucopia of sea life riveted onto it. I could identify some crimson-red anemones that swayed from side to side as waves of current surged through the ocean floor. Some goldfish hidden with them, seeking succor from predators that wished to devour this divine being. A sea turtle gracefully swam up from behind. A patchy green shell that held a record of its growth and struggles; a dusky yellow body with a multitude of black spots interspersed along it. It was a survivor of the sea with it's ability to live for decades amidst all the danger that lurked in every corner. A sting-ray had meticulously camouflaged itself under the fine grains of sand, waiting in ambush as a silvery-grey salmon mindlessly drifted too close. A smoke of dust and the salmon lied convulsing in the sand, electrocuted by it's deadly sting.

Beep! The buzzer on my meter blinked with a flashing red light. I took a final, pitiful glance as the salmon was mercilessly shredded and ascended with a dolphin-like motion towards the rippling surface.

Countryside

Q. Describe the country side.

Whilst trotting down the snaky rutted path, I paused brief moment to admire the marvellous landscape. The reason why I decided to take a walk along the scenic countryside was to kick stress out of my head and the evergreen pastures I was marvelling at was sending the stress flying.

It was dead-quiet except the interminable chirping of birds that created artistic musical notes echoing in the mountain range. It soothed my anxious mind and incinerated any thoughts about my upcoming exams. White cows with blots of black chewed the knife-edged grass leaves lazily, as though they had all the time in the world. Time! The sky was taking on an apricot tint as the mango-yellow sun started to hide behind the formidable mountains. The mountains were ginormous! From this distance they looked like perfect conical structures with an iridescent turquoise hue that elevated it's magnificence. It was topped with a vanilla frost of ice that made my taste buds excited as I remembered the ice-cream I savoured in the afternoon. The copses of birch wood trees pinned the vast expanse of the farmland onto the rocky terrain. Their barks made me cringe as it reminded me of the sponge-dry scab I got on my face after sliding across the field in school.

The sky took on a grey shade almost like an artist's painting with clouds dabbed on it and stars that glittered like jewels. A farmer was harshly whipping his cows back into their barn as they 'moo-ed' and raced past the overgrazed land. Houses lit up like candle flames on the farmland and the nocturnal bats were out to conquer the night yet again. I dreaded their sight as it reminded me of all the 'blood-sucking' vampire movies I watched as a kid. The sky got coal dark now — with only shimmers from stars like diamonds hidden within igneous rocks. I had to head home. I swayed my body away from the landscape and ambled back along the rutted tracks. The only difference being that this time my head was filled with dreadful thoughts about my incomplete homework and a sleepless night.

Change in weather 

Q. Describe your surroundings before and after a sudden change in weather.

Few things can provide the relaxation tantamount to sinking your feet deep into the warm, white beach whilst cold breezes gently caress your face. The searing heat of the sun, baking your feet, and the ferocious waves battering the shore and frothing with the tide. The evergreen coconut and palm trees swayed with the force of the wind, bending but never breaking. The horizon, stretched into a thin line making the turquoise waters seem everlasting and in great contrast with the pale-blue skies. Few clouds were dabbed across the sky— so serene— reminiscent of a nature painting i had glanced at in an art gallery. A flock of charcoal ravens cut through the sun, stark silhouettes in the immense brightness, but i couldn't hold the gaze for long as i felt my eyes singe. A couple was splashing the spumy waters and wading through the saline liquid, laughing heartily, but from that distance all i could hear were muffled sounds. I laid peacefully under the coconut tree, wallowing in the shade and running my hands through the infinitesimal grains of sand as they slipped through my hand as easily as water would. My knees were raised high as i laid on my back and i could see the sun dropping into the horizon, slowly but surely. The sky turned pink and orange like a cherry blossom in an orange orchard. The water was a mirror, forming a half-sun on its surface, laying flat as the water turned into liquid gold, seething as the sun bubbled down.

There was an immediate darkness, it crouched from the West as the dispersed clouds conglomerated into a breathing mass of destruction. Soon, the sun sank into submission under the brewing storm; the sky, a hazy background of sand and leaves. Tiny twigs and little leaves flurried across, dancing in harmony with the gale. The couple ran for the shore but the wind snatched the straw hat off the woman's head, swirling upwards into the sky in a perpetual motion.The wind grew stronger and the trees seemed to be at the peaks of their resistance, about to break and pile up in a twisted heap at any moment. The storm was now a whirling body of clouds and sand with sharp streaks of lightning cutting through the centre. It glowed eerily from inside as thunder roared across the waves. It was time to leave. I ran to my car parked just a few feet away and took a final glance at what had just been paradise turning into a destructive play field. 

Sunset with her 

Q. Imagine you are watching a spectacular sunset with friends or family. Describe what you see and hear, and your thoughts and feelings as you watch.

It was over a 1000 feet above the ground but I sat there — along the edge of the cliff — lost in my own world. I had never felt so peaceful before. Staring at the wilderness, thriving in a wide expanse and surrounding me, free from the malicious thoughts of humans. The sky was a bluish-purple hue, painted with gentle strokes, as impeccable as any of Picasso's works. A perfect semi circle of the sun, with silhouettes of the evergreen trees blemishing its radiance, waning down the hidden horizon. Yet, the true illumination of the atmosphere was her smile. 

This was our first vacation and she was absolutely loving it. My hand would normally have been spayed towards the sun, playing with its rays as it seeped though the cracks between my fingers. Now it was entangled in her's, gripping on tightly as she rested her head on my shoulder and stared at the sunset. I nuzzled her hair, breathing in all of her scent. It was a drug now. I couldn't do without it, but it was an addiction I would like to keep for the rest of my life. There was silence everywhere except the warbling of tropical birds as they flitted across the green landscape. Spots of bright colors that contrasted deeply against the background like food coloring in milk. Never had I heard so much in the silence — the wind was speaking, carrying with it news of the coming night in its cold gushes. The forest was coming to life with the critters chirping, leaves rustling, and the eerie calls of ravenous jungle beasts. Yet as the sun dipped into the horizon and a grey blanket was shroud over the sky, I felt her head slip over my shoulder, but I caught it in time. She was asleep already. Her innocent face dimly lit in the moonlight. The gibbous moon was obscured by grey clouds that turned brownish when they floated under its luminance. The stars began to shimmer, like little diamonds hidden within igneous rocks. I swept her up from the cliff's edge and carefully trod the rocky terrain, her head resting snugly against my chest, like a baby falling asleep in her mother's bosom. Never had I felt such a warm feeling, it soothed my soul as I returned rejuvenated. 

Going Hom

Q. Imagine you have been away from home for a long time. Describe what you see and your thoughts and feelings during your journey home.

The incessant rhythm created as the train galloped on the tracks reverberated in my cabin. It already felt like home. The raw, bitter smell of the luxuriant weeds and trees penetrated the rusty, dusty interior of the local train. I shifted harshly in my seat, the blue-dyed leather squeaking and straining, causing annoyance to the unfamiliar travelers that filled the remaining three of the 3-seaters. As the train zoomed past the landscape, I caught fleeting glimpses of tiny homes, poorly constructed, with walls made of cemented red bricks and a cornucopia of trees mainly banana and coconut surrounding the homes.

In the distance, a small farm was prominent with its patterned growth of rice crops as they floated on waterlogged soils with trenches separating them from cabbages. A farmer was glistening with sweat in the afternoon sun, his skin darkened and body hardened over years of labour. He swung a hoe deep into the crusty soil as he ploughed the land, making way for the year's crops. Three children ran naked with a wide grin decorating their faces as they plunged into a lake, cooling themselves in the placid emerald waters.

The city began to show up. Starting with the nostalgic tunes of the morning bhajans as a temple came into view. A medieval structure that astonishes the architects of this era. Decorated in bronze coating and mud-brown bricks that overlap the roofs, with the idol of a deity mounted at the top. A colorful representation of the god that is claimed to shower down its blessings on the innumerable devotees with hearts full of faith. It was still an hour before I got to my station. The chilling breeze cooled my face and the soporific wind allured me to sleep. I climbed up the cabinß, my head carefully avoiding the fans and my feet the bodies of my fellow passengers.

I lay down at the top, my feet slightly sticking out, and my hair brushing against the metal. Head full of thoughts. Thoughts of all the people that would be waiting for me back home. Eyes waiting to get teary upon my sight and the feast that would have been prepared in my honour. I couldn't wait to reach and all these thoughts carried me deep into my sleep. Still as the incessant rhythm persisted.

One last picnic (Descriptive)

Q. Describe an occasion when a group of people are eating together.

Slivers of the summer sunlight slipped through the cracks of the blooming apple tree. We sat right under it as it cast pixelated shadows on the dry grass blades, shifting and swaying as the wind gently blew through the evergreen leaves. I stared into the swath of sylvan beauty, sharply contrasting with the machine-controlled, mechanical land behind me.

I sat with my legs folded and overlapping — just like everyone else — on the checkered carpet. It was soft, silky with colors switching between red and blue, making the delicious array of food more prominent. It was a picnic in nature with my family. After a long time, we all got together to reminisce over our old memories and strengthen our fraying bonds. The cornucopia of food filled the carpet to the edges with my Mom's unmatched level of cooking expertise. She knew all about gastronomy like she had taken a university course in it. Her skill was shown in the mouthwatering dishes displayed in a magnificent array. The garnishing, so meticulous; the smell, so alluring; my taste buds began to tingle as they fathomed the unimaginable flavors infused in them.

My Dad pulled out a crusty piece of brown bread. The crust, so delicate, it crumbled and fell like saw dust onto the carpet. He took the blunt knife and swiftly scooped up a copious amount of lemon-yellow butter. The frozen butter thawed into a neat platform as he lathered it on his bread. It seeped through cracks and imbued itself into its core. He stretched his jaws and promised to devour it whole, but instead took a minute bite as he relished mild flavors that soothed his mind.

I realized I was gawking at the sight as my Mom passed a bowl of salad. My mind and vision immediately diverted from my Dad to the intricately decorated bowl that laid before me. It was a world of flavors in itself. I could discern a couple of familiar vegetables but nothing more. The lettuce sliced into long thin strands with shredded chicken — roasted till it took a brown skin — strewn with efficiency around the bowl. I dug my metallic, silvery spoon into the colorful decoration, ruining it in the process and brought a mouthful towards my lips. The crunching sound of the crisp, bitter lettuce entangled with the juices of the chicken intertwined to create a fantastic ball of flavor that exploded within my mouth. All the spices reaching and delighting every single one of my taste bud as I closed my eyes and relished the moment for what may be the last time.

Major challenge 

Q. Imagine you are just about to face a major challenge. Describe your thoughts and feelings as you begin. 

Sweaty palms, weary eyes and my head throbbing from all the stress. There was trepidation in my heart as I sat in my class, waiting for my watch to tick off segments of time that led to the inevitable. My IGCSE English examination! It was the Paper 2, and after a week into my exams, never had felt such a tremendous feeling of anxiety. I was fraught with fear whilst my mind kept on conjuring thoughts about everything that could go wrong. I kept my index and middle finger lightly against my right temple and the pulse that rippled through made me cringe. Despite weeks of preparation, I felt it was not enough. Although I had recently started reading a lot of novels, I had a feeling I started too late. It was unnerving as I sat on my chair and heard the incessant murmuring as my friends parsed meaning of impossibly encrypted sentences. Their meanings locked and hidden in a maze of words... an unsolvable puzzle to me. Anytime I failed to reach the peaks of my expectations, a wave of discouragement battered against me. I felt unable to achieve anything greater, and now I was going to face this task that has constantly brought me disappointment in the past.

I heard the sonorous, metallic ringing of the bell that signaled us to exit our classes and head to the exam hall. It hit me like a saucepan on the head, shaking me out of my delirium and making me flinch. I saw my friends frantically zipping their bags and tenaciously gripping their transparent, ziplock bags with ball point pens and sharp pencils that poked holes through the bag. As they egressed, I grabbed my own bag and hobbled down the path, my head still throbbing and a wave of dizziness overcoming me. I resisted it! It was tempting but I knew this was the moment to give it my best. I couldn't succumb to the alluring call of my sleep. I wished, "Good luck!", to my seemingly calm friends as I stepped in to tackle the problem that had deprived me of sleep.