Picture Description

Picture Description is the practice of expressing what you observe in a picture through spoken or written English. It is often used in spoken tests, language development classes, and writing tasks.

🎯 Objectives:

To develop observation skills
To improve descriptive vocabulary
To practise tense usage (mainly present continuous)
To boost confidence in speaking and writing

🔎Importance of Picture Description

✅ Builds visual literacy
✅ Enhances language fluency
✅ Encourages creativity and storytelling
✅ Helps in IELTS, Spoken English, and school assessments

🧠Key Elements to Include

To describe a picture well, observe and answer:

🔹 Element	🔸 What to Note
People/Things	Who or what is in the picture?
Action	What are they doing?
Location	Where is the picture set? (park, beach, room, etc.)
Emotions	How do they appear to feel? (happy, sad, etc.)
Time/Weather	Is it day or night? Sunny, rainy, or cold?
Details	Colours, clothes, objects, animals, surroundings

✏️Structure of a Picture Description

You can structure your description in 3 main parts:

🔹 a. Introduction

One sentence overview
✅ “This is a picture of a busy street market.”

🔹 b. Body/Details

Describe what you see: people, objects, actions, surroundings
✅ “On the left side, two men are selling vegetables. A young boy is buying bananas.”

🔹 c. Conclusion (Optional)

Mood or your opinion
✅ “The picture looks lively and colourful.”

🗣️Tense and Grammar Usage

Use Present Continuous Tense:
✅ A man is walking down the street.
✅ Children are playing in the park.
Use There is / There are to introduce things:
✅ There are two girls sitting on a bench.
✅ There is a dog in the background.
Use prepositions of place:
✅ on the left, in the centre, behind, next to, under, in front of

📚Vocabulary for Picture Description

🔹 People	men, women, children, old man, young girl
Actions	running, sitting, talking, reading, eating, playing
Places	park, beach, classroom, home, road, school, market
Emotions	happy, sad, excited, tired, surprised
Prepositions	near, beside, behind, in front of, on, under

🧾Examples of Picture Descriptions

🏞️ Example 1: Children in a Park

This picture shows children playing in a park. In the middle, a girl is sliding down a red slide. On the right, two boys are running and smiling. There are trees and flowers in the background. The weather is sunny and pleasant. The scene looks cheerful and peaceful.

🏠 Example 2: A Family Having Dinner

This is a picture of a family eating dinner together. They are sitting around a round table. The mother is serving rice, and the father is pouring water. Two children are smiling. There is a painting on the wall, and a ceiling fan above. The room looks warm and homely.

🏖️ Example 3: A Beach Scene

In this picture, several people are enjoying themselves at the beach. A man is sunbathing under an umbrella. Children are playing with a ball near the water. Some people are swimming. The sky is clear, and the sea looks calm. It’s a bright and happy scene.

📌Steps to Describe a Picture Effectively

👀 Observe carefully – spend 30 seconds scanning the picture
🧠 Note the key elements – people, action, place, mood
🗂️ Organise your description – from left to right or top to bottom
✍️ Start with a simple sentence
🗣️ Use rich vocabulary and correct grammar
✅ Avoid assumptions – describe only what is visible

❓Practice Questions with Model Answers

Q1. Describe a picture showing students in a classroom.

✅ Answer:

The picture shows students sitting in a classroom. The teacher is standing near the blackboard and writing something. One boy is raising his hand to ask a question. Others are looking at their books. The classroom has a clock on the wall and colourful charts. Everyone seems focused and attentive.

📝 Explanation:
Uses present continuous tense, lists actions and surroundings, and sets the scene clearly.

Q2. Describe a picture of a traffic jam on a rainy day.