Being ‘too descriptive’ means your essay narrates or summarises information rather than analysing it — common feedback in essays like law, history or nursing. Fix it by tying every paragraph back to your thesis and replacing narration with evaluation of why something matters.
Descriptive writing states facts (‘the claimant filed a case’); analytical writing interprets them (‘this filing reveals a gap in statutory protection’). Examiners marking analytical subjects, including law essays, reward interpretation and critical commentary over plain narrative far more heavily.
Use concrete evidence sparingly and purposefully: one well-chosen example illustrating a point outperforms three sentences describing it. After each descriptive sentence, ask ‘so what?’ and add a sentence explaining its significance to your argument.
Structuring paragraphs around a point-evidence-analysis pattern, rather than a chronological or descriptive one, naturally curbs over-description. If you actually need a descriptive piece, our descriptive essay guide explains where vivid detail is appropriate instead.
If tutor feedback keeps flagging description over analysis, a second pair of eyes helps most. Our assignment writing service can produce a model answer showing the analytical balance examiners expect for your subject.


