What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
narrate
Example
She narrated the story of her childhood to the audience. [narrated: past tense]
Example
The audiobook was narrated by a famous actor. [narrated: verb]
describe
Example
Can you describe the suspect's appearance to the police? [describe: verb]
Example
The author described the setting of the story in great detail. [described: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Describe is more commonly used than narrate in everyday language. Describe is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while narrate is less common and refers specifically to storytelling or recounting events.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between narrate and describe?
While narrate is typically associated with a more formal or literary tone, describe can be used in both formal and informal contexts, allowing it to be used in various formality levels.