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How To Write The Perfect Descriptive Writing Essay

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How To Write The Perfect Descriptive Writing Essay

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How To Write The Perfect Descriptive Writing Essay In Just FIVE Steps! (GCSE English Exams Revision)

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Mr Salles Teaches English

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Everything you need to know for the whole of Paper 2 of the AQA English Language GCSE. 50% of your grade is available for your ability to write persuasively.…

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Mr Salles

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Exam paper questions organised by topic and difficulty. Our worksheets cover all topics from GCSE, IGCSE and A Level courses. Give them a try and see how you do!

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What Examiners Look For in Descriptive Writing

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What Examiners Look For in Descriptive Writing

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What do AQA Examiners Want in Descriptive Writing? Mr Salles

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Paper 1 Marked Answers | AQA English Language

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Expanding your vocabulary - Vocabulary - AQA - GCSE English Language Revision - AQA - BBC Bitesize

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Revision Note

Paper 1 Question 5: Descriptive Writing

In Question 5, you will be set a question that asks you to write either a piece of creative writing or a piece of descriptive writing. Here, we will focus on the descriptive writing task, which is different to a short story.

Overview of Paper 1 Question 5

Paper 1 Question 5 is the writing question. It asks you to apply what you know about imaginative and creative fiction writing, such as in the text you read in Section A, and use these same techniques in your own writing. AO5 rewards you for your ideas, as well as the style and the fluency of your writing. As this task is worth 50% of the paper, it is worth making sure you set aside enough time to answer it well. You should allow 45 minutes for this task.

The Assessment Objectives for Question 5 are AO5 and AO6:

AO5 (24 marks)

Communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences

Organise information and ideas, using structural and grammatical features to support coherence and cohesion of texts

AO6 (16 marks)

Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation

Overview

Question 5 is a writing question

Question 5 is worth 40 marks

You should aim to write 5-7 paragraphs (no more than 3-4 pages)

You should spend approximately 45 minutes on this question

How to approach Paper 1 Question 5

It is important to remember that writers plan their texts deliberately to make the reader respond in certain ways, and think and feel certain things. This task in Question 5 asks you to think about how you can effectively engage your reader and produce a cohesive piece of descriptive writing, which enables the reader to picture what you are describing in their mind.

When you reach Question 5, you will already have read an example of creative writing. You can use the ideas and structure to inform your answer. You should spend some time thinking about the question, not only the content, but also the order of your ideas. An effective piece of descriptive writing considers the most engaging way to describe a scene.

In your answer you must:

Plan your writing and order the information into roughly five to seven paragraphs

Consider the relevant information you need to give to create an effective description

Plan your setting to create an effective mood

Use language techniques relevant to the style of writing

Question 5 tests your ability to create a text which is constructed in an appropriate manner.

The writing question assesses your skill in crafting a convincing piece of descriptive writing or a short story. The question will be worded according to a specific task, for example:

It is worth remembering that you will be given a choice of two tasks in the exam: one will be a creative writing task, and the other will be a descriptive writing task. One will also give you a picture as a prompt for your piece of writing, but this could be to write a story or a description, so it is important that you read both options carefully.

Here, we are looking at the first option, which is "Describe a marketplace as suggested by this picture", divided into form and detail.

Descriptive writing form

This task requires you to write a description, but this does not mean simply describing everything you can see in the image (if this is given to you as a prompt). Instead, you should use the image as a springboard into your imagination, and not limit yourself to just what you see. An image enables you to draw upon the senses, as well as including any people in the image in your description, but it is important not to stray into uncontrolled narrative. You do not need a plot for a piece of descriptive writing; this is primarily where description differs from creative writing.

If you are not given an image to support the piece of description, you have to work a little harder, but you are free from restrictions. Consider what appropriate image you could draw upon for inspiration. Try to keep it minimal and something that could be imagined by all.

As with any extended piece of writing, planning is vital. You should spend 5 minutes annotating the image, or mind-mapping your ideas before you start writing.

The examiners will reward responses which consider how the conventions of form can be used to convey your ideas. Descriptive writing should be a "snap-shot" of a moment. Imagine yourself behind the lens of a camera.

Below is a suggestion of form for a piece of descriptive writing:

Descriptive writing form

Single line

Shift

Now move your lens to a final segment of the image, or suggest something that is just "off camera"

In the market example, this could be the lady with her back to you in the middle of the picture

Remember, you can include action or movement in your description, but this should not involve any story progression or interaction. Any action should only cover a short period of "real time", such as the wind blowing a basket over. Something seemingly inconsequential could move in the background, which is especially effective if you contrast this with things that remain still.

Your paragraphs should be appropriately linked, but should vary in terms of size and structure. Variety and accuracy are key; you are bringing a scene to life for your reader, so they should be able to picture it, hear it, even smell it!

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Remember Question 5 requires an extended written response. Therefore, the most effective answers will demonstrate a well-planned answer which has considered what details are the most interesting to the reader and the most effective way to order the writing.

Descriptive writing detail

When considering the detail you should include in your description, it is useful to consider the types of things that bring a scene to life. These things are normally rooted in contrast, for example:

Sound and silence

Movement and stillness

Light and dark

There will be sources of light, so describe them

Where there's light, there's also darkness

Consider what shadows are cast or where the light does not reach

Who, or what, is left in the darkness?

Steps to success for Question 5

1. Read the two task options carefully:

2. If you are describing from an image, then annotate the image

3. Spend five minutes planning your writing:

4. Write down some reminders of figurative language or literary techniques to include to add interest and detail

5. Write your description, sticking to your plan

6. Try to leave five minutes at the end to re-read your writing carefully, correcting any obvious mistakes you have made

Exam tips for Question 5

Avoid confusing ideas in a paragraph

Do not confuse the tenses in a paragraph

If you use a flashback, ensure it is inpast-tense

If you use present-tense verbs for effect, ensure they are all consistently in present-tense

Do not just describe everything you can see without any structure

Do not use dialogue in a description

Do not start your description with "In the image I can see...."

The highest marks are awarded for students who use complex and sophisticated vocabulary

Overview

Carefully consider the order of your writing to construct an engaging piece of writing

Zoom in and out as if behind a camera

Include some movement and contrast to add interest

Use sensory language to create a clear mood

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Descriptive writing - GCSE English Language Revision AQA

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Learn about how to write descriptively in your AQA GCSE English Language exam. This revision note includes guidance on descriptive writing based on an image.

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As this is a longer writing question, you can spend about 5 minutes planning your answer.

Once you are sure of the form you should write in and you have considered how best to convey the mood and atmosphere to your reader, you can begin to think about how you will order your ideas.

Remember, each paragraph does not have to be the same length. In fact, better answers vary the lengths of their paragraphs for effect. What is important is to develop separate ideas or points in each paragraph and avoid repeating the same descriptions throughout your response.

An example of the way you could structure your response would be:

Panoramic

Broadly describe the scene

Introduce the time and atmosphere

In the market example, this could include colour and how tightly packed everything is

Zoom

Focus your lens in on one segment of the image

Choose smaller, less obvious details

In the market example, this could be the butcher on the right cutting into the animal carcass

Shift

Focus your lens on another segment of the image

If you started in the foreground, then move to something in the background

In the market example, this could be the lady dressed in dark colours at the back, grasping a bag

Shift

Now move your lens to a final segment of the image, or suggest something that is just "off camera"

In the market example, this could be the lady with her back to you in the middle of the picture

Panoramic

Zoom out again to look at the scene from a new perspective

How has it changed? Time? Atmosphere? Mood?

In the market example, you could change the time of the scene from early morning to mid-afternoon

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Paper 1 Question 5: Descriptive Writing Model Answer | AQA GCSE English Language Revision Notes 2017

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English Language revision tutorials: Critical Reading Tools. Designed by teachers for the AQA GCSE English Language (8700) syllabus.

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Descriptive writing - Descriptive Writing - Higher English Revision - BBC Bitesize

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For Higher English look at ways to improve the quality of your descriptive writing.

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It is important to structure your work carefully so that a reader can follow your ideas. Whether you're writing a story, poem or biography, a strong structure will help keep your reader engaged.

An engaging opening

In a fictional , the first paragraph should hook the reader and grab their attention. You might do this by describing the setting and giving specific detail in a way that sets the for the rest of the story.

You can also make a convincing start by using or by dropping your reader directly into action. For example, Suzanne Collins opens The Hunger Games with:

When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim's warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course, she did. This is the day of the reaping.

The reader knows the location of the story and the voice of the main character. The hook comes in the final sentence. The reader has to ask 'what is the reaping?' A successful opening invites the reader to ask questions about the rest of the piece.

A convincing close

Aim to finish your writing in a convincing way, providing a realistic and believable ending to the narrative. Try to resolve the story and leave your reader feeling satisfied with the way the story ends.

An appropriate timeline of events

One way to plot a narrative is to follow a story arc. This structure uses an opening that hooks the reader and sets the scene, followed by an introduction to the character's thoughts and feelings, a development of the storyline, a turning point and finally a resolution.

This is called a five-stage story and can be applied to most stories. Think back to the last book you read - where were the five points to the story?

1. - the play opens in Verona, where two families are involved in an ongoing feud against one another.

2. Character introduction - we meet Romeo, and then Juliet.

3. Development - our two characters fall in love, ignoring their family feud. Romeo kills Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, and is banished. A number of mishaps lead to Juliet faking her own death and Romeo failing to learn of her plan.

4. Turning point - Romeo arrives to find Juliet 'dead', and takes his own life. Juliet, upon waking, sees Romeo dead and kills herself.

5. Resolution - Both families learn a valuable lesson about the consequences of their ongoing conflict: they have each lost a member of their family.

Next time you read a book or watch a film/television programme, consider the five stages of the story - at which point do you discover more about the characters? What obstacles do the characters face? What is the turning point? How is the story resolved in a believable way?

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How to structure your writing effectively - Writing fiction - WJEC - GCSE English Language Revision - WJEC - BBC Bitesize

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It is important to structure your work carefully so that a reader can follow your ideas. Whether you're writing a story, poem or biography, a strong structure will help keep your reader engaged. In a fictional , the first paragraph should hook the reader and grab their attention.

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Revision Note

Paper 1 Question 5: Creative Writing

In Question 5, you will be set a question that asks you to write either a piece of creative writing or a piece of descriptive writing. Here, we will focus on the creative writing task, which is often structured like a short story.

Overview of Paper 1 Question 5

Paper 1 Question 5 is the writing question. It asks you to apply what you know about imaginative and creative fiction writing, such as in the text you read in Section A, and use these same techniques in your own writing. AO5 rewards you for your ideas, as well as the style and the fluency of your writing. As this task is worth 50% of the paper, it is worth making sure you set aside enough time to answer it well. You should allow 45 minutes for this task.

The Assessment Objectives for Question 5 are AO5 and AO6:

AO5 (24 marks)

Communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences

Organise information and ideas, using structural and grammatical features to support coherence and cohesion of texts

AO6 (16 marks)

Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation

Overview

Question 5 is a writing question

Question 5 is worth 40 marks

You should aim to write 5-7 paragraphs

You should spend approximately 45 minutes on this question

How to approach Paper 1 Question 5

It is important to remember that writers plan their texts deliberately to make the reader respond in certain ways, and think and feel certain things. This task in Question 5 asks you to think about how you can effectively engage your reader and produce a cohesive piece of creative writing.

When you reach Question 5, you will already have read an example of creative writing. You can use the ideas and structure to inform your answer. You should spend some time thinking about the question: not only the content, but also the order of your ideas. An effective piece of creative writing considers plot, setting and characterisation.

In your answer you must:

Plan your writing and order the information into roughly five to seven paragraphs

Consider the relevant information you need to give in order to create engaging characters

Plan your setting to create an effective mood

Use language techniques relevant to the style of writing

Question 5 tests your ability to create a text which is constructed in an appropriate manner.

The creative writing question assesses your skill in crafting a convincing piece of creative writing or short story. The question will be worded according to a specific task, for example:

Or:

It is worth remembering that you will be given a choice of two tasks in the exam: one will be a creative writing task, and the other will be a descriptive writing task. One will also give you a picture as a prompt for your piece of writing, but this could be to write a story or a description, so it is important that you read both options carefully.

Below are some points on how you might approach the task "Write a story with the title 'Abandoned'". It is divided into plot, setting and characterisation.

Plot

This task asks you to write a short story. This means you are required to plan your response carefully as you have limited time to create a cohesive plot. It is best to plan how your story will end before you begin writing so that you are in control of your story. Writing a response which has not been planned is likely to have an abrupt ending, or no ending at all, which does not satisfy readers or get you high marks. Your character development will lead the plot; you should decide if your story ends with a clear resolution or with a cliffhanger. Your resolution could be happy, or you can create a tragic ending.

There are lots of different narrative structures or arcs you could use to plan your story. Bearing in mind you only have 45 minutes, including planning time, your story needs to be controlled and concise. One of the easiest ways to achieve this is to consider Freytag's Pyramid:

5-part narrative structure

Exposition (setting the scene)

Decide which narrative perspective and tense you are going to write your story in:

This paragraph could end with an "inciting incident", which prompts the rising action and moves the story forward

Rising Action

Climax

You should vary your sentence structure, length and language here for dramatic effect

Falling action

Resolution or denouement

You can choose to resolve your story, or end on a cliff-hanger:

However, a cliff-hanger is not a sudden ending; it is a suspenseful ending

It is also important to avoid cliches, such as "I woke up and it was all a dream."

Setting

As this task assesses the ability to communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, it is important to consider how to use language constructively in a short story to convey an atmosphere or mood. Building an effective setting is key as it contributes to atmosphere and mood.

Your setting should reflect your main character's mood:

You may know this as pathetic fallacy, which reflects the character's mood in the environment, e.g., "the lonely road"

As your setting reflects your character's mood, your setting may change as the story progresses:

The best answers have built a clear setting before introducing other information, such as introducing character:

Describing setting is best done with sensory language as we experience places with our five senses

This means you could describe the dark, light, colours, sounds, smells and weather

The best way to clearly create setting is to allow an entire paragraph to describe the scene without confusing readers with other information like who is there

Ensure all of your descriptive language builds the same mood and avoid mixing ideas. For example: "The graveyard was dark, cold and smelled like fragrant flowers" is confusing for your reader

However, do not give too much away all at once!

Keep your reader guessing and asking questions, such as "What is going on?", "Why is this like this?" and "Who is this?"

Think of establishing a setting a bit like the game "Taboo", in which you have to describe something without stating explicitly what it is

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Remember, Question 5 requires an extended written response. Therefore, the most effective stories will demonstrate a well-planned response which has considered what information is relevant to the reader and the most effective way to order and structure the narrative.

Characterisation

This question asks you to create a short story and therefore you will need to build some elements of detailed characterisation. This means you need to consider what your character(s) represent. They may represent an idea, such as being the victim of abandonment, or as a villain to represent injustice or evil. It is best to limit yourself to two characters in the time you have.

Well-rounded characters are taken on a journey in which a character undergoes some form of development or change. The mark scheme rewards answers which clearly and effectively convey ideas, meaning that you need to consider the most effective ways of building a character in a short piece of writing. Ideally, you should focus more on indirect characterisation than direct characterisation:

Direct characterisation

Indirect characterisation

The writer describes the character through narration

The writer describes the character's physical appearance, personality and the things that motivate them

It is useful for giving broad details in a sentence or two, but if used too much will result in superficial characters that a reader is not able to relate to or engage with

This is "telling"

The writer hints to the reader what the character is like

An impression is formed of the character through their speech, thoughts and feelings, interactions with other characters and what other characters say or think about them

It is useful for developing more complex, well-rounded characters that engage the reader

This is "showing"

Here, we will consider how to effectively plan your character(s) to engage your reader. This is what the examiner is looking for in your answer:

Characterisation

Appearance (direct characterisation)

Your character's appearance may not always be relevant:

It is worth considering if it is necessary to describe the colour of your characters' hair, for example

Usually appearance is important if your character represents something, for example, a king, a soldier or someone in trouble

Facial expressions or descriptions can convey character effectively, for example, "her tear-stained face" or "he frowned"

If you choose to write in first-person, remember that it is rare we describe our own appearance

Third-person perspective can describe appearance more effectively

Movements and body language (indirect characterisation)

One of the most effective ways to describe a character is through their movements:

This is the way we judge people most accurately

Consider how you can describe your characters' emotions or circumstances using movements, e.g., "His head dropped"

Verbs and adverbs can be used to effectively buildcharacterisation

If you are including dialogue, think about alternative verbs to "said" such as "whispered" or "bellowed"

Monologue (indirect characterisation)

If you use the first-person perspective, a monologue helps readers engage with the character:

This creates a personal tone and engagement with the character

You can create a character's 'voice' using punctuation, such as short sentences or questions:

Using emotive language will help your reader understand your character better

Dialogue (direct and indirect characterisation)

Dialogue can convey the relationships between your characters and provide insights into what other characters think about each other:

It is best to limit dialogue in your story, especially if you are not absolutely certain how to punctuate it correctly

Use speech marks and punctuation accurately

Carefully consider how the dialogue conveys an idea:

Steps to success for Question 5

1. Read the two task options carefully:

2. Spend five minutes planning your writing:

Use a mind-map or a representation of Freytag's Pyramid to plot out your story

Plan your characters - who they are, what they represent and how you will convey this

Decide on your narrative perspective - first or third person

3. Write down some reminders of figurative language or literary techniques to include to add interest and detail to your writing

4. Write your story, sticking to your plan

5. Try to leave five minutes at the end to re-read your writing carefully, correcting any obvious mistakes you have made

Exam tips for Question 5

Avoid confusing ideas in a paragraph:

Do not confuse the tenses in a paragraph:

If you use a flashback, ensure it is inthe past tense

If you use present-tense verbs for effect, ensure they are all consistently in present tense

Do not over-use dialogue:

The highest marks are awarded for students who use complex and sophisticated vocabulary

Recap

Carefully consider the plot to construct a cohesive story

Build characterisation both directly and indirectly

Consider the 'message' of your story and how the characters represent this

Consider the perspective which will work most effectively for your story

Ensure you create an effective mood in the setting description

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GCSE Creative Writing - AQA English Language Revision Notes

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Learn about how to answer the creative writing task in your AQA GCSE English Language exam. This revision note includes suggested structure and guidance.

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Once you are sure of the form you will write in and you have considered how best to convey the mood and character development to your reader, you can begin to think about how you will order your ideas.

Creative writing responses should be structured in five or six paragraphs. We have suggested basing your narrative structure on Freytag's Pyramid:

Remember, each paragraph does not have to be the same length. In fact, better answers vary the lengths of their paragraphs for effect. What is important is to develop separate ideas or points in each paragraph, and avoid repeating the same descriptions throughout your response.

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Paper 1 Question 5: Creative Writing Model Answer | AQA GCSE English Language Revision Notes 2017

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Revision notes on Paper 1 Question 5: Creative Writing Model Answer for the AQA GCSE English Language syllabus, written by the English Language experts at Save My Exams.

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Fiction is writing that draws on your imagination. It might have some emotional truth, or might be inspired by reality, but the writing takes the reader somewhere else.

Fiction tends to use language that is more descriptive and often poetic.

Examples of fiction include:

You are likely to be working on shorter pieces of fiction writing in which you:

An engaging opening

In a story or novel, the first paragraph has a lot of work to do. It needs to grab the readers' attention and hook them into the story.

The opening sets the tone and creates intrigue. For example, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins opens with:

When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim's warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course, she did. This is the day of the reaping.

This is an effective opening that offers threads for the reader to follow. Collins creates intrigue by giving enough detail to create a sense of place, but not so much that we learn everything at once.

We want to find out more about Prim - who is she? Why does she have bad dreams? We also want to know what the narrator means by 'the day of the reaping'.

The details in this opening passage create a sense of place. We learn from the 'rough canvas cover' and the fact that the narrator shares a bed with her sister, that this is a poor family. The mother is mentioned, but not the father, so another question is posed - where is their father?

Most fictional (and non-fictional) stories follow a recognisable pattern. One pattern that is familiar to readers is the five-stage story arc. This structure is also used in films and television shows.

A five-stage story arc takes the reader through the following stages:

Think back to the last book you read - where were the five points to the story?

Next time you read a book or watch a film/television programme, notice how it fits into this story structure. What hooks you in at the start? What obstacles do the characters face? What is the most dramatic part or turning point in the story? How is the story resolved?

A convincing close

Aim to finish your story in a convincing way, tying up all the loose ends. Aim to resolve the story and leave your reader feeling satisfied with the way the story ends.

Note that cliffhangers can work well as chapter endings in novels, but they can be less satisfying at the end of a short story!

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What is fiction? - Writing fiction - AQA - GCSE English Language Revision - AQA - BBC Bitesize

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Fiction is writing that draws on your imagination. It might have some emotional truth, or might be inspired by reality, but the writing takes the reader somewhere else. Fiction tends to use language that is more descriptive and often poetic.