•“Describe the scene on Bonfire night” using the descriptive techniques we have practised over the last few weeks.

•Evaluate a partner’s description by identifying areas for improvement and areas of strength.

•Use feedback and self-assessment to improve at least two aspects of your mock assessment.

•Plan SMART targets to get you ready for next week’s assessment.

•Correct all spelling / punctuation errors using a dictionary, then make a list of words to learn for next week.

•Rewrite at least two paragraphs to achieve a greater variety of sentence structures.

Include a simile.

Use hyperbole, and then undermine it by admitting you are exaggerating.

Phrase as a question.

Begin with a negative statement using “is not”, then say what it “is”, eg. “The ‘hotel’ is not the Ritz. It’s not even a slightly run-down Travelodge. Instead, it’s a dilapidated shack with flickering lights and no running water.”

Begin with an adverb, eg. “Quickly,” or “Sometimes.”

Make it a simile.

Exactly 10 words.

More than 35 words.

Use commas to add extra information (embedded clauses).

Use a colon to add more specific information.

Use a semi-colon to show how two sentences are linked.

Begin with, “If…”

Begin with, “Considering that…”

Begin with, “Even though…”

Use an interesting fact or statistic.

Include irony by using a word with the meaning opposite to the meaning you intend. (This is hard to do well).


(a) Describe a school assembly on the first day in September. 

(b) Describe the scene at a busy crossroads. 

(c) Describe the scene on a school bus. 

(d) Describe the scene on the first day of the January sales. 

(e) Describe the scene at a fireworks display. 

Complete a plan for what you will write in the one-hour assessment. 

You might also like to complete a practice assessment, although you cannot be given feedback by your teacher on an actual CA title.