Descriptive Writing: What the Question is Asking (CIE IGCSE English Language)

In Section B of Paper 2, you will be given the choice of four titles: Questions 2 and 3 will be descriptive writing titles, and Questions 4 and 5 will be narrative writing titles. Each of the options is worth 40 marks and you are only required to choose one of them (either descriptive or narrative). While descriptive writing will contain elements of narration, and vice versa, it is important to be aware that there is a distinction between the two styles of writing and you must shape your responses accordingly. You should therefore consider all four choices before selecting the one you feel will best allow you to demonstrate your skills as a writer.

The following guide will help you to understand what the descriptive writing question is asking. It is broken down into:

• Overview
• Breaking down the question
• Exam tips

There will be two descriptive writing titles or scenarios to choose from (Question 2 and Question 3). You are required to write about 350-450 words, which is approximately 2-3 sides of A4 in standard-sized handwriting, and you will have one hour in which to do this. You will be awarded up to 16 marks for content and structure, and up to 24 marks for style and accuracy. For descriptive writing, this means:

Remember, in descriptive writing, your aim is to enable the reader to picture what you are describing in your mind. You should spend 15 minutes choosing your task and planning your writing, and 45 minutes writing your response (including 5 minutes at the end to re-read and check your work).

You should carefully consider the two question choices and plan your route through your composition, including how it will end, before you start writing. Consider how you can be convincing and original in your use of detail, and choose your vocabulary and sentence structures carefully to create specific effects.

The examples below are a selection of past CIE descriptive writing tasks:

• Make sure you are not overly reliant on narrative to structure your response:
• This results in answers which have limited descriptive content
• Your description should be closely observed and focused in content:
• Try to make use of more striking and original images, rather than relying on stereotypical ideas and images
• Ensure that all of the words you choose contribute to the overall atmosphere and effect you want to create
• Do not confuse tenses in a paragraph:
• If you use a flashback, ensure you have written in the past tense
• If you use present tense verbs for effect, then ensure you do this consistently
• Do not use dialogue in a descriptive writing piece:
• Descriptive writing also does not provide background information or develop character interaction
• When describing people, you should focus on their body language or movements
• Zoom in and out of the image you are creating as if you are behind a camera
• Include some movement to contrast and add interest
• Use sensory language to create a clear mood, but adjust the focus and perspective as your paragraphs develop:
• Descriptive writing should include movement and sound, but the “narrator” should be a silent observer
• Vary your sentence and paragraph lengths to keep the style and tone dynamic
• It is effective to repeat ideas related to colour:
• Consider picking out a key detail in order to do this, such as the colour of houses’ roofs
• Remember, this is not a story:
• You do not need to provide a “happy ending”