Paper 1 Descriptive Writing

1
Paper 1 Descriptive Writing
2
Breakdown

• Its worth...25
• You write...1 page
• You spend... 20 minutes on it
• You describe...a place, an event or a person

3
Technique

• Write at least four paragraphs
• 1 Set scene (describe from a distance)
• 2, 3 and 4 focus on specific characters, groups
  or objects and describe in detail
• Prepare at least 3 characters in advance.

4
Technique

• Describe do not tell a story
• Describe events over period of seconds think
  snapshots
• Keep out of writing use He/She/It/They not
  I
• Imagine what a camera/microphone would see/hear
• Use powerful verbs/adjectives
• Use similes, metaphors anything that makes
  detail come alive

5

• A bored looking teenager sat slumped on a bench,
  her eyes rimmed with thick black eyeliner. The
  new bullet for my Valentine single pounded from
  her MP3 headphones which were thrust into her
  ears. An elderly couple inched slowly away from
  her, disapproving of her makeup and music. The
  lady appeared to have some trouble standing
  because in one hand was a walking stick and her
  other hand was clasped tightly to her husbands.
• A cheer erupted from the crowd...
• How could this have been improved upon?
• Write the next 2 paragraphs bringing in at least
  one new character/group.

6
Possible Descriptive Tasks

• Describe...
• A classroom on a hot summer afternoon.
• A public swimming pool.
• A motorway traffic jam.
• A park full of children and parents.