Top Exam Tip #9: Descriptive and narrative composition –paper 2

The descriptive/narrative composition task on paper 2 is worth a quarter of your overall grade and can be challenging for students, so I thought I’d share some pointers, reminders and advice on how to build strong responses.

Before you begin ensure you understand the difference between *describe* and *narrate* and are writing for the correct purpose. Choose your question with care, making sure you have enough ideas to write about. If you choose the descriptive task, be careful *not to slip into narrative*.

Include:

→ Metaphors

→ Similes

→ Senses

⇒ Adjectives ⇒ Adverbs

Key advice: imagine you are describing a range of different photos. This will ensure you do not start to tell a story.

DESCRIPTIVE TECHNIQUES

→ Hyperbole

Pathetic fallacy

⇒ Oxymoron

→ Juxtaposition

→Personification

SUCCESS CRITERIA

• Interesting vocabulary
• A range of different sentence types
• Different ways of beginning sentences
• Write for the correct purpose
• Use a range of descriptive techniques
• Clear structure for effect – ideas and description should progress.
• Use of punctuation to effectively control ideas
• Spelling
• Appropriate tense
• Use of paragraphs to control ideas
• A range of different paragraph lengths for effect
• vary sentence types (simple, compound, complex) and sentence starters (eg adverb, two-adjective, connective, simile, preposition, ‘-ed clause’)

✓A sense of mood and atmosphere

Imagery

✓Sensory details (not just sight!)

✓Well-developed ideas

✓Varieties of focus

✓Have pre-prepared examples of figurative language that can be adapted to suit a range of questions

Examples of positive/negative imagery, similes, metaphors etc related to weather (sun, clouds, wind, rain), work really well and can help to build mood and/or reflect the narrator’s thoughts and feelings.

Examiner Tips for the Composition (Question 2,3,4 or 5) Paper 2 of the CAIE English

Language IGCSE 0500/0990

From the latest Examiner’s Report.

Ways in which the writing of descriptions can be improved:

• try to avoid clichéd scenarios and consider a more individual and original selection of content; choose a scenario which gives you a range of details on which to focus
• keep your focus on details which will help you evoke a particular atmosphere
• write sentences with proper verbs and do not switch tenses
• use vocabulary precisely: complex words used wrongly do not help your style.

*Key elements for narrative composition*

As for descriptive above PLUS the following:

Well thought through plot, characters, setting, possibly dialogue Ways in which the writing of narratives can be improved:

• Think about the build-up towards the most important moment in your story.
• Make sure you know how your story ends before you begin.
• Characters’ thoughts and feelings help to engage your reader. Don’t rely on events. ● Check your writing for errors which will badly affect your mark, such as basic spelling and punctuation mistakes.
• Use complicated vocabulary with precision and consider the power of simple words and sentences to create particular effects.

Image for attention and because you might like to use it as a picture prompt to practise your descriptive writing techniques. 😉