G7 Descriptive Writing
Descriptive Writing
Learning Objectives
 To Find out what components are needed to create a piece of
descriptive writing.
 To practice writing pieces of descriptive writing.
 To learn the skills and techniques needed to successfully answer
the Descriptive Writing Question in the Final Exam.
Descriptive Writing
The primary purpose of descriptive writing is to describe a person, place
or thing in such a way that a picture is formed in the reader's mind.
Capturing an event through descriptive writing involves using all of your
five senses.
Try to imagine yourself to be a kind of 4D 'human video camera'! With
your searching zoom lens you are going to 'record' what you saw,
smelled, touched, tasted and heard in the particular scene or situation
the question asks you to describe. A selection of the 'stills' from your
video will provide the details for what you describe.
Descriptive Writing
Think of a theme park you have been to and try to remember what you
saw, what you smelled, what you touched, what you tasted and what
you heard there. You are going to use these sense memories to build up
a piece of descriptive writing that suggests what your day there was like.
Descriptive Writing
What You see
1. Think of a theme park or funfair you have been to and write a list of
some of the things you saw there.
2. Take one or two objects from your list and put it into a sentence that
is interesting and exciting. What strengthens description a great deal
is to use a few vivid similes and metaphors. Ex:
‘When she got off the my sister looked like a woman just back
from a journey to Hell.'
Note:
To be safe ALWAYS set the time frame in the past using 'saw‘.
Descriptive Writing
What You Smell
1. Think of a theme park or funfair you have been to and write a list of
some of the things you smelt there.
2. Take one or two objects from your list and put it into a sentence that
is interesting and exciting. At a theme park there are always food
concessions and so if you can’t think of anything else you can always
describe what the food smelled like. Ex:
‘My tummy was telling me it was time for lunch when I got
off the ride and then my nose detected the heavenly smell
coming from the burger van on the corner.’
Note:
To be safe ALWAYS set the time frame in the past: 'smelled’ [or
‘smelt’].
Descriptive Writing
What You Touch
1. Think of a theme park or funfair you have been to and write a list of
some of the things you touched or touched you there.
2. Take one or two objects from your list and put it into a sentence that
is interesting and exciting. At a theme park if you are on a ride you
can always describe the sensation of the wind on your face.
‘The carriage ended its slow climb up to the top of the ride
and as it plunged down the steep slope towards the ground
below I felt the wind slap me in the face.’
Note:
To be safe ALWAYS set the time frame in the past: ‘touched’ or
‘felt.’
Descriptive Writing
What You Taste
1. Think of a theme park or funfair you have been to and write a list of
some of the things you tasted there.
2. Take one or two objects from your list and put it into a sentence that
is interesting and exciting. At a theme park there are always lots of
things to taste, from a burger to a coke or even a piece of cotton
candy. Ex:
‘I pulled off a handful of the pink, sticky cotton candy and
shoved it into my mouth. It tasted like rough, sweet
sandpaper.’
Note:
To be safe ALWAYS set the time frame in the past: ‘tasted’.
Descriptive Writing
What You Hear
1. Think of a theme park or funfair you have been to and write a list of
some of the things you heard there.
2. Take one or two objects from your list and put it into a sentence that
is interesting and exciting. At a theme park there is always a lot of
noise, from the sound of the machinery to the screams of the
people on the rides.
‘The carriage ended its slow climb up to the top of the ride
and as it plunged down the steep slope towards the ground
below I heard the screams coming from my sisters in the
carriage behind me.’
Note:
To be safe ALWAYS set the time frame in the past: ‘heard’.
Descriptive Writing
Thoughts & Feelings
You should also try to describe the emotions associated with the event
you are describing. Describe what you think and feel as well as
describing the emotions shown by those around you. So if you are at a
theme park you might describe how scared you were going on a very
large ride, or to describe how bored you were waiting in line to get onto
a ride.
‘The carriage ended its slow climb up to the top of the ride and
as it plunged down the steep slope towards the ground below I
though that I was going to die.’
Descriptive Writing
The Thoughts & Feelings of Others
You would normally go to a them park with other people, friends or family and
they will go on rides with you. How do they react?
1. Think of a theme park or funfair you have been to and write a list of some
of the emotions you saw other people experience there.
2. Take one or two objects from your list and put it into a sen1tence that is
interesting and exciting. At a theme park fear and excitement will probably
be the principal emotions you see other people show.
‘I could tell by the screams coming from my sisters in the carriage
behind me that they were absolutely terrified by this huge ride.’
Note:
To be safe ALWAYS set the time frame in the past: ‘afraid’ or ‘terrified.’
Descriptive Writing – The Exam Question
You will be given a choice of two topics for descriptive writing in the exam
and will need to select one of them as a starting point for your writing.
Three of your senses will be identified in the exam question and you will be
asked to describe what those three sense experience.
Remember:
This is a piece of descriptive writing so it is more important that you
describe people and places rather than narrate the events you describe.
You should try to reference each of the three identified senses
at least once in your writing. [10 Marks]
You should also try to describe the emotions associated with
this event. Describe what you think and feel as well as
describing the emotions shown by those around you.
[10 Marks]
There are 20 Marks for the quality of your writing and 5 Marks for
Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar.
Practice Question:
Describe a family visit to a large theme park.