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English language, descriptive writing

If the question is asking for a description, can I answer in 1st person adding in emotions and thoughts. Or should it just be a narrative, description of the image?

Reply 1

JoeyTanaka

What is your exam board? Each one asks you in a slightly different way.

Reply 2

abbiesummerw

Original post by JoeyTanaka

What is your exam board? Each one asks you in a slightly different way.

AQA

Reply 3

linzzy21

personally, I like to do descriptive writing cus I always do relatively well, even we=hen I ramble about nonsense and throw in 'smart' words here and there. with descriptive writing, I manage to get my self 8/7's

Reply 4

abbiesummerw

Okay thankyou and congrats on your fancy vocabualary.

Reply 5

linzzy21

I believe you can do almost what you want with it. If you want to talk in first, second or third person you can, regardless if it's descriptive or narrative. I just think sometimes first or second person makes it harder for you to get top marks, as my teachers generally nags the class about their 'Watt-pad stories' on question 5. I think it depends on how well you can do it.

Reply 6

aka_amani

A rule that I always go by in descriptive writing is try to avoid using personal pronouns at all costs to avoid it turning into a story. It is safer to keep it in narrative voice so that you won't lose marks.

Reply 7

abbiesummerw

Oops, I'll keep that in mind in my exams thanks, I've already finished my English practice homework though, I guess it'll just have to be a story beginning with a description.

Reply 8

JoeyTanaka

For AQA, you can choose to do either a narrative or description task.

For the description task, you are describing a scene based on the photograph. Think of it like a movie. Firstly, what can you see? What does it sound like? Is there anything that the narrator can touch? (Like a blanket of sand enveloping your feet? Or rain assaulting your head as it falls from the roof of trees in a rain forest.) Then, the camera will pan to something else. What is it? Does the sounds get louder, quieter or stop altogether?

Then add your language devices. Can you insert a simile, metaphor, rule of three, repetition, powerful adjectives. Don't go overboard but make sure you show a range of different techniques and don't be repetitive. (and this happened and then this happened... This is illegal. Shut it down.)

For higher marks: you MUST include a range of punctuation. (See: .,-()!;?) Especially colons and semi-colons!

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, there should be no dialogue.

Ever.

Narrative is usually the more popular choice. Pay attention to the question. You will be asked to produce a whole story or typically the opening of a story. It is very similar to the description but you must remember to have a plot-line. (Keep it realistic and engaging.)

Don't just dump dialogue in your story. (It's boring and unoriginal) Some dialogue is fine but be careful it doesn't become too much.

Remember show don't tell. Instead of saying "He was showing withdrawal symptoms" say "His eyes were flitting to and fro. Searching for the one thing that could get him a glimpse of freedom. He staggered upward, hands shaking, as he loosely gripped the chair he was sitting on." Make the reader guess what you're trying to get across.

It can be based on the picture but you should link it to the focus of the question.

And finally remember: Language devices, punctuation & varied sentence starters. (Start one with immediate speech, another with an adverb, and another with a rhetorical question.) Short sentences, complex sentences, vary them depending on pace, characters' thought processes etc.

Also, first person is absolutely fine but keep it consistent.

Hope this helps! & sorry for the long read. :smile:

Reply 9

abbiesummerw

Thanks so much. I always thought there were two options but I was confused because my homework asks purely for a description which I realize now I've totally messed up!

Reply 10

JoeyTanaka

Original post by abbiesummerw

Thanks so much. I always thought there were two options but I was confused because my homework asks purely for a description which I realize now I've totally messed up!

Don't mention it.

You haven't messed up! Just look at what you've got at the moment and see how you can improve it. You won't have time in the exam to start over; just see what you can amend for the better.

You will get to choose either. Just pick the one you are more comfortable with, plan some notes, & put them to paper.

If you want additional practice try this example that I thought of:

Spoiler

Reply 11

abbiesummerw

Wow, you're a great person, thanks again!

Reply 12

2hogwarts4dobby

Can you have a basic plot line in a descriptive piece, if the writing style was still descriptive but broken up by 2 or 3 events (like boat stealing from the prelude, if anyone else studied that poem. steals a boat, rows out, turns around, 1st person narrative but still all description?)