Descriptive/Narrative or Creative Writing: The Pyramids

This is a sample exam answer for the GCSE / IGCSE Descriptive Writing question on the English Language exam. It will be useful for any student studying Descriptive, Narrative or Creative writing. It’s an answer to the following question: “Describe a time and place, real or imaginary when you felt trapped. Concentrate on your surroundings […]

Descriptive Writing: Nightmare World (Writing Process, Example Plan + Written Extract)

Below, you’ll find a Descriptive Writing Piece: Nightmare World, along with the writing process, example plan and written extract. The piece below was given to a student as a writing prompt. With direction and support during the planning phase, he produced an excellent piece of work! His piece would receive a high grade, though it […]

Descriptive Writing Task: How To Describe an Object

In this mini-lesson, I’ll go through the basics of how to describe an object in detail – and not just in a boring way! Many of the creative writing and descriptive writing questions in exams require you to focus on an object, person, place or thing. Thanks for reading! If you find this useful, take […]

Descriptive Writing: What it is and How to do it

Almost all English exams require students to do ‘Descriptive Writing’ at some point, and on most exams that I teach this is the highest marked question on the paper – worth up to 50% of the paper as a whole. But what exactly is it? And can it really be taught? There’s a common belief […]

Narrative Writing: Student Example “On The Run”

This example narrative essay was written by one of my 15-year-old students, with my detailed notes on feedback and marking. This was one of her first attempts at writing (her exam board is AQA GCSE English Language, but most English exams have similar questions and mark schemes to this one ) and I think she […]

Characterisation: How to create characters in stories and plays!

How to create characters? Characterisation is the term we give to the technique of constructing a character in a story – it is used in novels, plays, and even narrative poems. Great writers can become known for their skillful characterisation – Charles Dickens, for example, is famous for his lively, complex characters such as Oliver […]