Grade 9 – Descriptive Writing

Writing to describe is a bit like explaining a picture or a film-clip. You need to re-create that
image, only using words, so that the person reading your description has an almost exact
replica of that image in their head afterwards. It’s a bit like telepathy! The important thing to
remember is to be detailed
For the 0500 IGCSE Paper 2, the Descriptive Writing component does not rely on a passage. Now,
whichever type it might be, any good Descriptive Essay needs proper skills and a lot of practice. So,
here are 7 tips that will help you improve your Descriptive Writing Skills.

Plan your essay

This goes without saying, but it’s a must. You need to plan the skeleton of your essay – ask
yourself what each paragraph would focus on. Think of a suitable central theme for each
body paragraph. Remember that planning your essay will not only ensure that you organize
your ideas well – it functions as an excellent tool for brainstorming ideas in the correct
order.

Make your introduction game strong

The next step is writing a great, compelling introduction. Writing a good introduction is very
important in any form of writing, so you need to pay attention to it. Begin with a hook – the
rabbit hopped and leaped into the garden as it had just been set free. Spring has begun! You
may add some interesting facts about your topic, like a rhetorical question, or a humorous
description to keep the readers hooked to what is about to come. Your introduction should
include a suitable thesis statement that defines the rest of your essay, making sure that it sets
the correct tone and mood as well.

Add sensory details

All of us are familiar with the five senses which are sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.
Adding these to your writing is very important as these will add depth and detail to
your Descriptive Essay. Use them in a way to bring life to your writing, and create a 360-
degree scenery around. Write in a way that the reader can effectively paint the same picture
in their mind that you’re trying to create. For example, if you are explaining a garden, add the
sensory details, like the soft pink colour of the roses, the sweet smell of the jasmine flowers,
the lush green of the grass, the buzzing of the bees drinking nectar from the honeysuckle, the
cool breeze and how it feels on your face, etc. The correct usage of sensorial imagery ensures
that the reader wants to continue reading more.
Show not tell
The devil for Descriptive Writing is in the details. Don’t just state what you are trying to
say, instead paint an image with your writing. For example – If a girl is scared, describe her
actions instead of just telling her that she is afraid. Imagine the expression that a scared little
girl would have, imagine she’d be trembling with fear, explain the colour being washed off
from her face. Use your imagination till the best of your abilities – that’s how
your Descriptive Writing skills will come to light. Readers will not get the sense if you only
state something, so get into the nitty gritties and create a living picture with words.

Add figurative language

Figurative language refers to the use of words in a way that deviates from the conventional
order and meaning of words in order to convey a more complicated meaning. It promotes
colourful writing, clarity, or evocative comparison. So, adding it to a Descriptive Essay is
very useful. For example, instead of writing “the man was cruel and insensitive”, replace it
with “the man had a heart of stone”. The different types of figurative language that you can
use are – Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Hyperbole, Allusion etc.
Stay concise
You might be wondering how one can write a Descriptive Essay in a concise form – both of
these are literally the opposite. But trust us when we say that nobody likes reading long
essays. We’ve marked many papers on Descriptive Writing, and have noticed that the
essence remains better in an appropriate length of an essay. Set your word limit and try to
stick to it – the beauty about this essay is that you combine your ideas logically and make use
of complex and compound sentences. If the passage is already given, annotate the important
points and add them to your essay. Writing concisely is an art but you can master it if you
practise enough.

Conclusion
As important as you know the introduction is, so is the conclusion. Like for any other essay
format, all 3 are crucial to the organisation of your essay. The conclusion gives an
appropriate answer or closing statement to the thesis statement in your introduction. If you
end your essay with a suitable conclusion, it also helps with your score. Summarise all the
key takeaway points from your essay and you have a complete, cohesive answer ready for
review!
Question: -
Write about 350 to 450 words on one of the following questions.
Answer on this question paper. Up to 16 marks are available for the content and
structure of your answer, and up to 24 marks for the style and accuracy of your
writing.
1. Describe walking or riding along a path or track you have not explored before.
2. Describe a busy train or bus station.
3. Describe an occasion when a group of people are eating together