FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
Descriptive writing structure
In this free lesson by [Link], we will learn a structure you can apply to any
descriptive writing piece you write for First Language English IGCSE. This will be
particularly useful for your coursework or for your Paper 2, the writing paper.
Watch my video lesson and proceed with the activities below.
Answer the questions.
What is the difference between a description and a narrative?
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What does ‘connotation’ mean?
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What are the connotations of cherry blossoms?
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
Mark scheme for descriptive writing
Content and Structure: how well-developed is your description and how well do
you structure it?
Band 6 Band 5 Band 4 Band 3
Complex Developed Relevant Straightforward
• Many well- • Frequent, • Selection of • Task is
defined and well-chosen relevant addressed with
developed images ideas, image a series of
ideas • Mostly and details relevant but
• Convincing convincing • May be straightforward
overall picture picture tendency to details
with varieties write in a • May be more
of focus narrative style typical of a
narrative
Style and Accuracy: how grammatically accurate is your writing and how
effective are your language choices?
Band 6 Band 5 Band 4 Band 3
Consistently Mostly accurate, Sometimes Simple language
accurate and mostly precise precise, often with some
precise makes small serious errors
errors
• Precise and • Mostly precise • Some precise • Simple
effective vocabulary vocabulary vocabulary
vocabulary • Mostly varied • Some variety and sentence
• Range of sentences of sentences structures
sentence • Mostly • Frequent • Frequent
structures accurate small errors grammar
• Almost always grammar, errors, some
accurate some minor serious
grammar errors
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
Exemplar:
Why is the
opening line
Memories of Cherry Blossom Season effective?
It was April, and the time had come again for Tokyo to be
velveted in a pink blanket. Shinjuku National Garden, vast and
winding, was bustling with life: lovers made eyes in pedalos on
the lake; a pretty girl posed for photos with petals in her hair; a
tourist hunted for the best picnic location, dodging and diving What do you
around swarms of sightseers; and my grandfather held my sticky notice about the
use of sentencing
little hand, as I looked up at the blooms with awe-struck eyes.
and punctuation?
The air hummed with the click of cameras, the burble of
conversation in a tapestry of languages, and the insistent shrieks
of the cicadas. Cameras, conversationalists, and cicadas alike
had all united here for a singular purpose: cherry blossom
season had arrived.
Winter had been long. I distantly remember that December that What do you think
year had been brutal, bracing, unrelenting. Distantly, distantly, I the images
recall biting cold mornings, snow crunching underfoot, and my symbolise?
dad bundling me four layers deep before taking me to school.
Perhaps because of this, the bees were particularly thankful for
Shinjuku's reawakening landscape that year. One such bee
danced gracefully between blossoms, bathed in the soft
embrace of the late afternoon sun. Its tiny form, a marvel of
What is the tone of
intricate design, moved with an inherent rhythm, as if nature's
this description?
heartbeat were channelled through its translucent wings. The
bee's body shimmered like liquid gold, catching the sunlight in
an iridescent dance. Delicate wings brushed against the petals;
each touch was a renewal of life, a promise of another sunrise,
another blossoming flower.
The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting the park in a rosy glow, What is the
and peering intently at the bees hovering from flower to flower significance of this
sat my grandmother. She was hunkered down on a weathered paragraph?
bench, her gaze drifting softly across the park. Every so often,
she met my eyes with a wink or blew my granddad a kiss. How
many seasons had they passed together? Had they once ridden
pedalos with the setting sun kissing their skin? How many
blossoms had they watched bloom and fall?
Softly, petals spiralled to the ground, scattering like stardust
beneath our feet. The floor was a confetti of blossoms, dusky
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
pink, alabaster, fuchsia and ivory, vibrantly alive. But soon, the
march of the crowds through the park ground the petals down
into a soggy mulch that clung to my shoes. Over time, raindrops
and footsteps worked together, coaxing the petals to merge
with the soil, creating a rich bed that would nourish the very
trees from which they had fallen.
It is April. I am no longer a little girl with sticky hands, and my
What images are
grandfather no longer walks me through Tokyo's parks. But repeated to create
nature does not heed the passage of time and has filled the a circular
skies with fireworks of blossoms once more. It is very quiet here. structure? What is
Singular petals fall from the trees above my grandparents' grave their emotional
impact?
before winding down to earth. They find home on my clothes, in
my hair. When I close my eyes, I am back there, that April in the
park when cherry blossoms briefly brought the world to life. How
precious it is, to wait all year to see something so beautiful it
cannot possibly last beyond a week and to possess memories
too beloved to ever be replicated.
Reflect
Look back at the mark scheme. Why would this description receive band 6 for
Content and Structure?
What is good about its use of language devices, structure and development of
imagery?
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Look at the mark scheme again. Why would this description receive band 6 for
Style and Accuracy?
What is good about its sentencing, vocabulary, punctuation and choice of
language? Can you notice any grammar errors?
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
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There is no such thing as a perfect description and all descriptions can be
improved.
What suggestions would you make to improve this description and why?
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Recommended structure
Zoom out – long shot: describe the whole scene in detail and mention
something that you will return to at the end of your description.
Zoom in: pick one detail, make it symbolic, and describe it in depth. This could be
a good opportunity for an extended metaphor.
Change perspective: imagine the scene through the eyes of somebody who is
there – what are they feeling?
Zoom in again: pick another symbolic detail to describe in depth. Pick something
contrasting to your earlier symbol.
Emotional ending: finally circle back to something mentioned in your opening
paragraph, highlighting the emotional atmosphere.
Getting inspired
Cherry blossoms – inspiration pictures
Look at the inspiration images below. Feel free to make notes in the margins
around each photo of any ideas that come to your mind.
• What words or phrases could you use to describe this scene?
• What would the atmosphere and tone of your description be?
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
• What imagery could you zoom into?
• What imagery could you circle back to?
• What symbols could you use?
• What perspective could you shift to?
• How could you create an emotional ending?
Zoom out – long shot
Zoom in (pick a symbol)
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
Change perspective
Zoom in again (contrasting symbol)
Emotional ending (circle back)
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
Cherry blossoms – inspiration videos
As you watch the video inspiration shown in my video lesson, think about the
questions below.
• What words or phrases could you use to describe this scene?
• What would the atmosphere and tone of your description be?
• What imagery could you zoom into?
• What imagery could you circle back to?
• What symbols could you use?
• What perspective could you shift to?
• How could you create an emotional ending?
Notes:
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
Planning
What tone will your writing create?
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What will you describe? Impressive vocabulary: Techniques:
(What image(s) will this paragraph focus on?) (Extended metaphor, symbolism,
semicolon list, PEAT sentence, simile,
etc)
Paragraph #1
Long shot
Paragraph #2
Zoom in
Pick a symbol
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
What will you describe? Impressive vocabulary: Techniques:
(What image(s) will this paragraph focus on?) (Extended metaphor, symbolism,
semicolon list, PEAT sentence, simile,
etc)
Paragraph #3
Change
perspective
Paragraph #4
Zoom in again
Pick a contrasting
symbol
Paragraph #5
Emotional
ending
Circle back to an
image from
earlier
Make an
emotional impact
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
Practice task
Describe cherry blossom season.
• You should write around five paragraphs, using the five paragraph structure
explained in my video lesson.
• You can choose any location in any country, but it must focus on cherry
blossoms.
• Consider what tone you’re trying to create and make sure you keep it
consistent: exciting, overwhelmed, magical, dark, etc.
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
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FLE Descriptive Writing Structure
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Reflect
Did you…?
Content and Structure Style and Accuracy
• Write clearly with the explicit • Write with correct spelling,
meaning easy to punctuation and grammar?
understand?
• Use a variety of sentence lengths
• Use language devices? for effect?
• Use correct paragraphing? • Use a variety of punctuation for
effect? : ; - ? ! …
• Develop your imagery,
extending some ideas? • Use precise and sophisticated
vocabulary?
• Include details that bring
your overall picture to life?
• Keep your tone consistent?
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