DESCRPTIVE WRITING

PAPER 2 - QUESTION 2 – 40 MARKS

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)What Is Descriptive Writing?

Descriptive writing creates a picture of a person, place,

thing, or event.

Description shows us what something looks, sounds,

smells, tastes, or feels like – we need to use our five
senses.
2) Elements of Descriptive Writing

Good descriptive writing is comprised of five elements;

1.Sensory Details,
2.Figurative Language,
3.Dominant impression
4.Precise language
5.Careful Organization.
1) SENSORY DETAILS

Good descriptive writing includes many vivid sensory details that paint
a picture and appeals to the reader's senses of :
sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste.
Descriptive writing may also paint a picture of the feelings the person,
place or thing that invokes the writer.
Refer to Page 23 of your COURSEBOOK
• Exercise A – Q 4
What kind of words come to your mind when you consider:
A street market in summer in a hot climate
Hustle and bustle accordion buskers
crowded Melting popsicle
hawkers screaming fresh colourful fruits
Sweaty                              second-hand clothes on sale 
Stinky
Blazing sun
 Add sensory details for :
A street market in summer in a hot climate

SIGHT HEARING TOUCH SMELL

Crowd chatter sweaty palms sweat
scattered shops screaming hawkers exchange of cash fresh fruits
vendors rustling of shopping bags Heavy shopping bags street food
blazing sun accordion buskers rubbing of shoulders
Colourful fruits
and vegetables
Second hand
clothes

TASTE
Lemonade FEELINGS
Street food scorching, torrid, sweltering heat
Hot dogs fatigue
French fries spinning headache
arms aching from heavy shopping bags
2)Figurative Language

Good descriptive writing often makes use of figurative language to help

paint the picture in the reader’s mind. There are many ways to use
figurative language, and it is a talent that should be practiced until
perfected.
2) Examples of descriptive/figurative language :
1. The sun was like a blazing flame.
2. As hot as a firecracker.
3. It was so hot outside, I felt I was melting like a popsicle in the crowd!
4. Beckoning of the vendors made me buy extra clothes.
5. The street seemed ablaze under the scorching sun.
6. Passionate tunes were being played by accordian buskers.
7. Chatterings and laughters emanating from the huge crowd , brought
about constant murmurs.
8. Hawkers were competing with each other
9. Mixed odours rising from the crowd.
3) Dominant impression
When you plan a descriptive essay, your focus should be on
selecting details that help your readers see what you see, feel
what you feel, and experience what you experience.
• Use present tense
• Take the reader along with you through the street market.
4) PRECISE LANGUAGE

Good descriptive writing uses precise language.

Using specific words and phrases will help the reader “see” what you
are describing.
5)THE STRUCTURE OF A DESCRIPTIVE
ESSAY
REFER TO PAGE 23 OF YOUR
COURSEBOOK
Exercise A 4 – 15 MINUTES
Using all the ELEMENTS OF DESCRIPTIVE WRITING :
Write a 100-120 WORD PARAGRAPH ON :
A street market in summer in a hot climate