4.1.2
Answering Section B
Section B: Creative or Descriptive Writing - The Questions
Section B: Creative or Descriptive Writing - The Questions
In Section B of Paper 1, you will be given two questions - a written scenario and a picture stimulus - to choose from. You will select one thing to write about. Here are some tips:
Use the picture
Use the picture
- Read the questions carefully. Usually, the first option asks for a story or description suggested by or based on the picture – this leaves loads of room for you to write about things which aren’t actually visible on the picture, but could be in the background.
- For example, if you are given a picture of a stormy sea, you could imagine a boat on the water and write about the storm from their point of view, or you could consider who is taking the picture from the shore and write about their experience.
Use the other question
Use the other question
- The two writing options are usually linked – you can always use one idea to inspire the other.
- For example, your exam options could be:
- Write a description based on the picture of a natural disaster,
OR - Write a story which begins with the sentence: 'Life would never be the same again.'
- Write a description based on the picture of a natural disaster,
- If you chose to write about the story, you could use the picture of the natural disaster to inspire your planning.
Use sophisticated vocabulary
Use sophisticated vocabulary
- You get marks for attempting to use more complex/sophisticated vocabulary, even if you spell it incorrectly, so don’t be afraid to try!
Use sophisticated punctuation
Use sophisticated punctuation
- You also get marks for a range of punctuation so, at the very least, try to put an exclamation mark, a semi-colon and a pair of brackets into your writing.
Make mistakes and edit
Make mistakes and edit
- Don’t worry about getting things wrong at first – you are allowed to cross out in your exam. As long as you leave some time at the end to correct your work, it doesn’t matter if you make mistakes to begin with.
Do NOT use writing used before
Do NOT use writing used before
- Some students try to write a perfect piece of writing before going into the exam and then just adapt it to any question in the exam – this is a bad idea! Examiners can tell that you have done this, and this type of strategy generally means you end up with lower marks because your prepared piece doesn’t quite match the task in the exam.
Planning in the Exam
Planning in the Exam
Always plan your creative writing. Students who create some sort of plan before they start writing always score more marks. It doesn’t matter what your plan looks like – your plan will not be marked. Here are some examples:
Bullet points
Bullet points
- You could simply jot down your ideas as they come to you, and then number them in the order you're going to write about them.
- Example question: Write a description of a stormy sea.
- Zoom out – colour of stormy sky and sea. Add metaphor. (5)
- Zoom in – on small boat in the middle of the waves. Add personification. (2)
- Sound – waves crashing against the rocks. Use onomatopoeia. (1)
- Feeling – people in boat being soaked and feeling scared. Use emotive language. (3)
- Sight – people in boat can only see the waves – adds to fear. Use simile. (4)
Spider diagrams (or mindmaps)
Spider diagrams (or mindmaps)
- Spider diagrams (/mindmaps) are great for mind mapping your initial ideas about a picture or storyline.
- An example spider diagram is on the next slide.
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Flow charts
Flow charts
- Flow charts are great for planning narrative writing, as you can plan out how your story will flow.
- The flowchart above is an example plan for the task: Write a story about a time when things went from bad to worse.
1Key Terms
2Language Techniques
2.1Language Devices
3Paper 1: Reading
4Paper 1: Writing
5Paper 2: Reading
5.1DAFORESTER
6Paper 2: Writing
6.1Structuring Your Answer
6.2Types of Writing
6.3Writing to...
6.3.1Writing to Inform
6.3.2Writing to Inform - Example
6.3.3Writing to Explain
6.3.4Writing to Explain - Example
6.3.5Writing to Persuade
6.3.6Writing to Persuade - Example
6.3.7Writing to Argue
6.3.8Writing to Argue - Example
6.3.9Writing to Persuade vs Writing to Argue
6.3.10Writing to Advise
6.3.11Writing to Advise - Example
6.3.12End of Topic Test - Writing to...
6.3.13Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Writing
Jump to other topics
1Key Terms
2Language Techniques
2.1Language Devices
3Paper 1: Reading
4Paper 1: Writing
5Paper 2: Reading
5.1DAFORESTER
6Paper 2: Writing
6.1Structuring Your Answer
6.2Types of Writing
6.3Writing to...
6.3.1Writing to Inform
6.3.2Writing to Inform - Example
6.3.3Writing to Explain
6.3.4Writing to Explain - Example
6.3.5Writing to Persuade
6.3.6Writing to Persuade - Example
6.3.7Writing to Argue
6.3.8Writing to Argue - Example
6.3.9Writing to Persuade vs Writing to Argue
6.3.10Writing to Advise
6.3.11Writing to Advise - Example
6.3.12End of Topic Test - Writing to...
6.3.13Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Writing
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