4.1.4

Paper 1: Writing - Answering Section B (option 1)

Test yourself on Paper 1: Writing - Answering Section B (option 1)

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Section B: Descriptive Writing

In Section B of Paper 1, you will be given two options - a written scenario and a picture stimulus - to choose from.

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.
Imagination

Imagination

  • Actually, you can choose not to use the image at all and base the description entirely on your imagination.
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

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.
__Question: Write a description of a sunset__

Question: Write a description of a sunset

Jump to other topics
1

Key Terms

1.1

Key Terms

1.1.1Nouns1.1.2Verbs1.1.3Sentence Types1.1.4Words1.1.5Sound1.1.6Language1.1.7Images & Symbols1.1.8Phrases1.1.9Mood1.1.10Key Terms - Other Techniques1.1.11End of Topic Test - Key Terms
2

Language Techniques

2.1

Language Devices

2.1.1Metaphors2.1.2Similes2.1.3Metaphors & Similes HyperLearning2.1.4Personification2.1.5Pathetic Fallacy2.1.6Pun2.1.7Oxymoron2.1.8Hyperbole2.1.9Alliteration2.1.10Sibilance2.1.11Onomatopoeia2.1.12Emotive Language2.1.13All Language Devices2.1.14End of Topic Test - Language Devices
2.2

Writing Structure

2.2.1Narrators2.2.2Paragraphs2.2.3Present Tense2.2.4Past Tense2.2.5Future Tense2.2.6Present vs Past vs Future2.2.7Foreshadowing2.2.8Structure2.2.9End of Topic Test - Writing Structure
3

Paper 1: Reading

3.1

Paper 1: Reading - Section A

3.1.1Paper 1: Reading - Overview - Section A3.1.2Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 13.1.3Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 23.1.4Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading3.1.5Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 33.1.6Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 43.1.7End of Topic Test - Section A3.1.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading3.1.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q13.1.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q23.1.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q33.1.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q4 13.1.13Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q4 2
4

Paper 1: Writing

4.1

Paper 1: Writing - Structuring Your Answer

4.1.1Paper 1: Writing - Overview - Section B4.1.2Paper 1: Writing - Descriptive Writing4.1.3Paper 1: Writing - Narrative Writing4.1.4Paper 1: Writing - Answering Section B (option 1)4.1.5Paper 1: Writing - Answering Section B (option 2)4.1.6Paper 1: Writing - Answering Section B - Checklist4.1.7End of Topic Test - Writing Section4.1.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Writing4.1.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q5 14.1.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q5 2
5

Paper 2: Reading

5.1

Paper 2: Reading - DAFORESTER

5.1.1Paper 2: Reading - Direct Address5.1.2Paper 2: Reading - Alliteration5.1.3Paper 2: Reading - Facts5.1.4Paper 2: Reading - Opinions5.1.5Paper 2: Reading - Repetition5.1.6Paper 2: Reading - Exaggeration (Hyperbole)5.1.7Paper 2: Reading - Statistics5.1.8Paper 2: Reading - Triples (Rule of 3)5.1.9Paper 2: Reading - Emotive Language5.1.10Paper 2: Reading - Rhetorical Questions5.1.11End of Topic Test - DAFORESTER
5.2

Paper 2: Reading - Structuring Your Answer

5.2.1Paper 2: Reading - Overview - Section A5.2.2Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 15.2.3Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 25.2.4Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 35.2.5Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading5.2.6Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 45.2.7End of Topic Test - Section A5.2.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading5.2.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q15.2.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q2 15.2.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q2 25.2.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q4
6

Paper 2: Writing

6.1

Paper 2: Writing - Structuring Your Answer

6.1.1Paper 2: Writing - Overview - Section B6.1.2Paper 2: Writing - Answering Section B6.1.3Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q5 16.1.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q5 26.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q5 3
6.2

Types of Writing

6.2.1Paper 2: Writing - Article6.2.2Paper 2: Writing - Essay6.2.3Paper 2: Writing - Leaflet6.2.4Paper 2: Writing - Letter6.2.5Paper 2: Writing - Speech6.2.6Paper 2: Writing - Review6.2.7Paper 2: Writing - Travel Writing6.2.8Paper 2: Writing - Diaries & Journals6.2.9End of Topic Test - Types of Writing
6.3

Writing to...

6.3.1Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Inform6.3.2Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Inform - Example6.3.3Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Explain6.3.4Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Explain - Example6.3.5Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Persuade6.3.6Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Persuade - Example6.3.7Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Argue6.3.8Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Argue - Example6.3.9Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Persuade vs Writing6.3.10Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Advise6.3.11Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Advise - Example6.3.12End of Topic Test - Writing to...6.3.13Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Writing

Practice questions on Paper 1: Writing - Answering Section B (option 1)

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What should you NOT do in the writing section (Section B) of Paper 1?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What will you get top marks for using in the writing section (Section B) of Paper 1?Fill in the list
  3. 3
    Will you be marked down if you make mistakes in your writing exam (Section B)?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    What should you consider if you are answering the picture question of Section B?True / false
  5. 5
    You have chosen to answer the written scenario question in the writing section (Section B) of Paper 1. What should you NEVER use to answer the question?Multiple choice
Answer all questions on Paper 1: Writing - Answering Section B (option 1)

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Paper 1: Writing - Narrative Writing

Paper 1: Writing - Answering Section B (option 2)