Descriptive writing is
a really important skill to develop in English. Not only will you need it if
you take English IGCSE, but it can also help to improve your overall writing
style. We’ve come up with a few guidelines that will help you create a truly
original and detailed piece of descriptive writing. Follow these tips and
you’ll be sure to succeed!
1.
Use the Five Senses
This
is something we’re often taught about in primary school, but we start to forget
about them as we get older. Descriptive writing is all about creating a clear
image for your reader. If you want your reader to truly feel like they are
experiencing a scene with you, then referring to all five senses is a must. For
those who have forgotten, they are: hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch. If
you master using these, you could consider using them metaphorically, for
example: I could taste the fear in the air.
2.
Zoom In
When
writing to describe, it’s important to focus in closely on certain items or
objects. For example, if you’re describing a haunted house, you might start by
describing the overall appearance of the house, and then zoom in to talk about
specific things. You might talk about the dusty doorknob that creaks when you
twist it in your hand, or the cobwebs delicately hanging from the window
frames. Imagine yourself in the situation you are describing, and think about
small details that could help create a bigger picture.
3.
Don’t tell a story
Remember
that there is a difference between narrative and descriptive writing. Narrative
writing is where you tell a story. You will often have characters and a clear
plot. In descriptive writing, you don’t need these elements. You may just have
one character, who you speak as in the first person. I often advise my students
to imagine themselves standing still when they are writing to describe. Stand
still, and describe what is around you. Once you’ve started writing, you may
wish for your character to begin moving round to explore, however you don’t
need to have dramatic plot devices like cliff-hangers.
4.
Use ambitious adjectives
Because
you won’t have a dramatic plot in your writing, it’s important to keep the
reader’s interest in other ways. One way you could do this is by using ambitious
adjectives. The best way to do this is to have a thesaurus handy (either in
book form or on the computer). You don’t need to do this for every word, but if
you’re struggling to find a different adjective, then the thesaurus will be
able to recommend an alternative word.
5.
Use a variety of sentence starters
Once
again, because it isn’t a story, your writing won’t be broken up with speech
and other narrative devices. Instead, make sure you hold the reader’s interest
by using a variety of sentences. This involves using short sentences for
effect, maybe even using one word paragraphs and varying the way you start
sentences. If you read back through your work, and find that all your sentences
start with ‘The…’ or ‘A…’ or He…’, then you’ll need to rearrange the word
order. For example:
·
The dark
tree bent crookedly over the stagnant swamp ->
·
Over the
stagnant swamp, the dark tree bent crookedly ->
·
Crookedly,
the dark tree bent over the stagnant swamp.
You
can see how the same sentence can be restructured to vary the way your
sentences start. Play around with your sentences, and try starting them with:
an adverb, a pronoun, a noun, a verb and adjective or a preposition. Mix it up
and you’ll keep the reader on the edge of their seats!
This blog was written by Lucy Taylor, one of our IGCSE English tutors at Blackhen Education.
For more information about any of our English courses, please contact me at: sue@blackheneducation.com or visit our website: www.blackheneducation.com
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