Descriptive Writing – IGCSE English 0990 (Paper 2)
You’ll be asked to write a description based on:
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A title (e.g. “The Forest” or “A Busy Market”)
OR -
A sentence (e.g. “Describe the scene as the sun began to set over the city.”)
📏 You should write 350–450 words and show:
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Vivid sensory detail
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Controlled structure
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Language variety and precision
Descriptive vs Narrative – Know the Difference
| Descriptive Writing | Narrative Writing |
|---|---|
| Paints a picture | Tells a story |
| Focus on setting, mood, senses | Focus on plot, events, conflict |
| Can be still or static | Has movement and time progression |
No dialogue unless for atmosphere | Uses dialogue, action |
🧭 Step-by-Step Guide
1. Read the Question Carefully
It might say:
“Describe a deserted house at night.”
“Describe the scene as people gather for a festival.”
✅ Identify:
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The setting (time, place, mood)
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The focus (not action, but vivid detail)
2. Decide Your Main Focus
Choose one scene or moment and zoom in. Don’t try to describe too many things. Think like a camera:
🎥 Imagine you're filming a 1-minute scene in extreme detail.
Examples of good focus:
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The smell and sound of the rain hitting a tin roof
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A cat prowling through a dark alley
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The colours and noise of a carnival
3. Plan the Structure
Here’s a simple, effective outline:
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Opening Paragraph – Introduce the scene. Set the mood.
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Middle Paragraph(s) – Zoom in on small details using the 5 senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste).
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Final Paragraph – Reflective closing, shift in atmosphere, or echo your opening.
4. Use the 5 Senses
| Sense | Example |
|---|---|
| Sight | The cracked pavement shimmered under the streetlight. |
| Sound | An owl hooted, sharp and sudden, slicing through the silence. |
| Smell | The sour stench of damp wood lingered in the hallway. |
| Touch | The stone was cold and rough under my fingertips. |
| Taste | The air was thick with the metallic taste of rain. |
5. Use Figurative Language – But Not Too Much
Use:
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Similes (The fog clung like a second skin)
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Metaphors (The street was a sleeping beast)
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Personification (The wind whispered secrets to the trees)
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Alliteration/Sibilance (shadows shifted silently)
🚫 Avoid:
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Clichés (dark as night, cold as ice)
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Overloading every sentence with imagery
6. Vary Your Sentence Structures
Mix:
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Short sentences: “Then, silence.”
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Long descriptive sentences: “The garden, once bursting with colour, now sagged under the weight of time and neglect.”
Use sentence starters:
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Beyond the fence...
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In the distance...
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Hovering just above the ground...
7. Avoid Telling – Show Instead
❌ The house was creepy.
✅ Rotting shutters dangled from cracked windows, and a faint groan echoed as the wind slid beneath the door.
📝 Sample Prompt and Model Opening
Prompt: Describe the scene as a storm begins in a small village.
✅ Model Opening (first 100 words):
The first drop landed with a soft plink on the iron roof. Then another. Soon, the sky ripped open, spilling rain like an overturned bucket. In the centre of the village, the dirt paths turned to slush, sucking at the feet of anyone too slow to run. The palm trees shivered in the rising wind, their fronds flailing like frightened hands. A metal sign creaked above the small corner shop, swinging back and forth as thunder rumbled in the belly of the clouds.
✅ Final Checklist for Descriptive Writing
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