Section B: Composition (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE English Language): Flashcards
Exam code: 0500 & 0990
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Descriptive writing
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Cards in this collection (20)
Descriptive writing
Writing that paints a picture of a scene or moment without telling a story, e.g. a busy market at dawn.
Tone
The sound of the narrator's 'voice', which should suit the mood, e.g. short sentences can create tension and unease.
Personification
Giving human qualities to objects, animals or weather, e.g. 'the wind whispered through the trees'.
Sensory language
Describing what can be heard, smelled or felt, not just seen, e.g. the hum of chatter or the smell of fresh bread.
Fill in the gap: Descriptive writing is like being behind the lens of a ＿＿＿＿＿, describing a snap-shot of a moment.
Answer: Descriptive writing is like being behind the lens of a camera, describing a snap-shot of a moment.
Fill in the gap: Your tone of voice should be in keeping with the ＿＿＿＿＿ of the scene.
Answer: Your tone of voice should be in keeping with the mood of the scene.
What are the six steps of the descriptive writing structure?
Panoramic (whole scene) → zoom (one detail) → single line (key feeling) → shift (another part) → shift (a final part) → panoramic (scene changed)
Which three contrasts help bring a scene to life?
Sound and silence; movement and stillness; light and dark
True or False?
Words like 'brilliant' and 'amazing' make strong descriptive vocabulary.
False.
They aren't descriptive, so be specific and ambitious in your choice of adjectives.
How should you use your time in the descriptive writing task?
Spend 10–15 minutes planning (mind-map or table), then leave five minutes at the end to re-read and correct mistakes.
Freytag’s Pyramid
A five-part story structure: exposition (set the scene) → rising action (build tension) → climax (turning point) → falling action (consequences) → resolution (ending)
Indirect characterisation
Showing what a character is like through their actions, speech and thoughts rather than telling the reader, e.g. 'His head dropped'.
Pathetic fallacy
When the setting reflects a character's mood, e.g. 'the lonely road'.
Power verbs
Deliberate, interesting verb choices that help the reader picture the action, e.g. 'The man stooped'.
Fill in the gap: A cliff-hanger is not a sudden ending; it is a ＿＿＿＿＿ ending.
Answer: A cliff-hanger is not a sudden ending; it is a suspenseful ending.
Fill in the gap: Refer back to imagery from your opening paragraph to create a ＿＿＿＿＿ structure.
Answer: Refer back to imagery from your opening paragraph to create a cyclical structure.
What happens at the climax of your story?
The turning point: everything changes and your character can't go back; vary your sentences here for dramatic effect.
How do you keep your story plot manageable in the exam?
Plan one main event and one main setting, with no more than two characters; avoid long timescales and multiple plot twists.
True or False?
Ending with 'I woke up and it was all a dream' is an effective twist.
False.
It's a cliché, so resolve the story or end on a cliff-hanger instead.
What should you decide about your characters and narrator when planning?
Who your characters are, what they represent and how you'll show this, and whether to write in first or third person.
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