Descriptive writing features as a component in Section B of Paper 2 on the CIE IGCSE English First Language examination. Descriptive writing is a vital component of the CIE IGCSE English curriculum and success in this portion of the paper will lead to a stronger result overall.

This guide aims to give CIE IGCSE English students the tips and strategies needed to excel in descriptive writing tasks. Following these pointers will help CIE candidates to craft vivid and engaging descriptive texts that will result in high marks and exam success.

Descriptive writing is a form of writing where the author attempts to paint a picture in great detail of a person, place, or thing. In doing so, writers make use of a variety of literary and structural devices to engage the reader and communicate emotion. 

Section B of the CIE IGCSE English First Language examination presents students with the option of completing a piece of descriptive writing. At this stage in the exam, candidates are given four prompts—two descriptive, two narrative—and must complete one. Their writing should amount to between 350 and 450 words. This task is weighted at 40 marks, or 50% of Paper 2. With Paper 2 being itself worth 50% of a student’s total grade, success in the descriptive writing task, if a student chooses to tackle this, is directly linked to great exam success.

1. Sensory Details 

Sensory details are a key element of effective descriptive writing. All CIE IGCSE candidates should be sure to incorporate sensory details into their writing. By doing so, an essay is likely to feel more immersive and will create a greater level of interest and engagement for the reader. What this means partially is making reference to the fives sense. 

1. Sound 

2. Smell 

3. Taste

4. Touch

5. Hearing

2. Vivid Imagery 

To produce a piece of engaging descriptive writing, CIE candidates should make use of figurative language. This refers to literary devices such as metaphor, simile, and personification. Using these devices will allow for the creation of vivid imagery that enhances the description. Students should aim to use arresting adjectives and adverbs, as well as dynamic vocabulary in general. Additionally, it is recommended to focus on specific details in a piece of descriptive writing. In doing so, great depth will be created and it can be easier for the reader to picture what is being written about. 

3. Show, Don't Tell 

Show, don’t tell, is a core tenet of successful descriptive writing. What this means practically is demonstrating emotion and/or creating atmosphere through actions, reactions, and description, rather than outright statements. Consider wishing to present a person as being angry. While it would be easy to write the words, ‘he was angry’, little is gained from this. The reader may understand the character is angry but not how this anger is being expressed. Showing this anger—“he clenched his fists as his body began to shake…”—will draw the reader into the writing and prove more satisfying. 

4. Structured Organization 

Structure is important to a successful piece of descriptive writing. To produce a coherent piece, students should be clear in their understanding of what a paragraph is. Moreover, they must develop the necessary language skills to present a cohesive progression of ideas and transition from one paragraph to another with ease. To make writing a little easier it can be useful to decide how many paragraphs a student aims to write before they start. This method can often force a logical flow, rather than simply writing until the time runs out with no clear idea of how many paragraphs are needed to complete the task. 

5. Strong Vocabulary 

The descriptive writing prompts in the CIE IGCSE Paper 2 require students to present a varied and imaginative vocabulary. Mindless repetition should be avoided and special attention should be placed on synonyms. Furthermore, it is crucial that students match their vocabulary used to the tone and context of their writing. A mismatch between these components can only result in a disjointed and poorly marked piece of writing.

1. Engage the Reader's Senses 

The first tip to successful descriptive writing is to engage the reader’s senses. This means making use of sensory imagery via the five senses. It is important to strike a balance, however. Students should pepper their writing with sensory details and not front load it. Moreover, students should only employ sensory descriptions when necessary. It is not recommended to shoehorn in details for the sake of their inclusion. Before writing, consider what works best for the prompt and will result in the most effective piece of descriptive writing. 

2. Employ Figurative Language 

Another tip for improved descriptive writing is to include figurative language. Metaphors and similes can be particularly effective here as a means to create unique and compelling comparisons that offer a greater sense of clarity to the person, place, or thing being described. Using personification can also be beneficial when describing inanimate objects, as it allows for the reader to create a connection with the item that would otherwise not exist. 

3. Plan Your Writing 

Planning is a vital part of a successful writing strategy. All CIE IGCSE candidates, whether working on a descriptive writing prompt or not, should plan before writing. This means outlining what each of the essay’s paragraphs will continue and jotting down some ideas regarding the best literary devices to employ in the course of writing. Some students find it useful to compose their topic sentences at this point, ahead of actually doing any writing, as they help to add greater structure to a piece. 

4. Vary Sentence Structure 

An additional writing tip is to keep sentence structures varied. Do not overuse any one type of sentence structure, be it long or short. This creates unappealing and repetitive writing. So, CIE IGCSE students must be aware of the four types of sentences—simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex—and be able to successfully utilise each one. Moreover, make sure that sentence starters are varied, too. Failure to do so, and an overreliance on particular words or phrases at the start of sentences, will cause students to lose marks. 

5. Revise and Edit 

Revise and edit all work. This is a crucial tip for success in the CIE IGCSE English descriptive writing task. Students should be sure to leave ample time for proofreading at the end of a task—at least five minutes. When revising, keep an eye out for errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Additionally, watch out for redundancies and issues with overall clarity and coherence. Essays can be saved in the five minutes given over to proofreading.

There are a number of common mistakes to avoid when completing a descriptive writing piece. First, while adjectives are beneficial, they should not be overused. Candidates must pick their language carefully. This same rule applies to adverbs. 

Cliches must be avoided. Before using a phrase, students should consider whether they have heard it. If so, it should be avoided. CIE IGCSE candidates should strive for originality and using cliches will only hold them back. 

Another common issue is lack of focus. It is essential that writing—whether descriptive or narrative—stay on topic. This is why proper planning is so important. With an effective plan, CIE IGCSE candidates are far less likely to employ unnecessary digressions in their writing. 

Inconsistent tenses remain a common problem among CIE candidates. Students must be aware of the tense they are writing and maintain that throughout their work. It is here that proofreading proves so valuable, as students have the opportunity to review their work and spot these grammatical inconsistencies. 

Lastly, many candidates neglect sensory engagement. This is a descriptive writing task and, so, must contain vivid descriptions. These cannot be achieved unless a writer uses sensory imagery.

Below is an example of a weaker piece of descriptive writing.

The man’s jacket smells bad. It smells like coffee and cigarettes. The noise in the coffee shop was also bad, with plates clattering and people talking loudly about a variety of different topics like the weather and so on. Someone’s phone rang and this was even louder and they answered the phone loudly too saying ‘Hello?’ and some people turned around to see if they were talking to them. This coffee shop is not a relaxing place but it is always busy so people must enjoy it. 

The issues with this piece are quite clear. While the student does attempt to employ the senses, they exist only at a surface level. Similarly, their mastery of sentence structure is weak. There is an overreliance on short and long sentences with little variation. The language used is not particularly sophisticated and does not show their ability.

Here is a stronger version of the above piece:

The stretch of stale cigarette smoke seemed to leak through the man’s leather jacket. It was as if the jacket itself was exhaling. Coupled with this was the acrid smell of coffee that suggested a multi-cup-a-day habit. While a robust odour is expected in a coffee shop, the man’s redolence seemed unreasonable even for this setting. What proved equally difficult to contend with was the noise of the place. The interminable clatter of cups and saucers forced conversations among patrons to increase in volume. Phones rang with piercing, shrilling ringtones and were answered with the enthusiasm of a carnival barker. How anyone could relax in such a place seemed baffling. 

This extract is stronger as it makes better use of sensory details. Additionally, it employs a variety of sentence structures and sentence starters to create greater variety. The writer has also incorporated literary devices into the writing to formulate a more vivid image and help the reader engage with the piece.

The CIE IGCSE English First Language examination is challenging. It thoroughly tests student’s abilities and pushes their written language skills. Even the most adept learners can struggle with the requirements of the exam.

At BartyED, our team of experienced IGCSE tutors are here to help. With individualised lessons tailored to meet the needs of each and every student, our tutors guide CIE candidates through the exam preparation with care and understanding. Lessons emphasise language enrichment, creative thinking, confidence building, and improved exam technique to ensure success. 

If you think that you or your child could benefit from the expert guidance of a BartyED tutor, reach out to us today by phone (+852 2882 1017) or email (enquiries@bartyed.com).

Frequently Asked Questions

See more posts on BartyED