Writing task
SECTION B: EXTENDED WRITING
You should spend 30 minutes on this section You are reminded of the importance of clear and accurate written English and of careful presentation in your answer. All questions carry equal marks.
Question 1: Describe a brief incident in the countryside. Write in a way that creates a clear picture of what takes place and how your reader would feel if they were there. [25 marks]
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
A Brief Incident in the Countryside is a incident description task that tests focus, action description, reader immersion. Keep the action brief and detailed, rather than describing an entire holiday.
- focus
- action description
- reader immersion
- pace
Requirements to keep in mind
Recommended writing time: approximately 30 minutes (as indicated in the paper/section); Writing marks: 25 (subject to separately awarded SPaG marks); Published task/option: 1 (where the source offers alternatives, pupils answer the paper's specified number, not all)
Plan your response
- Keep the action brief and detailed, rather than describing an entire holiday.
- Plan a clear beginning, development and ending within the time available.
- Use precise vocabulary and vary sentence lengths where appropriate.
- Proofread spelling, punctuation and paragraphing before finishing.
Check your response against the task requirements. Leave time to review sentence clarity, punctuation and spelling.
Short atoply teaching example
Written by atoply, not an official school answer or mark scheme. This short illustration shows selected techniques. It does not set a target length or expected mark for the timed task.
Reveal example and teaching notes
The lane was silent except for the soft ticking of insects in the hedgerow. I was halfway over the wooden stile when a fox appeared between the barley stalks. It paused, one paw lifted, and looked straight at me. For several seconds neither of us moved. The wind shifted and carried my scent towards it. The fox vanished into the field so quickly that the barley hardly stirred. I climbed down the other side of the stile, suddenly aware of the enormous number of lives taking place just beyond the path.
Learn from the example
- Concrete details build an impression of the subject. Notice how those choices work together rather than reading as a list of general adjectives.
- The viewpoint controls what the reader notices. Choose details and an order that sustain the task's requested perspective and atmosphere.