Writing task
SECTION B
You are advised to spend 30 minutes on this section.
1. Describe an animal, real or imaginary. Try to describe it in as much detail as you can. [25 marks]
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
Write a detailed descriptive portrait of a real animal or one you invent.
- observation
- specific detail
- imagery
Requirements to keep in mind
Choose ONE option in the writing section; option 1; 25 marks; 30 minutes advised.
Plan your response
- Follow the exact instruction, form and viewpoint in the source PDF.
- Plan a clear beginning and a focused development.
- Use distinctive details rather than general adjectives.
- Allow a few minutes to check accuracy before finishing.
Check your response against the task requirements. Leave time to review sentence clarity, punctuation and spelling.
Original atoply example opening
Written by atoply, not an official school answer or mark scheme. This is an opening only; develop the rest of the response to meet the task requirements.
Reveal example and teaching notes
The fox stood scarcely a metre from the kitchen door. Its coat glimmered copper in the security light; one black ear twitched at the sound of my breath. It did not beg for food. Instead, it watched the garden as though guarding a secret, then sprang over the fence without moving a single leaf.
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.