A quick framework for school interview descriptive writing tasks - start here!

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 Imagine that you are a ten year old boy and you are asked to write a quick descriptive piece ahead of your school interview. Where do you even start? Panic fills you, your mind refuses to co-operate and you are left with a blank sheet of paper. 

If you are looking at Winchester College, your child will be asked to write a descriptive piece ahead of their interview.  

Skills building depends on repetition; the more you practise, the easier you can access the skills under pressure. Think of an athlete repeating drills. 

Stop the panic, learn a framework!  Here is a quick start for you. 

 Remember the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell. Count them off on each finger. 

Imagine that your prompt is: the cave, or a picture of a cave. 

Sight: what can you see? Write it down

Hearing: what sounds are arounding you? Are they different volumes? Write them down

Touch: can you reach over and touch anything? Can you feel the ground beneath your feet? Describe it. 

 Taste: is the air sweet? stale? What does it taste like as you inhale? Write it down.

Smell: the easiest! Is your setting positive, full of sweet fragrances? Is it putrid, full of noxious gases? Write it down. 

 

And there you go. The beginnings of  a piece. Much better than a blank sheet!  

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