descriptive essay leaving cert english

Leaving Cert. English, Paper 1 – Part A: The Complete Guide

What are you being asked to do?

The marker is told to view each question as a task, which you must solve with your answer. Here the task is to show your comprehending skills; you are proving to the marker that you can read or look at a certain text and answer questions based on what you have read or seen. There are three question types used to test this: questions concerning what a written question is about, questions on the style of a written text, and questions on the style of a visual text.

If we look at the 2009 exam we see this. Text A contains three questions:

• Based on your reading of the above text, outline the views of Veronica Chrisp and Bernie Wright on  animal welfare in zoos.
• Join the debate. Having considered the views expressed in the text, do  you think zoos should be closed? Give reasons for your decision.
• Select  four features of argumentative and/or persuasive writing evident in the text and comment on their effectiveness. Refer to the text in support of your answer.

Text B contains the questions:

• David Malouf evokes a strong sense of place in this extract from his short story. What impression do you get of the Australian town and its people? Support your answer with reference to the text.
• Do you think the boy has a good relationship with his parents? Give reasons for your answer.
• Identify and comment on four features of narrative and/ or descriptive writing evident in this text. Support your answer by illustration from the text.

Text C contains the questions:

• From your reading of this text what do you understand by the term ‘the decisive moment’? Refer to both the  written and visual text in support of your answer.
• Select  three features of the author’s style in the  written element of the text and comment on their effectiveness. Support your answer with reference to the  written text.
• Write a personal response to the visual image in Text 3 that makes the greatest impact on you. [You might consider the subject matter, setting, mood, caption, relevancy, photographic qualities/ technique, etc]

As seen, there are three question types throughout the three texts. However, regardless of the question type three things are asked of you to show your comprehending abilities:

• to give a straight response – you are asked such questions as whether ‘ you think zoos should be closed?’ which require to say whether you think something is so, or is not, or should be so, or should be not etc.
• you are asked to give reasons for your response – mention is made of e.g ‘Give reasons for your decision’ (the likes of ‘Support your answer with reference to the written text’ etc also indicates this as it asking you to give reasons from the written text).
• To give examples for your reasons – each question always requires you to e. g ‘ Support your answer with reference to the written text ’ (here referring to examples), ‘ Refer to the text in support of your answer ’ (here answer refers to your straight response and reasons which you use to back it up)

Sometimes you may be asked to give a personal response – questions may appear such as ‘From your reading of the text’, ‘Do you think..’ or ‘Write a personal response’.

The questions in Part A are thus asking for a straight answer to each question, reasons for your choosing of this straight answer, and examples to show that your reasons for choosing this straight answer can be chosen and thus that your straight answer is suitable for answering the question asked of you. Throughout this you may have to respond personally.

What do you need to have in these answers?

As well as the three (or four, if you include a personal response) requirements above, the marker will expect your answers in Part A to include the four qualities of  Clarity of Purpose , Efficiency of Language use ,  Coherence of Delivery and  Accuracy of Mechanics . Hence, in any answer to a question in Part A, you are required to have these seven elements, meaning that you can answer any question on Part A with a suitable answer structure that contains all seven elements.

An effective way to structure your answer so as to contain all seven elements is with the ‘say and show’ method. This involves stating your answer to the question and then showing how this answer is suitable for answering the question with evidence. This method splits your answer into an introduction, main body of three/ four paragraphs and a conclusion. The broad outline of this answer already sets out to answer Part A in the manner required as shown above; the introduction will introduce your answer with your straight response to the question, the paragraphs of the main body of your answer will provide reasons for choosing this straight response and examples to prove that the reasons for and thus the straight response can be chosen, while including a personal response, if needed. The conclusion will conclude your answer. Using this method answers the question and thus solves the task as the marker wishes because it also includes the four qualities looked for by the marker, as shall be shown.

Clarity of Purpose

The  introduction brings about the first quality needed in your answer.

This means that you are engaging with the set task, which here is proving that you can read/look at a text and answer questions based on it. As we have seen, the set task requires several things of you, and the introduction allows you to place the first of these in your answer. To show this, we will take the question: ‘Do you consider the first paragraph to be an example of good descriptive writing?’ (2007, text 1, i)

Any introduction to a piece should tell its reader what it is about. Here, the first few lines of your answer should do this and thus your straight response to the question is suitable, because it will tell the marker in a concise manner what your answer is about. It will do so because the remainder of the answer will back this straight response up because it will be reasons for your choosing of this straight response and examples to back such reasons up – therefore the straight response is the perfect introduction because it tells your marker what the remainder of the answer will be about. A suitable straight response for the question above would be something such as ‘I do consider the first paragraph to be an example of good descriptive writing.’

Immediately your answer has one requirement, the straight response to the question. It now requires reasons to show the marker why you chose this straight response to answer the question (these reasons may involve a personal response; even though the above is a personal response more is needed, as shall be shown). As said, an introduction should inform the reader of what the remainder of the piece is about, and therefore your introduction here should tell the marker of the reasons for why you chose the straight response, such as the one above. Each of these will be used in a paragraph of the main body of your answer, so you should list these to the marker, because they are the rest of your answer, and in your introduction you need to tell the marker what is in the rest of your answer. For the answer above something such as so should suffice:

‘I feel the first paragraph is so because it uses verbs and adjectives to create a vivid energetic picture, imagery which appeals to the sense of sight and sound, and it uses personification of the tree, which adds to the dramatic visual effect.’

Each of your reasons will be used in a paragraph to back up your straight response. In each paragraph a threefold method can be used to show a reason for choosing your straight response.

Firstly, like the first lines of any piece should indicate what the remainder of the written piece is about, the first lines of each paragraph should indicate what the rest of the paragraph is about. You should therefore firstly mention the reason you will concentrate on in the paragraph, such as

‘I do consider the first paragraph to be an example of good descriptive writing, firstly because of its including verbs and adjectives to create a vivid, energetic picture.’

Secondly, you need to say how this reason helped you make your straight response to the question. This is an important part of  Clarity of purpose because you are here showing to the marker that the reasons you have chosen for and thus your straight response do answer the question asked of you; in other words, you are showing that what you are writing is solving the task asked of you. Here you can insert another requirement sometimes needed in your answer, a personal response. You can here say why you chose this reason and thus why you are answering the question with the response you picked. Doing so for the question we have begun answering would continue its first paragraph in such a manner:

‘In doing so I think the first paragraph becomes alive and full of motion; it is not like a picture you would view in an art gallery which captures a specific moment, forever. Here the first paragraph is describing a tree being cut down so I feel it needs to describe the various stage of this, rather than capturing it in a one-off moment. The falling of the tree is not simply a one-off moment; it is a series of events which includes the tree’s struggle to stay up, its fall and after the fall. Therefore I expect a suitable description to be energetic and vivid to convey this variety and multitude of happenings. I felt using verbs and adjectives to create a vivid, energetic picture achieved this easily.’

If a personal response is not required, you can simply say why you chose this reason helps answers the question with your straight response, without inserting ‘I’, ‘me’ etc.

All that is then needed to conclude the paragraph are examples; these will provide evidence that your reason does help answer your question because the text shows instances of how you say it does, thus proving your statement of how it does so to be true.

If you use this threefold method for each paragraph of your main body you will be including the requirements for your answer; you will have given a straight response to your answer, provided reasons for doing so (as well as showing how these reasons prove your straight response to be suitable for answering the question) which can include a personal response, as well as backing up all of this with examples. Having done so in a well-structured and organised manner brings in another of the four qualities looked for by the marker in your answer.

Efficiency of language use

This quality focuses partially on your using of language (/writing) to form a suitably structured answer to the question/task required of you. Using the structure above would show that you are able to control your language to answer the question/task. This quality also concerns your writing/ language use within your answer structure, and that you are using suitable langauge to answer the question within a suitable answer structure, both of which are needed to show that you can use your language suitably to answer the question. Some things to keep in mind so that you are using suitable language are:

• Correct terminology/phraseology is essential – if you are asked on a certain question, you will be expected to write about material which is in someway suitable; for example if you are asked to talk about a character, the marker won’t expect you to be mentioning such things as setting.
• Short sentences are best; long sentences may take away from the point you are trying to make and the marker may view this as ‘waffle’.
• The use of ‘I’ or ‘me’; if the question is aimed at ‘you’, answer accordingly.
• Engage with the text and use plenty of examples to back up your answer.

Coherence of delivery

This marker will look for your answer to continuously and cohesively answer the question over its entirety without disruption or interruption. Providing your answer with examples will continuously provide evidence for your straight response and reasons for this – so use plenty of examples.

The other way to continuously and cohesively answer the question is to ensure that when you move from one part of your answer to another, such as a different part of the paragraph, or another paragraph, you link this new part of your answer to the previous part. This ensures that your answer remains unified and gaps do not form. There are two places in your answer to do so:

1) In paragraphs when different examples are used to provide evidence that your reason does help answer the question through the response you used. Use linking phrases to link your examples and present them as unified, all serving the same function, showing that your reason does help answer the question with your response. Use such phrases as ‘We see this again with..’, ‘We see more of the same’ etc.

For example, in the paragraph which we have been answering, after introducing the point about the verbs and adjectives and showing how this reason helps you answer the question with your response, you could use such examples and link them as so:

‘This is seen with the mention that the tree ‘twisted’ but later ‘keeled over’ and finally fell to the ground ‘with a thunderous hurricane crash’ all in the space of a couple of moments.  However the description does not stop there ; even after the tree has fallen the description continues and we hear how the boy saw ‘light flood in to the space where the tree had stood.’ I felt that the effect is that the description is alive and energetic, with a variety of happenings occuring in a small space of time which, when forcing these all together in one short paragraph, creates an intense feeling of energy, which the description (as shown above) aimed to convey.’

The linking phrase ‘However the description does not stop there’ links the first example, of the tree’s fall, to the second, of the boy’s viewpoint of the fall. In doing so, it shows both examples to be doing the same thing, showing that the verbs and adjectives present the fall as vivid and energetic, through portraying the fall as a series of happenings, and thus showing a suitable reason for answering with your straight response to the question asked, which furthermore presents your straight response a a suitable for answering the question.

2) In-between paragraphs; again linking phrases can be used to present your answer not as a group of separate paragraphs providing reasons for your straight response to a question, but a unified answer which makes a response to a question and then exapands upon this statement by providing reasons which all show why chose to respond to the question in the manner you did so. At the beginning of paragraphs you can link each paragraph to the last through linking phrases such as ‘Another reason I’, ‘As well as..’ etc.

For example, if you were to begin the next paragraph after the one just mentioned above, you may want to link it in such a way as ‘As well as its including verbs and adjectives to create a vivid energetic picture, another reason I consider the first paragraph to be an example of good descriptive writing is its including of imagery which appeals to the sense of sight and sound.’

This, as said, achieves the same effect as linking examples in your paragraphs; it shows each paragraph linked to another to be doing the same thing, providing reasons for choosing to respond to the question in the way you chose to.

After completing the main body of the answer, all that is left is the  conclusion . The purpose of the conclusion is to conclude your answer so here you should be reminding the marker of your response to the question, your reasons for doing so and how this suitably answers the question. Therefore, you should list your response, your reasons for this response and finally a couple of lines stating what these have shown over the entire answer; how your response and reasons are a suitable answer to the question. An example for the question we have been answering throughout could be:

‘As shown, I do consider the first paragraph to be an example of good descriptive writing. This is because the first paragraph uses verbs and adjectives to create a vivid energetic picture, it uses imagery which appeals to the senses of sight and sound and finally because of its personification of the tree, which adds to the dramatic visual effect. All of these combine to make the first paragraph an example of good descriptive writing because they allow the paragraph to show, rather than simply tell, what happened (the falling of the tree).’

Finally, with regards to the final quality needed, Accuracy of Mechanics , spelling and grammar should be of a high standard, with very few mistakes allowed before marks are deducted (this occurs when mistakes hamper the marker’s of your answer).

All in all, when you are answering your question for the part A/ comprehension section you should be focusing on:

• Providing a response to the question
• Providing reasons for this response
• Stating why you can use these reasons
• Evidence that proves your reasons are relevant
• Clarity of Purpose: that you are answering the question (providing a response to the question)
• Coherence of Delivery: that you are continuously answering the question
• Efficiency of Language Use: that you are using the appropriate language (structure included) to answer the question
• Accuracy of Mechanics: While doing all of the above you are using correct spelling and grammar
• Introduction: list response and reasons for this
• Main body: three paragraphs, each of which has linking phrase to the last paragraph to achieve coherency. Each paragraph should state the reason for your response in the introduction, explain why this reason justifies your response, while also giving examples to provide evidence of your reason.
• Conclusion: Sum up your response and state its significance.

How to get a H1 in Leaving Cert English

In this guide, Eimear gives her tips and tricks for getting a H1 in Leaving Cert English.

Introduction

Many would have you believe that being good at English is a talent that you either have or you don’t. I personally don’t believe this one bit. I used to despise English and thought I was rubbish at it but with the help of a good teacher and my own personal effort and perseverance, I saw an improvement in my work. Slowly but surely, I brought myself up to a H1 grade. If I can do it, so can you!

Paper 1 has three sections to complete (more on these later):

Composing (100 marks)

Question A of the comprehension (50 marks)

Question B of the comprehension (50 marks)

Unless you’re magic, you will be under time pressure for English in both Paper 1 and Paper 2. Writing an average of 10/11 pages in 2 hours and 50 minutes is hard and it does take practice.

I think it’s a good idea to learn off by heart the times at which you should be finished each section before the exam. Here's a draft breakdown of how you could approach this paper timewise:

• your exam will start at 9:30 a.m (you’ll need time to read through the paper first as well as plan questions);
• ideally, you should be done with your composition at 11:00 (I recommend doing the composition first as it’s worth the most marks);
• then, you should hope to be done with Question A (or B) by 11:40 and Question B (or A) by 12:30.

Obviously, it won’t work out this way for everyone and you might need more or less time for a particular section. Time at the end to read over your work can be very helpful as you might spot any mistakes you may have made.

You needn’t write out a 5-page essay every night within the time limit to practice this paper. Instead, you could write out one page of an essay within 10/15 minutes to ensure you can do it in the exam.

As mentioned earlier, you’ll probably be short on time for the exam so although planning is essential, you’ll have to be quick. For each piece I had to write, I jotted down some keywords for what I would include in each paragraph. It just helps you keep on track when you’re writing instead of forgetting your train of thought in the middle of your essay.

This section is worth 25% of your overall mark. There are 7 options for you to choose from including articles, speeches, personal/descriptive essays or short stories.

The short story

If you’re imaginative and creative, I would recommend you do the short story. The handy thing about them is you can go into the exam with an idea (or two) for a story that you’ve already practiced and then just manipulate the story during the exam to suit the prompt. You must adhere to the question though so don’t just write out a memorised answer that has nothing to do with what they want in the story.

Stick to your strengths

If short stories are not your thing, try to go into the exam with some idea of what you’ll be doing for the composition. In my case, I knew speeches were my strong point so I went into the exam with my head buzzing with every speech technique I knew. I think it’s important to know what you want to do so that you won’t waste time in the exam deciding over which option you’ll choose and what way you should do it.

Know what the examiner is looking for

Make sure you know what the examiner is looking for from each option. For example, if you’re doing a personal essay, the examiner will be expecting a very personal piece about the chosen subject, rife with memories, anecdotes and personal thoughts and opinions. You’ll also need descriptive and reflective paragraphs. This shows that you know what is being asked of you and it will get you those extra marks. If you’re doing a short story, the examiner will expect to see dialogue, character descriptions, a twist at the end, etc. Know the traits and aspects of each option.

Read as much as you can in preparation

Good practice for this exam would be to read as much as you can. Read a newspaper, a book, online articles, etc. This will, unknowingly to you, improve your vocabulary and your writing.

Question breakdown

There are three comprehensions in the exam, each with separate Question As and Question Bs. You need only do one Question A and one Question B from a choice of three. Question A asks you about the comprehension at hand and Question B is a short composition that is mildly connected to it.

Question A, for me, is the easiest part. Mostly, all you have to do is find information in the comprehension and put it into your own words to suit the question. Let's break it down a little more:

Question on the author's style of writing

Usually, in the third part of Question A (if the comprehension is text-only), the question will have something to do with the author's style of writing and you have to show samples of this or prove it in some way. Therefore, it’s important to be able to know the traits of certain styles of writing, e.g. descriptive, persuasive, emphatic, personal, etc.

Image questions

Sometimes, the comprehension will be images only. There might be 4 or 5 images which you have to discuss or perhaps one on its own. In this case, you need to be able to discuss the image in depth, describing lighting, body language, colours, etc. and how they portray the message of the image.

Mixed questions

Other times, a comprehension may be a mix of both text and images. In this case, put your skills and knowledge towards answering both types of questions to use. As always, make sure you have all aspects of the course covered.

Choosing which question to answer first

You cannot do Question A and Question B from the same comprehension so because Question B tends to be harder and perhaps only one option might appeal to you, it might make more sense to choose it first. For example, I loved letters and speeches so when a letter came up on our exam, I chose it straight away and chose my Question A after.

Be prepared

Question B is quite similar to the composition, only that it is shorter (usually you only need to write about 2 ½ pages) and things such as interviews, memos and reports can come up too. Like with the composition, I recommend having a fair idea of what you’ll be writing and knowing how to write it. In my case, I was hoping for and expecting a letter so I made sure I knew the layout of a letter and how best to write one. It’s important to have more than one option prepared though, as your preferred prompt may not come up.

Practice, practice, practice

This is the only way to improve your work. Question B should only take 35-40 minutes so if you get the chance in the evenings or at weekends, I really recommend doing out some questions and getting your teacher to correct them so you can see where you can earn more marks and also to ensure you have all bases covered.

Paper two has three parts to it:

The single text

The comparative study.

Poetry (prescribed and unseen)

If you’re anything like me, the prospect of completing all of these within 200 minutes on the day of the exam is quite daunting but don’t worry! I’m confident it will work out on the day for you. Exam conditions really help you concentrate and focus on the task at hand and in the end, you’ll have no bother with finishing each section and finishing it well.

Unfortunately, you’ll have even less time to finish each section in this paper than in Paper 1 but don’t let this freak you out. If you plan your timing out the same way you did for Paper 1, finishing the paper in time is possible. As I’ve said, practice is the key to success and the more you practice, the more prepared you’ll be.

There are 5 options to choose from here but in reality, you’ll only have studied one. Within these options, there is a further choice of two questions and the question you choose is worth 60 marks. In my experience, the Shakespeare option is the most popular one for Leaving Cert students to do as doing a Shakespeare play is mandatory (either in this section or in the comparative study).

Generally (and I believe it’s the same for the other options) there are 3 different types of questions that can come up, just in alternate ways. For example, with ‘Othello’, our class was expecting a question on characters, a question on themes or a question on techniques. Therefore, my advice for this section would be to cover all bases and ensure that you could answer a question well on any character, any theme or any technique. Here's some advice on this section (I have used Othello as an example but you can apply the below points to the text you are studying):

Imagery and symbolism

A common question for Othello was to give a response to the imagery and symbolism used by Shakespeare. I used to avoid this question like the plague, thinking I would just answer whatever other question came up. Unfortunately for me, this question came up in the mocks with a horrendous character question that I didn’t fully understand. After that, I forced myself to learn imagery and symbolism, quotes to back up my points and I also did out a question for my teacher to mark. Turns out, that kind of question was my forte so never underestimate yourself.

Know the plot

Make sure you know the plot of the play (or novel), the order of events and the characters. If you don’t know these well, it will become clear in your answer that you didn’t study well enough and that you don’t really understand the play. This will lose you marks.

Quotes are important for this section as they help reinforce the point you’re trying to make. If you’re having trouble remembering them all, there are a couple of things to try. You could record yourself saying the quotes out loud and listen back to them as if they were a song (you can remember song lyrics when you listen to them, so why not quotes?). You could write them out and read over them several times and then recite them to someone else without looking. Finally, I recommend categorising quotes. For Othello, for example, the main themes were jealousy, love, irony and appearance versus reality so we categorised our quotes under these headings and learned them off category by category.

Answer layout

Laying out your answer correctly can help you gain a lot of marks. I found that an introduction, three well-detailed paragraphs and a conclusion is the best layout. It’s clear and it’s to the point. For example, if the question was about Othello’s character traits, you could have a paragraph on his loving nature, his jealous nature and finally, his noble nature. Within these paragraphs, however, you need to discuss in depth what point you’re making as this shows the examiner that you know your stuff. There’s no point in making a bold statement and having nothing to back it up with. I find that backing up your statement with a quote and then an explanation of that quote is a good idea. 

Don’t just tell the story

Don’t just tell the story as you will get docked lots of marks for this. Remember, the examiner is an English teacher so they will know the plot. They want to read about your opinion so make it personal. Use phrases like, “I believe that Othello…” or “In my eyes, Othello was…”.

Make sure you understand the question

Make sure you understand the question and answer it accordingly. Another thing that will lose you marks is answering a question that you’ve learnt off but has nothing to do with the question. When you’re starting off a new paragraph, start with a topic sentence that includes the keywords of the question (but rephrased). For example, if the question was ‘The characters in Othello have both virtues and vices’, you could start off a paragraph about Othello like this: “I found the character of Othello undoubtedly loving in this captivating drama, however, he also showed terrifyingly jealous and murderous traits”. This will show you’re focused on the question. Try to slip in the question throughout the paragraph and at the end, reinforce your point again.

Make your answer stand out

Finally, remember that the examiner will be correcting a lot of similar-looking answers so try to make yours stand out. Start your essay off with a captivating statement about your opinion of the play or with a quote from the play if appropriate.

Worth 70 marks overall, this section is definitely one to put effort into and make sure you can do well in. It involves comparing and contrasting 3 different texts; usually a film, a play and a novel. You can either do one 70-mark question or a question split into 30 marks and 40 marks.

Personally, I found the 30/40 mark questions easier because that way, you can discuss one text on its own in part (a) and then compare the other two in part (b). With the 70-mark question, however, you usually have to discuss all 3 texts together, constantly comparing them whilst trying to adhere to the question too so it can get messy. The 70-mark question could save you time in the exam though so if you feel confident with it, go for it.

Aspects of study

Each year, there are different aspects of the texts to study: theme or issue, literary genre, general vision and viewpoint or cultural context. Usually, you study two and either one or two of those will come up in the exam (there are only three on the syllabus for each year). Like everything in English, it’s important that you understand what all of these are and their importance in the text. For example, if you were studying general vision and viewpoint (GV+V), you need to know the GV+V of the text at different moments, what changes the GV+V, what the GV+V relates to (family life, relationships, war, etc.) and what the GV +V tells you about the author’s outlook on the subject.

Key moments

Key moments are a major part of the comparative study and they often appear in exam questions. It’s essential you know the key moments of each text, why the moment is important and how it changes the text.

Quotes are very important for backing up your points. Make sure you know different ones to suit the aspects of the texts you are studying. 

Comparing and contrasting

It’s called the comparative for a reason so it’s imperative that you compare the texts at all times (apart from in the 30-mark question). Use terms such as ‘similarly’, ‘much like in...’, ‘in both texts...’, etc. to link the texts and show how they are similar. Equally, you could show how they are different. I used to freak out in the middle of a question if I couldn’t compare texts because of their differences but I learned that contrasting the texts shows your understanding of the texts just as well so don’t be afraid to do that if you feel that the question is difficult in terms of comparison.

Personal opinion

Personal opinion, as always, is of extreme importance. You should let the examiner know the effect the texts had on you and how they made you feel.

I like to conclude my essays with an insight I gained from reading the texts. For example, one I often used for theme or issue was, "the capability violence has to bring out the best or worst in human beings". This shows the examiner you fully comprehended the texts and that they had an effect on you.

Poetry (prescribed)

The prescribed poetry is worth 50 marks and there are 4 poets to choose from. There is always at least one woman and one Irish poet in the mix. Each school is different but generally, you will study 5/6 poets and 5/6 of their poems. There is a lot of speculation about how many poems are actually needed for a Leaving Cert response but the most common answer seems to be 5. From my own experience however, doing everything else on that paper along with 5 poems is a difficult task so if you only get around to 4 on the day, don't beat yourself up over it.

It's all about personal interpretation

If you’re one of those people who ‘doesn’t get’ poetry then think again. Anyone can do poetry because it’s all about your personal interpretation of the poems. As long as you can back up your point, you’re on the road to success.

In terms of length, I wouldn’t write more than 5 pages because you probably will not have time for more.

Poetic techniques

When learning poetry, you really have to know poetic techniques and what they do such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, sibilance, erratic punctuation, etc. Some poets have their own personal style that makes their poetry stand out, like Dickinson’s punctuation or Montague’s intimate style of writing. It’s not enough just to mention the technique, you must say what effect it has, for example, “Dickinson’s use of dashes in the poem ‘I heard a Fly buzz when I died’ slows down the pace of the poem and mimics one’s short-breaths during their dying moments”.

Themes are very important too and often, they are a good topic on which to base each paragraph in your response. You should know each poet’s main themes and which themes apply to which poems.

Focus on the question

As always, you must focus on the question. You will not get high marks if you merely dissect the poems without reference to the question being asked but try not to repeat the question word for word throughout your answer. My advice would be to use a thesaurus when you are practicing essays and find synonyms for the keywords used in the question.

Personal opinion 

Again, make it personal. How did the poem make you feel? How did the poet’s emotions portrayed throughout the poem affect you? Also, ensure you explain each point you make. It’s not good enough to make a bold statement and then not discuss it in detail. The examiner needs to know why you have that opinion or how the poet achieved a certain effect, etc.

Quotes are essential. Pick out lines from each poem that you find most appropriate and that you feel you would use in the exam. Try using the same techniques as I gave above for remembering them. Writing them out is what I found most effective so what I did was write out the quotes without looking and then write underneath them the techniques used, what the techniques do and also the theme of the poem.

Poetry (unseen)

As this section is worth only 20 marks, I would recommend doing it last. You most likely won’t have seen the poem before so it’s hard to prepare for. There’s a choice of two questions which you can answer; one worth 20 marks and one with two sub-questions worth 10 marks each.

Look back on past examples

Luckily, the questions are quite similar each year so you can have a good idea of what you’ll need to answer. The 20-mark question is usually something about your personal response to the poem so to gain the most marks, be extremely personal. How did it make you feel? Why? How?

Show off what you know

Other questions may ask you to comment on the appropriateness of the title, the language used or your favourite images and why. Again, talk about the techniques used because it shows your knowledge of poetry. Finally, don’t forget to quote and reference the poem.

Best of luck in the exam! You will be great.

Having spent previous years contributing to content creation, sales and communications, Eimear now manages the customer support and communication teams. Her enthusiasm for culture, travel and languages means she's lived in France, Germany and Scotland to date, and her favourite thing to do is try new food.

A short story / descriptive essay about loss for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

I open the curtains that have kept the morning sun from my bed as I step out onto the sandy deck of our villa. We were lucky to find such a nice spot so close to Christmas, so far away from the gaudy windows and the carol singing. Senor Margulies said it would be sunny and warm. He promised quietness and privacy and, as I slid the door open, I inhaled the sea breeze and the tangy saltiness that fell on my tongue. Two children were playing on the beach and I could catch their laughter on the soft wind that blew from Africa.

Photo by Tarpit Grover on Unsplash

• Post author: Martina
• Post published: February 4, 2018
• Post category: #625Lab / Descriptive Essay / English / Short Story

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Language of Narration / Description

The Language of Narration

Descriptive Language / Aesthetic Language

Narration literally means to tell a story. Plot, setting & characterization = 3 key elements.

Descriptive language creates a clear picture in your mind of what is being described.

Aesthetic language is beautiful, artistic & carefully crafted with a poetic rhythm & flow.

Genre – novels, short stories, memoirs, personal essays, diary entries, travel writing and poetry all make use of narrative, descriptive and aesthetic language. Speech writers and journalists writing articles often use these techniques in their writing.

Target audience – anyone who reads for pleasure and out of curiosity to know more about life, the world and human beings (rather than simply to find out information or to argue a point of view). Your audience wants to be entertained, thrilled, shocked, angered, made to laugh out loud or to cry silently into their coffee, provoked into thinking about life as a ridiculous joke, or as a wonderful dance, or as a tragic tale “ full of sound and fury, signifying nothing ”.

Language register – depends on the writer and the style of writing. If it’s a novel, play, short story or diary entry you can use slang and curse words, especially in dialogue, but keep it to a minimum. If it’s a personal essay, poem, piece of travel writing, speech or newspaper article it’s best to avoid cursing and slang (unless quoting someone).

Techniques: Narration

Stories are expected to have a clear beginning, middle and end (not necessarily in that order!). Something must happen in your story, but take a short time span and don’t have LOTS of dramatic events happening in a short story. Tension & suspense can be created by leaving some questions unanswered in the reader’s mind and then gradually revealing the truth. A sense of unity & closure is important. Avoid a predictable ending.

Clearly describing your setting allows the reader to imagine being in that place , allows them to mentally look around & see what the characters see. It also helps to create a specific mood & atmosphere .

CHARACTERISATION =

Readers get to know a character’s personality through what they say , what they do , how they look and from other people’s opinions & attitudes towards this character. These details need to be revealed gradually and to be worked naturally into the act of telling the story. You can also reveal their thoughts and feelings, which gives the reader a greater insight into the character’s true self. Only have 1 or 2 main characters to avoid confusion. Your reader needs to relate to the character on some level (to feel sympathy, fascination or amusement); the reader need to feel curious to find out more about them; and finally the reader must believe in the character – must understand what motivates them and feel that their actions, statements and thought processes are convincing and true to life.

* Writers generally use the PAST TENSE when describing something – but recently quite a few successful novels have been written in the PRESENT TENSE (The Hunger Games, Skippy Dies) as it creates a dramatic immediacy for the reader. The important thing is to pick a tense and stick with it.

* Narrative writers use all the techniques of descriptive writing.

* Anecdotes (a short tale narrating an interesting or amusing biographical incident) use narrative techniques in the space of a few lines. Here’s an example:

“ Cary Grant is said to have been reluctant to reveal his age to the public, having played the youthful lover for more years than would have been appropriate. One day, while he was sorting out some business with his agent , a telegram arrived from a journalist who was desperate to learn how old the actor was. It read: HOW OLD CARY GRANT? Grant, who happened to open it himself, immediately cabled back: OLD CARY GRANT FINE. HOW YOU?”

Techniques: Description (vivid imagery)

Vivid imagery literally means that the words create a clear picture in your mind, using:

Action words, which show what is happening, what someone is doing e.g. “ Suzie  bounces over, screaming with excitement “. To paraphrase Orwell, ‘all verbs are active, but some verbs are more active than others’. Your verbs need to be specific. They need to work hard if they are going to successfully add energy and excitement to a sentence. For example, the sentence above wouldn’t be nearly as effective if it said “ Suzie walks over and says she’s really excited “.

ADJECTIVES =

Words which describe the noun eg. “ a heavy low grey cloud loomed on the distant horizon”. In this sentence the cloud and the horizon are the nouns being described.

Words which describe the verb eg. “ the cloud loomed menacingly , then burst suddenly . Freezing raindrops immediately soaked through my flimsy nightdress”

In this sentence ‘loomed’ ‘burst’ & ‘soaked’ are the verbs whose action is described.

To compare two things using the word “like” or the word “as”. A really good simile draws an unexpected connection between two things and helps us to see the thing being described in a new light. For example, Muhammad Ali used a simile to describe the art of boxing: “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”. This is considered a brilliant comparison because it asks the reader to consider boxing as a sport that requires agility, speed, precision and a lightness of foot. Traditionally people viewed it as a violent aggressive lumbering sport, but this simile asks them to view it in a new light.

Similes can be ironic or sarcastic, often creating a humorous effect: “as subtle as a sledgehammer” “as elegant as a dead cat” “his touch was like the cool caress of sandpaper”. The following description deliberately contradicts the idea that the person being described is praiseworthy (or genuinely nice, or kind, or dependable):

“ He’s nice. Like tissues when your nose is runny. He’s kind. Like your granny giving you 50c for sweets when what you really need is six quid for fags. He’s dependable. Like that old pair of tatty grey knickers you wear when everything else is in the wash”.

Less impressive similes are ones that have been used so often they have become clichés

Eg. ‘ As blind as a bat’, ‘howl like a hyena’, ‘as black as coal’, ‘sweet like chocolate’ .

METAPHORS =

Make a direct comparison, saying something IS something else. Eg. “all the world’s a stage” “you’re my own personal Jesus” “her face was a knotted tree trunk of misery”

Like similes, metaphors can be used for comic effect. The following extended metaphor is deliberately hyperbolic/sarcastic: “ This is a crisis. A large crisis. In fact, if you’ve got a moment, it’s a twelve-story crisis with a magnificent entrance hall, carpeting throughout, 24-hour porterage and an enormous sign on the roof saying ‘This Is a Large Crisis .'”

Less impressive metaphors are ones that have been used so often they’ve become clichés: eg. “ they broke the ice” “take the bull by the horns” “she was an angel in white”.

EVOKE 5 SENSES =

Really good descriptive writing doesn’t just describe SIGHTS, but also SOUNDS SMELLS and less often TASTE and TOUCH . This gives the reader a fuller experience in their imagination, because in real life we experience the world through all 5 senses.

eg “ the church bells chimed loudly to remind us that life would continue on as normal, but the foul taste of smoke in my mouth and the rancid smell of burning flesh suggested otherwise. I winced as the nurse wound a bandage around my mangled leg, the open wound throbbing at her gentle touch ”.

SYMBOLISM =

Where a word/object has a deeper meaning above and beyond its dictionary definition . A beautiful house filled with dirty dishes & grime could be a symbol of a characters’ depression. A storm could be a symbol of a troubled mind. A flower in spring could symbolise a new beginning. A candle in a dark room could symbolise hope. This allows reader & writer to see and appreciate a deeper meaning beyond the obvious.

PERSONIFICATION = Describing an object as though it is alive . Giving it human qualities. This is effective because it makes the writing buzz with life, Eg “ The teddy bear sat slumped on the bed, looking sadly at its feet .” “ this computer loves to torture me” “death stalked the town, seeking newer victims”.

Techniques: Aesthetic language

Aesthetic language involves using words artistically , in the same way that painting involves using paint to create something beautiful/artistic/memorable. Writers pay attention not necessarily to what they want to say, but focus more on how they say it .

Poetry is the most obvious example of aesthetic language, but all types of writing aim to appeal aesthetically to the reader. Remember, the message can be ugly but the writing beautiful eg “ sing a last song for the lady who has gone, fertile source of guilt and pain ”

All of the devices used in descriptive writing (see above) and those listed below add to the aesthetic value of a text.

REPETITION = A word/phrase is deliberately repeated to emphasise its importance.

“ I dream of tomorrow, I dream of an end to sorrow, I dream of peace”

CONTRAST = Placing opposites side by side to point out the differences between them and the unique characteristics of each:

“ her poisoned blood stained the pure white snow”

HYPERBOLE = Deliberate exaggeration. Makes writing more dramatic or humorous.

“ I’ve had a thousand chances & I’ve flushed every one down the toilet”

RHETORICAL QUESTIONS = Writer asks a question but doesn’t expect a response (or the answer is obvious). Is this used to grab the readers attention?

EMPHATIC WORDS = words which imply absolute certainty. Used to make us trust the writer – they must have a reason for being so sure of themselves! Now, never, always, forever, all, every, none, nothing, any, must, certainly, absolutely, definitely, honest(ly), truth/true/truly, the one, the only, yes.

LISTS / TRIADS = reader feels overwhelmed with info & finds it hard to disagree/resist.

“ the fear and pain and poverty and hardship hit you like an oil tanker”

ALLITERATION = repetition of a letter at the beginning of a series of words eg “ cruel cramped conditions ” which attracts the eye and the ear.

ONOMATOPOEIA = words whose sound imitates their meaning: “ buzz, screech, gulp ”.

Hearing the sound of what’s described brings it to life for the reader.

Narrative / Descriptive / Aesthetic Language

Comprehensions:

What features of good descriptive writing are evident in this passage?

Would reading this extract encourage you to read the novel in full?

What kind of world has been created by the author in this extract?

Question B :

Inspired by Seamus Heaney’s essay about the importance of objects from the past, your class has decided to organise an exhibition celebrating the significance of objects from childhood in the lives of well-known people.

Write the letter you would send to a well-known person, inviting him or her to contribute an object from his or her childhood and a written explanation regarding its personal significance. In your letter, you should explain the inspiration for the project and include, as an example, a piece you have written about an object from your childhood that is of significance to you.

Write a letter to Margaret Laurence in response to Text 1, commenting on what you find interesting in the extract and telling her about your home place and its impact on you.

Write a talk, to be delivered to your School Book Club, on the enduring appeal of the mysterious in books, films, etc. You might refer to some of the following aspects of the mystery genre in your answer: setting, tension, suspense, dialogue, characterisation, atmosphere, music, special effects, etc.

Imagine you are Sarah, the young girl in Text 3 above. Based on your reading of this extract, write two diary entries, one shortly before and one shortly after your journey to Dublin.

Imagine you are making a cartoon film (featuring animals as characters) either to promote or oppose zoos. Write the script of a scene (in dialogue form) between two of the animal characters.

Write two diary entries: one written by Alexander , recalling his encounter with Eva in Tompkins Square Park and the second by Zach , giving his thoughts on hearing that Eva has purchased the violin.

Imagine that, in an attempt to control his feelings, the boy writes into his diary an account of the incident and his reactions to it. Write out his diary entry.

Write three diary entries that Margaret Ann might have written over a series of Saturday evenings.Your writing should relate to her experience as described in the passage.

Imagine that you have discovered a time capsule containing a number of items from the distant or more recent past. Write a letter to a local or national newspaper announcing your find & describing the items in the capsule.

You have been asked to give a short talk on radio about an interesting journey you have made. Write out the text of the talk you would give.

Write three or four diary entries that record the details of a disastrous holiday (real or imaginary) that you experienced.

Imagine your local radio station is producing a programme entitled Comic Moments in which a person from the community introduces his/her favourite moment from the world of radio, television or live performance. Write the text of the presentation you would like to make.

Choose one of the people pictured in Text 4 and write 4 short diary entries that your chosen person might write on one important day in his/her life.

Essay Titles:

Short Story – every year there’s been at least one, and often two out of seven titles.

If asked for a story based on one of the images, you must say which image.

Personal Essay – every year there’s at least one.

Magazine Articles – some articles call for a very personal approach e.g. “Write an article about the beginning and ending of a relationship”

Descriptive essay – this appeared for the first time in 2011.

Write a short story in which a central character is either manipulated or is manipulative.

Write a short story about a reunion.

Write a descriptive essay based on a variety of glimpsed moments.

Write a personal essay in which you explore the storytelling evident in music and song and its impact on you as a listener.

Write a personal essay about the tension you find between the everyday treadmill and the gilded promises of life.

Write a short story inspired by the phrase “an inferior rock band howling for fame”

Write a short story in which a young character is eager to leave home.

Write a personal essay on what you consider to be the marvels of today’s world.

Write a descriptive essay about twenty-four hours in the life of a town or city.

Write a story to be included in a collection of modern fairytales.

Write a short story in which a mystery is solved.

Write a personal essay about your clothes, what they mean to you and what they say about you.

2010 + 2004 (performance)

Write a personal essay about your experience (as performer and/or audience member) of the dramatic arts: plays, musicals, concerts, comedy, etc.

Write a short story in which two unusual or eccentric characters meet for the first time.

Write an opinion piece for a popular magazine entitled “Indecision – my own and other people’s”.

Write a short story in which a photograph, or a set of photographs, plays a part in the plot. Your story may be prompted by one or more of the photographs in TEXT 3.

Write a short story in which the central character is a rebellious teenager (male or female)

Write a personal essay in which you describe a place that you consider beautiful.

Write a personal essay on the idealism and passions of youth.

Write a magazine article (serious or light-hearted) entitled: “The Modern Shopping Centre”.

Write an article for a popular magazine on the importance of the imagination.

Write an article for a popular magazine on the importance of romance in our lives.

Write a personal essay on the part which other people’s expectations play in our lives.

Write a short story suggested by one or more of the images in TEXT 2.

Write a personal essay in which you explore some of your earliest memories of childhood.

“ ‘See you later, Paul,’ said one of the girls. There was a titter of laughter.”

Write a short story suggested by these words

2004 + several other years

Write a short story suggested by one or more of the images in TEXT 3.

Imagine you are a member of Tim Severin’s crew on board the new Argo. Write a letter (or series of letters) to a personal friend or family member in which you describe some of your adventures.

“…huge funds of energy but very little money.”

Using this as your title, write a personal essay.

Write an article for a popular magazine or journal in which you explore the aspects of your own family that are special to you.

“After the war” Write a short story inspired by this title.

Write an article (serious or lighthearted) about the beginning and ending of a relationship in your life.

Write a personal essay in which you explore your sense of what it means to be Irish.

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