gcse english travel writing examples

Travel Writing

Travel writing is designed to inform people about places. Travel is a personal luxury, so usually, people read travel writing for entertainment. Places and landscapes are visually exciting, so descriptive language is common.

Purpose of travel writing

• Travel writing for guide books like Frommers or Lonely Planet involves listing what there is to do in a country and this kind of writing will often be informative.
• Travel writing for magazines or publications is usually targeted at people who read about travel for leisure. This is more likely to be entertaining.
• The purpose of the writing will affect the kind of language used.

Tone and style of travel writing

• Travel writers in a magazine trying to entertain people are likely to use a personal tone, write in the first person to narrate their own experience and may even use humour, puns or cyclic repetition to create a relationship with the reader. These will be informal articles.
• Even travel writing to persuade people to visit a place may be quite informal because most people have an informal mindset and want escapism from a holiday. People want to relax on holiday so a formal tone may not be appropriate.

Features of travel writing

• Lots of descriptive and emotive tone and language to describe the visual and sensory experience.
• A personalised tone and a final recommendation or opinion on the place.
• A title and strapline (that builds on the title) to give the reader an idea of what the piece of travel writing is about.

1 Key Terms

1.1 Key Terms

1.1.1 Key Terms - Nouns, Verbs & Sentence Types

1.1.2 Key Terms - Words, Sounds & Language

1.1.3 Key Terms - Images, Symbols & Mood

1.1.4 Key Terms - Other Techniques

1.1.5 End of Topic Test - Key Terms

2 Language Techniques

2.1 Language Devices

2.1.1 Metaphors

2.1.2 Similes

2.1.3 Metaphors & Similes HyperLearning

2.1.4 Personification

2.1.5 Pathetic Fallacy

2.1.7 Oxymoron

2.1.8 Hyperbole

2.1.9 Alliteration

2.1.10 Sibilance

2.1.11 Onomatopoeia

2.1.12 Emotive Language

2.1.13 All Language Devices

2.1.14 End of Topic Test - Language Devices

2.2 Writing Structure

2.2.1 Narrators

2.2.2 Paragraphs

2.2.3 Tense

2.2.4 Present vs Past vs Future

2.2.5 Foreshadowing

2.2.6 Structure

2.2.7 End of Topic Test - Writing Structure

3 Paper 1: Reading

3.1 Structuring Your Answer - Section A

3.1.1 Overview - Section A

3.1.2 Answering Question 1

3.1.3 Answering Question 2

3.1.4 Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading

3.1.5 Answering Question 3

3.1.6 Answering Question 4

3.1.7 End of Topic Test - Section A

3.1.8 Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading

4 Paper 1: Writing

4.1 Structuring Your Answer

4.1.1 Overview - Section B

4.1.2 Answering Section B

4.1.3 Answering Section B - Checklist of Techniques

4.1.4 End of Topic Test - Writing Section

4.1.5 Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Writing

5 Paper 2: Reading

5.1 DAFORESTER

5.1.1 Direct Address

5.1.2 Alliteration

5.1.3 Facts

5.1.4 Opinions

5.1.5 Repetition

5.1.6 Exaggeration (Hyperbole)

5.1.7 Statistics

5.1.8 Triples (Rule of 3)

5.1.9 Emotive Language

5.1.10 Rhetorical Questions

5.1.11 End of Topic Test - DAFORESTER

5.2 Structuring Your Answer

5.2.1 Overview - Section A

5.2.2 Answering Question 1

5.2.3 Answering Question 2

5.2.4 Answering Question 3

5.2.5 Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading

5.2.6 Answering Question 4

5.2.7 End of Topic Test - Section A

5.2.8 Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading

6 Paper 2: Writing

6.1 Structuring Your Answer

6.1.1 Overview - Section B

6.1.2 Answering Section B - Punctuation & Plans

6.2 Types of Writing

6.2.1 Article

6.2.2 Essay

6.2.3 Leaflet

6.2.4 Letter

6.2.5 Speech

6.2.6 Review

6.2.7 Travel Writing

6.2.8 Diaries & Journals

6.2.9 End of Topic Test - Types of Writing

6.3 Writing to...

6.3.1 Writing to Inform

6.3.2 Writing to Inform - Example

6.3.3 Writing to Explain

6.3.4 Writing to Explain - Example

6.3.5 Writing to Persuade

6.3.6 Writing to Persuade - Example

6.3.7 Writing to Argue

6.3.8 Writing to Argue - Example

6.3.9 Writing to Persuade vs Writing to Argue

6.3.10 Writing to Advise

6.3.11 Writing to Advise - Example

6.3.12 End of Topic Test - Writing to...

6.3.13 Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Writing

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Diaries & Journals

Travel Writing: Form

• Travel writing is a style of creative non-fiction that provides detailed information about a specific location or journey.
• The form of travel writing can be diverse. It can take the shape of a blog, guidebook, newspaper or magazine article, personal essay, or even a novel.
• Traditionally, travel writing incorporates a narrative structure that describes the writer’s journey, but other forms can also include practical information – such as guides or reviews.
• Descriptive language is key to this form. It captures the sense of place, presenting readers with vivid scenery, cultural nuances, and the atmosphere of the location.
• The narrative voice in travel writing often features the writer’s personal experiences, reflections, or observations. This makes the piece more engaging and relatable to readers.
• When crafting a piece of travel writing, outlining the location’s history, cultural background, local traditions, and notable landmarks could help add depth and context.
• Dialogue may be used, involving interactions with locals or fellow travellers. This can provide insight into the area’s culture and atmosphere.
• Although largely factual, a piece of travel writing can also allow for opinion. Reviews or recommendations are often included to guide or encourage readers.
• Finally, it’s beneficial to research the destination thoroughly. Accurate details lend credibility to the story, enhancing the reader’s trust in the writer’s authority on the subject.

IB Language and Literature 2.0

Group 1 english higher and standard level, faraway places: travel writing.

“Is it lack of imagination that makes us come to imagined places, not just stay at home?” Elizabeth Bishop, poet (1911–1979)

In this section you’ll come to understand the conventions of travel writing , learn a bit about the history of the genre, question why people are compelled to travel – and to write about it – and investigate the overlap between language and literature that exists in the wide and varied genre of travel writing. You’ll read non-fiction texts that feel like stories and see imaginary scenes presented as fact. You’ll learn to decode elements of travel writing and question texts more closely, finding analysis points and learning to evaluate various pieces of writing. These kinds of skills underpin your success in Paper 1 at the end of your course. Begin your study by reading The Travel Narrative from the list of articles below, and then choose one or two more pieces of wider reading to enrich your study:

• The Travel Narrative (IB Textbook)
• A Short History of Travel Writing (Traveltester article)

Reading Challenge

This is a longer and more challenging piece of reading, but spending time on this piece, and discussing it with your teacher, will help you master this topic:

• The Elasticity of Place (an interview with a travel writer)

Class Activit y 1: why do we travel?

As you will have learned by now, people travel – and write about the places they visit – for a variety of reasons. the most common are:

• to find the self
• curiosity about the ‘other’
• religious or spiritual reasons;
• to search for one’s roots;
• to be informed
• to experience ‘awe’

In this activity, you’ll practice identifying these purposes in travel writing. Visit Travel Tales, a collection of stories and articles curated and edited by Lavinia Spalding. Slowly scroll down the home page of her site, reading the titles and blurbs of the various stories you find there. Can you infer the purpose of travel from these snippets of information? Refer to The Travel Narrative (above) for more information of the purposes of travel writing.

Class Activity 2: seven travel stories

The travel genre is wide and varied – and this small collection of travel stories will give you a little taste of some famous (and not-so-famous) writers’ work. You may recognise one or two of these names, such as Bram Stoker and Bill Bryson.

Inside the booklet you’ll find seven short travel tales: either read them yourself, or divide them amongst the people in your class. Use this powerpoint to record your observations about the genre of travel writing. However many extracts you attempt, feed back what you’ve done to the rest of the class.

Areas of Exploration Guiding Conceptual Question

‘Cultural practices’ refers to traditional or customary practices of a particular ethnic, national or cultural group. They can be considered in the same way as symbolism in literary texts; physical manifestations of abstract beliefs and values . One reason we travel is to discover the beliefs and values of different people, as practiced in rites and traditions which have often been passed down from generation to generation. Before you work through the resource below, can you think of any practices that are special in your culture? These may include religious, medical, artistic, culinary, political, family or any other behaviour that reveals underlying beliefs and values:

• H ow do texts reflect, represent or form a part of cultural practices?

Discussion Points

After you’ve got your head around the material in this section, pair up, pick a question, spend five minutes thinking and noting down your thoughts – then discuss your ideas with a friend and report back to the class:

• Why is travel writing important? How is it different from other kinds of journalism?
• In the twenty-first century, is travel writing still necessary? Given that technology can connect us with people and places all around the world, and we can watch videos, read blogs, and browse the social media of people who live in other places, what is the point of reading first person accounts of travel by outsiders to those places?
• Is there a difference between a traveller and a tourist? What makes a person one rather than the other? Is it preferable to be one over the other?

Learner Portfolio

Watch Livinia Spalding’s Tedtalk (above) and, if you have not done so already, visit Travel Tales to browse some of the stories from her collection. Near the end of this talk Lavinia issues a challenge: to write your own literary travel story, inspired by a place you’ve been or a person you’ve met on a journey you have taken. Take her up on this challenge by writing a piece of literary non-fiction about a place you have been ora journey you have taken in your life. Make the purpose of your writing clear: is it to find the self; discover the ‘other’; become informed; search for your roots; take a religious or spiritual journey, experience ‘awe’ – or some combination of purposes?

Paper 1 Text Type Focus: travel writing

At the end of your course you will be asked to analyze unseen texts (1 at Standard Level and 2 at Higher Level) in an examination. You will be given a guiding question that will focus your attention on formal or stylistic elements of the text(s), and help you decode the text(s)’ purpose(s). Travel writing is an extremely fluid genre and you could be presented with a text that contains a variety of tropes (such as maps, photographs, itineraries, reported or direct speech, humour, metaphors… the list goes on) and may even share similarities with literary texts. Use these practice texts to familiarise yourself with the different features of Travel Writing and add them to your Learner Portfolio; you will want to revise text types thoroughly before your Paper 1 exam. You can find more information – including text type features and sample Paper 1 analysis – by visiting 20/20 . Read through one or two of the exemplars, then choose a new paper and have a go at writing your own Paper 1 analysis response:

• A Fish with Hair
• The Mangyan of Mindanao
• Enter Tasmania’s Labyrinth ( Past Paper)
• Cycling Tips (Past Paper)
• Taj Mahal (Past Paper)
• Long Enough in Jo’burg (Past Paper)
• Travel Tales (Past Paper)
• Hunting Moose (Past Paper)

Key features of travel writing

• Viewpoint: travel writing often documents the personal experiences of someone exploring a new place or country so is often first person.
• Perspective: an outsider’s perspective is common when reading travel writing, particularly if the destination is new, exotic or remote. Alternatively, the piece might be written from an insider’s perspective and is inviting you to visit or share an experience in a different part of the world.
• Structure: look out for chronological timelines, past – present structures or a linear journey of discovery. Guidebooks will have clear headings and subheadings and will probably include box-outs and the like.
• Information: travel writing often seeks to be informative and can present you with facts and figures, names and dates, historical or architectural or geographical information and more.
• Description: if the writer is trying to make the destination tantalising, or to help transport the reader, you might find examples of visual imagery, vivid description , even figurative comparisons , helping you visualise a far-off place.
• Visuals: photographs, maps , or floor plans of famous locations are all visual features that you might encounter in travel writing, particularly guidebooks.

Body of Work: Alison Wright Photography

Alison Wright is an author, photographer and speaker who has published several collections of photo-essays including  Faces of Hope: Children of a Changing World  and  The Spirit of Tibet: Portrait of a Culture. Her most recent collection from 2018 is titled Human Tribe . Her mission is to document endangered cultures and traditions from around the world, including raising awareness of human rights and other issues. Alison has won numerous awards and accolades including the Dorothea Lange Award in Documentary Photography for her photographs of child labor in Asia and a two-time winner of the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award. She was named a National Geographic Traveler of the Year in 2013. Here is a small selection of her photography to use in class, or you can explore Alison’s complete body of work here .

The presentation of beliefs and values through images is a powerful tool that can help preserve minority cultures in the face of globalisation and help to balance historical injustice by educating those who have lost touch with the past or with alternative ways of living. Texts of all kinds – written, spoken, visual – can help protect cultural heritage that might otherwise be lost. Alison Wright’s work can be seen in the wider context of cultural preservation , an important global issue in our increasingly homogenised and globalised world.

Towards Assessment: Individual Oral

“Supported by an extract from one non-literary text and one from a literary work, students will offer a prepared response of 10 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of questions by the teacher, to the following prompt:  Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of two of the texts that you have studied. (40 marks) “

Alison Wright’s photography would make a good text to consider using in your Individual Oral. Here are two suggestions as to how you might use this Body of Work to create a Global Issue. You can use one of these ideas, or develop your own. You should always be mindful of your own ideas and class discussions and follow the direction of your own thoughts, discussions and programme of study when devising your assessment tasks:

• Field of Inquiry: Culture, Identity and Community
• Global Issue: Cultural Preservation

Though the colonial era has passed, its legacy lives on in the education systems, laws, political systems and other cultural practices that have displaced indigenous traditions and beliefs. In this context, the reassertion of minority cultures through texts is a powerful tool that can help balance out historical injustices and educate those who have lost touch with alternative ways of life. You could easily pair her work with any literary text that reveals aspects of culture, describes cultural practices, or reflects cultural beliefs and concerns.

• Field of Inquiry: Beliefs, Values and Education
• Global Issue: Encountering the ‘Other’

An important purpose of travel writing is for us to encounter ‘other’ people and make connections with people who may be very different to ourselves. In a world of suspicion and insularity, it is through building bridges between cultures and learning to understand different ways of life that we can settle our differences peaceably. In this context, Alison Wright’s photography invites us to ‘meet’ individuals from cultures that are very different to the urbanised or westernised cultures a lot of us may be more familiar with.

Sample Individual Oral Here is a recording of the first ten minutes of an individual oral for you to listen to. You can discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this talk as a way of improving your own oral presentations. Be mindful of academic honesty when constructing your own oral talk. To avoid plagiarism you can: talk about a different global issue; pair Alison Wright’s photography with a different literary work; select different passages to bring into your talk; develop an original thesis.

Possible Literary pAirings

• Broken April by Ismail Kadare – you might like to consider the idea that some cultural traditions are worth preserving, while others should rightly be consigned to the dustbin of history and Kadare subtly implies the Kanun is a dying tradition.
• John Keats’ poetry – In Ode on a Grecian Urn , the speaker tries to imagine what life might have been like for the people engraved on the surface of an urn.
• Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw – the play is awash with peculiar Victorian mores revealing all kinds of beliefs and attitudes about class, poverty, prudery, morality and more. Doolittle’s speeches, Mrs Higgins’ at-home or conversations between Higgins, Pickering and Mrs Pearce could all be passages that you might like to select for this activity.
• Border Town by Shen Congwen – written just as China was beginning to modernise, and recently rediscovered by a new generation of Chinese readers, Congwen’s novella paints a picture of the lives and traditions of local Miao people in West Hunan, and can be valued as a record of a way of life that has largely disappeared in one of the world’s fastest-changing countries.
• The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami – these stories are set in a world traumatised by history, and most of the characters are victims of a peculiar kind of ‘collective amnesia’. They seem stuck in the present and can’t move on in their lives. Some critics have interpreted Murakami’s writing as a response to the tumultuous events of Japan’s history – a past that many would like to simply forget. Approaching this activity from this unusual angle would be a challenging, but possibly very interesting, way to pair a literary and non-literary body of work.
• Charlotte Mew’s poetry – writing at the start of the twentieth century, what does Charlotte Mew reveal about the lives, attitudes and values of the people in her poems? What kind of society did she live in? What was life like for ordinary people – and for women, disabled people and those who were mentally impaired?
• Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee – the ‘civilised’ world’s encounter with the fearsome ‘other’ is a major theme of Coetzee’s novel and could make an ideal piece with which to compare Alison Wright’s photography.

Towards Assessment: HL Essay

Students submit an essay on one non-literary text or a collection of non-literary texts by one same author, or a literary text or work studied during the course. The essay must be 1,200-1,500 words in length. (20 marks) .††

If you are an HL student who enjoyed this section of work, and find the topic of travel writing interesting, you might consider this Body of Work to write your Higher Level Essay. You could extend your research beyond Human Tribe to include some of her other published collections. Angles of investigation might include: to what extent you think she is successful in her aim of bridging the gap between different cultures; whether her photography constitutes a modern form of travel writing; to what extent her photography reveals and represents cultural practices; whether you feel the photographs form or impose an identity onto people from an outsider’s perspective. Here are some suggestions for you – but always follow your own lines of inquiry should your thoughts lead you in a different direction:

• How is colour and composition used to present ideas about identity in Alison Wright’s photography?
• How does Alison Wright imply a close connection between people and the natural world in her photography collections?
• How does Alison Wright use metonymy in her photographic work?
• Explore the symbolism of eyes in Alison Wright’s photographic collections.
• In what ways does Alison Wright’s photography meaningfully negotiate our encounter with unfamiliar people and places?

Wider Reading and Research

• Outpost Magazine – a Canadian adventure-travel publication published six times a year, Outpost is known for its long-form adventure narratives from across the world.
• My Favourite Travel Book – six famous travel writers nominate their favourite travel books.
• The Most Inspiring Talks on Travel – a selection of the best Tedtalks about travel, including Lavinia Spalding’s talk.
• The Truth About Tribal Tourism – visit this Rough Guide blog to discover how your sustainable tour may not be as friendly to people or places as you might have thought…

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Travel Writing - Dubai!

Travel Writing – Dubai!

The monotonous hours on the plane ended as I walked to the bus which drove the passengers to the airport.  The cool Dubai breeze hit me for the first time like a strong scent coming from the perfume section of Marks & Spencers and I forced my mood to alleviate as I was now no longer tightly squeezed into the torturing seats of the plane.  With one earphone piece in my right ear, listening to music, I tried to avoid the screeches of the young children and toddlers being awoken from the eight hour flight and being carried down to the bus.  Fortunately, the weather had also lightened its mood and had let the heat fade away replacing it with the cool breeze that penetrated my skin as freezing water after a hot day at the beach.  

        My dad was now hastily searching for our British passports as he was sat down on one of the hot seats in the bus.  My mum, who looked as if she had been woken from a twenty-four hour sleeping marathon, was now busy combing her springy hair and replacing the layer of shiny lipstick back on her lips.  On the other hand, my sister was now perturbed from undergoing a marathon of her own; going without the toilet for ten hours.  Every time she had endeavoured to get up from her seat and go to the toilet the constant queue of four or five desperate people (mainly mothers in a hurry to change their infants’ nappies) in front of the small cubicles returned her back in to her own seat.

This is a preview of the whole essay

        It took about two minutes for the bus to slowly drive from the Emirates plane (which now looked like a motionless mammoth with fleas working on it) to the airport.  Getting through the black tinted glass doors, into the airport was another task in itself, since there was now a hubbub within the passengers to quickly shift inside and be first in the queue for the security and passport check.  Fortuitously we were near the start of the queue and the passport checking scarcely took longer than five minutes.  The security check of the hand luggage was also unproblematic, that is for my parents and my sister.  “Could you please open your hand luggage sir!” a security guard demanded.  I was carrying with me a portable TV, and mp3 player, the family video camera and my dad’s digital camera.  Frustratingly after showing the over cautious security guards that these electronics were not  dangerous, I became exasperated even further when I had to open all the battery compartments for additional security checks.  

        We now had a ten hour stay in Dubai until our plane to go to Saudi Arab arrived.  All we could do now was to explore the modernity of this wonderful international airport, though doing this for ten hours seemed impractical and my tired dad now had a problem on his hands.  He was exasperated even further to find out that we weren’t even getting a free room for ten hours inside the airport.  My sister who could no longer now hold her self plodded off to the nearest ladies toilets and all of us were thankful that the constant groaning had now ceased.  After quickly booking one of the rooms in the hotel which was inside the airport it self, we rushed off to catch the rest of the eight hours of sleep left.  My sister who was already relieved of one problem now had another urge to spend hours in the Claires Accessories fashion shop that she had caught a glimpse of near MacDonald’s.  But she was wise enough to know to what extent our tired parents could be pushed, so she decided to keep her mouth shut.  

        After taking a much needed nap for seven hours we all took a soothing hot shower and got all of our hand luggage ready.  The hotel room was perfect.  The circular window on one side of the room showed the perfect view of the inside of the Dubai Hotel.  The bathroom itself was mainly made out of opaque glass, which added to the luxury of the room.  We now had less than one hour for exploring the airport. My dad and I went of to the shops which interested us and my mum took my desperate sister to Claires Accessories.  Rather than going inside any shops in particular me and my dad were fascinated in the airport structure itself and to the extent it had been made too look modern.  I was absolutely fascinated to see actual palm trees inside the building.  They were lined along the wide pathways to the terminals and I took pleasure in taking video of this modern airport.  

After all of our family reunited, we filled our forgotten stomachs, which groaned in anger for not being fed.  The family’s favourite restaurant was in much favour of being the place to eat; Pizza Hut.  When our bellies filled up and stuck out like balloons they cried “STOP” and we were satisfied.  Within the next ten minutes we had gone upstairs to our room again packed the hand luggage and put on our religious clothing, to get ready to go to Saudi Arab.  This consisted of two white sheets for men, one for tying around the waste and downwards and one for the top part of the body.  After giving the access card to our hotel room back at the central desk we headed off to the terminal.  I felt mostly embarrassed by the thought of the only two pieces of clothing on me accidentally falling off.  I ensured that all the knots were tight so that they were impossible to untie. After some peculiar looks from tourists and other people in the airport we were slightly more relaxed when we reached the doors to our terminal, where everybody was wearing similar clothing to us.  My mind wondered off - daydreaming about the next adventure we were about to encounter at the next stage of our trip.  Images came into my mind , when we were back home, about my dad telling me about Saudi Arabia and the torturing heat that awaited us.  I also thought about the images I had seen of this holy country and I aspired to see what the core of the Islamic faith held in store for us.      

After ten minutes or so the long awaited announcement sounded our ears; “Please could passengers for flight number seven – zero – three to Saudi Arab make their way to the terminal gates”.  The long ten hours had given us a chance to rest and gave us a taste of the zest and excitement of Dubai.  No doubt I was looking foreword to coming back to Dubai after two weeks and indulging myself in the excitement of exploring all of Dubai.

Faisal Siddiq – 10D

Document Details

• Word Count 1163
• Page Count 3
• Subject English

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Insider GCSE creative writing tips + 106 prompts from past papers

by Hayley | Mar 9, 2023 | Exams , Writing | 0 comments

Are you feeling a little bit twitchy about your child’s English GCSE writing task?

Sciences and humanities – although sometimes daunting in their content – seem a fair bet as ‘revisable’ topics. But the creative writing element of the English Language GCSE is less knowable and ultimately more of a frightening prospect for a student keen to do well.

Preparing for the GCSE writing task? You don’t need to do it alone.

We run a weekly online writing club which prepares students to write high-scoring content. Our “Higher” level club is designed to transform your writing so that you can ace the GCSE language paper.

What is the GCSE writing element of the GCSE Language Paper?

There are 5 key GCSE exam boards: AQA , OCR , Pearson Edexcel , WJEC Eduqas and CCEA . Each board sets their own papers which may appear much the same at first glance (bizarrely they all have a similar front cover layout and fonts). Certainly there is plenty of overlap between their mark schemes and the comments and tips they share in their Examiner Reports.

However, as with all your child’s other subjects, it is essential to know which exam board they are preparing for. You may be surprised to discover that schools pick and choose boards by subject, perhaps choosing AQA for chemistry and OCR for mathematics. Individual school departments have their own preferences. My brother teaches at a school where their English Literature and English Language exams have been split between two different boards. This is unusual though, not the norm!

What forms (question formats) can the test take?

It varies by board.

The AQA board has a writing task in their Question Paper 1 called Explorations in creative reading and writing . Students are given two prompts to choose between. The AQA board also has a second persuasive writing task in Paper 2 called Writers’ viewpoints and perspectives.

Jump ahead to AQA creative writing and persuasive writing prompts from past GCSE papers

The Pearson/Edexcel international iGCSE favoured by many UK private schools has two prompts to choose between for each section. The student is asked to complete a piece of transactional writing (perhaps a persuasive speech or an advertisement leaflet) and additionally a piece of imaginative writing.

Jump ahead to Pearson/Edexcel transactional writing and imaginative writing prompts from past GCSE papers

Interestingly, the WJEC Eduqas board favours non-fiction writing. Unit 2 Reading and Writing: Description, Narration and Exposition gives two prompts to choose between, for an account and an essay perhaps, and Unit 3: Reading and Writing: Argumentation, Persuasion and Instructional sets up a letter, or similar.

Jump ahead to WJEC Eduqas non-fiction writing prompts from past GCSE papers

The OCR board offers two prompts to choose between. One might be a talk for other students and the other might be a letter on a difficult subject .

Jump ahead to OCR creative writing prompts from past GCSE papers

The CCEA board has a writing task in called “ Writing for Purpose and Audience and Reading to Access Non-fiction and Media Texts” and a second writing task which offers a choice between personal writing and creative writing.

Jump ahead to CCEA persuasive writing, personal writing, and creative prompts from past GCSE papers

How long do students have to craft their piece of writing?

Creative writing tests are timed at either 45 minutes or 1 hour. The last thing your child will need is to prepare to write for an hour, only to find they have just three-quarters of an hour on the day. If in doubt, insist that they check with their teacher.

AQA students are given 45 minutes to produce their writing response. The introduction advises: ‘ You are reminded of the need to plan your answer. You should leave enough time to check your work at the end.’ What this means is that 30–35 minutes max is what’s really allowed there for the writing itself.

Pearson/Edexcel allows 45 minutes for each of the two writing tasks.

OCR students are given an hour to complete this section of their exam. The introduction states: ‘You are advised to plan and check your work carefully,’ so they will expect the writing itself to take 45–50 minutes.

How long should the completed GCSE writing task be?

Interestingly, although the mark schemes all refer to paragraphingthey don’t state how many paragraphs they expect to see.

‘A skilfully controlled overall structure, with paragraphs and grammatical features used to support cohesion and achieve a range of effects’ (OCR)

‘Fluently linked paragraphs with seamlessly integrated discourse markers’ (AQA)

Why? Because management of paragraph and sentence length is a structural technique available to the student as part of their writers’ toolkit. If the number of optimal paragraphs were to be spelled out by the board, it would have a negative impact on the freedom of the writer to use their paragraphs for impact or to manage the pace of the reader.

For a general guide I would expect to see 3 to 5 paragraphs in a creative piece and 5 paragraphs in a persuasive piece. Leaflets have a different structure entirely and need to be set out in a particular form to achieve the top notes of the mark scheme.

What are the examiners looking for when they are marking a student’s creative writing paper?

There are two assessment objectives for the writing itself:

• It has to be adapted to the form, tone and register of writing for specific purposes and audiences.
• It has to use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures, with appropriate paragraphing, spelling, punctuation and grammar.

As a GCSE English nerd, I really enjoy delving deeper into the Examiner Reports that each board brings out once the previous cohort’s papers have been marked. They are a fascinating read and never disappoint…

Within their pages, examiners spell out the differences they have spotted between the stronger and the weaker responses.

For example, a creative task set by the AQA board was to describe a photograph of a town at sunset. The examiners explained that some of the strongest responses imagined changes in the scene as darkness descended. They enjoyed reading responses that included personification of the city, and those that imagined the setting in the past, or the weariness of the city. Weaker candidates simply listed what was in the picture or referred directly to the fact it was an image. This chronological-list approach weakened the structure of their work.

No surprises that some weaker students relied heavily on conversation. (As an exam marker myself, I dreaded reading acres of uninspiring direct speech.)

Pearson/Edexcel explain that weaker persuasive pieces (in this case on the value of television) simply listed pros and cons rather than developed ideas fully to clarify their own opinions. The higher-level responses here were quirky and engaging, entertaining the reader with a range of appropriate techniques and making the argument their own.

What accommodations are possible for students who have specific learning difficulties?

The UK Government’s Guide for Schools and Colleges 2022: GCSE, AS and A Levels includes information about changes to assessments to support ‘disabled students.’ Their definition of disabled includes specific learning difficulties (dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, ADD, ASD etc).

Exam boards can make a wide range of adjustments to their assessments. Some of the most common adjustments are:

• modified papers (for example, large print or braille exam papers)
• access to assistive software (for example, voice recognition systems or computer readers)
• help with specific tasks (for example, another person might read questions to the student or write their dictated answers)
• changes to how the assessment is done (for example, an oral rather than a written assessment, word-processing rather than hand-writing answers)
• extra time to complete assessments
• exemptions from an assessment

The exam board will expect paperwork to be in place where your child’s specific needs are formally reported by an appropriate professional (Educational Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Consultant). The report needs to be recent, but how recent is difficult to confirm.

If your child is likely to need adjustments to their access arrangements you will need to discuss this with their school in plenty of time before the exam itself.

A close friend of mine realised in the final few weeks before her son’s GCSE exams that his tinnitus would have a negative impact on his performance. She approached the school to ask if he might take his exams in a separate room to minimise noise disturbance. Unfortunately, it was far too late by then to apply, and her son was denied the request.

Your child’s school will explain the process for applying for special arrangements and will be able to advise you on what your expectations should be. Never presume your child will be given what they need – but plenty of requests are successful, so stay positive and make sure your paperwork is in order beforehand.

Tips and strategies for writing a high scoring GCSE creative writing paper:

1.         learn the formats.

Know the different formats and conventions of the different GCSE writing tasks. There is a standard layout for a leaflet, for example, where including contact details and a series of bullet points is part of the mark scheme. Not knowing these conventions will knock back a student’s score.

2.         Plan ahead

Prepare a planning structure for each of the written forms you might encounter during the exam. It may need to be flexed on the day, but it will banish fear of the blank page and allow you to get started.

3.         Prepare sentence-openings

Familiarise yourself with appropriate sentence-openings for each type of GCSE writing task. Fronted adverbials of time and place will improve the quality of a creative piece, whereas access to varied and specific conjunctions might push up the mark of a transactional piece.

4.         Check your speaking

Ask your family to check your speech at home. Every now and then try to flip a sentence into formal language, using more interesting synonyms for your usual spoken vocabulary. This will help you to write formally on paper, avoiding colloquialisms.

5.         Forget finishing

Finishing is less important than you might imagine. Sloppy, hurried work is your enemy. GCSE examiners will follow your clear planning and mark you accordingly, even if you’ve not managed to complete that final paragraph.

6.         Note the details

The question often gives additional information the examiner would like to see included. Note it in your plan to make sure it doesn’t get forgotten.

7.         Start strong

Use your best sentence-opener at the start of each paragraph. It will set you up as someone to be taken seriously.

8.         Cut back dialogue

Keep dialogue contained in a single paragraph. Focus on description of the speaker and their actions before noting the second character’s reply.

9.         Revise

Do this by prepping work as above. Nothing beats it.

Would you like me to transform your child’s writing in my higher writing club?

Each week in my higher writing club , we spend 20 minutes on Zoom together. After the task has been introduced, the students write for 15 minutes. Next, they upload their work for 1:1 video marking.

There is no point prepping essays/creative pieces for the GCSE English Language exam if your child’s writing is poor. First, their scruffy presentation, attention to detail, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary need to be addressed.

After 2 months in the higher writing club your child’s written technique and fluency will be transformed by our 1–2-1 video marking system (consistent messaging is achieved by matching your child with their own teacher).

Each weekly activity is drawn directly from the GCSE English Language Subject Content and Assessment Objectives , published by the English Department of Education.

Here’s an example of a student’s writing, BEFORE they joined our club:

It is chaotic, poorly-presented and nonsensical. Letter-sizing is confused and the student is clearly anxious and repeatedly scribbling through small errors.

Below is the same student 2 months later:

Observe the rich vocabulary, authorial techniques (the jagged rocks are ‘like shards of broken glass’) and general fluency and sophistication.

Real and recent GCSE example questions/prompts from each of the 5 key exam boards

Aqa english language gcse questions, paper 2 writers’ viewpoints and perspectives:.

• ‘Our addiction to cheap clothes and fast fashion means young people in poorer countries have to work in terrible conditions to make them. We must change our attitude to buying clothes now.’ Write an article for a magazine or website in which you argue your point of view on this statement. ( Source )
• ‘People have become obsessed with travelling ever further and faster. However, travel is expensive, dangerous, damaging and a foolish waste of time!’ Write an article for a news website in which you argue your point of view on this statement. ( Source )
• ‘Cars are noisy, dirty, smelly and downright dangerous. They should be banned from all town and city centres, allowing people to walk and cycle in peace.’ Write a letter to the Minister for Transport arguing your point of view on this statement. ( Source )
• ‘All sport should be fun, fair and open to everyone. These days, sport seems to be more about money, corruption and winning at any cost.’ Write an article for a newspaper in which you explain your point of view on this statement. ( Source )

Paper 1 Explorations in creative reading and writing:

• A magazine has asked for contributions for their creative writing section. Either write a description of an old person as suggested by the picture below or write a story about a time when things turned out unexpectedly. ( Source )

• Your school or college is asking students to contribute some creative writing for its website. Either, describe a market place as suggested by the picture below or write a story with the title, ‘Abandoned’. ( Source )

• Your local library is running a creative writing competition. The best entries will be published in a booklet of creative writing. Either, write a description of a mysterious place, as suggested by the picture below or write a story about an event that cannot be explained. ( Source )

• A magazine has asked for contributions for their creative writing section. Either, describe a place at sunset as suggested by the picture below or write a story about a new beginning. ( Source )

OCR English Language GCSE questions

Paper: communicating information and ideas.

• Either, Write a post for an online forum for young people about ‘A moment that changed my life’.
• Or, You are giving a talk at a parents’ information evening about why all children should study science at school. Explain your views. ( Source )
• Either, Write a letter to a friend to describe a challenging and unpleasant task you once had to do.
• Or, Write a short guide for new workers about how to deal successfully with difficult customers. ( Source )
• Either, “Was it worth it?” Write an article for a magazine to describe a time when you had to do something difficult.
• Or, Write a speech for an event to congratulate young people who have achieved something remarkable. ( Source )
• Either, Write the words of a talk to advise pet owners how to make life more enjoyable for their pet and themselves.
• Or, Write an article for a travel magazine to describe your dramatic encounter with an animal. ( Source )
• Either, ‘How I prefer to spend my time.’ Write the words of a talk to young people about your favourite activity
• Or, Write a magazine article to persuade parents to allow their teenage children more freedom. You are not required to include any visual or presentational features. ( Source )
• Either, Write a talk for other students about a person you either admire strongly or dislike intensely
• Or, Write a letter to a friend to explain a difficult decision you had to make. ( Source )

Paper: Exploring effects and impact

• Either, Hunger satisfied. Use this as the title for a story.
• Or, Write about a time when you were waiting for something. ( Source )
• Either, The Taste of Fear Use this as the title for a story.
• Or, Write about a time when you were exploring a particular place. ( Source )
• Either, Alone. Use this as the title for a story.
• Or, Describe a time when you found yourself in a crowd or surrounded by people. ( Source )
• Either, Land at Last. Use this as the title for a story.
• Or, Imagine you have visited somewhere for the first time and are now reporting back on your experience. ( Source )
• Either, The Playground Use this as the title for a story
• Or, Write about a memory you have of playing a childhood game. ( Source )
• Either, It seemed to me like I had been magically transported. Use this as the title for a story.
• Or, Describe a place where you have felt comfortable. ( Source )

Pearson Edexcel English Language iGCSE questions

Paper 1: transactional writing.

• Either, ‘In our busy twenty-first century lives, hobbies and interests are more important than ever.’ Write an article for a newspaper expressing your views on this statement.
• Or, ‘We are harming the planet we live on and need to do more to improve the situation.’ You have been asked to deliver a speech to your peers in which you explain your views on this statement. ( Source )
• ‘ Zoos protect endangered species from around the world.’ ‘No wild animal should lose its freedom and be kept in captivity. Write an article for a magazine in which you express your views on zoos.
• Write a review of an exciting or interesting event that you have seen. ( Source )
• Your local newspaper has published an article with the headline ‘Young people today lack any desire for adventure’. Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper expressing your views on this topic.
• ‘The key to success in anything is being prepared.’ Write a section for a guide giving advice on the importance of preparation. ( Source )
• You and your family have just returned from a holiday that did not turn out as you expected. Write a letter to the travel agent with whom you booked your holiday, explaining what happened.
• A magazine is publishing articles with the title ‘Friendship is one of the greatest gifts in life’. Write your article on this topic. ( Source )
• ‘Important lessons I have learned in my life.’ You have been asked to deliver a speech to your peers on this topic.
• Your local/school library wants to encourage young people to read more. Write the text of a leaflet explaining the benefits of reading. ( Source )
• ‘Most memorable journeys.’ A website is running a competition to reward the best articles on this subject. Write an article for the competition about a memorable journey.
• ‘Cycling is one form of exercise that can lead to a healthier lifestyle.’ Write a guide for young people on the benefits of exercise. ( Source )
• ‘Television educates, entertains and helps global understanding.’ ‘Television is to blame for society’s violence and greed and delivers one-sided news.’ You have been asked to deliver a speech in which you express your views and opinions on television.
• ‘Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions we ever make.’ Write the text of a leaflet that gives advice to young people on how to choose a career. ( Source )
• Write the text for a leaflet aimed at school students which offers advice on how to deal with bullying.
• A museum is planning to open a new exhibition called ‘Life in the Twenty-First Century’. ( Source )

Paper 2: Imaginative writing

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, enjoyed success
• Write a story with the title ‘A Surprise Visitor’.
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that begins ‘I did not have time for this’ ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, challenged an unfair situation.
• Write a story with the title ‘Bitter, Twisted Lies’.
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that begins ‘It was a new day …’ You may wish to base your response on one of these images. ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, visited a new place.
• Write a story with the title ‘The Storm’
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that ends ‘I decided to get on with it.’ ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, saw something surprising.
• Write a story with the title ‘The Meeting’.
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that starts ‘Suddenly, without warning, there was a power cut.’ ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, went on a long journey.
• Write a story with the title ‘A New Start’
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that begins ‘I tried to see what he was reading. ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, felt proud.
• Write a story with the title ‘The Hidden Book’.
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that begins ‘It was like a dream’ ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, had to be brave
• Write a story with the title ‘Everything Had Changed’
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that begins ‘It was an unusual gift’. ( Source )

WJEC Eduqas English Language GCSE questions

Unit 2 reading and writing: description, narration and exposition.

• Write an account of a time when you enjoyed or hated taking part in an outdoor activity.
• “It’s essential that more people are more active, more often.” (Professor Laura McAllister, Chair of Sport Wales) Write an essay to explain how far you agree with this view, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• Describe an occasion when you did something you found rewarding.
• Famous chefs such as Jamie Oliver and Mary Berry have spoken of the need for better food and better education about food in schools. Write an essay to explain your views on this subject, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• Write an account of a visit to a dentist or a doctor’s surgery.
• NHS staff, such as doctors and nurses, provide excellent service in difficult circumstances. Write an essay to explain your views on this subject, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• Write an article for a travel magazine describing somewhere interesting that you have visited.
• You see the following in your local newspaper: ‘Young people are selfish. They should all be made to volunteer to help others.’ Write an essay to explain your views on this subject, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• Describe an occasion when technology made a difference to your life.
• Write an account of a time you were unwilling to do something. ( Source )
• Describe a time when you faced a challenge
• Write an essay explaining why charity is important, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• Write an account of a time when you did something for the first time.
• “It’s time for us to start making some changes. Let’s change the way we eat, let’s change the way we live, and let’s change the way we treat each other.” Tupac Shakur Write an essay on the subject of change, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• “School uniform is vitally important in all schools.” Write an essay explaining your views on this, giving clear reasons and examples.
• Describe a time when you had to create a good impression. ( Source )

Unit 3: Reading and writing: Argumentation, persuasion and instructional

• Your school/college is considering using more Fairtrade items in its canteen. Although this will help to support Fairtrade farmers, it will mean an increase in the price of meals. You feel strongly about this proposal and decide to write a letter to your Headteacher/Principal giving your views. ( Source )
• Increasing litter levels suggest we have lost all pride in our beautiful country. Prepare a talk for your classmates in which you give your opinions on this view. ( Source )
• Write a guide for other students persuading them to stay safe when using social media and the internet. ( Source )
• According to your PE teacher, ‘Swimming is the very best form of exercise.’ You have been asked to prepare a talk for your classmates in which you give your views about swimming. ( Source )
• You read the following in a newspaper: ‘Plastic is one of the biggest problems faced by our planet. Why would we use something for a few minutes that has been made from a material that’s going to last forever?’ Write a letter to the newspaper giving your views on the use of plastic. ( Source )
• “People today never show enough kindness to one another. We must make more effort to be kind.” Write a talk to give on BBC Wales’ new programme Youth Views persuading young people to be kind to others. ( Source )
• ‘We have enough problems in the world without worrying about animals.’ Write an article for the school or college magazine giving your views on this statement.
• You would like to raise some money for an animal charity. Write a talk for your classmates persuading them to donate to your chosen charity. ( Source )

CCEA English Language GCSE questions

Unit 1: writing for purpose and audience and reading to access non-fiction and media texts.

• Write a speech for your classmates persuading them to agree with your views on the following issue: “Young people today are too worried about their body image.” ( Source )
• Write an article for your school magazine persuading the readers to agree with your views on the following question: “Should school uniform have a place in 21st century schools?” ( Source )
• Write a speech for your classmates persuading them to agree with your views on the following question: “Are celebrities the best role models for teenagers?” ( Source )
• Write an article for your school magazine persuading the readers to agree with your views on the following statement: “Advertising is just another source of pressure that teenagers don’t need!” ( Source )

Unit 4: Personal or creative writing and reading literacy and non-fiction texts

• Either, Personal writing: Write a personal essay for the examiner about what you consider to be one of the proudest moments in your life.
• Or, Creative writing: Write your entry for a creative essay writing competition. The audience is teenagers. You may provide your own title. ( Source )
• Write a personal essay for the examiner about an experience that resulted in a positive change in your life.
• Write a creative essay for the examiner. The picture below is to be the basis for your writing. You may provide your own title. ( Source )

• Personal writing: Write a speech for your classmates about the most interesting person you have ever met.
• Creative writing: Write a creative essay for your school magazine. The picture below is to be the basis for your writing. You may provide your own title. ( Source )

• Personal writing: Write a personal essay for the examiner describing your dream destination.
• Creative writing: Write a creative essay for publication in your school magazine. The picture below is to be the basis for your creative writing. You may provide your own title. (Source)

Get 1:1 support and personalized feedback on your GCSE creative writing practice

For 1–2-1 writing support for your pre-GCSE child, join the Griffin Teaching Higher Writing Club—online weekly writing classes specifically tailored to English GCSE creative writing preparation.

In just 20 minutes per week and their writing will be transformed.

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CCEA GCSE English Language: Travel Writing

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

18 June 2018

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The ReVision GCSE: Paper 1: Tasks 2 and 3: Reading to Access Non-Fiction Three mock papers focusing on tasks 2 and 3 of the new CCEA GCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE specification ‘The ReVision’.

These are to be used for paper 1 for the non-fiction section.

I have used these as trackers / mocks for students, but they could easily be used as a class activity where the students have to present their findings, or perhaps ‘be the examiner’ and create a mark scheme after being shown the kinds of things said for the SAM markscheme and Bryson stimulus.

Hope you find this useful.

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Really lovely extracts, thanks so much!

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