gcse creative writing metaphors

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Last updated on Feb 11, 2022

90+ Must-Know Metaphor Examples to Improve Your Prose

What figure of speech is so meta that it forms the very basis of riddles? The answer: a metaphor.

As Milan Kundera wrote in The Unbearable Lightness of Being : “Metaphors are dangerous. Metaphors are not to be trifled with.” Yet, paradoxically, they are an inescapable part of our daily lives — which is why it’s all the more important to understand exactly how they function.

To help, this article has a list of 97 metaphor examples to show you what they look like in the wild. But if you have a moment to spare, let's learn a bit more about what a metaphor is.

What is a metaphor?

A metaphor is a literary device that imaginatively draws a comparison between two unlike things. It does this by stating that Thing A is Thing B. Through this method of equation, metaphors can help explain concepts and ideas by colorfully linking the unknown to the known; the abstract to the concrete; the incomprehensible to the comprehensible. It can also be a rhetorical device that specifically appeals to our sensibilities as readers.

To give you a starting point, here are some examples of common metaphors:

• “Bill is an early bird.”
• “Life is a highway.”
• “Her eyes were diamonds.”

Note that metaphors are always non-literal. As much as you might like to greet your significant other with a warhammer in hand (“love is a battlefield”) or bring 50 tanks of gasoline every time you go on a date (“love is a journey”), that’s not likely to happen in reality. Another spoiler alert: no, Katy Perry doesn't literally think that you're a firework. Rather, these are all instances of metaphors in action.

How does a metaphor differ from a simile?

Simile and metaphor are both figures of speech that draw resemblances between two things. However, the devil’s in the details. Unlike metaphors, similes use like and as to directly create the comparison. “Life is like a box of chocolates,” for instance, is a simile. But if you say, “Life is a highway,” you’re putting a metaphor in motion.

The best way to understand how a metaphor can be used is to see it in practice — luckily, we’ve got a bucket-load of metaphor examples handy for you to peruse.

The Ultimate List of 90+ Metaphor Examples

Metaphors penetrate the entire spectrum of our existence — so we turned to many mediums to dig them up, from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to the Backstreet Boys’ ancient discography. Feel free to skip to your section of interest below for metaphor examples.

Literature Poetry Daily Expressions Songs Films Famous Quotations

Metaphors in literature are drops of water: as essential as they are ubiquitous. Writers use literary metaphors to evoke an emotional response or paint a vivid picture. Other times, a metaphor might explain a phenomenon. Given the amount of nuance that goes into it, a metaphor example in a text can sometimes deserve as much interpretation as the text itself.

Metaphors can make prose more muscular or imagery more vivid:

1. “Exhaustion is a thin blanket tattered with bullet holes.” ― If Then , Matthew De Abaitua

2. “But it is just two lovers, holding hands and in a hurry to reach their car, their locked hands a starfish leaping through the dark.” ― Rabbit, Run , John Updike

3. “The sun in the west was a drop of burning gold that slid near and nearer the sill of the world.” — Lord of the Flies , William Golding

4. “Bobby Holloway says my imagination is a three-hundred-ring circus. Currently I was in ring two hundred and ninety-nine, with elephants dancing and clowns cart wheeling and tigers leaping through rings of fire. The time had come to step back, leave the main tent, go buy some popcorn and a Coke, bliss out, cool down.” — Seize the Night ,   Dean Koontz

Writers frequently turn to metaphors to describe people in unexpected ways:

5. “But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!” — Romeo & Juliet , William Shakespeare

6. “Who had they been, all these mothers and sisters and wives? What were they now? Moons, blank and faceless, gleaming with borrowed light, each spinning loyally around a bigger sphere.  ‘Invisible,’ said Faith under her breath. Women and girls were so often unseen, forgotten, afterthoughts. Faith herself had used it to good effect, hiding in plain sight and living a double life. But she had been blinded by exactly the same invisibility-of-the-mind, and was only just realizing it.” ― The Lie Tree , Frances Hardinge

7. “’I am a shark, Cassie,’ he says slowly, drawing the words out, as if he might be speaking to me for the last time. Looking into my eyes with tears in his, as if he's seeing me for the last time. "A shark who dreamed he was a man.’” ― The Last Star , Rick Yancey

8. “Her mouth was a fountain of delight.” — The Storm , Kate Chopin

9. “The parents looked upon Matilda in particular as nothing more than a scab. A scab is something you have to put up with until the time comes when you can pick it off and flick it away.” — Matilda , Roald Dahl

10. “Mr. Neck storms into class, a bull chasing thirty-three red flags." — Speak , Laurie Anderson

11. “’Well, you keep away from her, cause she’s a rattrap if I ever seen one.’” — Of Mice and Men , John Steinbeck

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Metaphors can help “visualize” a situation or put an event in context:

12. “But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.” —Isaiah 64:8

13. “He could hear Beatty's voice. ‘Sit down, Montag. Watch. Delicately, like the petals of a flower. Light the first page, light the second page. Each becomes a black butterfly. Beautiful, eh? Light the third page from the second and so on, chainsmoking, chapter by chapter, all the silly things the words mean, all the false promises, all the second-hand notions and time-worn philosophies.’” — Fahrenheit 451 , Ray Bradbury

To entertain and tickle the brain, metaphor examples sometimes compare two extremely unlike things:

14. “Delia was an overbearing cake with condescending frosting, and frankly, I was on a diet.” ― Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception , Maggie Stiefvater

15. "The sun was a toddler insistently refusing to go to bed: It was past eight thirty and still light.” — Fault in Our Stars , John Green

16. “If wits were pins, the man would be a veritable hedgehog.” ― Fly by Night , Frances Hardinge

17. “What's this?" he inquired, none too pleasantly. "A circus?" "No, Julius. It's the end of the circus." "I see. And these are the clowns?" Foaly's head poked through the doorway. "Pardon me for interrupting your extended circus metaphor, but what the hell is that?” ― Artemis Fowl , Eoin Colfer

18. “Using a metaphor in front of a man as unimaginative as Ridcully was the same as putting a red flag to a bu — the same as putting something very annoying in front of someone who was annoyed by it.” ― Lords and Ladies , Terry Pratchett

Metaphors can help frame abstract concepts in ways that readers can easily grasp:

19. “My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” — Fault In Our Stars , John Green

20. “If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then to me.” — Macbeth , William Shakespeare

21. “Memories are bullets. Some whiz by and only spook you. Others tear you open and leave you in pieces.” ― Kill the Dead , Richard Kadrey

22. “Wishes are thorns, he told himself sharply. They do us no good, just stick into our skin and hurt us.” ― A Face Like Glass , Frances Hardinge

23. “’Life' wrote a friend of mine, 'is a public performance on the violin, in which you must learn the instrument as you go along.” ― A Room with a View , E.M. Forster

24. “There was an invisible necklace of nows, stretching out in front of her along the crazy, twisting road, each bead a golden second.” ― Cuckoo Song , Frances Hardinge

25. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” — As You Like It , William Shakespeare

Particularly prominent in the realm of poetry is the extended metaphor: a single metaphor that extends throughout all or part of a piece of work . Also known as a conceit , it is used by poets to develop an idea or concept in great detail over the length of a poem. (And we have some metaphor examples for you below.)

If you’d like to get a sense of the indispensable role that metaphors play in poetry, look no further than what Robert Frost once said: “They are having night schools now, you know, for college graduates. Why? Because they don’t know when they are being fooled by a metaphor. Education by poetry is education by metaphor.”

Poets use metaphors directly in the text to explain emotions and opinions:

26. She must make him happy. She must be his favorite place in Minneapolis. You are a souvenir shop, where he goes to remember how much people miss him when he is gone. —“ Unrequited Love Poem ,” Sierra DeMulder

27. She is all states, and all princes, I. Nothing else is. Princes do but play us; compared to this, All honour's mimic, all wealth alchemy. —“ The Sun Rising ,” John Donne

28. I watched a girl in a sundress kiss another girl on a park bench, and just as the sunlight spilled perfectly onto both of their hair, I thought to myself: How bravely beautiful it is, that sometimes, the sea wants the city, even when it has been told its entire life it was meant for the shore. —“I Watched A Girl In A Sundress,” Christopher Poindexter

Extended metaphors in particular explore and advance major themes in poems:

29. All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind. Thinking is always the stumbling stone to poetry. A great singer is he who sings our silences. How can you sing if your mouth be filled with food? How shall your hand be raised in blessing if it is filled with gold? They say the nightingale pierces his bosom with a thorn when he sings his love song. —“ Sand and Foam ,” Khalil Gibran

30. But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage / Can seldom see through his bars of rage / His wings are clipped and his feet are tied So he opens his throat to sing. —“ Caged Bird ,” Maya Angelou

31. Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by / And that has made all the difference. —“ The Road Not Taken ,” Robert Frost

32. Marriage is not a house or even a tent it is before that, and colder: the edge of the forest, the edge of the desert the edge of the receding glacier where painfully and with wonder at having survived even this far we are learning to make fire —“ Habitation ,” Margaret Atwood

33. These poems do not live: it's a sad diagnosis. They grew their toes and fingers well enough, Their little foreheads bulged with concentration. If they missed out on walking about like people It wasn't for any lack of mother-love. —“ Stillborn ,” Sylvia Plath

34. Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul / And sings the tune without the words / And never stops at all. —“ Hope Is The Thing With Feathers ,” Emily Dickinson

Daily Expressions

Here’s some food for thought (35): you’ve probably already used a metaphor (or more) in your daily speech today without even realizing it. Metaphorical expressions pepper the English language by helping us illustrate and pinpoint exactly what we want to say. As a result, metaphors are everywhere in our common vocabulary: you may even be drowning in a sea (36) of them as we speak. But let’s cut to our list of metaphor examples before we jump the shark (37).

38. Love is a battlefield.

39. You’ve given me something to chew on.

40. He’s just blowing off steam.

41. That is music to my ears.

42. Love is a fine wine.

43. She’s a thorn in my side.

44. You are the light in my life.

45. He has the heart of a lion.

46. Am I talking to a brick wall?

47. He has ants in his pants.

48. Beauty is a fading flower.

49. She has a heart of stone.

50. Fear is a beast that feeds on attention.

51. Life is a journey.

52. He’s a late bloomer.

53. He is a lame duck now.

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Metaphors are a must-have tool in every lyricist’s toolkit. From Elvis to Beyonce, songwriters use them to instinctively connect listeners to imagery and paint a visual for them. Most of the time, they find new ways to describe people, love — and, of course, break-ups. So if you’re thinking, “This is so sad Alexa play Titanium,” right now, you’re in the right place: here’s a look at some metaphor examples in songs.

54. You ain't nothin' but a hound dog / Cryin' all the time —“Hound Dog,” Elvis Presley

55. You're a fallen star / You're the getaway car / You're the line in the sand / When I go too far / You're the swimming pool / On an August day / And you're the perfect thing to say — “Everything,” Michael Buble

56. 'Cause baby you're a firework / Come on show 'em what your worth / Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!" / As you shoot across the sky-y-y — “Firework,” Katy Perry

57. I'm bulletproof nothing to lose / Fire away, fire away / Ricochet, you take your aim / Fire away, fire away / You shoot me down but I won't fall, I am titanium —“Titanium,” David Guetta

58. Life is a highway / I wanna ride it all night long / If you're going my way / I wanna drive it all night long —“Life Is A Highway,” Rascal Flatts

59. She's a Saturn with a sunroof / With her brown hair a-blowing / She's a soft place to land / And a good feeling knowing / She's a warm conversation —“She’s Everything,” Brad Paisley

60. I'm a marquise diamond / Could even make that Tiffany jealous / You say I give it to you hard / So bad, so bad / Make you never wanna leave / I won't, I won't —“Good For You,’ Selena Gomez

61. Remember those walls I built / Well, baby, they're tumbling down / And they didn't even put up a fight / They didn't even make a sound —“Halo,” Beyonce

62. Did I ever tell you you're my hero? / You're everything, everything I wish I could be / Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle / For you are the wind beneath my wings / 'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings —“Wind Beneath My Wings,” Bette Midler

63. You are my fire / The one desire / Believe when I say I want it that way —“I Want It That Way,” Backstreet Boys

64. Your body is a wonderland / Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands) / Your body is a wonderland —“Your Body Is A Wonderland,” John Mayer

65. I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!) / I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!) / I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!) / And don't it feel good —“I’m Walking On Sunshine,” Katrina and the Waves

66. If you wanna be with me / Baby there's a price to pay / I'm a genie in a bottle / You gotta rub me the right way —“Genie in a Bottle,” Christina Aguilera

67. If God is a DJ, life is a dance floor / Love is the rhythm, you are the music / If God is a DJ, life is a dance floor / You get what you're given it's all how you use it —“God Is A DJ,” P!nk

68. If this town / Is just an apple / Then let me take a bite —“Human Nature,” Michael Jackson

69. I just wanna be part of your symphony / Will you hold me tight and not let go? —“Symphony,” Clean Bandit

70. My heart's a stereo / It beats for you, so listen close / Hear my thoughts in every note —“Stereo Hearts,” Gym Class Heroes

71. I'm the sunshine in your hair / I'm the shadow on the ground / I'm the whisper in the wind / I'm your imaginary friend —“I’m Already There,” Lonestar

Films can add a different angle to the concept of a metaphor: because it’s a visual medium, certain objects on-screen will actually represent whatever the filmmaker intends it to represent. The same principle applies, of course — there’s still a direct comparison being made. It’s just that we can see the metaphor examples with our own eyes now.

Films can visually make clear comparisons between two elements on the screen:

72. “What beautiful blossoms we have this year. But look, this one’s late. I’ll bet that when it blooms it will be the most beautiful of all.” —from  Mulan

73. “Love is an open door Can I say something crazy? Will you marry me? Can I say something even crazier? Yes!” —from  Frozen

Metaphors are used in dialogue for characters to express themselves:

74. “You're television incarnate, Diana. Indifferent to suffering, insensitive to joy.” — Network

75. “Life's a climb. But the view is great.” — Hannah Montana: the Movie

Famous Quotations

Did you know that Plato was using metaphors to express his thoughts all the way back in 427 BC? Since then, some of our greatest minds have continued to turn to metaphors when illuminating ideas in front of the general public — a practice that’s become particularly prominent in political speeches and pithy witticisms. Here’s a sample of some of the ways that famous quotes have incorporated metaphor examples in the past.

76. “All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.” —Albert Einstein

77. “A good conscience is a continual Christmas.” —Benjamin Franklin

78. “America has tossed its cap over the wall of space.” —John F. Kennedy

79. “I don't approve of political jokes; I have seen too many of them get elected.” —Jon Stewart

80. “Conscience is a man’s compass.” —Vincent Van Gogh

81. “In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” —Albert Camus

82. “Time is the moving image of eternity.” ―Plato

83. “Every human is a school subject. This is rather a metaphorical way of saying it, to put it straight, those you love are few, and the ones you detest are many.” ―Michael Bassey Johnson

84. “Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.” —Will Rogers

85. “Life is little more than a loan shark: it exacts a very high rate of interest for the few pleasures it concedes.” —Luigi Pirandello

86. “America: in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words.  With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come.” —Barack Obama

87. “Bolshevism is a ghoul descending from a pile of skulls. It is not a policy; it is a disease. It is not a creed; it is a pestilence.” —Winston Churchill

88. “Books are mirrors of the soul.” —Virginia Woolf

89. “My life has a superb cast, but I can't figure out the plot.” —Ashleigh Brilliant

90. “I feel like we’re all in a super shitty Escape Room with really obvious clues like, ‘vote’ and ‘believe women’ and ‘don’t put children in cages.’” — Natasha Rothwell

91. “I travel the world, and I'm happy to say that America is still the great melting pot — maybe a chunky stew rather than a melting pot at this point, but you know what I mean.” —Philip Glass

92. “Life is a long road on a short journey.” —James Lendall Basford

93. “What therefore is truth? A mobile army of metaphors, metonymies, anthropomorphisms: in short a sum of human relations which become poetically and rhetorically intensified, metamorphosed, adorned, and after long usage seem to a nation fixed, canonic and binding.” —Nietzsche

94. “Life is a foreign language: all men mispronounce it.” —Christopher Morley

95. “Dying is a wild night and a new road.” —Emily Dickinson

96. “And your very flesh shall be a great poem.” —Walt Whitman

And as a bonus gift, here’s one last metaphor for the road, from one of our brightest philosophers. We’ll let Calvin have the last word:

Did we miss any of your favorite metaphors? Have more metaphor examples for us? Leave them in the (non-metaphorical) box below and we'll add them right in.

6 responses

James Hubbs says:

21/10/2018 – 23:44

Very useful article. Thank you. However, Fahrenheit 451 was written by Ray Bradbury, not George Orwell.

↪️ Reedsy replied:

22/10/2018 – 00:42

Great spot, James! That's now been fixed. Glad that the article was useful :)

Jonboy says:

21/05/2019 – 19:11

That Sylvia Plath quote nailed me. Ouch! Haven't read it but have to now...

21/06/2019 – 17:02

Another metaphor I love is “I’m just like them— an ordinary drone dressed in secrets and lies.” It’s from Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

DAVID COWART says:

18/11/2019 – 01:59

life is a highway is Tom Cochrane, not Rascal Flats

↪️ Martin Cavannagh replied:

22/11/2019 – 12:54

Rascal Flatts did a cover of the song. We were deciding between the two and decided that "Rascal Flatts" sounded funnier :D

Comments are currently closed.

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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.

Creative Writing: How to Sculpt My Narrative Vision?

Creative writing traditionally stands in opposition to technical writing, so named because it is used to differentiate imaginative and particularly original types of writing from more rigid types. However, creative writing is just as technical, and difficult, as these other types. The assumption is often made that creative writing is a talent – “can I really learn how to write creatively?” – but the true keys to creative writing, whether writing for your own enjoyment, preparing for a school or GCSE exam, are imagination, content, and organisation .

What do these three things mean?

Imagination – the GCSE prompts are usually very open-ended and broad, remind yourself that broad questions are not restrictive, and allow your mind to explore all caveats of the question, and take the reader on a truly original journey

Content – to showcase your ideas you need to be able to show your skill with tone, style, and vocabulary; we will touch on just how to do this later!

Organisation – planning the structure of your answer is key, even though creative writing can be seen as ‘looser’, remember that a good structure is a good way to ensure you are staying in control of the piece. We will touch on how to plan effectively later too!

Focussing on the ‘how’ and developing it:

It can be very daunting when you are presented with a vague prompt to think about how you might achieve all of these things, now we know what they mean let’s look at how we might break them down with an example.

Take the prompt: ‘ Think about a time you were afraid ’.

1) Imagination – where are you going with this? The prompt allows a lot of scope for you as a writer to take this piece wherever you want. You want to plan a piece you are excited by, that you are confident writing, and that is a little bit ‘outside the box’.

We can anticipate many students’ answers describing a spooky forest or a secluded house at night-time; if you are pushing for the higher boundaries, you want to write something that will make the examiner notice you.

Think about the last time you were afraid – how likely is it that you found yourself in a horror-film-esque eerie setting? Perhaps you want to describe the time you auditioned for the school talent show, or your first trip into the dentist alone. You don’t have to be totally avant-garde but remember a skilled writer can create a sense of unease using literary technique alone – don’t rely on a traditional ‘spooky setting’.

2) Content – how are you going to take us there? You want to ensure your communication is convincing and compelling. This means your need to maintain style and tone throughout.

Make a decision about the characteristics of who is narrating your story early on and stick with it (it will often be directed at you, but the examiner doesn’t know you as a person – be creative! If it suits your story to make yourself smarter, more anxious, quieter etc, then do it). Let’s look back to our prompt above. Perhaps you make the decision that you’re writing the piece as you, and you’re incredibly forgetful. This might mean you ask short questions throughout the piece, raising the tension. Maybe you feign confidence and so while the speech of the piece seems assured and at ease, the internal monologue is vastly different, throwing a sense of unease to the narrative early on.

Be ambitious with your vocabulary! Vocabulary is a great way to help set the tone of a piece. Likewise, explore a wide use of linguistic devices (metaphor, simile, imagery, personification, repetition, symbolism – we will come back to these later!)

3) Organisation – how can you plan effectively? When writing a creative piece, first and foremost, you want to ensure you have a varied use of structural features within your paragraphs.

As a rule of thumb, each new paragraph should aim to develop the story and either bring a new idea into the story or develop a previous one. Within each paragraph, aim to show the examiner that you are capable of developing your idea (i.e. continuing the narrative and plot), but also that you are able to detail this from a different perspective.

An effective way to do this is with a structural feature: pick an interesting way to start a new paragraph, focus on contrast, play around with repetition (if you can, play around with the pace of the writing too – see below!), withhold information, use dialogue, experiment with different sentence structures and paragraph lengths, etc.

Some specifics on: ‘linguistic devices’ and ‘structural features’

Linguistic devices and structural features, when used well, can help to make your writing incredibly compelling. Let’s look at some specifics on how we can play around with these and incorporate them into our writing.

1) Linguistic devices

Metaphor and simile – metaphors and similes are both ways to introduce comparisons into your work, which is a good way to bring some variety when describing something instead of just listing off more adjectives. Similes are used specifically with the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ (“life is like a box of chocolates”); metaphors are a direct statement of comparison (“life is a rollercoaster”).

o   How can you use these originally? When using these, we want to showcase not just our ability to use them, but also our imagination and vocabulary. With both of these, think of appropriate comparisons which develop the tone of your piece. For example, if you are writing a piece about happiness – ‘his smile was like that of a child at Christmas time’ (simile), or, if you are writing a piece about loneliness – ‘loneliness was a poison’ (metaphor). See how both comparisons match the tone – when writing a happy piece, we use specific things about happiness (e.g. Christmas), when writing a sadder piece, we use sadder objects for comparison (e.g. poison). This will help develop tone and showcase originality.

Imagery – this is used to develop key motifs within the mind of the reader; again, this is a tool for comparison whereby we are comparing something real with something imagined or ultimately non-literal.

o   A good way to think of imagery is to appeal to the reader’s senses: how can you create a sensory world for them? Take the brief above once more. We could say “I was afraid when I left the house”, or, we could appeal to sensory imagery: “I pulled my auburn hair into my mouth to chew it as I closed the door to the house. Thud. The air was cold on my cheeks, and my pink nose stood out against the grey sky and grey pavement.” Here, we paint a far richer picture, even though we don’t necessarily develop the story.

Personification - when a personal nature is given to a non-human object. This can be useful when you are faced with long descriptive paragraphs as it serves as another way to break up boring adjective listing.

o   Be imaginative and try and include this once in every piece if you can. Remember to tie it in with developing the tone of the piece! I.e. if you are writing a happy piece: “the sun smiled down on me, and I beamed back with gratitude” – this sentence creates an immediately positive atmosphere. However, the sentence: “the wind whispered quietly through the long grass” creates a sense of uncertainty. NB: notice how the weather is an easy and subtle way to help develop a ‘feeling’ throughout your writing.

Repetition – a word or phrase is repeated in order to achieve a certain desired effect. We can use different types of repetition to remain original and keep our writing sophisticated:

o   Try repeating only the last few words of a line – “If you don’t doubt yourself, and you can keep a clear head, then you can do it. You can do it.”

o   Try repeating the same phrase at the end of following sentences – “On the fields there was blood, in the sea there was blood, on the sand banks there was blood, on the ships there was blood…”

o   Try repeating the same words in a new sense to reveal information in a new light – “I don’t dance because I am happy, I am happy because I dance”

2) Structural features

Openings – you want to make sure the start of your text entices the reader, so you may want to start with a very developed complex sentence, with heaps of sensory imagery that immediately immerses the reader in the world of the piece; alternatively, or you may wish to grab their attention in a more direct way – “Bang! Oh god, how was I going to get out of this?”

Contrast – highlighting the difference between two things is a compelling way to describe and develop ideas; we have talked in depth about ways to do this above (simile, metaphor, imagery, sometimes repetition for effect)

Pace – experimenting with the pace of the piece is a very sophisticated way to create a mood. For example, if it is a summer’s day and time does not seem to pass, find a way to highlight this using some of the techniques outlined above – “the sun sat high in the sky, unwavering, for what seemed like forever”, “the sounds of the crickets chirping and the birds merriment overpowered the sound of my watch – we felt truly timeless”. Equally, if you want to build tension, find a way to increase the pace; generally, this can be done by piecing together short, simple sentences: “I knew I had to move fast. Round the door. Up the stairs. Wait. Breathe. Move. Up the next flight. Clear. Move.” Etc, this helps immerse the reader in the mental world of the narrator and as a result they engage far more with the piece.

Dialogue – inserting dialogue into a piece can be a convincing way to introduce new information to a text, think of ways to be inventive with this: does our narrator talk to themselves? What information are we told about additional characters that are introduced? What new approaches have we learned to aid with describing these new characters – and remember – always choose these in line with developing a tone for the piece.

Withholding information – this can be a useful way to build a sense of uncertainty and unease into a piece. Perhaps the narrator is withholding information from other characters, perhaps the narrator is withholding information from the readers themselves! “I knew it had to be done. I didn’t have time to consider the what-if’s and the maybes of it. It had to be done. And it had to be done now.” How much more unsettling is that sentence when we don’t discover what the ‘it’ is – if we want to create humour for a light-hearted piece, perhaps it is getting a tooth removed; if the piece is darker, perhaps the ‘it’ is something far more sinister…

Sentence length – Play around with a variation of simple and complex sentences. Complex sentences can be difficult to construct at first. Remember a few key rules: they are either used effectively to develop one key motif: ‘the snow was white and fell down like tiny elegant dancers in the wind, until at just a moment’s notice, it would land and join a far larger flurry of white across a thousand snow-drenched fields’. Additionally, complex sentences can be used to introduce a lot of new information in one succinct way: ‘It was autumn when he last came, not that I had been counting, but when he last came my hair came only to my shoulders, and I was not yet tall enough to reach the apples on the tree – gosh, what would he think of me now’. The difference between the two is clear, one develops a singular motif and one introduces new ideas quickly – both are effective, and you should aim to be able to write both types well.

While creative writing can seem daunting at first, using the three keys to success (imagination, content and organisation) alongside these advanced linguistic devices and structural features is a great way to develop and succeed in the creative writing exam. Start to enjoy taking the reader on a journey, learn to navigate the realms of description, experiment with tone and you will be well on your way to success! 

“Write it like it matters, and it will.” – Libba Bray

By U2 mentor, Hazel (Philosophy & Theology, University of Oxford and a published poet!)

Looking for a Creative Writing tutor to develop written skills?

If you are interested in support for your GCSE English Language or Literature papers, or general Creative Writing endeavours, why not check out our offerings on the GCSE page and book a free consultation to discuss how we can boost your chance of success. We have a large team of predominantly Oxbridge-educated English mentors who are well-placed to develop students’ written skills, teaching how to structure writing, and the literary and rhetorical techniques that this requires.

The ELAT: Our Guide to the Oxbridge English Admission Test in 2024

How to write a formal letter (11+ to gcse).

A metaphor is a figure of speech in which you say something is another thing. You create an analogy to compare or liken the two things.

The moon is a balloon

• In this phrase, you are comparing the motion of the moon rising in the sky to the motion of a balloon as it rises.
• When balloons rise into the sky, they usually move quite gently and steadily upwards.
• When the moon rises, it seems to move gently and steadily upwards.
• In this metaphor, it is the motion of both objects that we are looking at. Both objects move gently and smoothly upwards.

Anger flooding

• In this phrase, you are comparing the feeling of her sudden feeling of immense anger and the motion of water quickly flooding into an area and covering everything.
• In this metaphor, we get the image of anger covering up all the good feelings and good sense in the brain. The anger takes over, possibly causing damage to the girl’s life or relationships with other people

Sea of nameless faces

• In this phrase, you are comparing the image of the sea (which is full of water molecules) to a huge crowd (which is full of people he doesn’t recognise).
• In this image, there are so many people’s faces that it’s the only thing we can see. Just like when we look at the sea and only see water, in this metaphor we can only see faces in the crowd.

Curtain of fog

• In this example, you create the image of the fog falling down on the area as if it is a curtain being dropped over the place.
• This could also suggest that the fog is thick and difficult to see through.

Tips for Using Metaphors

A metaphor is a figure of speech in which you say something is another thing. You compare the qualities of two things within this.

Focus on the qualities of things

• Focus on the qualities of the things you are comparing – what kind of picture are you trying to paint?

Focus on the comparison

• For example, if I want to describe the disgusting and messy way someone eats, I could say that ‘he is a pig’ .

Extend to make your ideas clearer

• Metaphors leave a bit of room for interpretation – in the example of him being ‘a pig’ , a reader could interpret it to mean that the person is messy, dirty or greedy.
• But if you want to make your ideas clearer, simply extend your metaphor: e.g. ‘He is a pig, shovelling his food greedily between his sloppy lips’ .

Make clear comparisons

• Remember that your comparisons must be clear to anyone who reads them – there’s no point in giving a metaphorical comparison that most people would not understand!

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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A List of Similes and Metaphors to Enrich Your Literary Skills

Figures of speech can render a piece of art with so much more appeal than a plain text, don't you think? Similes and metaphors are simple to understand, and they make for some very interesting pieces of art. In fact, they are some of the simplest forms of literary techniques and can be easily identified in a text.

Figures of speech can render a piece of art with so much more appeal than a plain text, don’t you think? Similes and metaphors are simple to understand, and they make for some very interesting pieces of art. In fact, they are some of the simplest forms of literary techniques and can be easily identified in a text.

Making the Distinction

Similes will use words like ‘as’, ‘like’, and ‘than’; whereas metaphors will use words like ‘was’, ‘is’ and ‘were’.

The work gains angles and dimensions, you start to look beyond the obvious and a superlative form of art begins to draw itself, to say the least. And while there are several such figures of speech that can be looked into, in this particular article, we will focus on two literary devices―Similes and Metaphors.

A list of similes and metaphors will help you identify the same and you will understand what it means to have these play in your text. In this following Penlighten article, we will provide you with a list of the same for easy reference and understanding. But before that, let us understand what similes and metaphors are.

What are Similes and Metaphors??

A simile is a literary technique that is used to compare two concepts. These concepts might be completely different in all aspects, but when they are being compared, there is that one distinct concept that draws a similarity between them. The comparison is usually carried through with words like As, Like and Than. A characteristic style of the usage of similes is that the two objects that are being compared remain different in all matters and the reader has no doubt about the same.

Example of Simile

John’s words felt like shards of glass when he spoke such hateful things.

Explanation

In the example given above, in case of a simile, John’s words are compared to shards of glass, which means that just as the shards of glass would lead to immense hurt, similarly, his words are just as hurtful and cause for as much hurt.

Metaphors and similes have a common theme running, whereby they compare two very different concepts, or concepts that are not connected in either way to each other. The difference is that metaphors do not keep the concepts at differing levels but merge them into one and thereby draw similarities―considering, in fact, that they are one.

Example of Metaphor

John’s words were shards of glass when he spoke such hateful things.

In case of this example, the hurt caused by John’s words is not ‘compared’ to shards of glass, but takes on the exact quality of glass and causes for the hurt in that way.

List of Metaphors and Similes for Kids

List of common similes.

~ As quiet as a mouse ~ As quick as a flash ~ As white as a sheet ~ As brown as a berry ~ As red as a beetroot ~ As black as night ~ As sick as a dog ~ To sleep like a log ~ As sick as a parrot ~ As blind as a bat ~ As alike as two peas in a pod

~ As big as an elephant ~ As black as coal ~ As bright as a button ~ As brave as a lion ~ As bold as brass ~ As busy as a bee ~ As clean as a whistle ~ As clear as crystal ~ As clear as a bell ~ As cold as ice ~ As common as dirt ~ As blue as the deepest ocean ~ As stubborn as a mule ~ As soft as silk

~ As cool as a cucumber ~ As cunning as a fox ~ As dead as the dodo ~ As deaf as a post ~ As dead as a doornail ~ As different as chalk from cheese ~ As dry as a bone ~ As drunk as a lord ~ As dull as dishwater ~ As dry as dust ~ As easy as A.B.C.

~ As flat as a pancake ~ As easy as apple-pie ~ As fresh as a daisy ~ As free as a bird ~ As gentle as a lamb ~ As hot as hell ~ As hungry as a wolf ~ As light as a feather ~ As innocent as a lamb ~ As mad as a hatter ~ As pale as death

~ As obstinate as a mule ~ As mad as a hornet ~ As old as the hills ~ As proud as a peacock ~ As poor as a church mouse ~ As quick as a wink ~ As plain as day ~ As sharp as a razor ~ As silent as the dead ~ As slippery as an eel ~ As slow as a snail

~ As smooth as silk ~ As sour as vinegar ~ As stiff as a board ~ As steady as a rock ~ As straight as an arrow ~ As strong as an ox ~ As stubborn as a mule ~ As sturdy as an oak ~ As thin as a rake ~ As timid as a rabbit ~ As sure as death and taxes

~ As tough as old boots ~ As wise as an owl ~ To drink like a fish ~ As white as snow ~ To have a memory like a sieve ~ To sleep like a log ~ To have eyes like a hawk ~ To work like a dream ~ As cute as a bug’s ear ~ As clear as mud ~ As fit as a fiddle

~ As playful as a kitten ~ As loose as a goose ~ As nutty as a fruitcake ~ As hard as nails ~ As hot as blue blazes ~ As silent as the grave ~ As smooth as glass ~ As thorny as a rose bush ~ As smooth as a baby’s bottom ~ As tight as a drum ~ As bright as the moon

List of Metaphors

~ A laugh in a sea of sadness ~ He has a voice of a crow ~ He has a voice of a wolf ~ He has the heart of a lion ~ He is the sun of my sky ~ He swam in the sea of diamonds ~ He tried to help but his legs were rubber

~ Her hair was bone white ~ Her lips were butterflies ~ Her positive attitude is a lighthouse for the hopeful ~ His belt was a snake curling around his waist ~ His plans were rock solid and so were his aims ~ Ideas are wings ~ It’s raining men

~ Life is a mere dream, a fleeting shadow on a cloudy day ~ Light of their life ~ Love is fire ~ She is a dog when she eats ~ Spiritual seeking is treasure hunting ~ Thoughts are a storm, unexpected ~ Truth is food for him

~ You are the light in my life ~ They were eaten up with hatred ~ Mistrust had poisoned their relationship ~ I’ve been caught between a rock and a hard place ~ The weeks crawled by until we could meet again ~ Anger bottled up inside her ~ His words were cotton candy

~ He was a lion on the battlefield ~ The computers at school are old dinosaurs ~ The ballerina was a swan, gliding across the stage ~ The stars are sparkling diamonds ~ My big brother is a couch potato ~ They had entered their autumn years ~ Her tears were a river flowing down her cheeks

When you study literature and other works of art in more detail, you’ll find that the author or writer uses these figures of speech with more subtlety, or even grandeur. The levels of comparison also get more and more sophisticated, and that is where the beauty of the text lies. Similes and metaphors lend texts several layers of depth and make any work a pleasure to read.

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Miss Huttlestone's GCSE English

Because a whole class of wonderful minds are better than just one!

2 Grade 9 Creative Writing Examples

I recently asked my year 11s to pen a piece of description and/or narrative writing for their mini assessment. I gave them the following prompts:

Your school wants you to contribute to a collection of creative writing.

EITHER: Write a short story as suggested by this picture:

OR: Write a description about a person who has made a strong impression on you.

The following were two COMPELLING and CONVINCING examples of the second choice – one pupil taking ‘you’ as a fictional invitation, the other as a biographical one:

EXAMPLE ONE:

Gradually, I awake and open my eyes only to see the cracked white ceiling which greets me every day. Here I sit, slumped in the bed with the scratchy white sheets hugging me and muffled beeping noises jumping into my ears. Rubbing the sleep crust from my bloodshot eyes, I observe the scene before me. The sound of footsteps overlapping as nurses rush from bed to bed; the metallic tang from stainless steel invading my nostrils; the cold metal bed rail imprisoning and mocking me; the pungent scent of antiseptic troubling me and the blood-curdling cries and moans utterly terrifying me. Using all my strength, I try to imagine I am somewhere else, anywhere else but here.

Crowds, signs, roars: it was 1903 and the suffragette movement had begun. It was a crisp night, refreshing almost and I had taken to the streets. It was like I was possessed by something that night, some urge and deep desire within me that had led me there, surrounded by women like myself. I stood clueless and lost in the crowd; the women yelling ‘Deeds not words’ in unison; passionately parading with large wooden signs and viciously shattering windows with bricks and stones. Despite the violence that was displayed before me, I was not afraid of what was happening and I didn’t deem it unnecessary or improper, in fact I wanted the same as these women, I wanted equality. Abruptly, all of the roars and cheers became muted and faint, one woman walked slowly towards me, her hair messily swooped into an updo, her clothes somewhat dirtied and her chocolate brown corset slightly loosened. There was a glimmer in her eyes as tears seemed to swell within their hazel pools, she seemed inspired, hopeful. After reaching me in the crowd, she held out her hand, gently passing me a sign. Immediately, I clasped it and the yelling and chanting rang loudly in my ears once more. My journey had begun.

Here however, is where it ends. I am aware I do not have much time left, as the doctors have told me so, and spending my last moments in this hospital room is not optimal. However, as I look around I can see beauty within a room which at first glance seems void of it. The hollow medical tubes by my side remind me of the awful act of force feeding I have faced in the past; the shrieks and bawls of patients reflecting the pain women had felt in my time and the bed bars mirroring the prisons we were thrown into and the gates we would chain ourselves too. I know these things may seem far from beautiful, but I can see my past within this room, the power I possessed and the changes I have contributed to today. I know now that I can leave this earth having had an impact. Slowly I close my eyes, I can see her, the women who changed my life many years ago, her name, Emmeline Pankhurst.

EXAMPLE TWO:

I will never forget that day. The hazel pools of her eyes glazed over, and hands delicately placed at her sides. Nobody in the room could quite grasp the fact that this was happening. The crowds of black attire row on row seemed to mimic the thing she loves most in life, the piano. However, this time she had taken the ivory natural keys with her and left everyone else with the sharp tones. You needed both to create beautiful symphonies but all that filled the room was the excruciating silence of her absense. Even the metronone like ticks of the clock seemed to come to a standstill.

It had all began that day, she seemed to open up this whole new world for us to explore together as she placed my fingers onto the keys for the first time. I knew that this was what I was meant to do. She was the most passionately beautiful pianist I had ever seen in my life. Often, I would peer round the oak doorway before my lessons just to catch a glimpse at her. It seemed like nothing in the world mattered to her at the time.

As the years progressed, so did the scope of this world we were exploring. Each sheet of lovingly handwritten sheet music was like a new section of the map we were slowly creating together. Each of her students had their own map. Each as beautiful and each as unique as the pianist. The crotchets and quavers that adorned the staves directed the different paths we could take as my fingers graced the keys. This may not have been a beautiful ballet routine, but this was our dance and it had been carefully choreographed just for us.

That piano room was the safest place in the world. Every inch of it her: the potent scent of her floral perfume; shelves full of scruffy and well loved sheet music; rows upon rows of framed photos of her and her students; the vintage piano which she always kept in tune, it was home. I couldn’t bear the

idea that someone else was going move in and rip away the music room without a second thought. It was her music room.

It was up to me now. Up to me to finish this journey we had begun together.

She may not be with me in person anymore, but she will always live within the world we built together and nothing could ever change that. For she could never truly be gone since she left a piece of her within every one of her students; the passion for piano.

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Secondary English teacher in Herts. View all posts by gcseenglishwithmisshuttlestone

2 thoughts on “2 Grade 9 Creative Writing Examples”

This has helped me a lot, I myself am preparing for a narrative test like this and these prompts and descriptive short stories are marvellous! Thank you for sharing this! 🙂

My pleasure!

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Author, teacher, coach, geek

February 8, 2012

51 Great Similes to Spark Imagination

I love similes. They say more in 5-10 words than a whole paragraph. They are like spice to a stew, or perfume to an evening out. They evoke images far beyond the range of words.

Simile–the comparison of two unlike things using the word ‘like’ or ‘as’. As bald as a newborn babe. As blind as a bat. As white as snow.

Wait–no self-respecting writer would use those. Similes are as much about displaying the writer’s facility with her/his craft as communicating. We are challenged to come up with new comparisons no one has heard before. I’ve seen contests on writer’s blogs for similes and most leave me bored, if not disgusted. It’s harder than it looks to create a simile that works. Look at these I found on G+:

• #1 – Being with him was like sitting through a Twilight Marathon, all sparkles and self-loathing.
• #2 – She was as nervous as my guinea pig, Mittens, when we turned him loose in the hog-stall last winter. Soon we found out that he wasn’t THAT sort of a pig .
• #3 – The snow fell like billions of breadcrumbs, promising a flurry of activity and a huge pile of shit in the aftermath .
• #4 – Her eyes were as blue as the ink in my pen, that trickled its life’s blood gently down the front of my pocket, as I tried in vain to get her attention..
• #5 – His hair soared in the wind like a captive egret, finally released into the wild. Not a minute had passed before a passerby made a joke about “if it was truly yours, it’ll come back to you…” He punched that person.

OK, there’s one more rule about similes: Make them concise. If you look at the tried-and-true ones above, you’ll notice they’re pithy and quick:

• dead as a doornail
• blind as a bat
• dry as dust
• good as gold

They also seem to benefit from alliteration, though that isn’t required.

I’ve started collecting the ones I read that I like, hoping they’ll spark my imagination when the need arises. Enjoy these (and the occasional metaphor thrown in):

• Stuck out like a leg in a cast, like a dick on a female statue (or, as I’ve read: like a blue dick on a pig)
• Tangled as Grandma’s yarn
• Like Vulcan Kal-tow
• Sense of menace, like the purr of a puma feasting on an elk
• As supportive as a good recliner
• Like having someone else’s shadow
• Hung around his neck like a dead skunk
• Memories jumped him like muggers in the darkness
• when the click of the front door lock behind her sounds like the trumpet of angels
• Like putting toothpaste back in the tube
• dug in like a tick
• set up like a bowling pin (ala Jerry Garcia)
• as flexible as a rubber band
• fell on me and like mold, grew over the top
• on it like a NASCAR pit crew & it disappeared in minutes
• change his views like leaves change colors
• they melted away like snow from a fire
• computers are like dogs; they smell fear
• like exchanging stares with a statue
• It’s good to get up each morning as though your hair were on fire
• Belly preceding him like a cowcatcher on a locomotive
• like the difference between being thrown from the 15th and 16th floor–they both kill you
• that’s a stretch like a fat lady in ski pants
• looked like a college football player ten years out of shape
• waste you like a popsicle on a warm day
• stupider than a ball-peen hammer
• limp like an uprooted weed
• looked like a sunrise, extravagant and full of promise
• like air, you never tire of breathing it
• more beautiful than a bird dog on point
• our troops are the steel in our ship of state
• Is your garage like your garden or like your television set?
• Like a violin in a marching band
• Like a fireman, summoned only when there was trouble
• As limp as a French handshake
• Wanted to hear bad news like he wanted to remove a bandage—quickly as possible
• Collapsed like the French in Algeria
• Not unlike a long walk in tight shoes
• It’s like tinkering with the Titanic
• Vanish like my pay check during tax season?
• I felt completed, like a plant that has been watered
• She was as stiff and unyielding as a lawn chair
• She was like a cable stretched too tight and beginning to fray
• As subtle as a gun
• As much curiosity as a parsnip
• Her voice implied sexual desire the way an alto sax implies jazz
• as easy to read as a large print Tom Clancy novel
• page looks like somebody put it into a blender and hit the Whip button.
• The potential for disaster was enormous, like a family picnicking on the train tracks
• Like a rabies shot
• Winter morning was as bright as a hookers promise and warmer than her heart
• Beaming like a full moon
• As welcome as a fart in an elevator

Do you have any to share?

Jacqui Murray is the editor of a technology curriculum for K-sixth grade and creator of two technology training books for middle school. She is the author of Building a Midshipman , the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy midshipman. She is webmaster for five blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for Examiner.com , Editorial Review Board member for Journal for Computing Teachers , IMS tech expert, and a weekly contributor to Write Anything . Currently, she’s editing a thriller for her agent that should be be out to publishers this summer. Contact Jacqui at her writing office or her tech lab, Ask a Tech Teacher.

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Creative Writing Tips

Here are our top tips for acing any creative writing exam! 

1. HAVE A BANK OF STORY PLOT LINES READY

One of our top tips for any creative writing exam, is to have a bank of easily adapted plot ideas up your sleeve. Time is precious in an exam and you need to spend minimal time thinking, leaving you with the maximum amount of time to crack on with your writing!

2. DON'T MAKE YOUR PLOT LINES COMPLICATED

Don’t make your plot too complicated- only one thing needs to happen- just DESCRIBE ONE TEN MINUTE MOMENT. If your story was turned into a film, it would be a 10 minute scene, not a 2 hour film! Keep it simple! 

3. DESCRIBE DON'T EXPLAIN

This point carries on from point 2. When you have a complicated plot then you end up explaining and summarising. What any teacher or examiner wants to see in a story is description. One moment described very slowly, in lots of detail.   

4. DON'T BE AFRAID TO 'MAGPIE' IDEAS

'Magpieing' is a phrase that teachers use to describe using other people's ideas for story writing. Authors do it all the time! Nothing needs to be original! If you hear a great phrase in a book that you are reading, use it in a story! 

5. SHOW DON'T TELL

'Show don't tell' is  phrase that teachers use all the time, when teaching creative writing. It means, don't TELL me that the character is nervous; SHOW me that they are nervous by describing their sweaty palms and butterflies flutterin g in their tummy. 

6. PAINT A PICTURE IN THE READER'S MIND

If you write a simple sentence such as, 'The man walked down the road', you will conjure up different images in different reader's minds! Is it a tall man or a short man? Is he walking angrily or happily? Add description to paint the same picture in the reader's mind, as you have in your own! 

7. USE POWERFUL VERBS

The difference between an ok story and a great story, usually comes down to verb choices. Every sentence must contain a verb, so why not use powerful verb choices! For example, 'said' is a boring verb. Swap it for a verb such as 'mumbled' or 'screeched' to add more description! 

8. PERSONIFICATION

Personification is a writing technique, where an object is described like a person. The effect is that it tells you the mood of the story- how the characters are feeling. In  a happy story, the sun might be smiling but if the mood of the story is angry, the sun might be scowling! 

9. SIMILES AND METAPHORS

Similes and metaphors are both types of comparisons. We use these comparisons to exaggerate a quality. Similes use the word LIKE or AS- ' He ran as fast as a racing car' or 'He zoomed like a racing car'. A metaphor does not contain like or as- 'He was a racing car zooming.' 

10. ALLITERATION

 Alliteration is when words near or next to each other start with the same sound. An alliterative phrase like, 'flickering, firey flames' is effective because the repetition of the F sound emphasises the sound of the fire. This is a great way to add marks in an exam!

11. ONOMATOPOEIA

 We always want to describe using our senses, and onomatopoeic words describe sounds. Using sounds as verbs in a sentence, for example, BANGING, CRASHED, RUSTLING, SCREECHED, is a great way to add extra marks in a creative writing exam. 

12. AVOID REPETITION

Avoid repetition! Make sure that you vary the first word in every sentence- sometimes start with a verb, sometimes start with a preposition, sometimes sart with an adverb... Do NOT always start with He/ She/ The! Also,  vary your sentence length- some short, some medium, some long. 

13. GREAT WAYS TO START A STORY

Think carefully about the first sentence in your story, and more importantly the first WORD! Do not start with ‘Once upon a time’ or ‘One day’.  Starting with a subordinating conjunction like ‘As’ or ‘While’, is a great way to open a story as you are instantly giving the reader additional information to paint a picture of the scene in their minds.

14. PREPOSITIONS

Use prepositions in your sto ry- particularly at the start of sentences. Prepositions are words that tell us WHEN or WHERE. Prepositions that show where, are particularly good when describing a setting. It allows you to be precise and to paint a picture in the reader's mind. 

15. AVOID DIRECT SPEECH

Do not overuse direct speech- it tends to explain rather than describe. Direct speech can be a great way to start a story and it is effective in establishing relationships between the characters- but use it no more than twice. You will get a mark for correct punctuation but don’t waste dozens of lines on one mark!

16. USE THE ACRONYM MAPSO

Use the acronym MAPSO as a checklist to ensure that you have used a variety of techniques in your story. There are lots of acronyms out there, but I like MAPSO the best- it’s short, easy to remember and covers the 5 most important techniques- Metaphor, Alliteration, Personification, Simile, Onomatopoeia.

17. DESCRIBE ACTIONS NOT FEELINGS 

Avoid using these phrases in a story- they FELT, they THOUGHT, they WONDERED, they REALISED, they DECIDED… all of these phrases TELL the reader and what we want to do is SHOW. The reader is able to work out for themselves what the character is thinking and feeling from the description of their ACTIONS.

18. WHO/ WHERE/ WHEN/ WHAT/ WHY/ HOW

By the end of the first paragraph, make sure that the reader has an idea of WHO your character is, WHERE they are, WHEN it is (time of day/ season), WHAT they are doing when the story begins, HOW they are doing it (the mood) and WHY (it does not matter what order you put this information in). 

19. PLANNING

The key thing is to keep your plan short- spend no more than 2 minutes- it doesn’t matter if your plan is messy and you shouldn’t write in full sentences. A five part plan is ideal (just a few words for each section) as 5 paragraphs is about the right length for a story written in a half hour exam.

20. CHECK SPELLING AND PUNCTUATION

Always  leave yourself a few minutes at the end of the exam to check for silly mistakes!

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AQA GCSE English Language Descriptive Writing: Extended Metaphors

Subject: English

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Other

Last updated

22 February 2018

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25 Awesome Story Ideas for Creative Writing for GCSE English Language

by melaniewp | Jun 23, 2013 | Creative Writing , English Language Exam , GCSE , IGCSE , Writing | 0 comments

ALL ABOUT CHARACTER

[1] Old man loses his last picture of himself with his long dead wife. This could link to ‘Long Distance’ by Tony Harrison. Trying to find it, he goes through her things. This is one for flashback. He discovers secrets, or that she has left him a series of letters/notes for after her death. Start this when he realises he’s lost the picture.

[3]  A woman’s (or man’s) jealousy of her (or his) best friend takes over their life . Could link to ‘Othello’ or ‘Medusa’. Think about why. Start this when the woman is with her friend in a frenzy of jealousy…

[4]  A model who has always been obsessed with her looks has acid splashed in her face and is disfigured. Could link to ‘Les Grands Seigneurs’, or ‘Mirror’ by Sylvia Plath. Start this with her looking in the mirror then opening her front door… By the way, this story is true. The woman in the picture is called Katie Piper .

[5]  Fear of heights : nine year old with family who are in visiting a famous tall tower for the first time. The rest of her family want to go up the tower, but if the child won’t go up, someone will have to stay behind with them. Start this at the foot of the tower…

Want more ideas? Get a complete set plus a teaching scheme with model essays and all resources on my TES Resources shop  here .

[6]  Small child really wants cake but has been forbidden from taking it down from the shelf. Start this story with the child lusting after the cake, which you should describe – baking, decorating etc – in delicious detail. [ read a short, very funny version of this here ]

[7]  A man is obsessed with a woman who does not love him back (or the other way round) . Could link to ‘Havisham’ by Carol Ann Duffy, ‘Give’ or ‘Alaska’ by Simon Armitage or  ‘The River God’ by Stevie Smith . Start this when he realises she doesn’t love him back or when he decides to do something about it – get a haircut, stop eating raw onions, go to the gym, pretend that he also loves ‘horoscopes’ and ‘shopping’…

[8] Dangerous Ambition (links to Macbeth). Want the lead role in the school play (or to be head girl/boy)? What will you do to get it? Start this when you realise the lead is up for grabs but you’re not the first choice.

Racing Car driver (motorcross, road or drag racer) is up against his old teammate, now his main rival. Driver needs to win this one or it’s the end of his career. He sees that one of the mechanics on his  rival’s car has fixed something up wrong. What does he do?

[9]  Jealous woman (or man) chases husband (wife) to find out where they’re going. Could link to ‘Medusa’, ‘Havisham’, or ‘Othello’. Start this story when they decide to chase / follow. Use flashback, or recollection to explain why.

[10] Small child really wants to go to another child’s birthday party but there’s a problem. He has to go to his dad’s that weekend/hasn’t been invited/has to go to the dentist instead. How does he deal with or solve it? Start this story at the moment where the child realises he can’t go. [ read a short, hilarious one here ] III Lost

[11]  An old man, who has never cooked or cleaned for himself, has just got home after his wife died (of old age, in hospital). You could link this to ‘Old Age Gets Up’ by Ted Hughes. Now he has to try to do housework – cook, etc. Could be comic / tragic.

[12]  You go for a forest walk (e.g. on a Geography trip or DofE) with someone you don’t like much from school and get lost.  Could link to Robert Frost’s poem ‘The Road Not Taken’, ‘Storm in the Black Forest’ by D.H. Lawrence or ‘Wind’ by Ted Hughes. Start this story just before the main character begins to suspect they are lost. Start funny, ends up scary as it starts to go dark. Get describing words for a forest story here .

[13] Parent-Child:  In a busy town centre, a mother loses her child who has previously been annoying her . Link this to ‘Mother A Distance Greater…’ by Simon Armitage, ‘Catrin’ by Gillian Clarke or ‘My Father Thought it Bloody Queer’. Start this with the child’s tantrum, mother’s thoughts then quickly move to realising the child is gone.

[14]  World famous BMXer (or other sports person, footballer, skateboarder, surfer) is in a car crash – or other accident – and loses his leg. Will he ever ride again?  This can link to ‘Out, Out-‘ by Robert Frost. For more on the guy in the photo see this video . Start this story when he wakes up in a hospital bed.

[15] A bsent father returns trying to spend time with his kids. How do they react to seeing him after so long? [this idea is done beautifully in the story, ‘Compass and Torch’ in the AQA anthology Sunlight on the Grass]. You could also link this to ‘Follower’ by Seamus Heaney. Start this when the re’s a knock at the front door.

[16]  You win a million pounds on the lottery. Everyone you know wants some. What would you buy? Friendships are ruined. Then you are robbed… Start this when you check your bank balance and there are sooooo many noughts at the end it looks like a bank malfunction. IV Coming of Age

[17]  Death of a pet. Ferociously funny, very short story about a girl and a fish [ here ]. Start this when you find the pet… dead, or just before. You can use flashback – when you first got the pet, etc.

[18]  Learning a secret you wish you’d never found out – e.g. finding texts on your dad’s mobile from his girlfriend while your parents are still married – or learning that your mum is planning to secretly leave your dad. Start this when you’re just idly messing with the parent’s phone or laptop.

[19]  falling in love for the first time , as in Romeo and Juliet. Start this when they see each other or their first proper meeting. Link this to ‘Sonnet 18 Shall I Compare Thee’, ‘Sonnet 116 Let Me Not’, ‘Quickdraw’ or ‘Hour’, by Carol Ann Duffy or ‘To His Coy Mistress’ by Andrew Marvell.

[20]  The first time you have to do a really disgusting piece of housework / cook a meal for yourself and how you tackle it. Start this when you realise that no one else is going to do this foul job except you. Read a description of cooking a meal here .

V The Chase / Monsters

[21]  You’re camping with your friend in the woods. Then you hear a noise outside (wolves, person, etc). Start this as you’re getting settled to go to sleep – then you hear snuffling (or whatever). Read Bill Bryson’s hilarious account of this exact event, and also an account of surviving a bear attack from the OCR exam paper here.

[22]  You have something someone else wants – gold, diamonds etc. They chase you to get it. You choose the landscape: city, ruined derelict warehouses, Brazil, forest, cliffs etc. Start this at the moment you realise someone is following you. You can link this to the final chapter of Lord of the Flies .

[23]  You are the last surviving human after the zombie/vampire apocalypse. Now they have found you. This is the plot of ‘I Am Legend’. You can link this to Edwin Muir’s post-apocalyptic poem ‘Horses’, ‘Wind’ by Ted Hughes or the final chapter of Lord of the Flies . Start this at the moment you (or the main character) realises someone is coming towards your hiding place.

[24]  The King is a tyrant who has killed your family. Now you will take revenge . Start this story as you are just about to go through the city walls.

[25]  You wake up and discover you have been turned into a giant insect. How does your family react? This is the plot of Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Read this here . Start at the point you wake up, and gradually realise what has happened.

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12 Sun, Sunrise & Sunset Metaphors for Writers

The sun is one of the most common contextual features of a setting that we write about. But it’s hard to come up with creative new ways to talk about something that has been discussed in countless books over Millenia. Below, I’ve compiled some creative sun metaphors that can help you break through that writer’s block and find the perfect setting description in your story.

After exploring metaphors for the sun, I’ll also provide some further adjectives and color descriptions that can help add flair to your writing, and create the perfect image in your reader’s mind.

Sun Metaphors and Similes

1. it slipped through my fingers.

You can picture in your mind sunrays on your hand and, with your fingers outstretched, some of them passing through the gaps in your fingers to lay on the ground below. To say it slipped through your fingers is metaphorical because it didn’t literally slip through anything. It didn’t slide or bounce or refract off your fingers at all. In fact, the it is a long, long way away. Rather, it’s the sunrays that pass between the fingers. But we can be much more creative and visual in our description than to say “the sun rays passed between my fingers” – so we say “it slipped through”.

2. The Blazing Sun Mocked Me

This is an example of personification of the sun. In this metaphor, the sun isn’t a friend but a tormentor. An example of a time when it might mock a protagonist is when they’re out on a hike through the desert. The protagonist is exhausted and dehydrated, with a long way to walk in the heat of the day. Here, we might imagine the protagonist being along and feeling as if the sun is their only company. But the heat means it isn’t a friend but an enemy, mocking you as you try to escape its heat.

Related: A List of Summer Metaphors, Similes and Idioms

3. It Peeked Through the Clouds

We use this metaphor for the moon as well. Imagine the clouds obscuring the sun’s view, but as the clouds part, it seems like it “peeks out” at you to take a look. This is another example of personification. Of course, an object without personality or a brain can’t take a peek at anything. But this personification helps us to create an image in our minds.

This metaphor can be used at the end of a storm to show the end of the storm and the return to better weather.

4. It is a Golden Coin

When I took college classes in creative writing, my professor shared a book he wrote, and it opened with the line: “the sun flipped a golden coin”. I’ve always remembered it and banked this in my mind as a great way to start a story. Others have had their own adaptations of this, such as calling the sun a golden orb or medallion in the sky ( See Also: Sky Metaphors ).

5. The Sun Chased away the Clouds

Here again we have personification. Of course an inanimate object can’t chase anything or anyone! But what is happening here is the description of the changes in the weather as a battle between different elements. The clouds are being chased like a sheepdog chases sheep, to return to its rightful position as the top dog in the skies.

6. It Stood Watch over its Realm / Looked over You

We can imagine the sun being the ruler over us. It sits so far overhead and is visible from just about anywhere you are (so long as you’re outside). It almost feels like it’s watching us constantly, standing guard. Again, this is of course personification – it doesn’t really do any watching at all! If we were to consider it to be like a god , we can imagine it’s watching us and passing judgement on us all day long.

7. It Smiled Upon Me

This one is another more positive, upbeat metaphor. The idea that you are being smiled at from above gives you a sense that you’re blessed and cared for throughout your day. This might be a metaphor you use if you feel as if you’ve had a lucky day or got some good news today. You can’t imagine using this metaphor when you’re going through hardship or feeling the punishing heat of rays on your skin.

8. The Sun’s Yolk

This metaphor calls the sun an egg! It may sound absurd, but if you look at it, it looks like a yolk from the inside of an egg. You might write “the yolk of the sun” as a metaphor to describe it, for example. This is your classic straight-up metaphor where you are directly calling one thing something else.

Sunrise Metaphors and Similes

9. god’s morning star.

This is a metaphor you might want to use if you’re writing a story from a religious perspective. To wake to “God’s morning star” is to see God in nature – be it a Christian, Muslim or Buddhist God, or even simply a pantheist . It might be seen as a moment to reflect on God, the beauty of the world, or even a moment for quiet prayer before eating.

The character might be waking feeling blessed, or even, feeling as if they’re downtrodden but continue to sustain their faith in their religion.

The sun is quite literally a star , so this is borderline figurative or literal (also depending on you believe in God!).

Related: A List of 19 Light Metaphors

10. The Sunrise Greeted me in the Morning

I love this metaphor. I can imagine someone pulling open the curtains and feeling joyful about their day ahead. When the curtains open, the sun is revealed – shining big and bright right back at the protagonist. The sun is a symbol of the person’s mood and greets or “welcomes” you to a day you’re looking forward. Here, it is being personified, which means you’re giving human features to non-human things.

   Related Sun, Moon, Sky and Stars Articles:

• Red Sky Symbolism
• Sunrise Symbolism
• Sunset Symbolism
• Morning Symbolism
• Harvest Moon Symbolism
• Orange Sky Symbolism
• Sun and Sunrise Sayings
• Morning Star Symbolism
• Symbolism of the Sun
• Night Symbolism
• Darkness Symbolism

Sunset Metaphors and Similes

11. the sun succumbed to the moon.

This is a description you might use at the end of the day as night falls. Here, we can imagine the sun and moon taking shifts (there’s another metaphor for you!). They swap each 12 hours, almost like they’re in an unending battle. Here, the sun is the loser, succumbing to the moon (or night), to “retreat” through night.

12. It went to Bed

This is a metaphor to explain the coming of the night. Just as we go to bed, we can also imagine that orb in the sky going to sleep for the night. We shape the patterns of our lives around the night and day, so it makes sense for us to project some of our behaviors back onto the sun itself. This, again, is a form of personification where it’s being given the trait of an animal or human – the idea of going to bed!

Read Also: A List of Nature Idioms and Nature Metaphors

Colors to Describe the Sun

• Yellow – This is probably the most common color that comes to mind. On a clear day in the middle of the day, we’d expect its color to be yellow.
• Amber – This is the color you might expect to see during dusk or early in the morning.
• Copper – We’ll often use “copper” as an adjective in creative descriptions, such as “the scorching copper sun”.
• Honeycomb – This is the color you might experience in a certain ambiance, such as in a forest where the rays slip through the leaves and spot the forest surface with honeycomb colors and patterns.
• Golden – Like Amber, we might use this descriptive color when the atmosphere is thick at dawn or dusk.

Adjectives to Describe the Sun

• Blazing – A term you might use on a particularly hot day.
• Flaming – Similar to blazing – for hot days.
• Glowing – A good term for sunrise or sunset when there is a golden color in the air.
• Shining – A good term for the middle of the day.
• Scorching – Another one for hot days.
• Scolding – Again, this adjective describes the heat of the day.
• Licking – When you can feel rays dancing on your skin.
• Tickling  – Similar to licking.

Sun metaphors can help enhance your writing and make it more descriptive. Aim to create an image in your reader’s mind by using adjectives and colors that match the mood you are trying to set. You can use different metaphors or idioms for different times of day or moods of your protagonists.

Other metaphors you can use in your writing to enrich it include happiness metaphors and fear metaphors.

I’m Chris and I run this website – a resource about symbolism, metaphors, idioms, and a whole lot more! Thanks for dropping by.

BRYN DONOVAN

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Master List for Describing Weather

A lot of writers struggle with describing settings. I’ve written before about how to describe settings and why it matters , but a few people have told me they’d like me to do some of my master lists for writers to help them out!

I have a weird love for creating lists like this, so I’m happy to do it. “How to describe weather” seemed like a good place to start. This way, you won’t get stuck trying to figure out how to describe nice weather, or thinking up ways to describe rain. Hopefully, this will make your writing go faster.

I always include simple as well as more creative ways to describe or write about weather. Sometimes, the simple word is the one you want! I included dryness and humidity in a few of the categories because it felt weird for them to get their own.

As always, this is not a comprehensive list, and I might add to it. My list will probably make you think of other possibilities, too. Bookmark or pin it for future writing reference!

HOT WEATHER 

blazing sunshine

glaring sun

baking in the sun

sun-drenched

scorching heat

extravagant heat

relentless sun

like a suana

dense tropical heat

radiating heat

blistering heat

oppressive heat

insufferable heat

suffocating heat

heat pressing down

searing sun

shimmering heat

like an oven

like a furnace

WARM / PLEASANT WEATHER

(“Pleasant” is a matter of opinion, of course.)

a beautiful day

a clear day

a temperate day

a golden day

a glorious day

heavenly weather

bright and sunny

a gorgeous spring day

a dazzling summer day

a brilliant autumn day

a vivid blue sky

a cloudless sky

fluffy white clouds

gentle sunshine

lazy sunshine

kind sunshine

filtered sunlight

dappled sunlight

welcome warmth

one of those rare, perfect days

the kind of day that made people forget to worry

the kind of day that lifted people’s moods

COOL WEATHER

refreshing air

stimulating cool air

invigorating cool air

bracing cool air

a nip in the air

a brisk day

a chilly day

weak sunshine

GRAY / OVERCAST WEATHER

(Most people don’t like gray days, so most of these descriptions are negative. I love them, so I had to add a few positive descriptions.)

colorless sky

a soft gray sky

a dove-gray sky

a gray day made for books and tea

steel-gray sky

granite sky

cement-gray sky

threatening clouds

foreboding clouds

COLD WEATHER

glacial air

bitter cold

brutal cold

bone-chilling cold

penetrating cold

devastating cold

numbing cold

punishing cold

dangerous cold

unforgiving cold

too cold to talk

so cold it burned one’s lungs

so cold it took one’s breath away

like a blast from a hair dryer

a gust of wind

insistent winds

heavy winds

strong winds

cutting wind

whipping winds

biting wind

wintry squall

violent gale

howling wind

shifting winds

restless wind

fresh breeze

soft breeze

balmy breeze

perfumed breeze

slight breeze

hint of a breeze

stirring breeze

wind rustling through the trees

fine drizzle

gray drizzle

pebbles of falling rain

spitting rain

stinging rain

steady rain

rain falling in torrents

cascades of rain

rain beating down

shower of rain

sheets of rain

hard-driving rain

pelting rain

lashing rain

slashing rain

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

rumbling in the distance

a roll of distant thunder

crash of thunder

crackle of thunder

crack of thunder

clap of thunder

bang of thunder

booming thunder

rattled with thunder

earth-shaking thunder

tempestuous

a furious storm

flash of lightning

streaks of lightning

SNOW AND ICE

flurries of snow

dancing flakes

snowflakes floating down

snowflakes wafting down

swirling snow

falling thick and fast

big flakes falling like petals

blinding snowstorm

raging blizzard

sparkling expanses

blankets of white

caked with snow

boulders of snow

branches coated in ice

glittering ice

crystallized by frost

silvered with frost

clouds of mist

swirling mist

billowing fog

cloaked in mist

cocooned in fog

shrouded in fog

enveloped by fog

smothered by fog

made mysterious by fog

the fog rolled in

the fog was burning off

the fog was lifting

the fog was clearing

the fog was dissipating

I have many lists like this in my book  Master Lists for Writers: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More . Check it out!

Do you describe weather conditions in your writing? Do you have a favorite example of a weather description? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading, and happy writing!

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21 thoughts on “ master list for describing weather ”.

In my current WIP, weather is a crucial element. Not only is the woman in the romance a professional photographer — of weather — but it is a weather phenomenon, namely a tornado, that brings them together. So the description of the sky and the weather is quite detailed in places (specially as the supercell storm roars down on them).

On another angle, the phrase “gloriously sunny” is one that despite having that horrible “ly” adverb (shudder) is so evocative of the type of weather and the POV character’s attitude (and possibly even the type of weather that has gone before), that it’s powerful. It says a huge amount with only two words.

Hi Chris! Oh, wow…that’s a lot more detailed than most of us ever get in writing about the weather. It sounds like a great premise!

I will need this list as I begin edits next month on my WIP. I currently live in Hawaii, but am writing a story at Christmas time in Vermont. 🙂 Thank you!

Aw, nice! That’s some very different weather from what you’re used to. 🙂

It really is! And traveling to the climate I need isn’t ideal right now. So, off to the freezer I go! 🙂

Wow! This is fantastic. Thanks. You ARE a master at this.

• Pingback: Master List for Describing Weather – Written By Bryn Donovan – Writer's Treasure Chest

This is comprehensive! It’s bookmarked for future use. Thanks!

Thanks, Steve, I’m glad you liked it!

Amazing list that goes beyond the words that I struggle with – especially describing the rain-painted setting of Snowdonia.

Love your lists. You don’t have one for beaches by any chance? Would this, including the weather be another book by any chance??

Hi, Nicole! It’s funny you should ask. 🙂 I am going to release a second, more expanded version of MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS . It’s going to have several setting descriptions in there (including a whole list for beaches!), and the weather list will be in there, too! I’m hoping to get it done before November of this year, but we’ll see. Thanks for asking!

That’s awesome and look forward to it’s release.

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I am in Chinan. I happened to enter this web-link and want to learn more about writing, I wonder if there are any descriptive passages. I can only find some words and expressions…

That was really useful. Thank you!

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This list is fabulous. Thank you for sharing it. I will be consulting it when incorporating weather elements into writing my next picture book.

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