Top Vocab Used by Top Students in Creative Writing
I read dozens of grade 8 and 9 answers to find the vocab top students actually use
This vocabulary won’t guarantee you top grades. But practising how to use it will! You should also know that you get marks for vocabulary in both AO5 and AO6. Double benefits, two birds with one stone, winner winner, chicken dinner.
So, here are some exercises you can do to make using these words easy in the exam. (It is worth pointing out these will work with any list of vocabulary you put together - you don’t need to stick to this list).
Senses
Pick out a range of vocabulary dealing with sounds. Pick a noisy scene to describe with the words. Then pick a calm scene to describe soft sounds.
Do the same with texture and touch. Then with smells. Finally, with taste.
Character
Pick vocabulary to describe a heroic character we are supposed to admire. Do the same for a villain. Write both descriptions.
Put both characters at the beginning of a story, and write about them as part of the same story.
Pick vocabulary to describe an old character. Then a young one. Write about them as above.
Atmosphere, Mood, Tone
Think of a scene where a character is happy, joyful, at peace. Pick vocabulary which will help you write that scene, and write it.
Think of a scene where the character is sad, angry, anxious. Pick vocabulary to write that scene.
Combine both of the above with writing about your characters (which means that your description will be the same as a real writer, rather than just to prove you are describing).
Setting
There are typical setting which can occur in most exam question and stories. Pick vocabulary to write about each of these:
The countryside
A city
The past – the sort of setting you would get in a fairy-tale
The future – the sort of setting Earth might be in 200 years
A place you would like to be
A place you would like to avoid
These 6 will cover any exam question you will ever get.
Simile, Metaphor, Personification
Find nouns which are not similar. For example billboards and battlefield. Write about one, using the other as a comparison.
Do the same, but find verbs from the list which you can add. For example, how can the billboard cascade or bustle or ripple etc.
This will be difficult, but because it is difficult, you will come up with creative solutions which lead to great writing.
Parts of Speech
Find 10 great verbs. Use these to write about a character.
Do the same to write about an animal.
Now find 10 to write about a robot or a machine, or both.
Do the same 3 tasks with adjectives.
Soundscape
Find 10 words which sound harsh because of their consonants. Write a scene with a harsh atmosphere.
Find 10 words with soft sounds, because of the softness of the vowels and consonants. Write a scene with peaceful atmosphere.
Choose words from the alphabetic list. Write a scene in which you use groups of words beginning with each letter. (Although you can warm up writing sentences with too much alliteration, edit them so that they gradually feel more natural).
Artificial Difficulties
Pick a word from several lists at random (say 15). Use each word in a scene.
Pick a specific word from several liss (e.g. the sixth word in the list). Use each word in a scene.
Write a 25-50 word sentence using as many of the words as you can.
Pick words at random. Use only one per sentence.
Pick words at random. Use at least three per sentence. (Or increase this number).
Find all the adverbs, or 15 adjectives, or 20 verbs and try to use all in the list to write a scene.
Do the same with colours
Creating artificial rules like this will force you to be much more creative.