Writing to inform, explain, describe revision quiz

Description

Multi-question quiz allowing learners to revise the features of writing to inform, explain and describe in preparation for the written component of Paper 1 of the Edexcel Level /1/ Certificate in English Language exam.
Sarah Holmes
Quiz by Sarah Holmes, updated more than 1 year ago
Sarah Holmes
Created by Sarah Holmes over 8 years ago
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Resource summary

Question 1

Question
What is the purpose if the following piece of writing? We are a father and two sons living in a household without women. We are like an experiment in a satellite, free of normal earthly influences (like guilt, and bleach and sock drawers). We've lived for years now in a whole new all-male institution. Given its inadequacies as a child-rearing unit, I like it. It's so different from a household run by a woman. It's home alone except there are three of us. Here are a few characteristic gender moments.
Answer
  • Inform
  • Explain
  • Describe

Question 2

Question
Which of the following are the typical features of writing to inform? Tick all that apply.
Answer
  • Present tense
  • Causal connectives (connecting words indicating cause and effect)
  • Appeals to the senses
  • Clear topic sentences
  • Nouns and verbs dominate
  • Tendency towards simple and compound sentences

Question 3

Question
Complete this piece of writing to describe by choosing the most powerfully descriptive words and phrases from the drop-down menu. It is the opening of a story about one soldier's experience on the battlefields during the First World War. The [blank_start]muddy field[blank_end] was [blank_start]empty[blank_end] and the [blank_start]cold[blank_end] wind was [blank_start]blowing on my[blank_end] face. I was [blank_start]alone[blank_end] and [blank_start]felt tired[blank_end]. I hadn't slept [blank_start]for a long time[blank_end]. My legs ached and my [blank_start]worn-out[blank_end] boots were [blank_start]heavy because of the mud.[blank_end] I could still hear the [blank_start]deafening sounds of fighting[blank_end]. Smoke [blank_start]rose slowly[blank_end] from the [blank_start]places where the bombs had fallen[blank_end]. I saw the [blank_start]broken remains[blank_end] of tanks that had been [blank_start]hit[blank_end] by shells. All around [blank_start]lay dead people in their uniforms.[blank_end] The frozen faces [blank_start]looked at[blank_end] me as I [blank_start]walked[blank_end]. I searched for my friend among the dead. I continued [blank_start]looking for hours[blank_end]. It [blank_start]got dark and cold[blank_end]. I had to go because [blank_start]it would have been dangerous to stay.[blank_end]
Answer
  • muddy field
  • quaggy battlefield
  • battleground
  • empty
  • deserted
  • devoid of life
  • cold
  • biting
  • freezing
  • blowing on my
  • gnawing at my
  • lashing my
  • alone
  • desolate
  • isolated
  • felt tired
  • exhausted
  • worn-out
  • for a long time
  • for ages
  • for what felt like years
  • worn-out
  • ragged
  • broken-down
  • heavy because of the mud.
  • like lead weights due to the mire
  • dirty because of the filth
  • deafening sounds of fighting
  • haunting sounds of the battle
  • loud noises from the battle
  • rose slowly
  • curled gently
  • came from
  • places where the bombs had fallen
  • craters left by the exploding shells
  • shell-holes
  • broken remains
  • skeletal remains
  • burnt-out remains
  • hit
  • destroyed
  • obliterated
  • lay dead people in their uniforms.
  • lay the empty husks of my fellow men.
  • lay the dead of the battle.
  • looked at
  • admonished
  • watched me
  • walked
  • trudged
  • stumbled
  • looking for hours
  • to forage among the dead for hours
  • searching for hours
  • got dark and cold
  • grew dark and raw
  • became dark and dank
  • it would have been dangerous to stay.
  • nothing could survive here for long
  • to stay would mean certain death.

Question 4

Question
Writing to describe just means writing a fictional story.
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 5

Question
Which of the following is NOT a form of writing to inform?
Answer
  • Leaflets
  • Articles
  • Summaries
  • Reports
  • Autobiography

Question 6

Question
Complete the sentences by dragging and dropping the correct causal connectives in the spaces. 1) Water expands as it freezes, [blank_start]so[blank_end] ice takes more space than water. 2) Sales are down [blank_start]because of[blank_end] high prices. 3) As a [blank_start]result of[blank_end] overnight rain, the pitch is not fit to use and [blank_start]therefore[blank_end] the match has been cancelled.
Answer
  • so
  • and
  • but
  • because of
  • despite
  • but there are
  • result of
  • response to
  • precaution against
  • therefore
  • now
  • thus

Question 7

Question
When writing to inform or explain it is O.K to use bullet points.
Answer
  • True
  • False

Question 8

Question
Annotate this piece of writing to explain to show the key techniques that are used to make it an effective piece of writing to explain.
Answer
  • Third person
  • First person
  • General statement
  • Assertion
  • Active voice
  • Passive voice
  • Impersonal, formal tone
  • Friendly, informal tone
  • Causal connective
  • Temporal connective
  • Answers how
  • Answers when
  • Answers why
  • Answers who

Question 9

Question
Which of the following techniques could you use when writing to describe? Choose all that apply
Answer
  • Sensory language
  • Metaphors
  • Onomatopoeia
  • Similes
  • Personification
  • Technical or specialist vocabulary
  • Adjectives and adverbs
  • Imperatives
  • Bullet point lists

Question 10

Question
In any piece of writing, whatever the purpose, it is important to be able to use punctuation for effect. See if you can remember how to use the 7 most common punctuation marks by choosing from the drop-down menus to complete the explanations. 1) A full stop (.) is used to [blank_start]indicate that you have finished a point[blank_end] and are about to make a new one. 2) Commas (,) can indicate [blank_start]a pause[blank_end], [blank_start]separate clauses,[blank_end] allow the use of more than one [blank_start]adjective or adverb[blank_end], [blank_start]separate items on a list[blank_end] 3) Exclamations marks (!) should be used sparingly at the [blank_start]end of sentences[blank_end] to convey [blank_start]emotions such as surprise, anger, fear[blank_end] etc. . 4) Questions marks (?) are used to [blank_start]turn sentences into questions[blank_end] which can be [blank_start]direct or rhetorical.[blank_end] 5) A colon (:) is used to make a [blank_start]very definite pause[blank_end] and is most often used [blank_start]just before a list.[blank_end] 6) A semi colon (;) is used instead of [blank_start]a full stop[blank_end] so that two sentences which [blank_start]are linked by theme[blank_end] can be joined. 7) The apostrophe (') has [blank_start]two[blank_end] main uses. It can be used to [blank_start]indicate possession[blank_end] or to show [blank_start]when a letter is missing.[blank_end]
Answer
  • indicate that you have finished a point
  • indicate you need to take a breath
  • indicate you are about to start a list
  • a pause
  • time
  • a stop
  • separate clauses,
  • join sentences
  • end sentences
  • adjective or adverb
  • noun or verb
  • word
  • separate items on a list
  • separate sentences
  • separate paragraphs
  • end of sentences
  • beginning of sentences
  • end of paragraphs
  • emotions such as surprise, anger, fear
  • emotions such as love, greed, and envy
  • emotions clearly and concisely
  • turn sentences into questions
  • ask rhetorical questions
  • grab the reader's attention
  • direct or rhetorical.
  • long or short
  • open or closed
  • very definite pause
  • slight pause
  • definite stop
  • just before a list.
  • at the end of a sentence
  • to separate clauses
  • a full stop
  • a comma
  • a colon
  • are linked by theme
  • are not linked at all
  • about opposite ideas
  • two
  • three
  • four
  • indicate possession
  • indicate time
  • indicate place
  • when a letter is missing.
  • when a word is missing
  • when a sentence is missing
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