Leaving Certificate Ordinary Level – Excellence in English Language and Literature
Setting
Think of the words of the writer Elmore Leonard here: ‘I try to leave out the parts that people skip.’ Too much description will bore your reader, but too little will make your story unconvincing. It is best, if you can, to work the descriptions of the setting into the fabric of the story rather than giving them a paragraph or two of their own.
When you are describing the setting, think of the fi ve senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, taste. You won’t be able to use all of these, but they can be very evocative.
Conclusion
It is vital that you end with a good conclusion. If you are writing a speech, a talk or an article, you may decide to end with a quote or a question.
If you are writing a short story or a personal narrative, you may wish to end with the lesson you or your chosen characters learned. A conclusion is a way of tying up all the ideas in your composition. It is not an appropriate time to bring up a new idea.
