Unity of Purpose and Coherence Purpose: Here Is The Question and Written Response

As you read this story of a visit to the city of Leicester, notice how important the use
of description is to it. Look for how the writer's choice of what is described is never random - the
writer has worked hard to create and maintain a sense of unity of purpose and coherence by
ensuring that each thing described serves an important purpose that helps the reader in some
important way towards an understanding of the writer's purpose or controlling idea of the story.
This is to express the excitement we enjoy feeling when we find ourselves stumbling upon
something unusual. Notice also how the description relies on the senses - called sensory
description - sight, sound, smell and so on; also, notice how it uses a good deal
of vivid and original figurative language and well-chosen precise vocabulary
Notice also how the description within the story often aims to show rather than tell the reader.
This helps the reader feel as if they are really there. You should try hard to follow a similar
style in your own writing. Why? Because it helps to create atmosphere, and this allows the
reader to sense a particular mood and become more deeply involved with key parts or aspects
of the story.
The description also helps create an exciting sense of tension and excitement. All of this helps
the writing to be more interesting and compelling.
Perhaps you would never have thought of writing like this in response to such
a question. But in your own exam or coursework - dare to be different! - and
you will be richly rewarded by your teacher or the examiner who marks your
exam paper.
 So long as your writing relies on description - the use of imagery and
sensory description - you are on the right track.
Here is the question and written response:
Describe somewhere so that what you saw or felt at the time is communicated to your
reader. You might choose one of the following:
 a town at night
 a bustling city centre
 a busy or a quiet beach scene

A Day to Remember
an be such interesting places. They are full of people, full of cars, full of the hustle and bustle of life. And Leicester is no exception. I wa
xperience. But something was different last Saturday. There were more people, more cars and much more hustle and bustle than I had ev
h my mates that Saturday - as you do. We caught the same No. 19 bus from off the London Road. Nothing unusual in that. The journey w
. I can't even remember getting on the bus; but, I can certainly remember getting off.
off we were all pretty fed up. We were as hot as the proverbial Sahara Desert and as bothered as a bumble bee trapped in a beer bottle.
y had taken us over an hour. We hadn't noticed to start with. You know what it's like when you're chatting about this and that. And 'Big
so chatting about that had kept us more than a little occupied. Time flies by. But you also probably know what it's like on a hot, packed
the word 'jam' just doesn't adequately describe - thick porridge more like! Pretty awful once you realise what's happening. And what wa
London Road to see what was going on - that was after wiping away mist as thick as a cotton sheet from the steamed up window -
e had said to the whole of Leicestershire: 'Get yourself to Leicester today. There's a million quid going free under the Clock Tower.' The
k at an NEC pop concert than a city road; and as for the numbers of people, well...
story short, we did eventually climb - well tumble - off the bus. We'd have headed straight for our usual glass of cool Coke at the new M
e were more interested to know just what was going on. The crowds were huge. It was as if every nation, every age, every... body was th
ming, oohing and aahing. Then something else struck me. Was it my imagination, or was it darker than usual? There was something odd
all stop and look at each other frowning. We didn't have to ask the question, for we knew we all had the same thought in our minds. The
now that feeling you have just before a really bad thunder storm, when the sky turns inky and the air feels oddly cool and fresh? Well the
was no freshness. It was weird.
iced that what we had thought was an innocent grey cloud was, in fact, a moving swirling mass that swirled more quickly than any clou
one, we suddenly realised that it wasn't a cloud at all: it was smoke - thick, dark, haunting smoke. There was a fire somewhere - surely a
and shoving to get a closer look at what was going on.
h further through the crowd, the air began to feel electric. Ahead, the piercing 'flick', 'flick', 'flick' of blue lights were visible all around a
nting to see and yet being too frightened to look. And there it was - the new shopping centre. Ablaze. The smoke was like a wall of solid
hters, hoses, water jets and a crowd of faces looking on just like they would at a fireworks display, just looking and wondering.
st night, you'll know the rest. Not a lot to tell you, though, if you missed it. Unbelievably, no one was badly hurt and the fire-fighters had
time I got that Coke, I can tell you it was cooler and longer than any Coke I'd had before or I've had since. But we didn't get it from the n
Coke any longer... and no chance of any ice!

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As you read this story of a visit to the city of Leicester, notice how important the use

important way towards an understanding of the writer's purpose or controlling idea of the story.

of vivid and original figurative language and well-chosen precise vocabulary

reader to sense a particular mood and become more deeply involved with key parts or aspects

the writing to be more interesting and compelling.

a question. But in your own exam or coursework - dare to be different! - and

 So long as your writing relies on description - the use of imagery and

sensory description - you are on the right track.

Here is the question and written response:

reader. You might choose one of the following:

 a bustling city centre

 a busy or a quiet beach scene

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