The first of these was given to students in Clay’s Exercises 12-13 (1933); the others are mine. Choose one of the following and describe it, introducing people and action.

1 A waiting room.

2 A lift.

3 A cricket pavilion.

4 A shop at an airport.

5 A stables.

Try to make sure your scene helps the reader to answer six questions: What? Who? Where? When (e.g. in the day, or in history)? How? Why? But remember: Show, don’t tell!

This is adapted from an idea in Think and Speak (1929). It is an exercise not just in composition or description but also in visualisation. Choose a phrase below and expand it into a lively scene of at least one sentence. Including people or animals is a good way to impart interest and movement.

1 Van in street.

2 Bird feeder.

3 Kettle.

Try to make sure your scene helps the reader answer six questions: What? Who? Where? When (e.g. in the day, or in history)? How? Why? But remember: Show, don’t tell!

See Rudyard Kipling’s poem Six Honest Serving-Men.