Have you ever read your child’s story and thought, “This is good, but I can’t really picture where it’s happening”? You’re not alone. One of the most overlooked parts of 11 Plus writing is setting – but it’s also one of the most powerful tools to improve a child’s score.

I once worked with a lovely Year 5 boy who had a great imagination. But all his stories started the same way: “One day, I went to the park” or “It was a sunny morning.”

His plots were good, but they lacked atmosphere. We spent just one week focused on setting descriptions and the change was incredible. His stories suddenly had mood, tone, and a real sense of place – and the markers noticed.

So how do you help your child build better settings?

Why Setting Matters in the 11 Plus

A well-written setting:

• Creates atmosphere (e.g. tension, calm, mystery)
• Helps the reader feel grounded in the story
• Shows off your child’s descriptive vocabulary
• Encourages more varied sentence structure and paragraphing

Examiners want to feel like they’re inside the story. A strong setting helps your child stand out quickly – especially in timed tasks.

10 Ways to Improve Your Child’s Setting Descriptions

1. Start With the Five Senses

Encourage your child to answer:

• What can the character see?
• What can they hear?
• What can they smell?
• What can they feel?
• What can they taste (if relevant)?

Using 2–3 senses in a setting paragraph makes the scene feel real.

2. Add Movement to the Description

Instead of static scenes, use movement:

• “Leaves tumbled across the pavement.”
• “The trees shivered in the wind.”

It brings the setting to life.

3. Use Personification

Give the setting human qualities:

• “The wind whispered through the cracks.”
• “The windows watched her cross the street.”

This adds atmosphere and shows control of figurative language.

4. Change the Mood With Weather

Weather affects mood:

• Rain = sadness, mystery
• Sun = warmth, joy
• Fog = uncertainty, fear

Link the weather to how the character is feeling.

5. Zoom In on One Detail

Focus on a single item:

• “The rusted swing creaked in the silence.”
• “A cracked photo frame sat on the windowsill.”

This adds depth and emotion.

6. Use Colour and Light

Dark, dim, glowing, harsh, golden – these words build tone.

• “A dull, orange light spilled across the floor.”
• “Shadows curled around the corners of the room.”

7. Set the Scene Slowly

Let your child take a few sentences before launching into action. Create suspense or calm before the story kicks off.

8. Compare and Contrast

Use similes and metaphors:

• “The road stretched like a sleeping snake.”
• “The silence was thicker than fog.”

It helps stretch their ideas and vocabulary.

9. Keep It Relevant

The setting should match the tone of the story. A spooky house for a suspense story. A busy school hall for a recount.

10. Practise Short Descriptive Bursts

Give your child a 5-minute task:

• Describe a forest using three senses
• Write two sentences about a dark alley
• Create a peaceful scene in four lines

Short tasks build confidence without overwhelming them.

What to Do Next

Setting description is a game-changer in the 11 Plus. It shows control, builds mood, and makes stories memorable. But it’s rarely taught in schools in a way that sticks.

That’s why I go deep on setting descriptions inside the Descriptive Writing Mini Course. Your child will learn:

• How to build setting paragraphs from scratch
• When and where to use description
• How to link setting with character and plot

It’s simple, structured, and made for children who need that extra push with their writing.

Start the Descriptive Writing Mini Course and help your child write settings that bring their stories to life – and catch the examiner’s attention.