- Write a factual description in not more than 100 words of your favourite place where you would like to relax, highlighting its atmosphere, location, and what makes it special for you.
- Write a factual description in not more than 100 words of your favourite place where you would like to relax, highlighting its atmosphere, location, and what makes it special for you.
My Favourite Place to Relax
My favourite place to relax is the small terrace garden atop our house in the quiet lane of Rose Colony. Located on the third floor, it overlooks a row of gulmohar trees and, beyond them, the distant blue hills. The atmosphere is calm and unhurried — potted marigolds and jasmine scent the air, while a wicker chair sits in one shaded corner. Every evening a gentle breeze cools the tiled floor, and birds settle on the parapet. What makes it special is the silence: away from traffic and screens, I read, sip tea and watch the sunset. It restores my peace completely.
Marking Scheme
- 1Content – 2 marks: all three cued aspects covered — location, atmosphere, and what makes it special; relevant, factual, sensory detail (roughly 0.5 for location, 1 for atmosphere, 0.5 for personal significance).
- 2Expression / Language – 1 mark: grammatical accuracy, correct descriptive vocabulary, appropriate use of present tense; deduct for repeated errors.
- 3Coherence & Format – 1 mark: logical ordering (location → atmosphere → significance), a suitable title, and adherence to the 100-word limit.
- 4Acceptable alternatives: any genuine relaxing place — a riverbank, library corner, hill-station room, park bench, grandparents' courtyard — provided the three cues are addressed factually.
- 5No penalty for slightly under 100 words; deduct up to 0.5 mark if substantially over the limit.
Hint
Give it a short title, then cover the three cued points in order — where it is (location), how it feels (atmosphere), and why it matters to you (special) — in one tight paragraph within 100 words.
Quick Oral Answer
A factual description objectively paints a real place using sensory detail and descriptive adjectives in the present tense; here I locate my terrace garden, describe its calm atmosphere, and explain that its silence and view make it my special retreat.
Analysis & Explanation
A factual description gives an objective, sensory-rich, orderly account of a real place within a strict word limit.
Concept
- Objectively covers the three cued pillars — atmosphere, location, and personal significance — not imaginative storytelling.
- Uses present tense and concrete descriptive adjectives (calm, shaded, unhurried) for immediacy.
Key Points
- Structure: name/locate the place → sensory atmosphere (sight, sound, smell, light/air) → why it matters to you.
- Spatial connectors (atop, beyond, in one corner) guide the reader's eye logically through the space.
- Word economy matters — one vivid, specific place beats a vague, generic one inside 100 words.
Common Mistakes (परीक्षा में सावधानी)
- Drifting into narrative ('One day I went there…') instead of a still, factual picture with no plot.
- Omitting one of the three graded cues — location, atmosphere, or personal significance.
Real-World Application
- Mirrors travel writing, real-estate listings, and reportage, where precise, evocative description helps a reader visualise an unseen place.
Common Mistakes
- 1Turning the description into a story or narrative ('One Sunday I visited…') instead of a static, factual picture of the place.
- 2Ignoring one of the three named cues — most students forget to state clearly what makes the place special to them personally.
- 3Exceeding the 100-word limit or padding with vague generalities ('it is very nice and beautiful') instead of specific, concrete sensory details.
Previously Asked
Write a factual description, in not more than 100 words, of a working model of 'Save Your Earth' that you have prepared for your school's Earth Day Exhibition.
Interesting Facts
Factual (objective) description differs from creative description in that it avoids exaggeration and invented events — it is the technique used in travel guides like Lonely Planet and in property listings.
Studies in environmental psychology (e.g., research popularised by the concept of 'attention restoration') show that natural, green settings like gardens genuinely lower stress and restore mental focus, which is why 'a garden' is such a fitting relaxing place.
CBSE's descriptive-writing tasks are marked on content, expression and coherence in roughly equal weight, so a grammatically clean but empty description scores no better than a detailed one riddled with errors.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a factual description and a story?
A factual description objectively paints a still picture of a place, person or object using sensory detail and present tense, with no plot or sequence of events. A story narrates events over time with characters and a beginning-middle-end. For this task you must describe the place as it is, not tell what happened there.
Do I need a title for a factual description?
A short, relevant title or heading (like 'My Favourite Place to Relax') is recommended — it frames the description and contributes to the coherence/format mark. Keep it brief and centred at the top.
How strict is the 100-word limit?
CBSE allows a small margin (usually ±10%). Going slightly over is fine, but padding well beyond 100 words can cost a coherence mark and wastes time. Aim to cover location, atmosphere and personal significance concisely within the limit.