EssaysHow to write these essays
An essay on a festival or a national day has a natural order. Say what the day is and when it comes, tell why it is celebrated (the story or the history), describe how people celebrate it, and end with its message. The best marks go to essays that add something personal: how your own family or school celebrates, what you like most, what you would change.
Dates matter in these essays. Learn them exactly: 15 August 1947, 26 January 1950, 5 September, 14 November. If you are not sure of a date, leave it out instead of guessing.
A plan you can use for any festival essay
- Opening: name the festival, say when it falls and who celebrates it.
- The reason: tell the story or the piece of history behind it in three or four lines.
- The preparations: cleaning, shopping, decorating, rehearsing for the school function.
- The day itself: go from morning to night. What do people wear, eat, do and say to each other?
- The other side: one honest line about noise, smoke, waste or wasted water, and what can be done about it.
- Closing: the message of the day, in your own words.
Words that help
Festive, tradition, custom, ritual, victory of good over evil, harmony, patriotism, freedom fighters, sacrifice, tricolour, hoist, parade, salute, pay tribute, exchange sweets and greetings. Use a word only if you can explain it; a simple word used correctly is better than a grand one used wrongly.
Mistakes examiners notice
- Mixing up Independence Day and Republic Day. On one we remember freedom from British rule; on the other, the day the Constitution came into force.
- Writing only the story and nothing about how the day is celebrated today.
- Ending with a list of sweets in place of a thought.
- Writing the same opening line as everyone else in the class. Start with a scene from your own home or street.