This introduction covers Die kurze Schreibaufgabe — Describing a Photo within The short writing task: photo and sentences for GCSE German. Revise The short writing task: photo and sentences in Writing and Translation into German for GCSE German with 10 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 1 of 4 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📸 Die kurze Schreibaufgabe — Describing a Photo
In the short writing task you describe a photo in a few short German sentences — around 40 words. It is the most accessible writing mark on the paper: open with a set phrase, cover who is in the photo, where they are, and what they are doing, add one opinion with weil, and keep every sentence correct. Follow the four-element plan below and the marks look after themselves.
Practice questions for The short writing task: photo and sentences
Which German phrase is the most natural way to open a photo description?
A student writes: 'Ich finde das toll, weil das Wetter ist schön.' What is wrong with this sentence?
Quick recall flashcards
Es gibt...
There is... / There are...
Use to describe what is in the photo — takes the accusative case:
• Es gibt zwei Personen. (There are two people.)
• Es gibt einen Baum. (There is a tree.) — einen = accusative masculine
• Es gibt viele Kinder. (There are many children.)
Es gibt is always singular even when describing multiple things.
Das Foto zeigt...
The photo shows...
Alternative opener — use instead of or as well as Auf dem Foto sehe ich:
• Das Foto zeigt eine Familie im Garten.
• Das Foto zeigt Schüler in der Schule.
zeigt = third-person singular of zeigen (to show).