litumi
B1+ · Upper-intermediate35 min

Describing a photo

Syllabus topic 1: Describing a photo

140–190 words · Photo description. Use your own photo of a public activity, or this described practice scene: three adults are repairing bicycles in a courtyard; tools lie on a table in the foreground; one person points at a wheel while another listens; an open workshop door is behind them. Describe the scene, make cautious inferences and explain its overall impression. The description is a substitute for an actual photo.

Your writing task

Write 140–190 words. Use your own photo of a public activity, or this described practice scene: three adults are repairing bicycles in a courtyard; tools lie on a table in the foreground; one person points at a wheel while another listens; an open workshop door is behind them. Describe the scene, make cautious inferences and explain its overall impression. The description is a substitute for an actual photo.

Writing focus

Use may, might and appear to when you cannot know something from the image. Avoid presenting guessed occupations or emotions as facts.

Your progress

Ready to move on?

Mark this lesson as studied when you have finished the explanation.

My plan

Plan, write, revise

Suggested structure

  1. Give an overview and organise the visible details.
  2. Describe actions and relationships between elements.
  3. Make cautious inferences and state an overall impression.

Useful language

  • In the foreground,…
  • They appear to be…
  • This suggests that…

Use these phrases if they fit your ideas. There is no single correct response.

0 words · Suggested: 140–190Restoring your draft…

140 more words to reach the suggested range.

Review your draft

This is guided self-review, not automatic grading. The word range is a guide. Editing your text clears the checklist so you can review the new version; previous lesson completion stays in your history.

See an illustrative response

The scene shows three adults working on bicycles in a courtyard. In the foreground, a table is covered with tools, while an open workshop door can be seen behind the group. These details give the activity a practical, informal atmosphere. One person is pointing at a bicycle wheel, and another is watching closely. They appear to be discussing a repair rather than simply parking their bikes. The third person is working nearby, which suggests that several tasks are taking place at the same time. This may be a community workshop where people learn from one another, although the description does not establish who organised it. The person pointing could be explaining a problem or offering advice. Overall, the scene gives an impression of cooperation. The shared tools and the way one person listens to another support that impression. I would avoid assuming that everyone is an expert, since the activity could also involve learners.

This example illustrates structure and tone and may be shorter than the suggested range. Develop your own response.

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