11+ Writing Guide
Master every type of exam writing task with comprehensive guides, expert tips, and practical examples.
11+ Writing Master Guide
Build exam confidence one task type at a time.
This complete guide keeps the original exam overview, tips, comparisons, resources, and practice routes together while presenting them in the same clean resource style.
What to Expect in 11+ Writing Exams
The 11+ writing exam is a crucial component of selective school entrance tests across the UK. Students are typically given 30-45 minutes to produce a piece of writing in response to a prompt. Understanding what examiners look for and how to structure your approach is essential for success.
What Examiners Look For
- ✓ Clear structure with beginning, middle, and end
- ✓ Varied and sophisticated vocabulary
- ✓ Engaging content that responds to the prompt
- ✓ Correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar (SPaG)
- ✓ Varied sentence structures and paragraph use
- ✓ Appropriate tone and style for the writing type
How Marks Are Awarded
- Content & Ideas (35-40%): Originality, relevance, and development
- Structure & Organization (25-30%): Coherent paragraphs and flow
- Language & Vocabulary (20-25%): Word choice and techniques
- SPaG (15-20%): Technical accuracy and sentence variety
Top 10 Writing Tips for 11+ Success
Plan before you write
Spend 5 minutes planning your structure and key ideas
Start with impact
Hook your reader with an engaging opening line or scene
Show, don't tell
Use descriptive details and actions rather than stating feelings
Vary your sentences
Mix short, punchy sentences with longer, complex ones
Use ambitious vocabulary
But only words you can spell correctly and use appropriately
Create clear paragraphs
Each paragraph should develop one main idea or event
Stay focused on the prompt
Don't go off-topic; answer what's being asked
Use literary techniques
Similes, metaphors, alliteration when appropriate
Leave time to check
Save 5 minutes to proofread for SPaG errors
Practice regularly
The more you write, the more confident you'll become
Master All 11+ Task Types
Explore comprehensive guides for the writing and comprehension tasks you may encounter in the 11+ exam.
Creative Writing
Master storytelling with engaging characters, settings, and creative techniques
Explore this sectionDescriptive Writing
Learn to paint vivid pictures with words and create atmosphere
Explore this sectionPersuasive Writing
Build compelling arguments that convince and influence readers
Explore this sectionDiscursive Writing
Discuss complex topics with balanced arguments and mature thinking
Explore this sectionAnalytical Writing
Explain how authors use language to create effects and meaning
Explore this sectionStandard Comprehension
Read passages carefully, infer meaning, and support answers with evidence
Explore this sectionComparing 11+ Task Types
| Task Type | Purpose | Key Features | Common Prompts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creative | Tell a story | Plot, characters, dialogue, story voice | "Write a story about...", "Continue this story..." |
| Descriptive | Paint a picture | Sensory details, imagery, atmosphere, mood | "Describe a place...", "Describe the moment..." |
| Persuasive | Convince the reader | Arguments, evidence, rhetorical devices, strong conclusion | "Write a letter to...", "Persuade readers to..." |
| Discursive | Discuss both sides | Balanced arguments, transitions, measured conclusion | "Discuss whether...", "Should we...?" |
| Analytical | Explain an author's choices | Quotations, language analysis, effect on the reader | "How does the author create...", "What effect does..." |
| Standard Comprehension | Understand and interpret a text | Retrieval, vocabulary, inference, deduction, structure | "What does this suggest?", "Why did the character...?" |
Ready to Excel in Your 11+ Writing Exam?
Start practicing with our comprehensive guides and expert tips.