A Mysterious Discovery.
You discovered something very strange on your way home from school yesterday. Write a letter to your friend in which you explain what you found in detail: where you were, what happened, how you felt and what you did.
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
The letter should sound like a real message after a baffling discovery. Unfold location, finding, feelings and response clearly, keeping the mysterious object central.
- letter format
- audience
- narrative sequencing
- vivid detail
Requirements to keep in mind
Write a letter to a friend about a strange discovery yesterday.
Plan your response
- Use a proper letter greeting and ending.
- Explain exactly where you found the object.
- Describe the unusual discovery using senses.
- Show your feelings and actions clearly.
Check your response against the task requirements. Leave time to review sentence clarity, punctuation and spelling.
Original atoply example response
Written by atoply, not an official school answer or mark scheme. Other successful responses are possible.
Reveal example and teaching notes
Dear Priya,
Something extraordinary happened on my way home from school yesterday, and I have to tell you about it!
I was walking past the old oak tree in the park when I noticed a patch of bright blue light shining from underneath its roots. At first I thought somebody had dropped a torch, but the light was flickering in a strange, steady pattern.
I crouched down and brushed away a layer of leaves. Hidden in a hollow was a tiny silver box, no bigger than a matchbox. Its lid was covered in unfamiliar symbols, and it felt surprisingly warm in my hand. When I touched one of the symbols, the box made a musical sound and the blue light vanished.
I was amazed, but also rather nervous. I did not open it or take it home. Instead, I stepped back, took a photograph from a safe distance and told Mum as soon as I reached the house. We decided to contact the park staff so they could examine it safely.
What do you think it could have been? I keep wondering whether somebody lost it—or whether it was meant to be found.
Your friend, Jamie
Learn from the example
- The address and voice establish a relationship between writer and recipient. That relationship should guide the level of formality and the details included.
- The response combines information with the writer's feelings or purpose. Develop each point in a way that suits the recipient rather than treating the letter as a general essay.