Writing task
Write a story told from an animal’s point of view. The animal may be a pet or a wild animal. Describe events vividly, showing how that animal experiences the world. Aim for approximately 1 to 1½ handwritten pages.
Marks: 20.
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
A Day Told by a Wild Animal is a animal-perspective narrative task that tests originality, non-human viewpoint, sensory description. Use smell, sound, instincts and realistic limitations to create an authentic non-human voice.
- originality
- non-human viewpoint
- sensory description
- story structure
Requirements to keep in mind
Recommended writing time: approximately 25 minutes (as indicated in the paper/section); Writing marks: 20 (subject to separately awarded SPaG marks); Published task/option: 2 (where the source offers alternatives, pupils answer the paper's specified number, not all)
Plan your response
- Use smell, sound, instincts and realistic limitations to create an authentic non-human voice.
- Plan a clear beginning, development and ending within the time available.
- Use precise vocabulary and vary sentence lengths where appropriate.
- Proofread spelling, punctuation and paragraphing before finishing.
Check your response against the task requirements. Leave time to review sentence clarity, punctuation and spelling.
Short atoply teaching example
Written by atoply, not an official school answer or mark scheme. This short illustration shows selected techniques. It does not set a target length or expected mark for the timed task.
Reveal example and teaching notes
The world began with a tremor in the ground. From beneath the hedge I could feel the footsteps of the large creatures who crossed the garden each morning. Their shoes smelt of leather and rain. I waited until the smaller creature had put down its crumbs, then darted across the path. A black shadow passed over me. Hawk. I threw myself beneath a leaf as claws sliced the air. When the danger had gone, the crumbs were still there. Some mornings, breakfast required courage.
Learn from the example
- The example focuses on one situation, keeping the action easy to follow. Notice how a detail, action or decision moves that situation forward.
- Use the task's requirements to plan the development and ending of your own response; an opening alone does not demonstrate a complete story arc.