Writing task
Write a story with the title “The Prize”. You may use a real experience or invent a fictional story.
Time: 30 minutes (as indicated for this published task).
Marks: 25.
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
The Prize is a creative narrative task that tests originality, plot control, narrative voice. Give the prize an emotional meaning beyond money or a trophy.
- originality
- plot control
- narrative voice
- accurate punctuation
Requirements to keep in mind
Recommended writing time: approximately 30 minutes (as indicated in the paper/section); Writing marks: 25 (subject to separately awarded SPaG marks); Published task/option: 1 (where the source offers alternatives, pupils answer the paper's specified number, not all)
Plan your response
- Give the prize an emotional meaning beyond money or a trophy.
- 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 envelope waited on the table with my name printed in careful black letters. I had expected to be excited. Instead, I thought of the hundreds of times I had nearly given up. My science project was small compared with the others: a homemade device to help Dad water his plants. When the judge called me forward, I could hear my classmates cheering. The medal was heavy in my palm, but the best moment came afterwards. Dad examined my invention and said, 'This is going to be useful.' Suddenly winning mattered less than making something that worked.
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.