Writing task
SECTION B: CREATIVE WRITING
You should spend around 25 minutes on this section
You are reminded of the importance of clear and accurate written English and of careful presentation in your answer. All questions carry equal marks. Start your answer on a new sheet of paper and write your name at the top.
Question 2: ‘It was only a little fib.’ Write a story that begins with these words.
[20 marks]
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
It Was Only a Little Fib is a moral-dilemma narrative task that tests motivation, consequences, character development. Create believable consequences that grow from one specific untruth.
- motivation
- consequences
- character development
- narrative pace
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
- Create believable consequences that grow from one specific untruth.
- 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
It was only a little fib. I told Mrs Patel that I had already returned the class camera, because I was certain it was in my bag at home. By lunchtime the whole school was looking for it. I checked every pocket twice and felt my stomach tighten. When I finally remembered leaving it beside the football pitch, rain had begun to fall. The camera was still there, wedged beneath a bench. I carried it back carefully. 'I should have told you earlier,' I said. Mrs Patel nodded. 'That would have helped,' she replied.
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.