Writing task
Write about a character who is stuck in an unfamiliar or uncomfortable situation.
Time: 30 minutes (as indicated for this published task).
Marks: 20.
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
Write about a character who finds themselves stuck somewhere unfamiliar or uncomfortable.
- plot control
- originality
- scene setting
Requirements to keep in mind
Choose ONE option in the writing section; option b; 20 marks; 30 minutes advised.
Plan your response
- Follow the exact instruction, form and viewpoint in the source PDF.
- Plan a clear beginning and a focused development.
- Use distinctive details rather than general adjectives.
- Allow a few minutes to check accuracy before finishing.
Check your response against the task requirements. Leave time to review sentence clarity, punctuation and spelling.
Original atoply example opening
Written by atoply, not an official school answer or mark scheme. This is an opening only; develop the rest of the response to meet the task requirements.
Reveal example and teaching notes
The lift halted between floors with a metallic sigh. I pressed the button again, but the little red light merely blinked back at me. Somewhere above, music drifted faintly through the shaft. I could hear my own breathing. Then the speaker crackled, and a voice asked a question that made no sense: 'Are you carrying the blue envelope?'
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.