Writing task
Write a short story or descriptive piece called “The Rays of the Moon”.
Marks: 20.
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
Write either a short story or a descriptive piece with the title The Rays of the Moon.
- accurate expression
- imaginative control
- structure
- audience awareness
Requirements to keep in mind
Choose ONE option in the writing section; option 1; 20 marks; no independent writing time specified.
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
Moonlight crossed the flooded courtyard in silver strips, stopping at the old clock tower. Mara had never seen its face illuminate before. Tonight every hand pointed towards twelve, although the bell had been silent for decades. She followed the light over the stones, noticing a narrow door that had not been there in daylight.
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.