A Stormy Bournemouth Afternoon - City of London School for Girls 11+ - 2021
Source passage
July had been blown out like a candle by the biting wind that ushered in a leaden August sky. A sharp, stinging drizzle fell, billowing into opaque grey sheets when the wind caught it. Along the Bournemouth sea-front the beach-huts turned bland wooden faces towards a greeny-grey, froth-chained sea that leapt eagerly at the cement bulwark of the shore. The gulls had been tumbled inland over the town, and they now drifted above the housetops on taut wings, whining peevishly. It was the sort of weather calculated to try anyone's endurance.
Writing task
The extract comes from the beginning of a novel. Continue the story. Write one or two paragraphs. You do not need to finish the story.
Remember to:
- use a range of interesting language and imagery.
- check your writing when you have finished.
đĄ Writing Tips
- â˘
- Write only one or two paragraphs.
- â˘
- Continue naturally from the hostile weather in the extract.
- â˘
- Use fresh images rather than copying its comparisons.
- â˘
- Introduce one person or event to begin a story.
- â˘
- Leave the plot open; a full ending is not required.
đ Sample Answer
The wind drove an abandoned newspaper along the promenade until it wrapped itself around a lamppost and shivered there. Beyond the sea wall, waves rose in crooked ranks, their white crests torn apart by the rain. Most of the beach huts were locked, but one blue door banged against its frame with an angry, hollow thud.
Ella hurried along the deserted pavement, holding her coat closed with one hand and shielding her eyes with the other. She had promised to meet her brother beside the pier, yet the familiar wooden structure was almost hidden behind a curtain of spray. Then she saw a small yellow umbrella caught between the railings. It struggled in the wind like a trapped bird. Underneath it lay a schoolbag, already soaked through. Ella stopped. Her brother's name was printed on the luggage tag, and there was no sign of him anywhere.
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