11 plus creative writing topics

11+ creative writing guide with 50 example topics and prompts

by Hayley | Nov 17, 2022 | Exams , Writing | 0 comments

The 11+ exam is a school entrance exam taken in the academic year that a child in the UK turns eleven.

These exams are highly competitive, with multiple students battling for each school place awarded.

The 11 plus exam isn’t ‘one thing’, it varies in its structure and composition across the country. A creative writing task is included in nearly all of the 11 plus exams, and parents are often confused about what’s being tested.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the plot of your child’s writing task is important. It is not.

The real aim of the 11+ creative writing task is to showcase your child’s writing skills and techniques.

And that’s why preparation is so important.

This guide begins by answering all the FAQs that parents have about the 11+ creative writing task.

At the end of the article I give my best tips & strategies for preparing your child for the 11+ creative writing task , along with 50 fiction and non-fiction creative writing prompts from past papers you can use to help your child prepare. You’ll also want to check out my 11+ reading list , because great readers turn into great writers.

Do all 11+ exams include a writing task?

Not every 11+ exam includes a short story component, but many do. Usually 3 to 5 different prompts are given for the child to choose between and they are not always ‘creative’ (fiction) pieces. One or more non-fiction options might be given for children who prefer writing non-fiction to fiction.

Timings and marking vary from test to test. For example, the Kent 11+ Test gives students 10 minutes for planning followed by 30 minutes for writing. The Medway 11+ Test gives 60 minutes for writing with ‘space allowed’ on the answer booklet for planning.

Tasks vary too. In the Kent Test a handful of stimuli are given, whereas 11+ students in Essex are asked to produce two individually set paragraphs. The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CCSE) includes 2 creative writing paragraphs inside a 60-minute English exam.

Throughout the UK each 11+ exam has a different set of timings and papers based around the same themes. Before launching into any exam preparation it is essential to know the content and timing of your child’s particular writing task.

However varied and different these writing tasks might seem, there is one key element that binds them.

The mark scheme.

Although we can lean on previous examples to assess how likely a short story or a non-fiction tasks will be set, it would be naïve to rely completely on the content of past papers. Contemporary 11+ exams are designed to be ‘tutor-proof’ – meaning that the exam boards like to be unpredictable.

In my online writing club for kids , we teach a different task each week (following a spiral learning structure based on 10 set tasks). One task per week is perfected as the student moves through the programme of content, and one-to-one expert feedback ensures progression. This equips our writing club members to ‘write effectively for a range of purposes’ as stated in the English schools’ teacher assessment framework.

This approach ensures that students approaching a highly competitive entrance exam will be confident of the mark scheme (and able to meet its demands) for any task set.

Will my child have a choice of prompts to write from or do they have to respond to a single prompt, without a choice?

This varies. In the Kent Test there are usually 5 options given. The purpose is to gather a writing sample from each child in case of a headteacher appeal. A range of options should allow every child to showcase what they can do.

In Essex, two prescriptive paragraphs are set as part of an hour-long English paper that includes comprehension and vocabulary work. In Essex, there is no option to choose the subject matter.

The Medway Test just offers a single prompt for a whole hour of writing. Sometimes it is a creative piece. Recently it was a marketing leaflet.

The framework for teaching writing in English schools demands that in order to ‘exceed expectations’ or better, achieve ‘greater depth’, students need to be confident writing for a multitude of different purposes.

In what circumstances is a child’s creative writing task assessed?

In Essex (east of the UK) the two prescriptive writing tasks are found inside the English exam paper. They are integral to the exam and are assessed as part of this.

In Medway (east Kent in the South East) the writing task is marked and given a raw score. This is then adjusted for age and double counted. Thus, the paper is crucial to a pass.

In the west of the county of Kent there is a different system. The Kent Test has a writing task that is only marked in appeal cases. If a child dips below the passmark their school is allowed to put together a ‘headteacher’s appeal’. At this point – before the score is communicated to the parent (and probably under cover of darkness) the writing sample is pulled out of a drawer and assessed.

I’ve been running 11+ tutor clubs for years. Usually about 1% of my students passed at headteacher’s appeal.

Since starting the writing club, however, the number of students passing at appeal has gone up considerably. In recent years it’s been more like 5% of students passing on the strength of their writing sample.

What are the examiners looking for when they’re marking a student’s creative writing?

In England, the government has set out a framework for marking creative writing. There are specific ‘pupil can’ statements to assess whether a student is ‘working towards the expected standard,’ ‘working at the expected standard’ or ‘working at greater depth’.

Members of the headteacher panel assessing the writing task are given a considerable number of samples to assess at one time. These expert teachers have a clear understanding of the framework for marking, but will not be considering or discussing every detail of the writing sample as you might expect.

Schools are provided with a report after the samples have been assessed. This is very brief indeed. Often it will simply say ‘lack of precise vocabulary’ or ‘confused paragraphing.’

So there is no mark scheme as such. They won’t be totting up your child’s score to see if they have reached a given target. They are on the panel because of their experience, and they have a short time to make an instant judgement.

Does handwriting matter?

Handwriting is assessed in primary schools. Thus it is an element of the assessment framework the panel uses as a basis for their decision.

If the exam is very soon, then don’t worry if your child is not producing immaculate, cursive handwriting. The focus should simply be on making it well-formed and legible. Every element of the assessment framework does not need to be met and legible writing will allow the panel to read the content with ease.

Improve presentation quickly by offering a smooth rollerball pen instead of a pencil. Focus on fixing individual letters and praising your child for any hint of effort. The two samples below are from the same boy a few months apart. Small changes have transformed the look and feel:

Sample 1: First piece of work when joining the writing club

Sample 2: This is the same boy’s improved presentation and content

How long should the short story be.

First, it is not a short story as such—it is a writing sample. Your child needs to showcase their skills but there are no extra marks for finishing (or marks deducted for a half-finished piece).

For a half hour task, you should prepare your child to produce up to 4 paragraphs of beautifully crafted work. Correct spelling and proper English grammar is just the beginning. Each paragraph should have a different purpose to showcase the breadth and depth of their ability. A longer – 60 minute – task might have 5 paragraphs but rushing is to be discouraged. Considered and interesting paragraphs are so valuable, a shorter piece would be scored more highly than a rushed and dull longer piece.

I speak from experience. A while ago now I was a marker for Key Stage 2 English SATs Papers (taken in Year 6 at 11 years old). Hundreds of scripts were deposited on my doorstep each morning by DHL. There was so much work for me to get through that I came to dread long, rambling creative pieces. Some children can write pages and pages of repetitive nothingness. Ever since then, I have looked for crafted quality and am wary of children judging their own success by the number of lines competed.

Take a look at the piece of writing below. It’s an excellent example of a well-crafted piece.

Each paragraph is short, but the writer is skilful.

He used rich and precisely chosen vocabulary, he’s broken the text into natural paragraphs, and in the second paragraph he is beginning to vary his sentence openings. There is a sense of control to the sentences – the sentence structure varies with shorter and longer examples to manage tension. It is exciting to read, with a clear awareness of his audience. Punctuation is accurate and appropriate.

11+ creative writing example story

How important is it to revise for a creative writing task.

It is important.

Every student should go into their 11+ writing task with a clear paragraph plan secured. As each paragraph has a separate purpose – to showcase a specific skill – the plan should reflect this. Built into the plan is a means of flexing it, to alter the order of the paragraphs if the task demands it. There’s no point having a Beginning – Middle – End approach, as there’s nothing useful there to guide the student to the mark scheme.

Beyond this, my own students have created 3 – 5 stories that fit the same tight plan. However, the setting, mood and action are all completely different. This way a bank of rich vocabulary has already been explored and a technique or two of their own that fits the piece beautifully. These can be drawn upon on the day to boost confidence and give a greater sense of depth and consideration to their timed sample.

Preparation, rather than revision in its classic form, is the best approach. Over time, even weeks or months before the exam itself, contrasting stories are written, improved upon, typed up and then tweaked further as better ideas come to mind. Each of these meets the demands of the mark scheme (paragraphing, varied sentence openings, rich vocabulary choices, considered imagery, punctuation to enhance meaning, development of mood etc).

To ensure your child can write confidently at and above the level expected of them, drop them into my weekly weekly online writing club for the 11+ age group . The club marking will transform their writing, and quickly.

What is the relationship between the English paper and the creative writing task?

Writing is usually marked separately from any comprehension or grammar exercises in your child’s particular 11+ exam. Each exam board (by area/school) adapts the arrangement to suit their needs. Some have a separate writing test, others build it in as an element of their English paper (usually alongside a comprehension, punctuation and spelling exercise).

Although there is no creative writing task in the ISEB Common Pre-test, those who are not offered an immediate place at their chosen English public school are often invited back to complete a writing task at a later date. Our ISEB Common Pre-test students join the writing club in the months before the exam, first to tidy up the detail and second to extend the content.

What if my child has a specific learning difficulty (dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, ASD)?

Most exam boards pride themselves on their inclusivity. They will expect you to have a formal report from a qualified professional at the point of registration for the test. This needs to be in place and the recommendations will be considered by a panel. If your child needs extra arrangements on the day they may be offered (it isn’t always the case). More importantly, if they drop below a pass on one or more papers you will have a strong case for appeal.

Children with a specific learning difficulty often struggle with low confidence in their work and low self-esteem. The preparations set out above, and a kids writing club membership will allow them to go into the exam feeling positive and empowered. If they don’t achieve a pass at first, the writing sample will add weight to their appeal.

Tips and strategies for writing a high-scoring creative writing paper

• Read widely for pleasure. Read aloud to your child if they are reluctant.
• Create a strong paragraph plan where each paragraph has a distinct purpose.
• Using the list of example questions below, discuss how each could be written in the form of your paragraph plan.
• Write 3-5 stories with contrasting settings and action – each one must follow your paragraph plan. Try to include examples of literary devices and figurative language (metaphor, simile) but avoid clichés.
• Tidy up your presentation. Write with a good rollerball pen on A4 lined paper with a printed margin. Cross out with a single horizontal line and banish doodling or scribbles.
• Join the writing club for a 20-minute Zoom task per week with no finishing off or homework. An expert English teacher will mark the work personally on video every Friday and your child’s writing will be quickly transformed.

Pressed for time? Here’s a paragraph plan to follow.

At Griffin Teaching we have an online writing club for students preparing for the 11 plus creative writing task . We’ve seen first-hand what a difference just one or two months of weekly practice can make.

That said, we know that a lot of people reading this page are up against a hard deadline with an 11+ exam date fast approaching.

If that’s you (or your child), what you need is a paragraph plan.

Here’s one tried-and-true paragraph plan that we teach in our clubs. Use this as you work your way through some of the example prompts below.

11+ creative writing paragraph plan

Paragraph 1—description.

Imagine standing in the location and describe what is above the main character, what is below their feet, what is to their left and right, and what is in the distance. Try to integrate frontend adverbials into this paragraph (frontend adverbials are words or phrases used at the beginning of a sentence to describe what follows—e.g. When the fog lifted, he saw… )

Paragraph 2—Conversation

Create two characters who have different roles (e.g. site manager and student, dog walker and lost man) and write a short dialogue between them. Use what we call the “sandwich layout,” where the first person says something and you describe what they are doing while they are saying it. Add in further descriptions (perhaps of the person’s clothing or expression) before starting a new line where the second character gives a simple answer and you provide details about what the second character is doing as they speak.

Paragraph 3—Change the mood

Write three to four sentences that change the mood of the writing sample from light to gloomy or foreboding. You could write about a change in the weather or a change in the lighting of the scene. Another approach is to mention how a character reacts to the change in mood, for example by pulling their coat collar up to their ears.

Paragraph 4—Shock your reader

A classic approach is to have your character die unexpectedly in the final sentence. Or maybe the ceiling falls?

11+ creative writing questions from real papers—fictional prompts

• The day the storm came
• The day the weather changed
• The snowstorm
• The rainy day
• A sunny day out
• A foggy (or misty) day
• A day trip to remember
• The first day
• The day everything changed
• The mountain
• The hillside
• The old house
• The balloon
• The old man
• The accident
• The unfamiliar sound
• A weekend away
• Moving house
• A family celebration
• An event you remember from when you were young
• An animal attack
• The school playground at night
• The lift pinged and the door opened. I could not believe what was inside…
• “Run!” he shouted as he thundered across the sand…
• It was getting late as I dug in my pocket for the key to the door. “Hurry up!” she shouted from inside.
• I know our back garden very well, but I was surprised how different it looked at midnight…
• The red button on the wall has a sign on it saying, ‘DO NOT TOUCH.’ My little sister leant forward and hit it hard with her hand. What happened next?
• Digging down into the soft earth, the spade hit something metal…
• Write a story which features the stopping of time.
• Write a story which features an unusual method of transport.
• The cry in the woods
• Write a story which features an escape

11+ creative writing questions from real papers—non-fiction prompts

• Write a thank you letter for a present you didn’t want.
• You are about to interview someone for a job. Write a list of questions you would like to ask the applicant.
• Write a letter to complain about the uniform at your school.
• Write a leaflet to advertise your home town.
• Write a thank you letter for a holiday you didn’t enjoy.
• Write a letter of complaint to the vet after an unfortunate incident in the waiting room.
• Write a set of instructions explaining how to make toast.
• Describe the room you are in.
• Describe a person who is important to you.
• Describe your pet or an animal you know well.

Ten 11+ & 13+ Creative Writing Tips For Excellent Exam Stories

When my students get the hang of these techniques, it makes an enormous difference to their creative writing – but it takes practice.

M y advice for 11 plus stories in this article applies just as well to 8 plus, 13 plus or GCSE … in fact, although I have written with 11 plus creative writing in mind, my suggestions should be relevant at any level.

I’ve been teaching these things to young people for many years, and I hope you also find them useful. Please write a comment if you do!

The creative writing materials offered by 11 Plus Lifeline teach students to use all the techniques explained on this page.

Every writing paper has full example answers, as well as detailed step-by-step discussions, marking guidelines and story-planning advice. Papers are structured to help students develop high-level skills – and just as importantly, to enjoy themselves!

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1 – before you write, daydream.

If you can see your story’s world in your head, you will be able to describe it powerfully.

If you can’t, your descriptions risk being superficial and your writing uninteresting.

After a little daydream, your next step is to turn it into a simple plan:

THE STORY PLANNING PROCESS

1) the main event.

The first thing to write in your plan is the main event in your story (see point 2 , below). Keep this simple for now.

2) Your Main Character

Next, jot down a few notes about your main character (see point 3 ). What is interesting about them? Try to imagine them sitting in the place next to you. See them clearly in your mind. Who are they, really?

3) Getting There

Now note down some ideas for how you will get to the main event. Make this simple too: don’t write more than a couple of lines.

4) … And Getting Out Of There!

Finally, write a few thoughts about what will happen after the event: why does it matter, and – above all else – how does it affect your characters?

The reason I suggest this order of planning is that when you only have a short time to write, there are two important things which will hold your story together: the main event (what it is about ) and your central character (who gives us a reason to care ).

Everything else should be very simple, allowing you to focus on describing beautifully.

In fact, you can probably guess what the next of my 11 plus tips is …

2 – Keep things simple! In an 11 plus exam story, choose  one main plot event & bring it to life.

If there are too many things happening, your descriptive skills may get lost.

What’s more, once there are lots of dramatic events in a story, many students struggle to write about all of them properly.

Look at this example:

As they walked through the forest a tree fell and nearly crushed them. That was close , thought Claudia. Then they sat down to scrutinise the map.

It’s good to describe the small details of life – and especially with an interesting verb like “scrutinise”.

But if you forget to fully describe big events, such as a tree almost killing your characters, the effect is very peculiar. It implies that a near-death experience is no more interesting than reading a map!

Either give dramatic events their due importance, by describing them powerfully and giving a clear sense of your characters’ reactions, or steer clear of them altogether.

This is often a problem in exam stories with too much action, or with too many plot events in general.

It’s best to structure your story around one main event, which isn’t too extreme. Spend the rest of your time building up to it and showing its after-effects.

3 – Focus on one character

Just as it’s best to focus your writing around one main event, it makes sense to have one core character.

You probably won’t have time to make more than one person interesting and believable in a thirty minute writing exam. If you try, you’re at risk of coming unstuck.

(If you feel really confident, you might manage to develop two characters: a brother and sister, for example. But in the exam itself, ask yourself: Is it worth the risk? )

Make your main character really interesting, and only refer to others in passing.

4 – Put a little dialogue in … but don’t write a play script!

“Because writing dialogue is easier than thinking,” he said.

“That makes sense,” I said, “because otherwise I can’t explain why we’ve been chatting pointlessly for two full pages.”

Dialogue is excellent in an exam piece, and you should aim to include some in every story. However, there are risks, demonstrated by the example above!

Don’t let your story turn into a play script.

Use a little dialogue in 11+ creative writing, but focus on your descriptions of the setting, characters and events.

When you do write conversations, don’t stop describing. Avoid repeating “I said”, “she said”, “Mum answered”, and so on.

Instead, add little details which help the reader to imagine the scene as the characters talk.

Describe how people move around between saying things, the expressions on their faces, and so on:

“Because writing dialogue is easier than thinking,” he replied, a hint of a smile twitching like a worm at the edge of his mouth.

A quick note about paragraphing:

Examiners are likely to expect that a new speaker begins on a new line, if somebody else has already spoken in the paragraph.

This doesn’t happen in every book you’ll read, but it’s a convention – a normal way of doing things – which you are supposed to know about.

Look at this way of writing the example at the top, and think about where a sentence should begin a new line :

“Why are we still talking?” I said. “Because writing dialogue is easier than thinking,” he said. “That makes sense,” I said, “because otherwise I can’t explain why we’ve already been talking for two full pages.”

Now check the original again, to see whether you were right!

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It’s perfect for Key Stages 2 and 3 and for 11+ exam preparation, at home or in the classroom. It’s also ideal for anybody aged 9 or above who enjoys writing and wants to do it better.

Click on the covers to learn more and view sample pages from the books:

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Rsl creative writing: book 2, rsl creative writing: book 3, the rsl creative writing collection (£40.47), 5 – short stories don’t need an introduction.

Robert was 33. He lived in a small flat with his cat and his wife. One day, he decided to go for a walk to the shops. The shops weren’t very far away: it took about ten minutes to get there. It was a cloudy day. It was the middle of February and it was a bit cold but not cold enough for a scarf. The road was in need of some repairs. He was wearing a blue jumper and black shoes and some fairly old jeans.

You don’t need to introduce your story as though it is a 300 page novel!

The reader doesn’t have to know everything about the main character, and especially not at the start. This way you waste a paragraph, when you might only have time for four or five in your whole story.

Anything that really matters about your characters can be mentioned along the way. In creative writing for 11 plus exams, everything else can be left out.

Get into the main business of your story from the very first line.

6 – Show, don’t tell … Whether you’re writing an 11 plus story, or whether you’re a famous novelist!

In real life, we can’t see what is in other people’s minds.

We have to work it out from what they do – and sometimes from what they say, although this can be very misleading!

For this reason, other people’s creative writing is often most interesting when we have to work out what characters are thinking and feeling.

This makes the characters seem like real people whose thoughts we can’t immediately know.

It also helps to get us – the readers – involved in the story by making us do some thinking for ourselves!

You might initially want to write this:

Simon looked up. He was angry.

But this is much more interesting to read:

As Simon looked up I could see his jaw muscles flexing.

Have a go at re-writing the following paragraph to make it more interesting . You can change things around as much as you like.

I admit: this is the sort of thing which you will sometimes read in a book. It isn’t necessarily  always bad writing, in itself.

However, it is a missed opportunity to bring a character to life. In a time-limited 11-plus exam story, you need to take advantage of such moments.

The rule is:

Where possible,  show me  what a character is feeling … don’t  tell me .

Have a look at my way of re-writing the paragraph above:

All Anna’s thoughts have gone.

Instead, there are some strong clues which steer you towards a particular idea about what she thinks and how she feels: but you still have to decide for yourself.

This forces you to imagine Anna clearly in your own mind.

How does my answer compare to your approach?

7 – Use a range of senses throughout your story

This is good writing. The trees may be “green” (which is a bit dull), but they are “swaying”, which is an effective detail and more than makes up for it.

The simile in the second sentence (“like wisps of cigar smoke”) is vivid and well planned.

The sandwich bag is “crumpled”, and “bag of bacon” is a nice moment of alliteration to emphasise this robust, commonplace item of food.

But imagine a story which continues in the same way, all the way through.

Everything is visual: a sight image.

For the reader, it is like being in a world without the ability to hear, smell, touch or taste.

Furthermore, the narrator seems to be looking around constantly, noticing everything. Is this normal behaviour?

It’s an unrealistic way of seeing the world, and after a while it becomes exhausting to read.

For a student, there are two simple but very useful lessons:

1) Always think about the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell).

2) Sometimes avoid the most obvious sense when describing a thing (see point 8 below).

These tips are easy to apply in your creative writing for 11+, but they make a huge difference.

What’s more, unlike a clumsy simile (see point 9 ), a sensory description rarely ends up  harming  your writing. It can be effective or ineffective, but that’s another matter!

Take the example above:

“The trees were green and swaying”  could become:  “The trunks were groaning, and overhead I heard the dull rustle of a thousand fresh leaves slapping against one another.”

There’s nothing startlingly original here, but because it is a slightly less obvious way of describing trees, it creates a much more powerful atmosphere.

If you want a metaphor as well, try turning  “dull rustle”  into  “distant applause” , which makes the leaves seem like a mass of enthusiastic people.

Similarly,  “I looked at the bag of bacon sandwiches crumpled on the seat next to me”  takes on more life like this:

I smelt something like old sick; then I remembered the bag of bacon sandwiches crumpled on the seat next to me.

Notice how easily similes (“like old sick”) and metaphors happen, almost by themselves, when you focus on describing with a range of senses .

This is one of my most important 11 plus writing tips.

8 – Sometimes describe things using a less obvious sense

Using a range of senses, as I discussed in point 7 , is really, really important.

But how can you come up with surprising, powerful descriptions – descriptions to make the marker stop ticking your work for a second, raise their eyebrows and smile?

Imagine that you are just about to write the following sentence:

It was a cold morning.

But you stop yourself, think for a second, and write this:

I could hear the crackle of thawing ice on car windscreens.

This is much more interesting. Rather than using the sense of touch (a “cold” feeling), you are using a sound: “the crackle of thawing ice”.

There’s a good chance that the reader will think:  “Yes! I never considered it before, but you really do hear a sound when ice thaws quickly.”

This version also tells you much more about the weather:

The reader can work out that the night has been exceptionally cold, but also that the temperature is now rising quickly.

The thought process to produce descriptions like this is much simpler than it seems:

1) Think of the sense which is most obvious to describe the thing you are writing about.

3) Think of the second most obvious sense.

4) Ban that too!

5) From the three remaining senses, pick the one which is most useful.

6) Ask yourself how the thing would sound, feel, smell or taste – whichever three of these you have left (you’ve almost certainly banned sight!).

7) Write about it.

9 – Use similes and metaphors carefully in your creative writing

Similes and metaphors are useful (and can be impressive), but they have to make things clearer for the reader, not create confusion.

“She won the sprint like a racing car” asks more questions than it answers.

Was she noisy? Was she travelling at 150 miles per hour?

On the other hand, “She ducked her head and slipped across the line as cleanly as a racing car” helps me to picture the event exactly as intended.

Here’s another simile for speed, which I’ve seen a great many times (you’d hardly believe how many) in 11-plus stories:

Donald wrote like a cheetah.

Does this mean that Donald wrote savagely and meaninglessly, like a wild animal with a pencil jammed between its claws ?

Or perhaps that he wrote largely about the themes of hunting and sleeping ?

My guess is that Donald wrote quickly , but I’m not sure … because if that’s all you meant, WHY DIDN’T YOU JUST SAY IT?

This sort of thing is not really the fault of a young writer, who after all is (hopefully!) doing their best.

It is the fault of those dastardly teachers who advise children to include, for example, “at least one metaphor and two similes” in each story.

The result of this, for most children, is a succession of poorly chosen descriptive tricks, which add nothing.

Indeed, we’ve seen how these things can end up making a story comical for all the wrong reasons!

The right approach to creative writing doesn’t start with the need to include a simile: it starts with the need to describe effectively .

To me, this means allowing the reader to imagine the situation fully, and helping them care what happens.

Let’s play around with the image of Donald writing “like a cheetah”.

What happens if we just get rid of the simile?

Donald wrote quickly.

OK, but it doesn’t tell us much: did he write quickly because he wanted to finish his story before  Newsnight , or because he was really excited by his work?

Let’s say that it was the first reason: he wanted to get his work out of the way. Perhaps he was feeling annoyed, given that it might interrupt his favourite TV show.

When somebody is writing rapidly while annoyed, what might this look like?

I imagine Donald’s arm wiggling as the pen moves — especially the elbow. The movement is fast and constant because he is worried about getting the work finished, and because in his irritation he doesn’t much care about its quality.

So I ask myself: What moves to and fro constantly, performing a task in an unimaginative way?

And the first thing I think of is a machine in a factory:

Donald hunched over the page, his arm jerking to and fro with the quick, regular movements of a factory robot.

This sentence by itself would go some way to making your story the best in the exam room.

I hope I’ve persuaded you that with a well-organised thought process, a good simile isn’t too difficult to write!

Because children have been taught to work in this way, a story will often contain the required two similes, a metaphor, a personification, even an interesting alliteration …

… but everything in between is lifeless.

What students need is a different sort of checklist, to help them make the rest of their writing interesting .

I hope this article will give you some ideas!

10 – Stephanie was writing a beautiful story in the 11-plus exam hall. Or was she …?

Suspense is good if it’s appropriate to the story, but don’t jack-knife it in clumsily!

“It was a calm, sunny day. Or was it?” doesn’t really make me curious.

It makes me think that you’re trying to pester me into being excited, rather than persuading me to feel that way through your excellent writing.

If you write in a way that builds suspense by making me interested in the characters and events in the story – while keeping some important information hidden from me, just out of sight – this will speak for itself.

However, not every piece of creative writing needs it!

If you found these story writing tips useful or if you have a question, please leave a comment below! I’d love to have your feedback. (Tick the “Receive email updates” box to receive an email when I reply.)

For the most comprehensive range of resources to help with preparation for the 11+ exam,  you might like to try 11 Plus Lifeline (with a money-back guarantee in the first month). Every practice paper has full example solutions, with a detailed discussion and explanation for every question – like being taught by an excellent private tutor. There’s lots of material to help develop creative, high-scoring exam stories!

According to Tutorful, it’s “ the gold standard for independent and grammar school 11-plus preparation ”.

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If you have any questions, feel free to ask me here. I’ll do my best to help you out!

Hi, I’m preparing my son for 11+. His story ideas are good but he needs to add more details/depth. How can I encourage that? Thanks

That’s a very difficult question to answer, because there is so much that I could say! Many of my suggestions are in the article above. The sample at http://digioh.com/em/27284/164929/84za5s4g4u may offer more ideas. If this is useful, then 11 Plus Lifeline offers many further resources.

What’s the syllabus of creative writing for 11plus. I understand there is no definitive one, it varies with target school as well, but still I’d like to know the min types of writing children should be knowing end of year 6 e.g. story writing, descriptive writing, poetry writing, persuasive writing, diary, reconnect, fiction, non fiction writing, script writing, book/film review, blog writing etc. Really confused with the list of categories and subcategories under each. I just need a good structure with every details. Please help with a detailed table of contents.

Hi Jay. I’m afraid I don’t have such a list – because there isn’t one. Schools can set anything that they like! However, I think getting children used to responding to a range of formats is more important than covering everything. The most common formats are probably: 1) A story based on a title or topic 2) A continuation of a passage (usually the passage already used as a comprehension text) 3) A story based on a picture

You provide excellent tips that we can use to guide our children. Done in a very simple but effective way. Even more – as times are hard and money is tight your generosity shows you truly do wish to help children and not just make money out of them. Thank you

Thank you Alison. I’m glad you found the article useful. Robert

Thank you ever so much for your very useful tips. Would you have some advice (or a sample essay) on writing a descriptive essay based on a given image?

Hi Aparna, There is some relevant content in 11 Plus Lifeline. For more along these lines, keep an eye on the website in the autumn …

Hi Robert, I found the article above very helpful. My daughter is in year 5 and we have just started our 11 plus journey. She seems to be struggling air with creative writing. She has such great ideas and an amazing imaginative mind, however she struggles to express this on paper as compared to her peers also studying for the 11 plus. How can I help her become a better writer?

Speaking as she writes might help: perhaps she will write more fluently if she just thinks of it as a way to record her verbal ideas.

My RSL Creative Writing books might help her to develop her ideas.

What is a good range for the word count for a “continue the story” creative writing task at 10+? I see suggestions of 4-5 paragraphs, but paragraphs vary hugely in length. My son is only writing around 150 words, and I fear this is taking “quality not quantity” to the extreme!

It really depends! Sometimes you’ll be given an 8-10 line answer space, in which case that would be appropriate. On the other hand, if you have 30-40 minutes, you should be pitching for 1 to 1.5 pages. Robert

Thank you so much! Very informative

I’m glad to help!

how much your fees for creative writing, and how many lesson? please let me know [email protected]

Hello Hemang. I’m afraid I don’t work as a tutor these days. However, you might be interested in my creative writing books at https://www.rsleducational.co.uk/rsl-creative-writing . These will take your child through their skills step by step, much as I would if I was teaching them. Good luck! Robert

Hi Sir! Sir, you suggestions are greatly useful. Sir, can you assist me on how to incorporate Strong Verbs in my writings as I do not know many and I struggle on account of it ?

There’s no easy answer, but the best starting point is to look for specific ways of describing things. For instance, instead of “he talked”, you might say “he muttered”, for example. You’ll learn more verbs if you look out for them as you read things, and perhaps note interesting ones down in a book. Good luck!

Dear Robert Hope you are doing well , my son is in year 5 and he is going to set for 11 plus exam for very highly competitive grammar schools , he need help for is creative writing . I advice that you are the best , I’m seeking help from you ,please . Yours sincerely Saha Mcewan

Hello. Have a look at 11 Plus Lifeline , perhaps, and my RSL Creative Writing books. I do intend to release some new things for creative writing in the future: watch this space!

Hi Robert. These are great tips. My question is how to come with effective descriptions that vary. When I do descriptive writing, I describe with only the five senses and often run out of ideas. Also, how can we write in a way that will make a clear image in the readers mind. Thanks for the time

Hi Yatharth! My video at https://youtu.be/LKnvrad6jpw is all about this, so why not have a look at that? If that’s useful, look at https://www.rsleducational.co.uk/product/rsl-creative-writing-1

I completely agree with your article, and as a teacher who prepares children for GCSE and the 11 tests, I employ a lot of the ‘strategies’ you mention. What children need ultimately is time to read, digest and above all enjoy stories and poems and then to talk about what they’ve read and in some ( or maybe a lot of cases) relate the themes and ideas etc in what they have read to their own lives. This I feel, can give a greater sense of ‘reality’ to what they can eventually write; and then we as teachers (and parents) can model how to write ‘good’ creative stories (and include all the SPAG) which can go a long way to ensuring children actually begin to feel that they themselves can be imaginative and write great stories.

Thank you for taking the time to comment, Molly. I very much agree with you.

What children need ultimately is time to read, digest and above all enjoy stories and poems and then to talk about what they’ve read and in some ( or maybe a lot of cases) relate the themes and ideas etc in what they have read to their own lives.

The only thing I’d add to this is that it works both ways: reading informs writing, but the very best way to develop critical reading skills is to become more sophisticated as a writer!

Hi Robert,l am a Creative Writing teacher for 8+ Do you think 6+ can be taught Creative Writing that will yield excellent result? I asked this question from my experience of teaching Creative Writing,I observe that more 6+ struggle with understanding and implementing Creative Writing stages than 8+ Also,I teach Creative Writing easily because I believe I have the skills to teach it but how can I come up with a special syllabus to teach my colleagues how to teach Creative Writing in the class that will be result oriented.

Hello Soremi.

I would not think too much about results, if by that you mean percentage scores, when children are 6 or so and developing their writing. I would focus on their enjoyment and on encouraging them to explore their imagination, creating interestingly described characters and environments. It’s a different situation in 11+ exams, where children must demonstrate certain skills and perform well in comparison with their peers.

However, it is very important to encourage the development of accurate and clear English from an early stage. Creative writing is a good opportunity to uncover and address problems.

I found this very useful and straightforward, and also very funny… The tips will take me flying in my writing!

Thanks Lily-Grace. The work you sent for me to look at this week was very impressive: you’re already flying!

Thanks Robert this description is very helpful

I’m very glad it’s useful. Thanks for commenting!

Hola me gustaria hacer unas infografias mas dinamicas

Thank you for the topic

It’s a pleasure. I hope the advice helps.

I thought that this was a brilliant summary. Thank you very much. Engaging and thoughtful. Very much appreciated.

I’m delighted to hear it. Thank you!

I found your creative writing tips very insightful, a real shame for us it was right at the end of our 11+/13+ preparation.

Thank you Sara. I hope they made some difference, even at a late stage.

Very useful tips! I like the way you have broken down the advice into bite-sized chunks! Thanks Robert

I’m glad you found them helpful! Thanks for commenting.

Great tips, thanks Robert. Do you have tips on non fictional writing as well? E.g. how a child can do a stellar job when asked to write a suggestion letter to the council. My child struggles with writing on everyday things that she deems uninteresting like describing everday things but is flying when writing on imaginary topics. Thanks in advance.

Hi Tolu. I have some resources for less creative subject matter in 11 Plus Lifeline .

I think the best way to add interest to potentially unexciting things, like letters, is with examples. “I think you should do more to reduce bullying, because it discourages children from studying” is not interesting. “Last week, a boy trudged towards me across the playground, clenching and unclenching his fists, with the dead-eyed look of meaningless aggression that I’ve come to know so well. This is happening too often in our school!” is much more impressive.

Thanks for these tips . Would you suggest any topics for DS to practice .

There are a great many writing topics with fully explained example answers in 11 Plus Lifeline . I might add a blog post with some suggested topics in the coming months. Robert

These SPECTACULAR tips helped me a lot when I was planning and writing a story. I think that these AMAZING tips will help me a lot when I am doing the exam. THANKS Robert!!!!

Thanks Raon! I hope you’ll share the link. Good luck in your exam. Robert

Thanks for the tips to improve the writing skill for the content writers and the students.

Thank you Nihal – I’m glad my advice is useful.

What can I Say?

My son is about to take the 11 + and part of the material is creative writing,

Can you recommend any good material please?

The key is reading and I don’t think he reads as much as he should do

Please advise

Hi Fazal. I would of course recommend my own creative writing material in 11 Plus Lifeline . There’s a free sample here .

Reading is certainly important, but it won’t do any magic without good writing practice alongside it.

If your son isn’t keen on reading, trying to push him to read more may not work. However, you can help to improve the quality of the reading he does do, by discussing it whenever possible in a way that encourages him to think about it in more depth. You can also introduce new vocabulary into your conversations, and so on.

Also, the reading list here may help him to find books that he does want to read!

Hi, my son 11, is really struggling with creative writing, the main problem being he can’t think of anything to write about. he’s a clever boy but more into science and computers. He thinks he can’t do it and I’m worried he’s going to freeze in the exam. how can i get him to access his imagination and not panic. Thanks

Practice is certainly the main thing. If he can start to “access his imagination” (a nice phrase) without exam pressure, he is more likely to be able to do so in the test.

When you say that he can’t think of anything to write about, you’re describing a problem that I can relate to. However, it should not be a big concern at 11+, for the simple reason that the best stories tend to be about very little! If he can construct a simple plot, focused on one event – even something very ordinary and apparently dull – then he has what he needs. From that point, all his effort should be focused on describing well, so that the story creates atmosphere and has a believable main character.

The real problem at 11+ is when children have too many creative ideas. They construct complex, overwhelming plots, about which it is impossible to write well – or even plausibly – in the time available.

Hi Robert Have you got any tips for the CSSE style quick 10 mins Continuous Writing tasks please. These have included instructions, descriptions and this year the exam paper included a picture to write about- what’s happening- story /description?

Many thanks for your help.

This is very difficult to answer in a brief comment. I do have some specially designed resources for these CSSE writing tasks in 11 Plus Lifeline , if that is of interest.

If writing creatively, keep the plot to an absolute minimum. Imagine that you are describing a ten second scene from a movie – not writing the plot for a whole film. Focus on effective use of the senses, in particular – very much as I outline in this article. Don’t waste any space introducing your writing.

If describing a picture, the same applies. Focus on details from it, and try to find a logical structure. For example, a character might move around the image, finding things; or you might imagine the scene changing over a period of time.

For instructions, try to visualise the activity as precisely as you can, then use words to convey your thoughts exactly. This will lead to good vocabulary. Rather than saying “Screw the lightbulb into the socket”, say something like this: “Steadying the socket with your spare hand, twist the bulb gently in a clockwise direction until you encounter resistance.” This doesn’t come from trying to be fancy: it comes from very clearly imagining the action before I write.

There is a great deal more to be said, but I hope these pointers are useful.

Great tips and advice here. I have 4 boys, all at different levels of education. This has helped me to help them. Thanks!

That makes me very happy. Good luck to your sons!

Anybody who found this useful might like to read more of my creative advice at https://www.rsleducational.co.uk/creative-writing-less-is-more .

This article is very helpful. Thank you.

Thanks for taking the time to say so!

I found this very helpful, thank you

Hello Good Afternoon and thank you very much for my help. I am a young child preparing the eleven plus. I don’t necessarily have any questions i just don’t have any questions. Good luck on your educative journey.

Good luck to you, Lukas! Well done for taking the initiative and researching your exams.

I am a 8 years old child and I am doing your 11+ RSL comprehension, do you have any tips that might help me improve my writing? Thank you for your help!

Hi Kate! I’d like to help, but I’m not sure how to. You’ve written this under an article about improving your writing, and you’re working on a book that also helps with this. I don’t know what tips to add here. If you could be more specific, perhaps I’ll be able to say something. Good luck with your work! Robert

Hi Robert! I really like your tips and they did improve my daughter’s writing! Thank you so much!

I’m so glad! Well done to her.

Hi Richard, Does cursive or printed handwriting affect the writing score a 11+ level? Thanks in advance.

No, it shouldn’t make any difference. All that matters is that the writing should be easy to read, and that the student can write reasonably quickly.

Hi there, I am doing 13+, My tutor says that I should not use metaphors or similes, but I think I should. Do you have any advice for me on descriptive writing? And can you explain what a metaphor is?

I think you are probably misinterpreting your tutor. A good simile or metaphor, in the right place, is a good thing, but I would guess that your tutor is concerned that you are over-using these things and that this is distracting you from simply writing well. An alternative is that you haven’t quite understood how to use them effectively. A misjudged simile can look odd: using no simile (or metaphor) is better than using a bad one!

For a good explanation of what a metaphor is, see https://www.grammarly.com/blog/metaphor/ .

Hi, I’m currently helping a student prepare for entrance exams, and I just wondered if you could help me with a question. He was struggling with the timed element of creative writing and wanted to know if he DID run out of time, what would a marker prefer? To just leave the piece unfinished, or to quickly make an ending for the story, even if it meant it was quite an abrupt ending that didn’t necessarily do the story justice?

I think it depends on the marker. I’d prefer an unfinished piece to one with something actively bad in it, like a bad ending. However, can they leave an unfinished ending that nonetheless has something final about it: for instance, zoom out and describe the trees swaying in the distance, or the waves, so that there’s a sense of the world rolling on, despite the events in the story? If this is done well, it might even appear that they intended to finish this way.

great work, keep it up.

Amazing website! The content is wonderful. Highly informative indeed.

That’s brilliant to hear. Thank you!

Do you have to pay to get your work marked?

Yes, that’s right. Most people do it via an 11 Plus Lifeline Platinum subscription .

My daughter is not good at creative writing and I am apprehensive as she writes her pre-tests on 11th November . How do I help her with the following formats?

1) A story based on a title or topic 2) A continuation of a passage (usually the passage already used as a comprehension text) 3) A story based on a picture

Hello! I cover all these things in my RSL Creative Writing books – see https://www.rsleducational.co.uk/rsl-creative-writing You will also find creative writing videos covering these things at https://go.easy11plus.org/VIDEOLIST Good luck! Robert

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11 Plus creative writing tips and examples

Preparing for your  11 Plus creative writing  exam doesn’t have to be a worry. We help you here with 11 Plus creative writing tips and examples to prepare you for the exam. We're here to help you practice and improve your writing techniques and creative writing skills so you’re ready for your 11 Plus exams . 

Creative writing can be really fun – you can explore something you really want to and write about something that means a lot to you. Although, we know it can be a little bit worrying for some students that don’t enjoy writing as much or don’t feel confident in their writing skills. 

So, ahead of your  11 Plus exams  we want to help you prepare with these 11 Plus creative writing tips and strategies.

What Is 11 Plus Creative Writing?

The 11 Plus creative writing exam assesses a child’s ability to compose structured and engaging pieces of written work. It’s designed to evaluate a student’s fluency, imaginative capabilities, grammar, punctuation and overall ability to write creatively.

What does the 11 Plus creative writing exam include?

The 11 Plus creative writing exam is usually 25-30 minutes and could involve the continuation of a storyline that you’ll be provided with. Alternatively you might be asked to write a short piece of your own in response to a visual stimulus – this could be describing a character or writing something from their perspective, like a diary entry. 

Here are some the potential writing tasks you could be given for your 11 Plus creative writing exam: 

Descriptive task – continuing on a short story that you’ll be provided with, or describing a place or situation that your character finds themselves in. 

Persuasive task – you could be asked to write a letter or an article with the goal to persuade the reader to feel or act in a certain way after reading it by using emotive language. 

Narrative task – this would usually involve writing your own short story. 

Expository task – this could involve writing an article or set of instructions designed to inform the reader how to go about doing something properly. 

What are the 11 Plus creative writing topics?

Prior to starting your creative writing piece, you’ll need to have a topic. It’s important that the topic remains at the centre of everything you’re writing, as it will shape the direction of the story and the characters

You can think of a topic as a theme for your story. This can be really simple, as a simple theme will really help write a story in your own way. 

For your 11 plus creative writing exam, you’ll likely be presented with a topic that you then have to write about. Often these topics will have you writing about: 

Being lost or scared, capturing the feeling of being alone and writing a story about overcoming it.

Doing something exciting or achieving something impressive, the best day of your life so far. 

A holiday or an adventure

Travelling to the city or countryside and what you might experience there.

Writing a short story on each of the topics above can be a great way to familiarise yourself with creative writing.

What do examiners look for in creative writing?

Successfully passing your creative writing 11 Plus creative writing exam is a lot less daunting if you know what the examiners are looking for in your creative writing. 

Unlike other exams, it can be difficult to prepare the exact answers. It’s not like a sum in maths, where there’s only one correct answer after your working out. That doesn’t mean there aren’t specific things that examiners are looking for. Let’s take a look at those:

A well planned piece of writing

Strong creativity and good imagination

A fluent writing style

Good and correct use of punctuation 

Good use of English grammar

Complex sentences that are broken in an easy-to-read way with commas

Good spelling

Good and exciting vocabulary

Neat, easy-to-read handwriting

You can use those things as a checklist for your creative writing. When you write practice pieces, read them back and see if you can check off everything on the list of things that examiners are looking for. This will not only highlight areas needing improvement but will also act as a confidence-building tool.

11 Plus creative writing marking scheme

Your creative writing task will be worth 50% of your  English 11 plus exam  paper. So, you’ll want to make sure you’re well prepared!

Part of preparing for the creative writing task is ensuring you know how the exam will be marked. Here’s what your examiner will look at when they mark your work: 

The plot – you need to write a piece that’s got an engaging plot, but more importantly it needs to follow a strong beginning, middle and end structure. We’ll be getting more detail about that further on. Make sure you plan your story to ensure you have a well-structured and easy-to-follow plot. 

Vocabulary – Make sure you’re using a wide range of adjectives, nouns and adverbs. Rather than describing everything the same way, come up with some other engaging ways to write something. Use a good amount of complex words that you normally wouldn’t use (and make sure you understand what they mean so you use them correctly). 

Writing devices – no, your examiner isn’t looking at what pen you used to write the exam. Writing devices refer to things like metaphors, similes, tension building short sentences, alliteration and irony. Try sentences like “he was as fast as a runaway train,” for a simile example. See if you can write a few sentences that each use a different writing device to practice.

Grammar – now is a good time to start practising your grammar skills. Make sure you’re using commas correctly when you write long sentences, and that you format your character dialogue properly. There are a few common grammar mistakes that may catch you out, so keep practising. 

Spelling – While avoiding spelling mistakes is good, to get great marks on your exams you’ll want to use complicated words and spell them correctly. It might be tempting to avoid complicated words if you’re not sure how to spell them but it’s actually not a bad idea to use one or two complicated words and spell them so they’re recognisable than to use no complicated words at all.

11 Plus creative writing tips and techniques

Every great writer has one thing in common – writing techniques! Everyone can develop their creative writing skills by practising these creative writing tasks.

Getting creative 

If you want to write a story this should be your starting point! Have a good think about the topic for your story and the character you’ll be writing about. Take a minute to sit back, close your eyes and think about the world of your story. Can you see it? 

If you can visualise the world of your story, then you’ve got a good idea to work with! Get creative about the story and think about directions that it can go, and the characters you can work with. 

Planning and structure

Once you’ve got your theme in place you need to have a think about the direction of your story. Think about how your story starts, how you want it to end and then think about how you want your main character to get there. 

Remember the classic story structure of beginning, middle and end:

Use the beginning of your story to introduce your character, where they are and maybe one of two of their friends. Maybe even try to set them a goal at this point, what’s something they really, really want? 

Introduce the middle of your story with a problem or an obstacle for your main character to overcome. This is going to be the longest section of your story, so make sure you don’t spend too long with the opening! Think about how your character would overcome the problem you’ve introduced for them. 

In the end your main character overcomes the problem that you introduced for them. Think about what they would feel, the relief they’d experience and how you can sum that up in a paragraph or two. 

There are lots of different ways to write a story, but following the beginning, middle and end structure like this will really help you plan. Try to just write a few short sentences from the beginning, middle and end, then expand it out from there. 

If you need more inspiration to improve your writing skills, why not see David Walliam’s top ten writing tips ?

Creative writing examples: using the senses

Remember – writing descriptively helps your ideas to really come across in what you’re writing. The person reading your creative writing piece can’t read your mind!

A great way to really set a scene in your creative writing is to use the senses:

Sight – what can your character see? Describe how the scene around them looks, and be sure to use some good adjectives.

Sound – can your character hear anything? Even if your character can’t hear anything, that can sometimes be a great way to set a scene. Or maybe your character can hear lots of noise? Either way, make sure the reader knows that.

Smell – what does the place your character’s in smell like? You can make a disgusting, murky bog seem even filthier by describing how smelly it is to the reader. We all react strongly to smells, good or bad, so make sure you’re describing them to your reader.

Touch – what can your character feel? Are they sitting on a really soft sofa? Is the cat they’re stroking extra fluffy? Describe everything your character feels!

Taste – is your character tasting anything? Of course, if your character’s eating you need to describe it. How sweet are the sweets they’re eating? How bitter is the medicine they had to take? You could even get creative and describe a smell so bad that your character can almost taste it!

Get creative when you write about senses. You don’t have to cover every sense in order, you can mix things up in a paragraph or two, and sometimes you only need to cover two or three senses in a particular scene. Make sure you’re always telling your audience what your character is experiencing so the reader can put themselves in your character’s shoes. Utilising this technique ensures the reader engages with your creative writing piece.

Fluent writing

Practice makes perfect when it comes to fluent writing. To practice fluent writing, set yourself a creative writing task as if you were taking your 11 Plus creative writing test.

Try keeping the stories short. Just a few paragraphs so you can do a few attempts. When you’re finished, read them back to yourself out loud. See if the sentences are easy to read out loud. If they’re not, it might be good to rewrite them in a way that makes them easier to say. Try doing this out loud too, rephrase the sentence so it means the same thing but is easier to say. 

Reading out loud is not something you will be doing at the exam, so practicing your fluency at home is the key. Never be scared to do a few practice stories before your 11 Plus creative writing exam.

Proofreading Your Creative Writing

Finally, once you’ve finished writing and you’re happy with how fluent your piece sounds you’ve got to proofread it! That means checking your grammar, your punctuation and spelling. 

Make sure you’ve only used capital letters where they need to be used – the start of sentences and the names of people and places. 

Make sure you’ve used quotation marks correctly – start a new paragraph for when a character starts speaking, open with a quotation mark and then write what they said before closing with a quotation mark. Make sure you carry on writing after they’ve finished speaking with a new paragraph!

Have you checked the tenses? Make sure you’re not mixing up  past, present and future tenses !

Have you used enough punctuation? Make sure all your sentences end with full stops, but also that questions end with a question mark. Space out long sentences with a well-placed comma and make sure if a character says something loudly or is surprised that you’re using exclamation marks. 

Check your spelling! Are there any words you struggle with? Go back and check them to make sure they look right. If you’re really struggling to spell a word, maybe use a different one for your creative writing piece – lots of writers do this! If you do this a lot, then it might be worth doing some spelling practice. 

How do I prepare for creative writing? 

When it comes to 11 Plus creative writing exams it’s difficult to find something specific to revise – unlike exams in maths or English spelling, creative writing exams don’t have a right or wrong answer. So, don’t get overwhelmed by reading countless creative writing books.

The best way to prepare for a creative writing test is to practice all the key points we mentioned above. Set yourself some small creative writing tasks, practice your spelling and get some help fromyour teachers. You could also ask your parents or guardians about tuition to help you prepare for your creative writing .

We also have some creative writing book suggestions and worksheets that could help you prepare. 

11 Plus creative writing examples books

If you’re looking for some books to help you prepare for your 11 Plus creative writing exam or want to find some creative writing examples, here are some of our favourites:

11+ Essentials Creative Writing Examples Book 1 (First Past the Post)

11+ Essentials Creative Writing Examples Book 2 (First Past the Post)

Bond 11+: English Focus on Writing: 9-11 years

RSL Creative Writing, Book 1: KS2, KS3, 11 Plus & 13 Plus – Workbook For Ages 9 Upwards

11+ Creative Writing

Remember to always ask a parent or guardian before buying anything online.

11 Plus creative writing tasks and worksheets

Here are some of our own worksheets that’ll help you prepare and improve your creative writing skills: 

Creating characters

Creating dilemmas

Creating settings

My favourite author

Try an 11 plus creative writing tutor

If you’re worried about your 11 plus creative writing exam, that’s okay. There are numerous ways you can prepare without getting yourself overwhelmed. We’ve already covered how practice makes perfect when it comes to writing, so creative writing courses could be a great way for you to improve your confidence.

11 Plus tuition  will also help with your creative writing. Explore Learning’s expert tutors can help you work on your story planning and structure, grammar, writing fluency and vocabulary. 

Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed about your 11 Plus creative writing task, we’re here to help you do your best.  

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11 Plus creative writing FAQs

How to prepare for 11 plus creative writing.

Prepare by understanding the 11 Plus creative writing requirements. Engage in regular practice on various topics like adventures, challenges and feelings. Focus on grammar, punctuation, fluency, spelling and vocabulary. Always proofread and consider getting feedback.

Is there creative writing in the 11 Plus exam?

The 11 Plus exam may include a creative writing component, often lasting 25-30 minutes, where a student demonstrates their narrative and language skills.

What are the different types of creative writing 11+?

The 11 Plus creative writing includes descriptive, persuasive and narrative tasks. Studentsmay be asked to craft or add to stories, describe scenarios, write persuasive letters or informative pieces.

How do I study for a creative writing exam?

Study by practising various creative writing tasks regularly. Focus on language proficiency, structure your narratives and proofread. For tailoredsupport, consider 11 Plus tuition .

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Mastering Creative Writing 11 Plus: Essential Strategies & Examples

Struggling with preparing your child for the 11 Plus creative writing exam? Fear not. This definitive guide offers proven strategies, vital skills insight, and inspiring examples to ensure young writers are primed for success. No fluff, just actionable advice for mastering the creative writing 11 plus exam .

Key Takeaways

• The 11 Plus creative writing exam assesses a wide range of skills including story structure, vocabulary, grammar, and the ability to engage and evoke emotions in the reader, forming a significant part of the 11 Plus English exam.
• Skills crucial for success in the exam include a strong vocabulary and grammar, well-planned and structured writing, the use of sensory details and literary devices , as well as crafting memorable characters and incorporating various types of writing tasks.
• Preparation for the 11 Plus creative writing exam should involve understanding test requirements, regular practice, receiving feedback, employing time management strategies during the exam, and utilizing resources like books, worksheets, and personalized tuition.

Understanding the 11 Plus Creative Writing Exam

The 11 Plus creative writing exam is designed to evaluate a student’s ability to produce engaging and well-structured written work.

It focuses on their narrative and language skills, assessing their:

• Punctuation
• Complex sentence structure

Examiners look for evidence of planning, creativity, and an extensive vocabulary as the backbone of a well-crafted story.

So, what does this mean for your child? It means that the creative writing exam is more than just a test of writing ability. It’s an assessment of how well they can craft a story, how vividly they can describe a scene or character, and how effectively they can engage a reader with their writing.

But don’t worry, in the coming sections, we’ll break down the skills your child needs to excel in the 11 Plus creative writing exam.

Importance of Creative Writing in 11 Plus

The creative writing task is indeed a substantial component of the 11 Plus English exam, accounting for 50% of the total marks. Its significance lies in its ability to assess students’ overall language skills, including their knack for evoking emotions through their writing.

The 11 Plus creative writing exam evaluates key writing skills such as:

• Character creation
• Use of descriptive language

Examiners look for effective planning, creativity, fluency, sound grammar, and a strong vocabulary – all attributes of great writers.

Common Types of 11 Plus Creative Writing Tasks

The 11 Plus creative writing exam, also known as the creative writing test, can be quite diverse in its requirements, and preparing for creative writing exams encompasses various types of writing tasks, notably descriptive, persuasive, narrative, and expository.

Narrative tasks require storytelling with a clear beginning, middle, and end, while descriptive tasks focus on painting a vivid picture of a scene or character.

Persuasive writing challenges the student to convince the reader of a particular point of view, and expository writing aims to explain or inform about a topic.

Students may also be asked to continue a provided storyline or craft a piece based on a visual prompt. Each of these types of tasks calls for different writing techniques and skills, which we’ll explore later in this post.

Developing Key Skills for 11 Plus Creative Writing

Now that we understand what the 11 Plus creative writing exam entails, let’s delve into the key child’s writing skills your child needs to develop to excel in this exam. Having an extensive and engaging vocabulary along with a well-planned structure in writing is critical for success.

Moreover, students should practice creative writing regularly by exploring a wide range of topics. This helps to improve their adaptability and proficiency in different writing scenarios. But, what does this regular practice look like? And what specific skills should your child focus on?

Let’s delve deeper.

Enhancing Vocabulary and Grammar

A key area to focus on is vocabulary and grammar. Utilizing a wide array of adjectives, nouns, and adverbs can help students avoid monotonous descriptions and create more engaging narratives. Incorporating even a few complex words can significantly showcase a student’s command of advanced vocabulary.

Developing strong grammar skills, particularly in comma usage and character dialogue formatting, is crucial for enhancing the quality of creative writing.

Regular practice with grammar and punctuation is essential for students to write fluently and competently during the 11 Plus creative writing tasks.

Building Strong Story Structures

Another key skill to master in story writing is building strong story structures. A creative writing piece should be structured with a classic story arc comprising a beginning, middle, and end.

The beginning of a story should introduce the main character, and their environment, and potentially set forth a goal to generate interest. An effective middle of the story should present goals for the characters and introduce problems or conflicts they need to navigate or solve.

Essentially, when planning a story, ensure there is a clear and engaging plot with a defined beginning, a well-developed middle, and a satisfying end.

Mastering Punctuation and Spelling

Punctuation and spelling may seem like basic components of writing, but mastering them is essential for clarity and accuracy in creative writing. Precise use of punctuation, including the correct use of quotation marks, commas, and full stops, is necessary for clarity in writing.

Students should familiarize themselves with the following:

• The correct use of capital letters
• Punctuation to end sentences
• Using commas correctly in long sentences
• Formatting character dialogue properly
• Ensuring complicated words are spelled correctly

These skills are critical to maintaining accuracy in creative writing.

Effective Creative Writing Techniques

In addition to mastering the basics of writing, students need to employ effective creative writing techniques.

These techniques should utilize sensory details to create vivid descriptions, allowing readers to:

• See the story environment
• Hear the sounds in the story
• Smell the scents in the story
• Feel the textures and sensations in the story
• Taste the flavors in the story

Successful creative writing captures a reader’s attention by showcasing the writer’s creativity, imagination, and fluent writing style. Mastering these creative writing techniques is a common factor among great writers, which is also essential for excelling in 11 Plus creative writing tasks. Let’s delve into these techniques.

Engaging the Reader with Sensory Details

Engaging the reader with sensory details is a powerful tool in creative writing. Effective sensory details should consist of specific, descriptive words that appeal to the senses beyond sight, allowing readers to visualize the story.

It’s important to include these details in a way that is relevant to the plot and characters and to balance them with other elements to avoid over-describing.

Sensory details not only bring scenes to life but also provide insight into characters’ personalities and internal conflicts, contributing to a more immersive and believable world.

To write imaginatively about sensory experiences, writers should draw on their real-life observations and memories, imagining themselves in their characters’ situations.

Crafting Memorable Characters

Crafting memorable characters is another effective technique. Fictional characters with a mix of motivations and goals, such as those seen in Harry Potter, are more engaging and drive the narrative effectively.

A detailed backstory for significant characters informs their decisions, enhances credibility, and adds depth, even if not fully disclosed to the reader. Secondary characters, like sidekicks or foils, are crucial as they highlight the main character’s traits and contribute to story dynamics.

The choice of narrative perspective, whether it is the first person or third person, shapes how a character is perceived and what information about them is revealed. Introducing conflict tests characters’ resolves reveals their weaknesses, and propels the narrative while adding character depth.

Incorporating Literary Devices

Incorporating literary devices like metaphors, similes, and alliteration can enhance a student’s writing style. However, they should be prioritized for story enhancement rather than just inclusion.

The purpose of using similes and metaphors in creative writing is to enhance clarity, ensuring that they contribute to the reader’s understanding rather than confusing. Transforming a descriptive simile into a concrete and relatable comparison can distinguish a student’s work.

Preparing for the 11 Plus Creative Writing Exam

Preparing for the 11 Plus creative writing exam involves:

• Understanding the test format
• Honing writing skills
• Regular practice on various creative writing topics
• Guidance from parents, teachers, or tuition, especially when formal school support is not sufficient.

Refresher courses before the exam can recap key concepts and exam techniques, and provide mock exams as homework to boost confidence on the exam day.

Preparation should include:

• Focusing on the resolution of storylines and the emotions of characters to ensure a compelling ending
• Attention to detail in grammar, punctuation, and use of tenses forms the backbone of a well-written creative piece
• Proofreading is paramount in creative writing to prevent errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and tense usage

Regular Practice and Feedback

Regular practice and feedback are crucial for improving creative writing skills. Utilizing the technique of writing about daily activities or travels consistently can substantially improve the creative writing skills required for the 11 Plus exams.

Enrolling in creative writing courses or taking creative writing lessons can also be beneficial in honing these skills. In addition, following creative writing tips can further enhance one’s writing abilities.

Establishing a routine practice schedule that involves writing exercises and checking off criteria sought by examiners aids in pinpointing areas that need enhancement.

Parents can support their child’s 11 Plus exam preparation by helping their child prepare through:

• Encouraging reading
• Expanding vocabulary
• Using practice papers
• Providing targeted feedback to address weaknesses.

Mock tests serve as an indispensable tool for students to familiarize themselves with the 11 Plus exam structure and to take advantage of learning opportunities from their mistakes before facing the actual examination.

Utilizing Resources and Support

In addition to regular practice and feedback, utilizing resources like books, worksheets, and personalized tuition can enhance exam preparation for 11 Plus creative writing.

Books such as ‘11+ Essentials Creative Writing Examples’ and ‘Bond 11+: English Focus on Writing’ are specifically recommended for students preparing for the 11 Plus creative writing exam.

Apart from books, creative writing worksheets and personalized tuition can be beneficial in enhancing exam preparation . Personalized tuition offers individualized attention and can provide targeted feedback to help students improve their writing skills.

Time Management and Proofreading

Effective time management and proofreading are vital for presenting a polished and error-free final piece in the creative writing exam. Pupils typically have under an hour to draft, write, and review their work during the 11 Plus creative writing task, with the exam often lasting between 30-45 minutes.

Effective time management is critical and requires strategic planning to ensure that all parts of the writing process are completed within the limited time frame. Proofreading is a vital step in the creative writing process, allowing students to present a polished and error-free final piece.

During proofreading, students should focus on correcting grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes, and ensuring proper use of capital letters and quotation marks.

Real-life Examples and Success Stories

Seeing success can be an excellent motivator. Let’s take a look at some real-life examples and success stories. One student’s journey began with average marks in creative writing but grew to consistently attain top marks in the 11 Plus creative writing section due to regular practice and feedback.

Another student’s passion for reading a variety of genres played a crucial role in their creative writing development, enabling them to write compelling and diverse content.

A strong correlation was noted between frequent writing practice and a student’s subsequent improvement in creative writing scores for the 11 Plus, showcasing how creative writing tested their abilities.

Targeted and personalized feedback given to a student contributed significantly to the enhancement of their creative writing skills. Successful creative writing submissions often featured dynamic openings that captivated readers’ attention and imaginative endings that left a lasting impression.

In conclusion, the 11 Plus creative writing exam is a comprehensive test of a student’s narrative and language skills. It assesses their ability to craft engaging and well-structured stories and to use a range of writing techniques effectively.

From enhancing vocabulary and grammar to building strong story structures and incorporating literary devices, there are many skills that students need to master to excel in the exam.

With regular practice, feedback, the right resources, and effective time management, students can develop these skills and excel in the 11 Plus creative writing exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

In the 11 Plus creative writing exam, students’ narrative and language skills are assessed, including crafting engaging and well-structured stories, and the use of grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, and writing techniques.

The exam includes various types of writing tasks, such as descriptive, persuasive, narrative, and expository writing, as well as continuing a provided storyline or crafting a piece based on a visual prompt. Prepare for a diverse range of writing challenges.

To enhance their vocabulary and grammar for the exam, students should engage in regular practice, read diverse texts, and incorporate a variety of adjectives, nouns, and adverbs in their writing. This will help them improve their language skills and perform better in the exam.

Students can use books, creative writing worksheets, personalized tuition, and seek regular practice and feedback from teachers or tutors to prepare for the exam. These resources can be highly beneficial in achieving success.

Effective time management is crucial for completing all writing tasks within the exam time frame while proofreading ensures a polished and error-free final piece by correcting grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.

A Guide to 11 Plus Creative Writing Preparation

Updated: December 1, 2023 Author: Creative Hare

Introduction:

As children gear up for their challenging 11 Plus English exams, creative writing often stands as a significant hurdle. Mastering this section requires not just a solid grasp of ambitious vocabulary and literary techniques but also the ability to think outside the box and express ideas in a compelling manner. This takes confidence and experimentation. In this blog, we’ll delve into effective strategies to prepare for the 11+ creative writing exam and unlock the doors to imaginative excellence, happiness and success! 

Understand the Exam Format:

• Before diving into preparation, it’s crucial to familiarise yourself with the exam format. There is no singular 11-plus exam format so it is best to check with the admissions team at your target schools what specific format they use. 
• Understand the time constraints, the types of prompts, and the criteria by which your writing will be assessed. You generally don’t find mark schemes readily available on school websites. Although 11+ creative writing criteria is devised by the individual schools, aside from spelling and grammar, the skills and techniques commonly assessed include:

Where your child can win marks:

• Use of ambitious vocabulary
• Literary devices (personification, simile, metaphor, repetition, emotive language)
• Imaginative and descriptive writing
• Overall narrative flow and coherency
• Ensure your child practises reading creative writing questions carefully so their written piece  addresses the exact question, rather than an interpretation. Click here for a creative writing mark scheme example which can be found on the Latymer School website. 

Read Widely and Often:

• A well-read mind is a fertile ground for creativity. Encourage your child to explore a variety of genres, from fiction to non-fiction, poetry to prose.
• Exposure to diverse writing styles enhances vocabulary and fosters creative thinking.
• Use the Christmas holiday to visit your favourite book shop and encourage your child to browse freely - notice the types of books they are drawn to….light, frothy and funny books or perhaps fantasy books?

Build a Strong Vocabulary:

• 11 Plus creative writing flourishes on a rich tapestry of words.
• Make vocabulary building a daily habit.
• Introduce new words, explore their meanings, and encourage their use in everyday conversation.
• Children who take charge of their learning by recording words that they come across are empowered learners.

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you."

Practice, Practice, Practice:

• Creative writing is a skill honed through practice. Set aside dedicated time for writing exercises regularly. Provide prompts that challenge your child’s imagination, encouraging them to create stories with a distinct beginning, middle, and end. Check out 6 Creative Writing Tips for Children for the best websites for free, fun writing prompts.

Develop a Writing Routine:

• Establishing a writing routine creates a sense of discipline and familiarity. Consistent practice helps build confidence and improves the ability to think creatively under pressure.

Explore Different Genres and Styles:

• The 11 Plus English exam might present prompts from various genres. Prepare your child by exposing them to different styles of writing—mystery, adventure, fantasy, and more. This versatility will prove invaluable during the exam. My new Bright to Brilliant 12-week Creative Writing programme equips children with the full-range of 11-Plus creative writing question types. 

Encourage Thoughtful Planning:

• Before jumping into writing, teach your child the importance of thinking ahead. Whether that’s sitting quietly with their ideas or jotting down their ideas in a quick planning format, this will help ensure their writing stays on track! 

Seek Constructive Feedback:

• Share your child’s writing with teachers, peers, or family members. Constructive feedback is an invaluable tool for improvement. Encourage your child to identify their strengths and areas to further improve to refine their creative writing skills. This is isn’t easy, it takes practice. However, empowering your child to self-evaluate their writing in a positive light is a key characteristic of awesome, confident writers. 

Learn from Examples:

• Analyse various pieces of creative writing. Identify what makes them compelling—the use of descriptive language, character development, plot twists. But encourage your child to ask how they could improve the writing. Children love to offer improvements on what they could do better, so it’s a great way to engage them. Learning from other’s writing can inspire and guide your child’s own writing.

Time Management Skills:

• The 11 Plus exam is as much about managing time as it is about writing skills.
• Practice timed writing sessions to ensure your child can express their ideas effectively within the given constraints.
• Ensuring your child is confident in expressing their ideas in writing before introducing exam style timing will make the experience more comfortable and worthwhile for them.

"I can see my competitors sweating, and I am cool as a cucumber."

Adam Rippon

Preparation for the 11 Plus Creative Writing component is not just about mastering accurate spelling; it’s about cultivating a creative mindset. Through a combination of regular practice, diverse reading, and constructive feedback, students can sharpen their creative writing skills and approach the exam with confidence.

Remember, creativity is a skill that can be nurtured and developed with dedication and the right strategies. Best of luck to all the young writers embarking on this exciting journey!

Interested in exploring a creative writing class?

Let your child discover their creative voice, related articles.

11+ English Sample Papers

Here's a list of 11+ English papers, FREE for you to download.

How Matteo reaped the benefits of 11+ success

Matteo was in Year 4 and attending a small independent school in North London when we first started working together. 

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Creative Writing Prompts

When the idea to start a weekly newsletter with writing inspiration first came to us, we decided that we wanted to do more than provide people with topics to write about. We wanted to try and help authors form a regular writing habit and also give them a place to proudly display their work. So we started the weekly Creative Writing Prompts newsletter. Since then, Prompts has grown to a community of more than 450,000 authors, complete with its own literary magazine, Prompted .  

Here's how our contest works: every Friday, we send out a newsletter containing five creative writing prompts. Each week, the story ideas center around a different theme. Authors then have one week — until the following Friday — to submit a short story based on one of our prompts. A winner is picked each week to win $250 and is highlighted on our Reedsy Prompts page.

Interested in participating in our short story contest? Sign up here for more information! Or you can check out our full Terms of Use and our FAQ page .

Why we love creative writing prompts

If you've ever sat in front of a computer or notebook and felt the urge to start creating worlds, characters, and storylines — all the while finding yourself unable to do so — then you've met the author's age-old foe: writer's block. There's nothing more frustrating than finding the time but not the words to be creative. Enter our directory! If you're ready to kick writer's block to the curb and finally get started on your short story or novel, these unique story ideas might just be your ticket.

This list of 1800+ creative writing prompts has been created by the Reedsy team to help you develop a rock-solid writing routine. As all aspiring authors know, this is the #1 challenge — and solution! — for reaching your literary goals. Feel free to filter through different genres, which include...

Dramatic — If you want to make people laugh and cry within the same story, this might be your genre.

Funny — Whether satire or slapstick, this is an opportunity to write with your funny bone.

Romance — One of the most popular commercial genres out there. Check out these story ideas out if you love writing about love.

Fantasy — The beauty of this genre is that the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

Dystopian – Explore the shadowy side of human nature and contemporary technology in dark speculative fiction.

Mystery — From whodunnits to cozy mysteries, it's time to bring out your inner detective.

Thriller and Suspense — There's nothing like a page-turner that elicits a gasp of surprise at the end.

High School — Encourage teens to let their imaginations run free.

Want to submit your own story ideas to help inspire fellow writers? Send them to us here.

After you find the perfect story idea

Finding inspiration is just one piece of the puzzle. Next, you need to refine your craft skills — and then display them to the world. We've worked hard to create resources that help you do just that! Check them out:

• How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten-day course by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.
• Best Literary Magazines of 2023 — a directory of 100+ reputable magazines that accept unsolicited submissions.
• Writing Contests in 2023 — the finest contests of 2021 for fiction and non-fiction authors of short stories, poetry, essays, and more.

Beyond creative writing prompts: how to build a writing routine

While writing prompts are a great tactic to spark your creative sessions, a writer generally needs a couple more tools in their toolbelt when it comes to developing a rock-solid writing routine . To that end, here are a few more additional tips for incorporating your craft into your everyday life.

• NNWT. Or, as book coach Kevin Johns calls it , “Non-Negotiable Writing Time.” This time should be scheduled into your routine, whether that’s once a day or once a week. Treat it as a serious commitment, and don’t schedule anything else during your NNWT unless it’s absolutely necessary.
• Set word count goals. And make them realistic! Don’t start out with lofty goals you’re unlikely to achieve. Give some thought to how many words you think you can write a week, and start there. If you find you’re hitting your weekly or daily goals easily, keep upping the stakes as your craft time becomes more ingrained in your routine.
• Talk to friends and family about the project you’re working on. Doing so means that those close to you are likely to check in about the status of your piece — which in turn keeps you more accountable.

Arm yourself against writer’s block. Writer’s block will inevitably come, no matter how much story ideas initially inspire you. So it’s best to be prepared with tips and tricks you can use to keep yourself on track before the block hits. You can find 20 solid tips here — including how to establish a relationship with your inner critic and apps that can help you defeat procrastination or lack of motivation.

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11 Plus Creative Writing Success Comprehensive Guide

• Advice for the Creative Writing element of 11 plus exams

The 11 plus exams, upon which students’ entry into UK Grammar Schools and Private Schools depends, test children’s understanding of core subjects: English , Maths , Verbal Reasoning , and Non-Verbal Reasoning . This article will focus on the creative writing test, which forms section B of the age 11 English paper. Read on to find out about the following topics:

• the basics of what the 11+ creative writing test is;
• what may come up in the creative writing for 11 plus exams;
• how to revise for the 11 plus creative writing, including how PiAcademy can help;
• tips and tricks to help your child ace the exam in the moment;
• and guidance as to how you may tutor your child in creative writing yourself.

First things first… what exactly is the 11 plus creative writing test?

11+ creative writing topics – what could come up, how to revise for the wealth of possible 11+ creative writing topics…, introducing… in january 2020, our new 11 plus creative writing guide.

*** Please note: creative writing is not required in all iterations of the 11+ exams. Double-check whether your child will be tested on this subject! ***

Check this Out: Top 5 Creative Writing Tips to Score Full Marks

The best way to get to know and understand the format of an exam is always to look at examples of past papers – if you haven’t done this yet, do so! Check which exam is relevant to you and familiarise yourself and your child with how it looks and what it asks for. There are some differences between the 11 plus creative writing test for Private Schools and those for Grammar Schools. Review below a brief summary of each:

11+ English Creative Writings With Answers can be found here >>

Private Schools’ 11 plus Creative Writing Summary:

Most private schools do test the creative writing of their prospective students; part B of the English paper is dedicated to creative writing. Children will have 25-30 minutes to complete the section, choosing one of two questions choices to answer in this time. The questions are often based around the continuation of a provided storyline. Some schools, however, (e.g., Haberdasher Askes – a.k.a. ‘HABS’) also give the option of responding to a visual stimulus included in the question. Other schools could provide a random topic and have children write on this, such as describing a character or crafting a fictional diary entry around a given event.

Grammar Schools’ 11 plus Creative Writing Summary:

Unlike private schools, where most do test creative writing , many grammar schools will opt not to test children on this subject (again, be sure to check exactly which tests your child will face). Some schools do not test creative writing at all (e.g., Queen Elizabeth School – ‘QE Boys’ in Barnet), whereas others will only test this if the student passes the initial round of exams. The style of creative writing testing at grammar schools is very similar to that detailed about private schools (above). *** For a full list of schools, their information, and details of their testing habits check ‘Schools in the UK’ under the advice tab on our website! *** For both grammar school and independent school tests, we suggest a planning time of 3-5 minutes before starting to write an answer. Planning ensures that the student remembers to include everything that they should, and will lead to a better and surer structure to their writing.

In terms of 11+ essentials, creative writing examples are, of course, paramount. What should you expect from age 11 essay titles? What should you expect as topics for creative writing for 11 plus ? The easiest way to get your head around what your child needs to be prepared for is to consider the infinite unseen possibilities of questions within the following four categories:

• Descriptive tasks - A descriptive task may ask the student to describe a place or situation or continue a given storyline
• Persuasive tasks - A persuasive piece is more likely to take the form of a letter of complaint, or a student may be asked to script a convincing speech
• Narrative tasks - A narrative task would entail the composition of a short story
• Expository tasks - An expository task is more likely to require the writing of an explanatory article or set of instructions

As anything could come up in the test, it is helpful to think of ways to revise for each different type of question which may occur in the creative writing task.

With an unlimited number of possible topics to prepare for, flicking through a couple of creative writing books for 11 plus , or reading never-ending lists of 11 plus creative writing tips online, is sure to result in bewilderment… But the good news is – there is no reason to overwhelm yourself! We are here to help. As always, we must advocate one very important element of exam preparation… Practice , practice , practice! Key things to think about when practicing include writing skills such as grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. Throughout practice papers and in every piece of writing, these should be accurate and varied. Sit down with your child and a list of creative writing topics for 11 plus and work through writing some practice answers - this is inarguably a strong start to their revision. However, no matter how many creative writing 11 plus topics you cover, these can only help a limited amount without the aid of an 11+ creative writing mark scheme ; getting to know the mark scheme is the best way to understand what boxes your child’s writing must tick in order to succeed. This all sounds like a lot of information for you to gather, doesn’t it? Well, this is where we come in! Currently, on the PiAcademy website, you can find 11 plus creative writing examples. That is, 11 plus essay titles for creative writing , along with an example plan and answer (remember the importance of planning!). As well as this, among the 11 plus tutoring courses , you can find an 11 plus creative writing course incorporated into the English courses . And just when you thought we couldn’t be any more helpful – to add to the above, we have exciting news…

PiAcademy’s new 11 plus creative writing resources will include 50 tasks to practice creative writing. Each of the four types of question mentioned earlier will be covered (15 descriptive writing tasks, 15 persuasive, 10 narrative, and 10 expository), and a mark scheme for parents’ use will be also included. The mark scheme will explain what constitutes a ‘poor response,’ as well as an example of ‘good response,’ and commentaries explaining why each is categorised so. An 11 plus creative writing PDF document will be downloadable, consisting of an invaluable checklist – this way you can ensure that your child includes everything they must! (Getting to know the checklist, and visualising it in the exam, is the perfect way for your child to successfully carry out their creative writing under time pressure.) This will essentially be an online 11 plus creative writing workbook, with tips and tricks to maximise its usefulness! Perfect for parents who are opting out of hiring an 11 plus creative writing tutor .

Good luck with your revision, and eventually, exams… Remember:

• Always follow our checklists!
• PLAN your answer first!
• Practice each of the four question types!

Practice makes perfect, and our resources allow for lots and lots of practice! Don’t forget to check in in the new year to make the most of our new and improved 11 plus Creative Writing Guide .

Wait! Don’t go yet! Whilst you’re here… Scroll to the bottom of the website to subscribe to our weekly newsletter – we will deliver weekly worksheets, videos, news, tips, and much more, straight to your inbox! (Sounds helpful, right?)

Practicing 11+ Creative Writing would improve pupil’s writing skills and would help in boosting exam performance

11+ Creative Writing subscription has 23 exercises from different categories like Descriptive, Persuasive, Narrative, and Expository. Each exercise is provided with hints, plan, model answer, checklist, and highlights to help students become better at writing.

In our 11 plus Creative Writing Subscription we cover all the basic tips and techniques to help your child get better at creative writing. We also offer 11 plus Creative Writing Mastery course for students who are further interested in learning more.

We recommend that your child should practice 2-3 creative writing exercises from different categories weekly.

Practicing topics like Vocabulary, Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar are beneficial in gaining mastery over creative writings.

11 plus English past papers are a good resource for practicing creative writing. Also, our 11 plus creative writing subscription has a variety of questions to practice from different categories with hints, plan, model answers, and checklist.

• "Amazing creative writings, there are 23 creative writings which include all types of creative writings. Value for money. Thank you for recommending this to me." Tina Singh , 11+ Parent "Very Helpful resource, especially the hints and plan for each creative writings helped my son a lot. He loves it, thank you." Wazid , 11+ Parent
• "Great resource for kids who are appearing for grammar exams. It helped my daughter and I would recommend these resources to my friends/family." Oliver , 11+ Parent "I have visited many websites for sample creative writings but the resource we found here is exceptional. I didn't find similar resources for the affordable price anywhere else. I sincerely recommend the pi academy website for the best resources at affordable prices." Anne , 11+ Parent
• "Checklist for all the creative writings provided is the unique format. You are a genius. Thank you Pi academy."  Mike , 11+ Parent "Amazing creative writings, there are 23 creative writings which include all types of creative writings. Value for money. Thank you for recommending this to me." Tina Singh , 11+ Parent
• "Amazing creative writings, there are 23 creative writings which include all types of creative writings. Value for money. Thank you for recommending this to me." Tina Singh , 11+ Parent
• "Very Helpful resource, especially the hints and plan for each creative writings helped my son a lot. He loves it, thank you." Wazid , 11+ Parent
• "Great resource for kids who are appearing for grammar exams. It helped my daughter and I would recommend these resources to my friends/family."  Oliver , 11+ Parent
• "I have visited many websites for sample creative writings but the resource we found here is exceptional. I didn't find similar resources for the affordable price anywhere else. I sincerely recommend the pi academy website for the best resources at affordable prices." Anne , 11+ Parent
• "Checklist for all the creative writings provided is the unique format. You are a genius. Thank you Pi academy." Mike , 11+ Parent 

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Best 11 Plus Online Practice Exams|11+|Free Tests|Independent Schools|CEM | CSSE|GL Assessment|Creative Writing| 11 Plus Forum|Mock Exams – 11Plus e Help | 11PluseHelp.co.uk

Best 11 Plus Online Practice Exams

11+ Creative Writing

Creativity is a gift to children, and their brains are so sharp than all of us. Why not make them work for good reasons than leave them lethargic to the stinky games? House arrested Televisions. We offer quality resources for 11 plus and a great opportunity for many children out there to showcase their wits. Rush to 11plusehelp.co.uk for more details on Creative Writing and promote your child’s creativity to the world.

Creative Writing is a form of Writing where creativity is at the forefront of its purpose. Here the writer must use his imagination , creativity , and innovation to tell a story through strong written visuals. Creative Writing is probably one of many students’ most challenging sections of the 11+ exams . The reason is that you could not gather enough thoughts under the tight time constraints during the exam.

Creative Writing for the 11 plus test is in two ways – either you are asked to write an original story for the given title or complete a continuous prose exercise in the same writing style. Both types of tasks will examine your ability to plan, create and then write in a structured manner using good vocabulary.

11 Plus Creative Writing:

11 Plus Creative Writing

Creative Writing is the main difference between most Grammar Schools’ tests and Independent Schools’ tests . Grammar School tests usually don’t include this section as their tests are of multiple-choice format. However, Independent secondary Schools do because humans mark the tests.

11 Creative Writing and Story Writing:

https://www.11plusehelp.co.uk/blog/2021/04/17/11-creative-writing-and-story-writing/

What topics could come up?

The possibilities of questions are within the following four categories:

1. Descriptive tasks – to describe a situation or a place

2. Persuasive tasks – to script a convincing speech like writing a letter or a complaint

3. Narrative tasks – to compose a short story

4. Expository tasks – to explain an article or set of instructions

Please note that you can upload the 11+ Creative Writings either by directly typing or by taking a picture and attaching it here:

https://www.11plusehelp.co.uk/blog/submit-creative-writing/

This is the crucial section that decides the child’s ability because the most important thing is how you present your ideas on paper though you get good thoughts in your mind. Having an idea of how your story holds together and ends before you start writing gives you a sense of direction when you write.

11 Plus Creative Writing Validation Check List:

https://www.11plusehelp.co.uk/blog/2016/07/24/11-plus-creative-writing-validation-check-list/

11Plusehelp.co.uk has some guidelines, so check out the resource: 11 Plus English Creative Writing Suggestions

The tutors can only give necessary guidelines for the children on how to carry out creative Writing. They cannot help in making your child start writing scripts and check for reviews. The child himself should start building the features needed for it, like developing a sufficiently wide vocabulary and improving style.

Free 11 Plus Creative Writing Practice:

FREE PRIVATE 11 Plus Creative Writing practice………….

For this, self-practice and revision are a must. It is a good idea to revise each different type of question that may occur in a creative writing task. Key things to remember while practising include grammar , punctuation and sentence structure .

11 Plus Free Creative Writing:

https://www.11plusehelp.co.uk/blog/2018/07/12/11-plus-creative-writing-2/

11 Plus Creative Writings:

https://www.11plusehelp.co.uk/blog/category/11-plus-creative-writings/

The examiner looks for :

• Effective planning of the content
• Creativity in presenting the topic
• A ‘ fluent ‘ and exciting writing style
• Correct usage of punctuation marks
• Use of sophisticated words
• Correct spellings
• Sentences with good English grammar and vocabulary
• A well-structured piece of Writing
• The work is precise and simple

Using Creative Writing Blog , the child can upload a creative writing piece. We publish the best Creative Writing pieces on our blog. This’ll encourage children to write a creative writing piece and improve their writing skills.

11+ Creative Writing – what makes it more effective and impressive?

Some Creative Writings from students:

“The Sun” by Zishan

“Spring the beginning” by Nithila Senthil

“The Summer Tree” by Hafsa

“THE BEAUTIFUL TREE” by Stuti

Note to all Parents and Children on Creative Writing: Please write as much as possible, and if you’ve more time, then don’t stop with one paragraph. Try to put more paragraphs. This’ll improve speed in the final exam.

You can access 11 Plus FREE Papers by visiting the below link: https://www.11plusehelp.co.uk/11-plus-free-online-papers

You can access 11 Plus FREE Sample Papers by visiting the below link: https://www.11plusehelp.co.uk/11-plus-sample-papers

11 Plus complete solution features:

https://www.11plusehelp.co.uk/blog/2017/05/01/11-plus-complete-solution/

Practice and Perseverance Over Genius and Talent

11Plusehelp.co.uk

Published by 11Plus Blog View all posts by 11Plus Blog Leave a Reply Cancel reply 0208 088 4514 [email protected] 11 Plus Creative Writing Tasks List by Danielle | Jan 11, 2023 | Blog , Creative Writing The questions your child might be asked in an 11+ creative writing assessment is endless but here is a list which you could use to guide you. These tasks are all taken from real 11+ papers, from schools including Latymer Upper, St Pauls Girls, The Perse School, Emanuel School, Alleyn’s School, Merchant Taylors and the Essex CSSE Exam. Write a Story ‘Taught a Lesson!’ Write a story about a bully who is taught a lesson. Write a story entitled, ‘Alone’. “The Fire” Write a story with this as your title. Concentrate on describing a fire and its effects, and the thoughts and feelings of the people involved, so that it is convincing for your reader. Continue a Story Continue the story that begins with,  Outside my front door, someone had left a large cardboard box .   Continue the Story  that begins with,  Pushing the door, his hand shook uncontrollably as he watched the ground open up to reveal a spiral staircase winding down to the unknown.   Write a recount Imagine you are a Martian landing on Planet Earth. Write a diary entry (in English!) about your first day. A Walk in the Dark. You have had to go out after dark to carry out an errand. Write a letter to a friend telling them: • What you saw. • What you heard. • How you felt about being out by yourself in the dark. Write a Description Imagine it is very early in the morning and you are all alone in your school just before anyone else has arrived. Describe your observations and what you feel. Describe a visit to a very cold place. Imagine that your train stops in a tunnel in the dark for half an hour. Describe what you see and how you feel. Describe someone you will never forget and explain why. Write about an Experience Write about a time when you had to do something that scared you. Explain what happened and describe how you felt. You should make your writing as interesting and detailed as possible. Write about a time that you or someone else became frustrated by something. Explain what happened and how you felt. Write a piece of Non-Fiction Write a persuasive letter to your local MP about the litter in your area and what you want them to do about it. Do you think children should have access to smart phones? Write a discursive magazine article in which you outline reasons for and against. Explain what is your favourite time in the whole year. You should aim to write  at least  six sentences. Write down, in six or seven sentences, instructions for a younger brother, sister or friend on how to clean their teeth. Write six or seven sentences describing an animal. For example, a cat, a dog, a guinea pig, a horse. Make your writing as vivid as possible. In six or seven sentences, write down clear instructions how to make a piece of toast with jam. Make your writing as precise as possible. Write about an Image Write a story based on the picture below. Describe the image. Creative Writing: Core Skills and Story Writing 11+ Interview Preparation Course Years 4-6 Comprehension Course Years 2-3 Creative Writing Club: Smashing Story Skills Other blogposts. What is the Future Stories Community Enterprise? Feb 15, 2024 What is the Future Stories Community Enterprise? The Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) was established in early 2022 and their aim is to make grammar school entrance examinations both rigorous and yet accessible to all children, including disadvantaged and... Why should your child join our creative writing courses? Jan 23, 2024 Children study English often every day at school so why are our creative writing courses so important?  In the latest national Key Stage 2 assessment results published in July 2023, 71% of pupils met the expected standard in writing at the end of Key Stage 2, a lower... What books should my child be reading in 2024? Jan 1, 2024 Are you stuck for reading book ideas for your child?Here are some ideas to get you going!   Reception: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin JnrWhere’s Spot? by Eric HillThe Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric CarleClifford the Big Red Dog by Norman... 020 3540 4077 [email protected] Bookings for 2024-25 are now open! 11 plus (11+) creative writing topics, last updated: october 6, 2023, 6 key 11 plus (11+) creative writing topics. The following are common topics 11+ applicants may be presented within their creative writing exam, how to tackle them, and examples of books about these topics to prepare with. Stories about adventures or activities You may be asked to write a story about an adventure or activity with a prompt similar to the following: Write about… winning a race or award a hobby you enjoy going on an adventure Books about an adventure or activity: Some books that you may find helpful as inspiration for writing a story on this topic are: Treasure Island , Robert Stevenson, Examberry Children’s Classic Reading Workbook edition Breakfast Club Adventures , Marcus Rashford Running on the Roof of the World , Jess Butterworth Famous Five Adventure Series , Enid Blyton Tanglewreck , Jeanette Winterson Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland , Lewis Carroll The Odyssey , Homer, Usborne Young Reading edition The Wonder team and the Forgotten Footballers , Leah Williamson Harry Potter series, J.K.Rowling The BFG , Roald Dahl Focus on the feeling of discovery – think about what new things your character is learning or experiencing through the adventure or activity. Stories about animals You may be asked to write a story about an animal/animals with a prompt similar to the following: your favourite animal a zoo/sea/jungle animal/creature Books about animals: The Wind in the Willows , Kenneth Grahame, Examberry Children’s Classic Reading Workbook Edition The Tale of Despereaux , Kate DiCamillo Animal Farm , George Orwell Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh , Robert C.O.Brien The Butterfly Lion , Michael Morpurgo Charlotte’s Web , E.B.White Beautiful Joe’s Paradise , Margaret Marshall Saunders The Lost Whale , Hannah Gold The Last Firefox , Lee Newberry Black Beauty , Anna Sewell Use anthropomorphisation – give the animals human traits to make them more empathetic (more relatable) to the reader. Stories about emotions You may be asked to write a story about an emotion with a prompt similar to the following: a time when you felt afraid/happy/jealous/sad/angry how you overcame a fear/challenge joy/disgust/hope Books about emotions: A Boy Called Hope , Lara Williamson A Pocketful of Stars , Aisha Bushby Wonder , R.J.Palacio Ella on the Outside , Cath Howe The Goldfish Boy , Lisa Thompson The Boy Who Lied , Kim Slater The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time , Mark Haddon Can You See Me? , Libby Scott The Book Thief , Marcus Zusak See You in the Cosmos , Jack Cheng Relate the emotions to the five senses – e.g. what colour does hope look like, what does sadness smell like? Stories about an environment You may be asked to write a story about an environment with a prompt similar to the following: the sea, the forest, a garden a house, a castle a bridge, a door, a greenhouse Books about an environment: The Secret Garden , Frances Hodgson Burnett The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe , C.S.Lewis Nim’s Island , Wendy Orr Isadora Moon Under the Sea , Harriet Muncaster The Magical Faraway Tree , Enid Blyton Wildsmith: Into the Dark Forest , Liz Flanagan Our Castle by the Sea , Lucy Strange Tom’s Midnight Garden , Philippa Pearce Coraline , Neil Gaiman Howl’s Moving Castle , Dianna Wynne Jones Use personification to give the environment a sense of power – e.g. “ It was a heavy burden for the sea, carrying all those ships on her blue surface, but she did it proudly, for it was her responsibility to care for them.” Stories about people You may be asked to write a story about a person or a group of people with a prompt similar to the following: a role model a family member/friend an original character (e.g. wizard, doctor, teacher) Books about people: A Christmas Carol , Charles Dickens, Examberry Children’s Classic Reading Workbook edition Anne of Green Gables , Lucy Maud Montgomery Heidi , Johanna Spyri Sherlock Holmes series, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Percy Jackson series, Rick Riordan Agent Zaiba Investigates , Annabelle Sami Lightning Girl , Alesha Dixon Tales from beyond the rainbow , Peter Jordi Wood Little People, Big Dreams series, Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara Little Women, Louisa May Alcott Use adjectives – i.e. descriptive words, to describe characters’ appearance and emotions. Stories about travel You may be asked to write a story about travelling somewhere with a prompt similar to the following: travelling to another country travelling to another world travelling to the countryside, seaside or city Books about travel: The Girl of Ink and Stars , Kiran Millwood Hargrave The Boy Who Biked the World series, Alastair Humphreys Around the world in Eighty Days , Jane Bingham Gulliver’s Travels , Jonathan Swift The London Eye Mystery , Siobhan Dowd Journey to the Centre of the Earth , Jules Verne, Usborne Young Reading edition The Wizard of Oz , L.Frank Baum No Ballet Shoes in Syria , Catherine Bruton The Children of Castle Rock , Natasha Farrant The Phantom Tollbooth , Norton Jester Use verbs and adverbs – use verbs to add a sense of movement in the story and adverbs to describe the experience of travelling. 11+ Creative Writing Course Our 11+ Creative Writing Course is led by 11+ experts who will prepare your child for their creative writing exam(s). The course starts this October 2023. Book now to secure your child’s place! Share this article More articles Medway extended writing exam. Top tips for scoring highly in the Medway Extended Writing Exam. CSSE Continuous Writing Exam Top tips for scoring highly in the CSSE Continuous Writing Exam. Learn more about our expert 11+ Creative Writing Course Increase your child’s chances of entrance success! Quick Links View our Papers site View our Tuition site FAQ/Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy w/c 7 October: Session 1  w/c 14 October: Session 2 w/c 21 October: Session 3 w/c 28 October: HALF TERM w/c 4 November: Session 4 w/c 11 November: Session 5 w/c 18 November: Session 6 w/c 25 November: Session 7 w/c 2 December: Session 8 w/c 9 December: NO SESSION w/c 16 December: XMAS BREAK w/c 23 December: XMAS BREAK w/c 30 December: XMAS BREAK w/c 6 January: NO SESSION w/c 13 January: Session 9 w/c 20 January Session 10 w/c 27 January: Session 11 w/c 3 February: Session 12 w/c 10 February: NO SESSION w/c 17 February: HALF TERM w/c 24 February: NO SESSION w/c 3 March: Session 13 w/c 10 March: Session 14 w/c 17 March: Session 15 w/c 24 March: Session 16 w/c 31 March: NO SESSION w/c 7 April: EASTER BREAK w/c 14 April: EASTER BREAK w/c 21 March: NO SESSION w/c 28 April: Session 17 w/c 5 May: Session 18 w/c 12 May: Session 19 w/c 19 May: Session 20 w/c 26 May: HALF TERM w/c 2 June: HALF TERM w/c 9 June: Session 21 w/c 16 June: Session 22 w/c 23 June: Session 23 w/c 30 June: Session 24 w/c 7 July: -course finished- w/c 14 July: -course finished- w/c 21 July : -course finished-  15 Creative Writing Prompts for 11-year-olds Preparing for the 11 Plus English Exam If your child is in year 5 of primary school, then chances are they may be sitting their 11+ exams soon. In many of the 11 Plus exams will be an English paper that includes a creative essay, in which your child will be expected to demonstrate their literacy skills creatively by using extensive language, grammar and punctuation. In order to put their best foot forward, your child will need to prepare adequately – there is no such thing as too much practice when it comes to writing. That’s why we have created some free creative writing resources , including the following 15 creative writing prompts to help your child exercise their creativity Don’t forget – we have lots of writing prompts books and booklets, too! See below: 15 Creative Writing Prompts Let’s say you could create your own animal, what would it look like? How would you describe it in terms of size, colour and height? What would it sound like? What does it eat? Write a story about a day in your life from the viewpoint of a mouse. Imagine you are 10 years older. Write about what the 21-year-old version of you would be like. Imagine that you were chosen as one of the first people to visit Mars. What would you take with you and what do you think the planet would be like? If you switched places with your parents for a day, how would you run the house? What rules would you introduce and which rules would you change? Pages: 1 2 3 Share this: 2 responses to “15 creative writing prompts for 11-year-olds preparing for the 11 plus english exam”, leave a reply cancel reply. You must be logged in to post a comment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed . Primary Tuition: 11+ Exam Tuition and Key Stage 1 and 2 Tuition Secondary Tuition: Key Stage 3 and GCSE Functional Skills Courses for 16+ and Adults Looking for expert tutors for your child's 11+ exam? With personalised lessons and fun, interactive sessions, look no further! Enrol your child in our weekly 11+ revision classes where they'll benefit from small groups and individualised learning in all sections of the exam. UCAS Guide Home > 11+ articles 11 Plus Creative Writing: Exam Preparation Guide What is the creative writing element of the 11 Plus and what does it include? Both 11 plus exam boards (GL and CEM) don’t have a creative writing element, however some schools may decide to add this element in to assist with the selection process. For instance, it may be used in cases where two students have very similar scores and so the creative writing piece will be the deciding factor. Each school will have a different format for the writing element; some schools may ask for a creative piece of writing from scratch and others may ask students to complete a story from a passage they‘re provided with. Independent schools, on the other hand, usually require an essay or creative writing piece as part of the exam.  In private schools, this section is crucial and is always marked, however in grammar schools this section may not always be marked. Nonetheless, it shouldn’t be overlooked as it could be a deciding factor of whether or not your child gets an offer at their target grammar school. This element of the eleven plus will require students to manage their time well and be able to complete their story in just under an hour. Generally, students are given a scenario or prompt that they are free to interpret in their own way. Students will then be required to put their ideas together in a creative style. Some examples of past prompts that have come up in grammar and private school 11 Plus exams include: Describe a situation which you have experienced which might also be called A Magical Moment, showing what your thoughts and feelings are The Prince of Darkness is a Gentleman The Broken Window As you can see from these titles, there’s no specific category that they fall into and they are very unpredictable. The trick here is to ensure your child has lots of practice with these past paper questions, so they can better understand how they’re going to draft their ideas together coherently. The structure of the writing piece should include: A beginning that sets the scene Characters who have a motivation behind their actions and drive the plot forward An ending that wraps up the original idea that was set out at the beginning  How to prepare for the creative writing part of the exam? Practice is of course a crucial element of the revision process. It may also be useful to jot down ideas and descriptions of: emotions, actions, characters and the environment. Having these sets of descriptions ready will save lots of time in the actual exam. Even though the emotions and characters your child has practised writing don’t match the question in the exam, they will have a better idea of how to formulate the structure and plot in a timely manner by developing the descriptions they practised.  Themes to practice writing about: Nature : this could be rivers, rain, mountains, lightning Emotions : this is an essential part of the story as it helps to set the tone. Some emotions can be: joy, anger, sadness. It may be beneficial to visualise the ‘inside out’ movie and write out the emotions according to how each character behaves Activities you enjoy : this will help with writing the plot in the eleven plus exam since you can adapt and build on these descriptions based on the title question Animals : this may be your favourite animal or your pet Your surroundings : this could be houses, parks, churches, villages, roads. Understanding how to write about basic structures in a captivating way is a very important of this writing element Techniques to practise using in your writing: Personification : This technique involves associating something that isn’t human with human qualities. For example: the trees danced in the wind . This technique allows the objects throughout the story to have meaning and gives energy to something that is usually expressionless.  Metaphors : This is a figure of speech, where a word or phrase is defined as another object or action to which it is not literally applicable. A famous example is from one of Shakespeare’s plays, As You Like It, is: ‘all the world’s a stage. ’ This metaphor compares the world to a theatrical stage. While this is not literally true, the metaphor demonstrates that the world is like a show and the people are like actors. Metaphors allow the reader to think more deeply about a subject, and they can also add emotion and dramatic effect. Similes : This is like a metaphor, except similes use the connective words ‘like’ or ‘as’ to draw comparisons. For example: her eyes were like diamonds . The purpose of similes is to make comparisons to better illustrate your ideas, which makes the story more vivid and entertaining for the reader.  Hyperbole : This is an exaggeration to emphasise a point to the reader. For instance: I have waited forever for this to happen . This makes the sentence more dramatic and grabs the reader’s attention, which makes the emotions more memorable. Alliteration : This is having two or more words with the same letters consecutively in a sentence. An example of this could be: the big bug bit the little bee . This will have a different effect depending on whether the letters sound soft or harsh, but generally alliteration adds a rhythmic sound to the sentence and accentuates your descriptions. Some revision techniques Although the topics for the creative writing section are unpredictable, they are usually very broad so your child can use their imagination to think of a plot or build on the descriptions they have already practised. They can start off by writing short stories on the themes mentioned above in this article, and attempt to implement the literary techniques throughout their writing. It’s crucial to keep your reader hooked throughout your story, so having an interesting plot and characters will help, but it’s also important to focus on developing the techniques listed. Use past paper questions and practice writing short stories under timed conditions, then read over it and see how many techniques your child managed to implement.  If your child is struggling to come up with ideas, it may be useful to encourage them to pick up one of their favourite books and allow them to get inspiration from there. This will encourage their creative thinking skills to grow; the first few pages of a book are especially important as they sometimes outline the main characters and setting of the entire story.  Reading and analysing the first few pages can allow them to imagine how they’re going to start their own. Even better, try to encourage them to annotate the pages they read with how the characters are displayed, the emotions, actions and the techniques used. After this, they can try to use their structure and techniques in their own writing. Adding these techniques can improve their score tremendously in the eleven plus creative writing section. General tips and informative articles on 11 Plus: 11 Plus for Parents 11 Plus Creative Writing 11 Plus English 11 Plus Non Verbal Reasoning 11 Plus Maths 11 Plus Verbal Reasoning 11 Plus Comprehension Tips 11 Plus Reading List What Is 11 Plus Exam 11 Plus Maths Questions Still got a question? Leave a comment Leave a comment, cancel reply. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Latest 11+ related blogs: 11+ > 11+ articles How to Prepare for English Questions in the 11 Plus 11 plus reading list recommendations, 11 plus for parents – top 10 working tips, what is the 11 plus exam, related links. 11+ Weekly Classes 11 Plus Tutoring | 11+ Tutors Enrol your child in out weekly 11+ classes where they'll benefit from small groups and individualised learning. Let's get acquainted ? What is your name? Nice to meet you, {{name}} what is your preferred e-mail address, nice to meet you, {{name}} what is your preferred phone number, what is your preferred phone number, just to check, what are you interested in, when should we call you. It would be great to have a 15m chat to discuss a personalised plan and answer any questions What time works best for you? (UK Time) Pick a time-slot that works best for you ? How many hours of 1-1 tutoring are you looking for? My whatsapp number is..., for our safeguarding policy, please confirm.... Please provide the mobile number of a guardian/parent Which online course are you interested in? What is your query, you can apply for a bursary by clicking this link, sure, what is your query, thank you for your response. we will aim to get back to you within 12-24 hours., lock in a 2 hour 1-1 tutoring lesson now. If you're ready and keen to get started click the button below to book your first 2 hour 1-1 tutoring lesson with us. Connect with a tutor from a university of your choice in minutes. (Use FAST5 to get 5% Off!) 11 plus creative writing guide for kids By Atom | Jan 17, 2023, 12:28 PM What to expect in a creative writing exam In most creative writing exams, you will be given an imaginary scenario and 30–45 minutes to write about it. Here are some examples of creative writing topics you might be asked to write about in the exam: The natural world , e.g. Imagine you are on a desert island. Activities , e.g. Describe a hobby you like doing. Animals , e.g. What animal are you frightened of and why? Emotions , e.g. Imagine you are lost in a forest. Why not use practice writing about some of these themes, using the framework below? Get inspired Check out our full list of 11 plus creative writing topics for more ideas! A flexible framework Creative writing exercises are all about creativity – the clue is in the name! There is no right or wrong approach. However, using a framework will help you know where to start and structure your writing. Whether you're practicing story writing for fun, or sitting an exam, here is our step-by-step framework . As you practice your writing and build up confidence, you can get more flexible with how you use this approach. 1. Three-minute splurge Start your planning by spending two or three minutes writing down all the ideas that come into your head. This technique is also known as 'free writing' and is a great way to tap into your creativity! Don't worry about punctuation or grammar at this stage – just get your ideas down on paper. 2. Plan, plan, plan In an exam, we recommend keeping things simple with: One main event One main character One goal they want to achieve Try different planning methods to see what works for you. You can use bullet points to outline the key elements of your story. Or try the snowflake method of planning. The snowflake planning method Write one sentence summarising your story idea. This can be a character or the situation they are in. Branch ideas out from it. Each arm of the snowflake can be a character or an event. This will help more ideas come to mind as you work your way outwards. When it’s time to write up your story, each idea can become a paragraph. Things to think about when writing your plan: What is the key conflict at the heart of your story? The solution You might only work this out when you start writing! Your characters Who are they? What are they like? How will they change over the course of the story? World building What details are you going to include about the setting? What literary devices can you use? Planning tips When planning your story, write out a list of features you want to include. Tick them off as you write your story! Don't spend too long planning. If your exam is 30 minutes long, spend about five minutes planning. If the exam is 45 minutes, spend up to ten minutes planning. 3. Bring your story to life Spend the next 20 to 30 minutes writing up your story. Different ideas might come to you as you write, so you may end up straying from your plan. This is totally fine and part of the fun of writing! However, it can be helpful to keep looking back at your plan as you write , so you remember your original idea. Try to finish writing up your story with five to ten minutes to spare. Then check through your work for any mistakes. Keep reading for tips on how to bring your story to life with brilliant beginnings, captivating characters, and excellent endings! What will the examiner be looking for? Outside exams, we can be as free as possible with our creative writing style. But when it comes to a test, there are certain features that examiners will be looking for. To get top marks, your creative writing will need to have: Correct grammar with full sentences and punctuation marks Paragraphs , with one main idea per paragraph Direct speech and dialogue A plot with a beginning, middle and end. The middle often contains a climax or main event, and the end contains a resolution Descriptive and figurative language , using literary devices such as personification, metaphor and simile Writing brilliant beginnings Why do we need a good opening to our story? We want readers to be captivated! Our aim is to keep the reader interested and reading. There are many ways to do this. We might want to hint at who and what our story is about, or where and when it's set. One way to start a story is to introduce your central character. You could start with a description of their appearance, their outfit, their personality, or give tidbits of information such as their name. This can help bring your characters to life for your reader and make them want to find out what happens to them. You could also start your story by introducing where it takes place. You might want to describe a building, the weather, or a landscape. Think about the five senses: What can you see, hear, feel, taste or smell in the setting? Your story can start by jumping straight into a conversation between two characters (make sure you punctuate it with speech marks!). How about a funny chat between friends, an argument, or your main character talking to themselves in their head? Another option is to throw your reader right into the middle of the key events of your story. Starting with a description of an action scene can get your reader excited to find out what happens next. A question is a thought-provoking and interesting way to open a story. You can inspire your reader, get them wondering and keen to learn more. You can combine more than one of these techniques in your opening paragraph. Looking for inspiration on story beginnings? Try this quiz and see if you can match the first line to the book. See if you can score more highly than your parent or guardian. But watch out, because one of the books is a decoy! If you have an Atom Home subscription, watch our Live Lesson on Brilliant Beginnings for more details! Creating captivating characters Exciting and realistic characters will make your writing much more interesting for your reader. Who's in the story? Think about the types of characters you want to include. Here are some ideas: Protagonist (main character) – are they a hero or an antihero? (An antihero is a main character who is lacking in heroic qualities.) Antagonist (villain) Friend/supporter Love interest These are archetypes – tools that can be used in writing to represent common aspects of life. You don't need to include all of these character types, and you might have completely different ideas! However, if you are struggling to think of characters, it can be helpful to consider these archetypes for inspiration. Give them a name When you name your characters, it's helpful to think about: The setting and genre of your story The character's personality . What are their emotions ? What kind of person are they? Choosing a name that reflects this will help your character to be more memorable. For example: At the start of Harry Potter , the author wants us to know that Harry is an ordinary boy. This is emphasised by Harry Potter's very normal name! In Roald Dahl's Matilda , the antagonist is called Miss Trunchbull. This name gives us the impression of a very unpleasant person! Choose verbs and adverbs Another great way to convey your character's personality and emotions is through the verbs and adverbs you choose to describe their actions and dialogue. Take a look at this extract: "I don't know who you think you are," Mr Biggins snapped coldly. What do the words "snapped" and "coldly" tell us about Mr Biggins's personality? Give them an arc How might your character's personality change over the course of the story? This is known as a character arc . The change can be positive or negative. Having a character arc helps your story to have a message. Your readers will feel like they have learned something interesting. For example, in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, the character of Scrooge changes from being miserly and greedy at the start of the story, to being joyful and helpful at the end. Think about your main character's arc when you're planning your story. Does your protagonist turn from a normal person into a hero? Does your villain learn a lesson and become a nicer person? Or do your hero's motivations change and they turn out to be a villain? Writing excellent endings When it comes to writing a story, the end is as important as the beginning. It can be tempting to go down the ‘it was all just a dream’ route, but at Atom Learning, we want to encourage you to write endings that will leave a lasting impression on your reader (and have them wanting to read more!). Plan the end of your story before you start writing It’s easy to jump straight into writing and lose track of what you would like your characters to experience. You don't need to spend hours planning every tiny detail, but it’s a good idea to plan the structure of your story before you start. This will help you avoid having loose ends. You can use the framework above to help with planning. Get inspiration from your favourite books Have a brainstorm of your favourite stories and look closely at their endings. How did you feel when you finished reading? What did the writer do that you might be able to imitate in your own story? Decide on a resolved or unresolved ending If your plan is to reveal everything to your reader (a resolved ending), make sure you tie up any loose ends. But if you want to have an ambiguous ending (i.e. not clear, or undecided), make sure you leave something unresolved for the reader. This is particularly important if your story is going to have a sequel! Match your ending to your genre Are you writing a mystery, a comedy, a fantasy or an adventure story? It’s important that your ending matches up with your genre. If your story is a mystery or a thriller, try ending with a plot twist to create excitement. If you’re writing a comedy, you will want to make your reader laugh. Why not try ending with a joke? Link the end with the beginning and middle This is where planning is very important. If your story's ending introduces new people or ideas that you haven’t explored earlier in the story, your reader will end up feeling confused. After writing your ending, read back through your whole story to check that it makes sense as part of the whole context Take a look at our tips on how to build suspense and tension in your writing! Ready to learn some more 11 plus creative writing techniques? Ask your parent or guardian to complete this form to get access to free six creative writing and comprehension video lessons. You'll get: Masterful Mysteries Legendary Letters Fantastic Fantasy Traditional Tales Science Fiction 11+ Past Paper Begin your journey with Atom Free Resources Atom Learning Ltd. is registered and incorporated in England and Wales. Company Registration Number: 10867907 VAT number: 316903508 Copyright Atom Learning Ltd. All rights reserved. The complete guide to preparing for the 11 Plus What is the Eleven Plus? A parent’s guide to coping with the 11 plus On the day of the test Results Day 11 Plus General Tips CEM 11 Plus Standardised Scores Planning an 11+ Campaign Preparation in Year 3 & Year 4 Preparation in Year 5 Emergency! Preparation for Late Starters 11 Plus Practice Materials Free 11 Plus Practice Papers What’s new in 11 Plus? Verbal Reasoning Non-Verbal Reasoning Mathematics Practice Online When to Start Tutoring Finding a Tutor Choosing the Right Type of Tutoring Selecting the Right Tutor Problems with a Tutor Eleven Plus Exams Tuition Centre General Points Non Qualification Oversubscribed School Ombudsman and ESFA Miscellaneous Abbreviations The lowdown on the requirements of different schools and areas Choosing a School Admission Policies and Rules Glossary of Admission Terms Open Day & School Visit Questions CAF - The School Application Form Equal Preference System School League Tables Independent Schools Partially Selective Schools Grammar Schools Grammar to Academy Status Birmingham & Walsall Buckinghamshire Hertfordshire Lancashire & Cumbria Lincolnshire Wolverhampton & Wrekin Everything you need to succeed at the 11 Plus More about our Services 11+ Essay Writing Independent School Essay Writing  Next Page. With thanks to various 11+ Forum members, particularly Freya, for their helpful posts on this topic. Children often feel that the essay element of the 11+ is a monumental task, and parents preparing them for it often feel the same way! We hope that the advice on this page will help your and your child to break the task down into manageable pieces, and also provide you with some useful shortcuts. On this section you will also find advice on essay writing from an 11+ veteran who took several Independent School exams. The advice given is particularly helpful for longer essays and for more challenging topics and tests. The essay test may be as little as 20 minutes or as long as 50 minutes, and may be factual or fiction. There is usually a choice of titles, but it is important to check the type of topics that have come up in the tests for each school in the past. There are some examples below of essay titles that have come up in past 11+ tests around the country to get you started. Examiners in different areas may have different priorities. In some areas they will mainly be interested in the content of the work, rather than demanding good spelling or punctuation. In other areas accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling may be required as well. All examiners will be looking for one key thing: the “beginning, middle and end” that most children find so difficult to achieve in essays. If your child does not excel at fiction writing and you know for certain that they will have a choice of factual or fiction topics, you could focus on developing their ability to write a persuasive factual essay rather than battling uphill with creative writing. Learning good planning technique is essential to success in an 11+ essay. The elements that need to be planned are: Who are the characters? Can you describe them? Where is the story set? What is the plot – what will happen in the story? How will the story begin? What will happen in the middle? How will it end? With very limited time for planning an essay in the 11+ a child must learn to make rough notes on all of these points within a very tight timescale. In some areas the children are given 5 minutes specifically to plan their essay, but in other areas that time is included in the time allotted for the whole task, and speed is critical. Building up a “bank” of characters and settings that your child can fall back is well worth doing. Typical characters might be: a criminal; an old lady; a spooky person; a scary man, a nice friend, etc. Settings might include: A rocky seashore; a dark wood; an old, empty house, etc. To develop the “beginning, middle and end” balance, you can work out how much your child is likely to write in the allotted time and then start to rule 3 sections on their page, one short one, a longer one and a third short one. They then have to complete the “beginning” within the space allowed in the first section, fit the middle into the longer section and the ending must take up the whole of the last section Even after extensive practice a child may still find that they are running out of time. It is well worth preparing some “emergency endings”, and never,  ever  falling back on the stock phrase: “And then I woke up and realised it was all a dream”. It is an ending that makes the hearts of teachers and examiners sink to their boots! Plenty of adjectives and adverbs will make for interesting writing, and you can help your child to make “stock lists” of appropriate words for different settings. For example, if the story is a “spooky” story, help them to think of dark, scary adjectives and adverbs. As time goes on it is also worth helping a child come up with “stock phrases” that can fit into almost any essay, such as: Linking mood to weather: Tears like the rain/waterfalls; Eyes bruised like dark clouds; Heart beating as raindrops thundered; Eyes twinkling like dew on fresh grass. Descriptions of surroundings: Sweet, cloying scent; Patchwork of autumn leaves – vibrant reds, ochres, etc; Shafts of sunshine dappling; Trees whispering to each other; Angry water seething and boiling. Descriptions of being frightened: Being chased, hiding and anticipating being found. Essay Topics For creative writing, the topics set for 11+ essays tend to have the same common themes, and it is worth having a “stock” story that can be used in each of these settings: Being lost, scared or alone Doing something exciting or achieving something (’the best day of my life was . . . ’) Taking a holiday Having an adventure Being in a city or in the countryside These are topics that have come up on past 11+ papers around the country, with a few additional titles contributed by our 11+ Forum members: A surprising spy Break time at school Write a story about a lost key Is life too hectic to enjoy fully? My favourite memories A farewell party An attempted robbery It was a while before I realised my cat could talk Moving Houses I don’t know what that noise was ….. The new pupils The Burglary My Brilliant Idea Visiting Relatives The Balloon The school rules A place that inspires you Your favourite day out Are Jamie Oliver’s new school dinners a good idea. What makes a good friend? Describe the scene and the activities at a bus station. What are your reactions to discipline? How far is it necessary both at home and at school? How does the life of your generation differ from that of your grandparents? Discuss the good and bad effects of competition in modern life The Importance of Reading 11 plus Vocabulary Related Pages Comprehension Exercises Essay Writing Importance of Reading Reading List Useful Resources for English Free Eleven Plus Papers 11+ Essentials – English Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Book 1 (First Past the Post®) Knowledge of spelling, punctuation and grammar is at the heart of 11 plus and Common Entrance exams, such as those set by Granada Learning (GL). The questions in this book have been designed to replicate the last three sections of the current GL 11 plus English test. 11+ Essentials – Creative Writing Examples Book 2 (First Past the Post®) Creative Writing: Examples presents 11+ students with a variety of high-quality, creative writing pieces, written by their peers in preparation for their exam. This book is designed to address the key elements of the 11+ creative writing exam, using real creative pieces as examples. T&C’s Help your child succeed in their 11 Plus exams The 11 plus guide - free advice and help for the 11 plus exams. The 11 Plus Guide – FREE advice and help for the 11 Plus exams. 11 Plus Exam Papers & Books 11 Plus Exam Preparation 11 Plus Subjects Independent & Private Schools Grammar School Test Areas 11 Plus Forum Numerical Reasoning What do Maths tests include? Maths preparation mistakes Most common Maths mistakes Early years Maths preparation Year five Maths preparation CEM Numerical reasoning GL 11 Plus Maths School written Maths papers Maths- KS2 Syllabus topic guide Independent School Maths How to prepare for Engish English preparation mistakes Common English exam mistakes Gauging English performance level Early years English preparation Year five English preparation GL 11 Plus English CEM 11 Plus English School written English papers Key topics from the KS2 English Syllabus How to prepare for VR GL style tests CEM style tests Independent School VR VR preparation mistakes Most common VR mistakes Pressure and VR VR preparation in years three and four VR specific year four work VR preparation in year five How to prepare for Non-Verbal Reasoning GL Non-Verbal Reasoning CEM Non-Verbal Reasoning Independent School NVR Preparation mistakes NVR Exam mistakes NVR Pressure and Non-Verbal Reasoning Year three NVR preparation Year four NVR preparation Year five NVR preparation Classic Books Vocabulary How Children Develop Vocabulary Vocabulary Development Plan 11 Plus Vocabulary Books and Reviews 11 Plus Vocabulary Development 11 Plus Vocabulary List Commonly Misspelt Words – 11 Plus Homophones for the 11 Plus KS2 Statutory Spelling Words When to double letters in spelling 11 Plus Creative Writing – Example Topics and Tasks In this area of the site you can find out all about what’s covered in the various 11 Plus subject areas. Remember grammar school area can be different and the meaning of subjects (particularly Verbal Reasoning) varies from area to area. Here you’ll find a useful introduction to the core subject areas: Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and to the two main publishers (GL and CEM). We will also give an overview of Independent School 11 Plus Exams. If you want to have a more in-depth look at a particular grammar school area to see what type of test a particular school you might be considering has then please use our regional guide. You will also be able to find information on what materials we recommend you use for each individual area (remember that it is very important to use suitable materials for the exam your child may sit and with so many publishers out there the picture can be quite confusing which is why we have decided to try and offer some guidance and help on what to use). Finally one word of caution on moving too far beyond the KS2 Syllabus Increasingly we come across parents who are pushing their children ever further forwards. All we can do is to caution you against doing this. 11 Plus exams typically will not go beyond the primary school syllabus in Maths or English (only some Independent scholarship exams may do so in Maths- see our page on Independent Scholarship Exams for guidance). So if your child is sitting an 11 Plus entry test for a grammar school they are going to be expected to work very quickly and accurately on questions which fall within the syllabus. Those parents who push their children beyond the syllabus (and hearing parents boasting about their children doing GCSE Maths is not unusual) are really not helping them. Typically children who are working on topics beyond the KS2 syllabus find that while their Maths knowledge might be broad , it is not deep enough to be successful. It is not unusual to find parents who simply cannot understand how their own child who is doing some GCSE level questions has done worse in the 11 plus Maths test than another child they know who didn’t stray beyond the KS2 syllabus and focussed on working quickly and accurately and using their skills creatively in different types of question format. There really is no advantage to be had in moving beyond the KS2 syllabus. Advice on individual subjects can be found below: 11 Plus Maths 11 Plus English 11 Plus Verbal Reasoning 11 Plus Non-verbal Reasoning 11 Plus Spelling 11 Plus Creative Writing 11+ Revision Advice Using books or structured courses for preparation We try to help parents preparing at home as much as possible. In our exam papers and books section we include lots of Free Preparation Guides for each subject and recommend the right books for you to use from the thousands available. We also help you to see if using a structured course at home might be even better for you than using books alone. Recommended Forum Feature The 11 plus forum - answers to common questions about the 11 plus exam, favourites links, independent school past papers. 11 Plus Exam Format by Region Preparation Options Pages of Interest Top ten tips, 11 plus guided courses, which books to use, 11 plus mock exams. 11 Plus Guide Copyright © 2024 Site Managed by Matt Porter Our Mission 54 Excellent, Low-Stakes Writing Prompts Across grade levels, engaging and creative writing prompts encourage kids to explore their opinions, reflect on experiences, and build strong arguments. Routine low-stakes writing should be part of every student’s literacy diet. Ungraded and low-pressure, this type of writing improves kids’ writing stamina and builds language fluency, says Rebecca Alber , an instructor at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education. Under the right conditions, students can get ideas about a question or concept down quickly and with few parameters, then “share those thoughts, and feel just as successful as everyone else in the room,” Alber says. The goal is to help students feel empowered to communicate ideas clearly and convincingly, while increasing their confidence as writers in preparation for longer, higher-stakes writing.  Prompts are an excellent starting point—but not all prompts are created equal, writes Todd Finley , a professor of English Education at East Carolina University. Superficially clever prompts may get pencils moving but often result in writing that’s neither valuable nor memorable. To improve the quality of students’ output and their level of investment, present them with prompts that require persuasive, opinion, informative, or even creative responses—and consider incorporating some student choice in the process.  As a wrap-up, students can share their work with a partner, in small groups, or even aloud to the class. To allow everyone to fully participate in the messy work of writing and occasionally “let their scraggly emotions run free,” Finley suggests offering the option to write “personal” at the top of pages they prefer to keep private.   We combed through dozens of lists of teacher-tested prompts to find 54 thought-provoking ones that will get students—from elementary through middle and high school—thinking, reflecting, and engaging in meaningful writing.  Elementary School Prompts I wish my teachers knew that…  What things do all kids know that adults do not?  Describe a routine that you often or always do (in the morning, when you get home, Friday nights, before a game, etc.).  You wake up tomorrow with a silly superpower that makes you famous. What is that silly power? How does it lead to you becoming an international superstar?  What are examples of things you want versus things you need?  Describe something that you saw in the news recently and how it made you feel. What is one thing you would do to make your school, town, or city a better place? What can we do to help people with different opinions get along better? If you met an alien, what three questions would you ask them? Which skill would you like to be good at in the future? You’re on a quest through a hidden underground world that no one has ever seen. What magical creatures do you come across? What do they look like, and how do they act?  You’re the first person to ever set foot on Mars. What is it like? What do you explore first?  I will never forget the day…  Pretend you can trade places with someone real or imaginary, from the past or present. Describe who that person is and why you would like to trade places. Write about what you would do as that person for the day and how you would feel about it. Write about the kind of job you think you might like to do someday. Be sure to explain what you know about that job and why you think it would be a good fit for you.  Would a robot make a good friend? Think about all the good and bad aspects of having a mechanical buddy. Explain why you would or would not want a robot for a friend. Write a story about something that happened at school one day that you want to remember for the rest of your life. Describe a person who influenced your life in a positive way, someone who has made a difference in your life. Explain what this person did and how it made your life different.  Middle School Prompts How can you tell when someone your age is feeling insecure? Are most people more insecure or anxious than they let on? If you starred in a television show about your life, what would the show be called? What genre would it be? (Examples: comedy, drama, thriller, romance, action-adventure, fantasy, superhero, soap opera, reality, game show, space adventure, Western, tragedy, etc.) Summarize the plot of an episode.  Is your ethnicity an important part of your identity? How so?  You have been selected to be principal of your school. What are five rules that every kid should follow at your school, and what do you think should happen if those rules are broken?  What do the friends you hang out with most have in common? How are you most like them? How are you different from them? What contributes to someone becoming a bully? What can help stop someone from bullying? Should we fear failure? Explain. Choose an event in your life, and write about it from the perspective of someone else who was there. Describe a flavor (salty, sweet, bitter, etc.) to someone who has never tasted it before. Glass half-full/half-empty: Write about an event or situation with a positive outlook. Then write about it with a negative outlook. Write a texting conversation between two friends who speak every day and know each other better than anyone. After home and school, where do you find the strongest feeling of community? Should governments do more to discourage people from smoking and vaping? Sixth grade is a time of many changes. Describe the changes that have taken place in your life since you started sixth grade. For example, you could write about school, friends, family, or other changes. ( Teachers: Change the grade level as necessary.)  You have a computer that can be programmed to do any of the activities you’re normally responsible for. Explain the activities you would or would not assign to the machine, and why.  Some say the legal driving age should be lowered from 16 to 14, and some say it should be raised to 18. Explain why you think the legal driving age should be lowered to 14, raised to 18, or left as it is at 16.  A door in your school has always been kept locked. One day, as you walk past, you discover the door is open. Write a story about what happens next.  What would you like to tell adults in the future about being a young person during this time period? High School Prompts A nonprofit hires you as a consultant to determine how best to use $20 billion to save the world. What’s your plan? What’s the worst thing about the internet?  How much control over your life do you have? What makes you say that?  Describe your ideal life 15 years from now. What is something you can do every day to reach that goal? What things do you conscientiously do to feed your brain? What are three of your most profound learning experiences? Where and when did they occur? Write about your day in five acts, like a Shakespearean play. If your day were a play, what would be the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution? You have a difficult decision to make. Describe a conversation you might have with yourself about it. Which beliefs and values do you think define American culture?  Should everyone go to college? What’s more important, practice or performance? Is it my job or the teacher’s job to motivate me? What is the best measure of human growth? Pick two characters from different books you’ve read this year and have them get in an argument about something. Which animal would judge us the most? Write a scene (based on truth or fiction) where two or more people are doing something and being observed and criticized by animals. Imagine that someone says to you, “Because that’s how we’ve always done it!” Write this out as a scene. (Think: Who said it, what were the circumstances, how did you respond, etc.) Is voting too hard in the United States? Should politicians be on social media?  (Sourced from Todd Finley , We Are Teachers , TeachThought , Scholastic , Birmingham City Schools , College Transitions , The New York Times , Monte Syrie , Texthelp , and PBS/KQED’s Above the Noise ) Share full article Advertisement Supported by How to … : An Informational Writing Contest for Teenagers We invite students to explain how to do any task in 400 words or fewer. Contest dates: Feb. 12 to March 12, 2025. By The Learning Network Do you know how to fix a brake light ? What about how to memorize Shakespeare ? How to keep a goldfish alive ? Spot a shooting star ? Write a love letter ? Forgive someone ? These are just a few of the many skills explained in Tip , the how-to column by Malia Wollan which ran weekly in The New York Times Magazine from 2015-2022. Inspired by this column, which took on topics both serious and silly, we are challenging students to write their own “how-to” for (almost) any task. As long as the topic is appropriate for a family newspaper, students can explain whatever they like, including tasks that Tip has already taken on. But, just as the column did, they must also find, interview and quote one expert on the subject. Take a look at the full guidelines and related resources below. Please post any questions you have in the comments and we’ll answer you there, or write to us at [email protected]. And, consider hanging this PDF one-page announcement on your class bulletin board. Here’s what you need to know: The Challenge A Few Additional Rules Resources for Students and Teachers Frequently Asked Questions Submission Form We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber?  Log in . Want all of The Times?  Subscribe . 446 IMAGES 15 Creative Writing Prompts for 11-year-olds Preparing for the 11 Plus 11 Plus Creative Writing Success Guide Eleven Plus Exams > First Past the Post ® > First Past The Post 11 Plus Creative Writing Tips: Student Example Story by Asharab 11 Plus Creative Writing Examples 11+ creative writing guide with 50 example topics and prompts VIDEO ARGH SO MANY CREATIVE WRITING TOPICS😵😵😭😭😭 11 plus online class/ Descriptive writing and all the techniques to do them 11plus weekly -Creative Writing Class Describe your favourite building- 11 Plus creative writing Creative Writing Individual Feedback for CW competition 11+ and Pre test English Exam Preparation Tips COMMENTS 11+ creative writing guide with 50 example topics and prompts Learn how to prepare your child for the 11+ creative writing task, which varies across different exams in the UK. Find out what the examiners are looking for, how to choose the best prompts, and get tips and strategies from Griffin Teaching. 11 Plus Creative Writing Find out what kinds of topics and tasks have been used in 11 plus creative writing tests and how to prepare for them. Learn about core themes, description banks, story titles and tips for writing effective and creative stories. 11 Plus Creative Writing Topics Find out what topics your child could be asked to write about in their 11 plus creative writing exam. See examples of tasks from past papers and tips from Bright Light Education, a company that specialises in creative writing and 11+ preparation. How To Prepare For 11 Plus (11+) Creative Writing Learn how to prepare your child for 11 Plus creative writing exams with tips, strategies and practice questions. Find out what skills and techniques are tested and how to improve them with The Exam Coach. The Ultimate 11 Plus Creative Writing Guide Learn how to write excellent exam stories with these 10 tips from a teacher and author. Find out how to plan, describe, and use dialogue effectively in your 11 plus creative writing. 11+ Creative Writing Topics to Spark Imagination and Engagement Key Takeaways. Creative writing topics offer a range of scenarios to spark imagination, from transforming bullies and introspective solitude to otherworldly Martian diaries and chilling ice landscapes. These topics also include varied forms, such as narrative storytelling, thank you notes, complaint letters, and descriptive passages, to build ... 11 Plus Creative Writing Tips & Examples Learn how to prepare for the 11 Plus creative writing exam with these tips and examples. Find out what topics, techniques and skills examiners look for in your writing. Mastering Creative Writing 11 Plus: Essential Strategies & Examples The 11 Plus creative writing exam assesses a wide range of skills including story structure, vocabulary, grammar, and the ability to engage and evoke emotions in the reader, forming a significant part of the 11 Plus English exam. Skills crucial for success in the exam include a strong vocabulary and grammar, well-planned and structured writing ... Guide To 11+ (11 Plus) Creative Writing Learn what to expect from 11 plus creative writing exams, how to prepare your child and which schools require this task. Get free creative writing course, prompts and resources from Atom Learning. A Guide to 11 Plus Creative Writing Preparation The 11 Plus English exam might present prompts from various genres. Prepare your child by exposing them to different styles of writing—mystery, adventure, fantasy, and more. This versatility will prove invaluable during the exam. My new Bright to Brilliant 12-week Creative Writing programme equips children with the full-range of 11-Plus ... 11 Plus (11+) Creative and Persuasive Writing: Student Model Answers Over the years, Exam Coach students have produced some outstanding work . This is, in a way, our hall of fame, home to the greatest examples of creative and persuasive writing submitted by students attending our 11 Plus courses and workshops. Take a look below to see top-tier writing as well as o 11 Plus Creative Writing 11 Plus Creative writing example topics and tasks. Tasks vary by area. In Essex for instance currently they ask for circa ten sentences on two topics. One tends to be more factual, the other more descriptive. Other areas like Kent or schools like St Olaves or Henrietta Barnet ask for more extensive writing- while tasks can change year to year ... 1800+ Creative Writing Prompts To Inspire You Right Now Here's how our contest works: every Friday, we send out a newsletter containing five creative writing prompts. Each week, the story ideas center around a different theme. Authors then have one week — until the following Friday — to submit a short story based on one of our prompts. A winner is picked each week to win $250 and is highlighted ... 11 Plus Creative Writing Success Guide Learn about the format, topics, and tips for the 11 plus creative writing test, which forms section B of the age 11 English paper. Find out how to revise with PiAcademy's resources, including 50 tasks, a mark scheme, and a course. 11+ Creative Writing Creative Writing for the 11 plus test is in two ways - either you are asked to write an original story for the given title or complete a continuous prose exercise in the same writing style. Both types of tasks will examine your ability to plan, create and then write in a structured manner using good vocabulary. 11 Plus Creative Writing Tasks List 11 Plus Creative Writing Tasks List. The questions your child might be asked in an 11+ creative writing assessment is endless but here is a list which you could use to guide you. These tasks are all taken from real 11+ papers, from schools including Latymer Upper, St Pauls Girls, The Perse School, Emanuel School, Alleyn's School, Merchant ... 11 Plus (11+) Creative Writing Topics 6 key 11 plus (11+) creative writing topics. The following are common topics 11+ applicants may be presented within their creative writing exam, how to tackle them, and examples of books about these topics to prepare with. Stories about adventures or activities. 15 Creative Writing Prompts for 11-year-olds Preparing for the 11 Plus 11 Plus Creative Writing, Independent Schools, Preparing for the 11-plus If your child is in year 5 of primary school, then chances are they may be sitting their 11+ exams soon. In many of the 11 Plus exams will be an English paper that includes a creative essay, in which your child will be expected to demonstrate their literacy skills ... 11 Plus Creative Writing Guide: Tips & Techniques for Success 11+ Revision Weekly Classes. Enrol your child on our weekly 11+ class course and they'll benefit from small groups and individualised learning. Book Now! from just £3.75 per class! Some revision techniques. Although the topics for the creative writing section are unpredictable, they are usually very broad so your child can use their ... 11 Plus Creative Writing Guide for Kids 1. Three-minute splurge. Start your planning by spending two or three minutes writing down all the ideas that come into your head. This technique is also known as 'free writing' and is a great way to tap into your creativity! Don't worry about punctuation or grammar at this stage - just get your ideas down on paper. Eleven Plus English Essay Writing 11 Plus Shop Our 11 plus practice materials, including test papers, books, and downloadable e-papers, are available for purchase via our online shop. ... For creative writing, the topics set for 11+ essays tend to have the same common themes, and it is worth having a "stock" story that can be used in each of these settings: 11 Plus Creative Writing This 11 Plus Creative Writing Pack includes ten great writing tasks, each featuring a different writing prompt. These include: Children will have thirty minutes to complete each task. The sheets are decorated with small illustrations to help inspire learners, so they have something to refer to if they get stuck. 11+ Syllabus 11 Plus Creative Writing - Example Topics and Tasks; 11 Plus Subjects. In this area of the site you can find out all about what's covered in the various 11 Plus subject areas. Remember grammar school area can be different and the meaning of subjects (particularly Verbal Reasoning) varies from area to area. ... 54 Excellent, Low-Stakes Writing Prompts Routine low-stakes writing should be part of every student's literacy diet. Ungraded and low-pressure, this type of writing improves kids' writing stamina and builds language fluency, says Rebecca Alber, an instructor at UCLA's Graduate School of Education. Under the right conditions, students ... How to … : An Informational Writing Contest for Teenagers All entries must be submitted by March 12, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time, ... including mentor texts and writing prompts, plus the Times articles they link to, are free. Students can search for ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis