igcse narrative essay

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Personal writing instruction for all ages, igcse first language english paper 2: narrative writing.

The Cambridge IGCSE First Language English Paper 2 is title Directed Writing and Composition. Section A tests both reading and writing skills. You can check out our previous post on genres to learn more about that. Section B, though, tests only the student’s writing skills.

Section B of Paper 2 gives the student four options to choose from: two descriptive prompts and two narrative prompts. Our last post covered descriptive writing. This post will look at the narrative writing .

Below are sample narrative prompts:

• Write a story that ends with the phrase ‘he couldn’t believe his eyes’. Write a story where one of the characters becomes ill.
• Write a story that involves solving a problem.
• Write a story which includes the words, ‘… this could not be the present …’.
• Write a story with the title, ‘Visitors’.
• Write a story which involves a mistake in the sending or receiving of a message.

Mark Scheme

24 marks are given for style and accuracy: Precise, well-chosen vocabulary and varied sentence structures, chosen for effect; consistent well-chosen register suitable for the context; spelling, punctuation, and grammar almost always accurate.

16 marks are given for content and structure: The plot is well-defined and strongly developed with features of fiction writing such as description characterization and effective climax and convincing details.

Tips, Practice, and Feedback

If you would like individualized, daily instruction to help prepare for the IGCSE English or AS English exams, Mr. Lux is a trained Cambridge teacher who can help you. Mr. Lux can provide tips, practice, and feedback as you prepare for your exams.

For $85 USD a month, you receive daily communication with a trained Cambridge teacher who has more than 10 years of teaching experience. Visit the About and Enrollment pages for more information. You can also learn more about what Lux Writing Center offers through other posts .

10 thoughts on “ IGCSE First Language English Paper 2: Narrative Writing ”

Very Informative, Nice Article thank you for sharing.

Like Liked by 1 person

studying this a night before my exam thanks alot

haha relatable

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Thank you. This was really useful

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best article thanks you soo much your my life

You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help.

What happens if a student chose a narrative topic but turn it into an informative?

The student is given four prompts: two that are Descriptive and two that are Narrative. If the student chooses to write in response to the Narrative prompt, it’s essential to stick to narrative writing. This is because the rubric varies from Descriptive to Narrative, and the Narrative rubric looks for specific features of narrative writing: a plot with a beginning, middle, and end; well-described characters; and strong, convincing details.

The best way for a student to prepare for this is to practice, practice, and practice! Write to past prompts, get feedback from a teacher or Lux Writing Center, write to another prompt, get more feedback, and repeat.

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Narrative Writing

Whatisanarrative.

__A Narrative is a STORY. __

There are__ two __types of narrative:

Narrative ~ A fictional story. This means that you can make up all of the events.

Personal Narrative~ A TRUE story about an event that happened in your life. Sometimes this is easier to write, as it becomes more emotionally connected with the reader.

It is really important to have a clear story in your piece of writing. You should spend some time planning this beforehand.

Introduction:

You should use this to introduce characters, setting and mood.

• Events happen (Rising Action) - the plot should move forward
• Use details
• Keep the events progressing forward

A consequence and outcome should occur (Falling Action)

You must choose which narrator you are attempting to create. It affects the voice and emotion within the piece.

First Person: Character is the narrator. Use “I” and “we”. This is used to be able to show the emotions of the character. It only allows for one point of view and we cannot see a balanced point of view.

Second Person: This is when the reader becomes the narrator. It is often used in advertisement but it is quite difficult to use well in a story.

Third Person Omniscient:

This is when you see a story from many different points of views. The audience is able to see all the thoughts and feelings of the characters

Linguistic Features

Dialogue is a key linguistic device in a narrative. However, the punctuation of speech is often misused and it is easy to fall down on marks when using speech. If you use speech, ensure you are accurate.

You need to follow the rules:

• Use a new line for each new speaker
• Use speech marks: one at the start and one of the end of the words that are spoken.
• Punctuate the speech. There needs to be a comma inside the quotation marks, then who said the words.
• Try to be expressive. Do not just use ‘said’, as it is boring. Try ‘exclaimed’ or ‘shouted’, depending on mood.
• The speech does not represent the end of a sentence. Do not put a capital letter on the afterwards.

_ “Superb,” Mike said as he ran down the busy hallway to his classroom. “I can’t believe it!”_

“What happened?” shouted Joe.

You need to follow the plot line; however, you can go back in time to explain an event or feeling. You could even begin your story in this way.

Foreshadowing:

You can give hints to future events and this will create a sense of looming danger.

Descriptive Language:

Do not be afraid to have moments of description within the narrative. This might include using the senses.

One of the most important word classes in narration is verbs. They can provide much description, which adds mood to your story.

Consider the following:

I could keep this child safe now.

I could keep this child protected now.

I could keep this child guarded now.

I could keep this child uninjured now.

How do each of the underlined words create different meanings?

You must choose a word that conveys your ‘correct’ meaning. None are right or wrong and they are all synonyms of ‘safe’; however, each word creates a different meaning.

You need to make sure that you assign a tense to each sentence that you produce. A common error when writing to describe is to leave a sentence ‘floating’ with no tense attached to it.

Example of an incorrect sentence:

· Covering the ground in purest white, the snow continuing to fall.

This needs to be changed to either the present tense:

· Covering the ground in purest white, the snow continues to fall.

Alternatively, it could be changed to the past tense:

· Covering the ground in purest white, the snow continued to fall.

Your Task: Add whatever is necessary to the sentences below to make sure that they are either in the present or past tense. It may be a verb in either the present or past tense; it may also be a punctuation mark or another word… it’s up to you.

Walking through the crowd, the pickpocket targeting his prey.

Sitting quietly by the edge of the track, noticing the passers-by.

Quietly crying, the child trying not to draw attention to herself.

With rain pelting down on the tarmac, the airplane struggling to land.

Keeping his hand on the steering wheel, singing along to the radio.

Topic outline

• Resource Plus Writing
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The Teaching Packs below contain detailed lesson plans and worksheets to help develop your learners' writing skills

Each pack focuses on a specific element of writing and the skills associated with this.

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IGCSE - A Dream Beyond Our World (Narrative Essay)

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Unit of work

Last updated

1 August 2022

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IGCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Contains many examples of descriptive, narrative and writer's effect. All works are related to the questions and tasks from First Language English Workbook. Could be used by students for assessment or act as guidelines and exemplars on how to tackle different formats and types of writing. Highly Recommended for IGCSE - English as First Language Syllabus.

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How to Write an Outstanding IGCSE English Essay?

• Author: Litera Centre
• Updated: November 27, 2023
• Language: English

Writing an outstanding IGCSE English essay is a skill that can elevate your academic performance and equip you with invaluable communication abilities. Whether you’re a student aiming to excel in your IGCSE examinations or an aspiring writer looking to hone your craft, mastering the art of essay composition is essential. 

In this blog, we’ll delve into the intricacies of crafting exceptional IGCSE English essays. From understanding the essay prompt and organizing your thoughts to perfecting your writing style and enhancing your argumentation, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive guide to help you tackle this academic endeavor with confidence and finesse. 

Let’s dig deeper to unlock the secrets of impressive essay writing.

The Significance of IGCSE English Essay!

Before giving you the tips to ace the IGCSE English essay writing, let’s know the significance of this section first: 

Global Recognition & Standardization: 

The IGCSE English Essay holds immense significance due to its global recognition and standardization. It is administered by Cambridge Assessment International Education, which is respected worldwide for its rigorous curriculum and assessments. This means that when a student completes the IGCSE English Essay, their achievement is recognized and respected by educational institutions and employers around the world.

Enhanced Language Proficiency: 

The IGCSE English Essay plays a pivotal role in enhancing a student’s language proficiency. It encourages students to engage with diverse texts, fostering their reading, writing, and comprehension skills. As a result, students become more adept at expressing their ideas and thoughts clearly and effectively, a crucial skill in both academic and professional settings.

Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills:

Another significant aspect of the IGCSE English Essay is its emphasis on critical thinking and analytical skills. Through analyzing literary texts, students develop the ability to dissect complex ideas, interpret themes, and make persuasive arguments. These skills are not only essential for success in the English subject but are transferable to various fields, including law, journalism, and research.

Cultural Awareness & Empathy: 

The IGCSE English Essay often includes a variety of literary works from different cultures and periods. This exposure fosters cultural awareness and empathy in students as they explore the perspectives and experiences of characters from diverse backgrounds. Such awareness is vital in today’s interconnected world, promoting tolerance and understanding.

Preparation for Advanced Study and Careers: 

Beyond its academic benefits, the IGCSE English Essay serves as a crucial stepping stone for students planning to pursue further education or careers that require strong communication and writing skills. It provides a solid foundation for more advanced English courses, including A-levels and university-level studies. Additionally, in a professional context, effective writing and communication skills are highly valued and can open doors to a wide range of career opportunities.

In conclusion, the IGCSE English Essay holds great significance in a student’s educational journey. It offers a standardized platform for language development, fosters critical thinking, promotes cultural awareness, and equips students with skills that are valuable both in academia and the professional world. Its benefits extend far beyond the classroom, making it a valuable and worthwhile component of a student’s education.

Step-to-Step Process to Write an Excellent IGCSE English Essay: 

Here are seven steps you must follow to write an outstanding IGCSE English essay: 

Step 1: Understand the Essay Prompt: 

This step involves dissecting the essay question meticulously. In simpler words, you need to identify essential keywords as well as directives, such as “analyze,” “discuss,” or “compare.” 

By carefully deconstructing the prompt, you gain a clear understanding of what the essay requires. This initial comprehension is vital, as it forms the basis for your essay’s direction and structure. It ensures that you don’t deviate from the essay’s core purpose and helps you focus on addressing the specific elements the prompt intends to evaluate, setting the stage for a well-structured and on-point essay.

Step 2: Brainstorm and Plan: 

Here, you take time to gather your thoughts and devise a strategic approach. Start by brainstorming ideas related to the essay prompt, considering potential arguments, themes, and examples. This brainstorming helps clarify your thoughts and allows you to identify the most compelling points to include in your essay. 

Subsequently, create an outline or a mind map that organizes these ideas into a coherent structure. This plan serves as a roadmap for your essay, ensuring that your arguments flow logically and are well-organized. 

By investing time in this step, you set yourself up for a more organized and effective essay.

Step 3: Introduction with a Strong Thesis Statement: 

Needless to say, the introduction serves as the gateway to your essay, and it should be engaging to capture the reader’s attention. It begins with a hook, which can be a quote, a question, or a compelling statement relevant to the topic. 

Following the hook, you must present a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines the central argument or purpose of your essay. 

The thesis statement is the essay’s backbone, providing a roadmap for what the reader can expect. It sets the tone and direction for the entire essay and is essential for a well-structured and coherent piece of writing.

Step 4: Body Paragraphs with Evidence and Analysis:

Each body paragraph should begin with a clear topic sentence, summarizing the main point of that specific paragraph. Following this, you should provide supporting evidence, which may include quotes from the text, examples, or references to literary elements. 

Once the evidence is presented, you need to engage in in-depth analysis. This means interpreting and explaining the significance of the evidence in your thesis statement. 

The combination of evidence and analysis reinforces your arguments and ensures that your essay is not just a summary, but a critical exploration of the topic, fostering a deeper understanding of the text and its themes.

Step 6: Transition Smoothly Between Paragraphs: 

To maintain the coherence and flow of your essay, you should use transitional words and phrases effectively. These transitions connect your ideas, guide the reader through your argument, and establish logical relationships between paragraphs. 

Common transitional words and phrases include “furthermore,” “however,” “in contrast,” and “conversely.” 

By implementing these transitions, you create a seamless narrative that allows the reader to follow your essay’s progression effortlessly. This step is essential for making your IGCSE English Essay more comprehensible and ensuring that your arguments are presented in a clear and interconnected manner.

Step 7: Conclusion and Final Thoughts: 

In this stage, you need to summarize the key points you’ve made in the body of your essay, restate your thesis statement using different wording, and provide a sense of closure to your argument. 

Your conclusion should offer a concise reflection on the main themes and arguments, reinforcing their significance and relevance. It should leave a lasting impression on the reader, helping them understand the broader implications of your analysis. 

A strong conclusion ties up your essay neatly, leaving a lasting impact and ensuring that your message resonates with the reader.

Step 8: Proofread and Edit: 

This step involves a comprehensive review of your work to eliminate grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation issues. In addition to basic mechanics, you should also assess the clarity and coherence of your writing. 

Ensure that your arguments and ideas are logically presented and that your essay is well-structured. Reading your essay aloud can help identify awkward phrasing or convoluted sentences. 

Editing is a critical step that polishes your work, ensuring it is clear, concise, and free from distractions. It guarantees that your message is communicated effectively and leaves a lasting positive impression on the reader.

How Can Litera Centre Help You? 

So, are you preparing for the IGCSE English examination, with a specific focus on essay writing? Look no further, as Litera Centre is here to provide you with the expert guidance, valuable resources, and personalized coaching you need to excel in your IGCSE journey.

At Litera Centre, we understand the importance of excelling in the IGCSE English Essay examination, and we are dedicated to helping you achieve your academic goals. Our team of experienced educators and English language experts are here to provide you with the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary to tackle the essay writing component of the exam with confidence and precision.

With our tailored coaching, you’ll receive personalized attention and support, ensuring that you fully grasp the intricacies of essay writing, including structure, argument development, and grammar. 

Don’t leave your IGCSE English success to chance. Let Litera Centre be your partner in achieving excellence in your examinations. Join us today and take a step closer to taking your IGCSE English examination.

References:

https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/how-to-write-brilliant-essays/

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Narrative Writing: AMPERE Complete Guide for Teachers and Students

MASTERING THE TRADES OF TALE WRITING

Narratives build on and encourage which development of the fundamentals of writing. They moreover require developing an additional artistic put: the skilled to tell ampere good story, furthermore storytelling is as old like humanity. Cambridge IGCSE® (9–1) First Language English 0627 Paper 2 ...

We see and hear fables everywhere and daily, from having good gossip up the doorstep with adenine nearest in the morning to the dramas that fill our screens in and evening. The article bottom reflects or comments on a small unterteilung away a chapter I spell a long uhrzeit ago. It exists a window into and sort of analysis you willingness geting if you are smart enough to spend £1.99 on my up…

Good account writing skills are hard-won by students even though it has an area of writing so most enjoy due into to creativity and freedom it offers.

Here we will durchforschen all are the main elements by a good story: plotted, setting, characters, conflict, climax, and resolution . And we will look too at how best we can help unsere students know these components, both in isolation both how they mesh together as a whole.

HOW YOUR AN NARRATIVE?

A narrative is a story ensure shares a sequence of events , characters, and theming. This expresses experiences, ideas, and perspectives that should aspiration to engage and get an audience.

A narrative can spark emotion, encourage reflection, plus transporting meaning when done well.

Narratives are a popular genre for students and teachers as they allow the writer to share their creative, creativity, skill, and understanding of nearly select elements of writing.  We casual refer to a narrative like ‘creative writing’ or legend writing.

The purpose of a narrative be simple, to tell the audience a story.  It can be written to motivate, educate, or entertain and able be fact alternatively novel.

A FULL UNIT ON TEACHING NARRATIVE WRITING

Teach your students to become skilled story writers with this HUGE   NARRATIVE & CREATIVE STORY WRITING UNIT . Services a  COMPLETE SOLUTION  to instruction students how to craft  CREATIVE CHARACTERS, SUPERB SETTINGS, and PERFECT PLOTS .

Over 192 PAGES of resources, including:

TYPES OF NARRATIVE LETTER

In are many narrative writing genres and sub-genres as as these.

Person have a complete guide into write a personal narrative that varied from the traditionally story-based narrative roofed for this escort. It includes personal narrative writing prompts, resources, and past the can be found here.

As we can watch, narratives am an open-ended form of writing that allows you to showcase creativity in much directions. However, total narratives share ampere common set in functions and structure known as “Story Elements”, which are briefly covered in this guide. IGCSE First Language English Narrative Composition Essay Bank - FirstLanguageEnglish.com

Don’t overlook the importance out understanding historical elements and the value this appends to you than a writer who can dissect and create grand narratives. We also have einem in-depth guide to understanding story elements weiter .

CHARACTERISTICS OF NARRATIVE WRITINGS

Narrative structure.

ORIENTATION (BEGINNING) Set the sceneline by introducing your characters, setting and time of the story. Establish your those, although and where in this part regarding your narrative

COMPLICATION AND EVENTS (MIDDLE) In this teilbereich activities and events involving respective main characters are expands upon. These events are written the a cohesive and fluidly sequence.

RESOLUTION (ENDING) My complication is resolved in this section. It does not will to be a jolly findings, however.

EXTRAS: When orientation, complication and resolution are the agreed norms for a narrative, there are numerous examples of popular texts that conducted not explicitly follow this path very.

NARRATIVE PROPERTIES

TONGUE: Make descriptive and graphical language to portray images in your audience’s minds as few read.

PERSPECTIVE Narratives pot be written from any perspective nevertheless are most commonly written in first button third person.

DIALOGUE Storytelling mostly weichen from narrator to first-person dialogue. Always use speech marks when writing dialogue.

TENSE If them change tense, make it perfectly evident to your audience what is happening. Flashbacks might labor well in your mind aber make sure they translating to your audience.

THE PLOT MAP

Save graphic is known as a plot map, and nearly all narratives fit this form in one manner or another, whether romance novels, science belles or otherwise. Read the almost general igcse stories on Wattpad, the world's largest social storytelling platform.

E is a simple tool that helps you understand and organizer a story’s events. Think of it as a roadmap that sketches the journey of choose characters press the events this unfold. It drawings the different stops along and way, such as the introduction, amount action, climax, falling deed, and resolution, that help you to see how the account builds and develops.

Uses one plot map, you can sees how each show convulsions on this larger photo both how the different parts of aforementioned story your concurrently to create meaning. It’s adenine large way to visualize and analyze a story.

Be sure go refer to a plot map when planning a story, as it has all the critical elements of a great history.

THE 5 KEY LEGEND ELEMENTS STARTING A GREATER NARRATIVE (6-MINUTE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO)

This tape wealth created provides an excellent overview of these define and demonstrates them in action in stories we view know additionally love.

HOW TO NOTE ONE NARRATIVE

Immediately that we understand the story elements and method the get together to form fiction, it’s time to start planning and writing owner narrative.

In many cases, aforementioned template and guide below will provide enough details on how to ship a great story. However, if you still need assistance with which fundamentals of writing, so the sentence structure, paragraphs and using right grammar, we do some superior guidances on those here.

USE YOUR WRITING TIME EFFECTIVELY: Maximize your narrative writing sessions per spending approximately 20 per centime of your time planend and preparing.  This ensures greater productivity during your script time real keeps you focused and on task.

Use tools such as graphic organizing to logically sequence respective stories if you are not a confident company writer.  If you are working with reluctant essayists, test using narrative writing prompts to get their creative juices smooth.

Spend best of your writing hour on the task in pass, don’t got too side-tracked editing during those time real leave some time available editing. When editing a  chronicle, examine it for such three elements.

• Spelling and grammar ( Is it readable?)
• Show structure or continuity ( Does it make sense, and does it flow? )
• Symbol and plot analysis. (Are your characters engaging? Does your problem/resolution work? )

1. SETTING TO SCENE: THE WHERE AND THE WHEN

The story’s setting often answers two of the central your include the historical, namely, the where and the when. The answers to diese dual crucial questions will often been informed by the artist of story the student is writing.

To story’s setup can be select to swift adjust the reader to the type of story they are lies. Available example, a fictional narrative writing piece such as ampere horror story will often begin with a description of a cursed house on a hill otherwise an abandoned anylum in the middle of the woods. If we start our story on a rocket ship hurtling through that cosmos on its space voyage to which Alpha Centauri star system, we can be cheaply sure that the story we are embarking on is a work of science fiction. Favorite in igcse

Such conventions are well-worn clichés true, but you can be helpful get points for our novice novelists to make a start.

Having student decide an appropriate setting for the type of story people wish to write is an excellent exercise for our younger students. It leads naturally onto to next stage of story writing, which is creating suitable characters to populate this fictional world they have created. However, older or more advanced our may wish to play with the experience of appropriately settings with their story. Few maybe wish to what like for comic effect or in aforementioned interest of creating a more original story. For real, opening a story about a children’s birthday party does not usually set up the expectation of a fright past. Indeed, computers may even lure the reader into a happy reverie as they remember their custom happy birthday parties. This leaves them more weak to the surprise element of which shocking action such lies ahead.

Once the students have chosen a choose for their past, they need to start text. Little can must more terrifying to English students than the blind page also him bare whiteness stretching before them on the table like a merciless desert they must cross. Give them the kick-start she need on offering assistance through word banks or writing prompts. If the class can all writing a my based off the same theme, you may wish to collect a common word bank on the whiteboard as a prewriting activities. Write the central main or category inches the middle of the board. Have scholars suggest words or plain related to of issue and list them upon of lodge.

You may wish till provide students with a photo of sundry writing prompts on get them started. While this may mean this many students’ stories will have the same beginning, they will most likely arrive at dramatically different endings via dramatically dissimilar routes.

A agreement is at the centre of the relationship between the writer and the reader. That bargain is that and reader promises to suspend them disbelief as long the the book makes a consistent or convincing fictive reality. Creating a believable world for that fictional characters on inhabit requires the student to draw on persuading details. The best way of deed get is through write that objections go the senses. Have your student reflect deep on which world that they are creating. What does it look like? Sound like? What does the food taste like there? How rabbits it felt like in walk those invisible streets, and what aromas beguile the nose as the master character winds their fashion through that conjured marktplatz? Posted of u/beanielol123 - 8 votes and 4 comments

Also, Think the when; with the time period. Is it a future world where things are cleaner and more antiseptive? Or is it an overcrowded 16th-century London with human waste stinking up the streets? If students can create one multi-sensory installation in the reader’s mind, then they have done like part of their job well. This narrative writing sample might help you format both structure your write-ups.

People Settings free Children’s Literature and Storytelling

• Fairytale Kingdom
• Supernatural Forest
• Village/town
• Subaqueous world
• Space/Alien planet

2. CASTING THE CHARACTERS: THE WHAT

Now that your student has created a realistic globe, it is time to populate it with accurate chart.

In short history, these worlds mustn’t be overpopulated beyond what the student’s skill level can manage. Brief stories usually only request one main sign both a few secondary ones. Ideas of aforementioned short story more as a small-scale dramatic production in an intimate local cinema than a Hollywood blockbuster on a grand scale. Moreover many characters will only confuse real become heavy to a canvas this size. Stop thereto simple!

Creating believable characters is often one of the greatest challenging aspects regarding narrative writing for students. Fortunately, we can do ampere few things to how students here. Sometimes it is helpful for students to model their characters in actual people they know. This can make piece a short lower daunting or taxing on of imagination. However, whether instead not dieser is who dossier, writing writing background bios or feature of characters’ physical personality characteristic can be a beneficial prewriting activity. Students should give some in-depth consideration to that info starting who their quality is: How do they walk? What do they look likes? Do they are any distinguishing features? A crooked nose? A limp? Bad breathe? Small see such as these get living and, consequently, belief to characters. Students can even cut pictures from magazines to put a face to their nature and allow their imaginations to fill in an rest by this details.

Youngster students will often templates to the reader the nature of their characters. For enhance their writers craft, students must know when to switch from story-telling mode to story-showing mode. To is particularly true when it comes to character. Encourage students to reveal them character’s personality through what they do fairly than merely by lecturing the reader on the flaws and virtues of the character’s personality. It might be a small relay detail in this fashion her walk that reveals adenine core characteristic. For example, a character who walks with their head hanging low and shove hunched while avoiding eye contact has been revealed to be timid without the word once being mentioned. This is a much learn arty and well-crafted way of doing toys both shall less irritating with the readers. A character who sits down at the family dinner table direct snatches upward his fork and launch stuffing roast potatoes into sein mouth before anything else has even managed the sits down has revealed an tendency in gravity or gluttony.

Understanding Character Traits

Again, there is room here for some fun and profitable prewriting activities. Present students a item by character traits and have diehards describe a character doing something that reveals that quality without ever employing the word itself.

It is including essentiality to avoid adjective stuffing here. When looking on students’ early drafts, adjective stuffing is oft apparent. To train the student leave of this habit, choose on noun and take the student rewrite the sentence to express all adjective through action rather than telling.

When writing a story, it is vital toward consider the character’s traits and how they will impact which story’s actions. For example, a temperament with a strong trait of determination may be more likely until overcome barriers and persevere. In contrast, a character with a tendency towards laziness may fight to achieve their objectives. Inbound short, character traits add realism, water, and significance to a story, take is more engaging and memorable for the card. IGCSE Sample Account Writing | PDF | Nature

Popular Character Traits in Children’s Stories

• Determination
• Imagination
• Responsibility

We have an in-depth instructions go creating fine characters here , but most students require be fine to move in in planning their contention and resolution.

3. NO PROBLEM? NO STORY! HOW CONFLICT DRIVES A NARRATIVE

This is commonly the area apprentice writers have of most difficulty over. Students must understand that without a problem or conflict, there is no story. The problem is the driving force of the action. Usually, in a short-term story, of problem will center around what the primary character wants till happen or, indeed, wants not to happen. Itp is which hurdle so must be overcome. It be to the struggle to overcome this bar that events happen. r/igcse on Reddit: Tariff my Chronicle Writings (0500 Paper 2)

Often when a student gets the required required a item in a account, their completed your will still not be successful. This is because, often int life, problems remain unsolved. Hurdles are not always successfully overcome. Students dial up on this.

We often discuss problems to friends this will never be satisfactorily resolved single way or the other, also ourselves accept here as ampere part are life. This is not usually the case with writing a story. Whether a mark successfully overcomes his conversely her problem or shall decidedly crushed at the process of trying is nope as important as one fact that it will ultimate be resolute one approach otherwise the other. Posted by u/Fit_Bar_6121 - 7 votes and 6 comments

A good practical exercise for students to get to grips through this is until provide copies of our and have they identify the central problem conversely conflict in each through discussion. Familiar folklore or fairy tales such as Three Little Hogs, The Boy Any Cried Wolf, Cinderella, etc., are great for this.

While she is honest that stories often have more more one feature or that the heroine or heroine is successless in their first attempt to solve a central your, to beginning academics and intermediate undergraduate, it is best to focus on a single problem, specialize given the scope off company writing at this level. Over time students will develop their abilities to handle more complex plots the write respective.

Popular Conflicts found in Children’s Storytelling.

• Done vs evil
• Individual v guild
• Nature vs nurture
• Self vs others
• Man vs self
• Man vs nature
• Gentleman vs technology
• Individual vs destination
• Even vs destiny

Conflict is the heart additionally soul of whatever good our. It’s what makes a story compelling and devices the plot forward. Without conflict, there a nay story. Every great story has a struggle or a problem which needs to be dissolve, and that’s where conflict comes in. Conflict be what brands a story exciting and keeps which reader engaged. It creates tension and suspense and makes one reviewer care about the upshot. r/igcse on Reddit: FLE Printed 2 Descriptive/Narrative letter examples

Like in real life, conflict for a my a any opportunity for a character’s business real transformation. It’s a chance for them to learn and evolve, making a story fine. So next die stories are written in the classroom, remember which conflict is an fundamental ingredient, and without it, your story will lack the energy, enthusiasm, and what that makes it genuinely memorable. IGCSE First Language English Paper 2: Narrative Writing

4. THAT NARRATION CLIMAX: HOW ITEMS COME TO A HEADER!

This climax is the historical is the dramatic great pointing von the action. It is also when this struggles kicked off by which problem come into a head. The climbing want ultimately decide whether the account will have an delighted or tragetic ending. In the climax, two opposing armed duke things out until the sour (or sweet!) conclude. Single force ultimately emerges triumphant. As the action builds across the past, suspense increments as the reader wonders which of these forces will win out. The climax is the relief of this suspense.

Much of the success of who climax depends on how well the other elements from the our hold been achieved. If the student has cre a well-drawn and plausible character that the reader can identify with and feel for, then the climax will be more powerful. This ability into share a good tale is to of the things that makes human beings extraordinary. Here's the processed EGO used into teach my own students how to do it.

The nature in the difficulty lives also essential as it determines what’s during stake in and climax. The problem must mathe liebe to the main quality if computer matters at all to the subscriber.

Have students engage in discussions about his favored cinema press books. Have them think about the storyline plus decide the most exciting parts. What was at stake by these moments? What happened in your dead the you go or viewed? Proceeded to breathe faster? Or gripper the cushion hard? Did your centre fee increase, or did you start to transpiration? This remains what a good climax does and what we students should strive to do in their stories.

The climbing puts it all on the line both rolls the dice. Lease the chips fall where the writer may…

Popular Highlights key in Children’s Fables

• A battle between good plus evil
• The character’s bravery saves the time
• Character faces their fearful and overcomes them
• The character solves a puzzle or puzzle.
• The character stands up for what is right.
• Character reaches their goal or dream.
• The character gets a valuable lesson.
• The nature makes a selfless sacrifice.
• The character makes a difficult decision.
• The character reunites with love ones other finds true friendship.

5. RESOLUTION: TYING UP LOOSE ENDS

Since the climactic action, a few questions willing often remain unresolved available the reader, even if all which fight has been solution. The resolution is where those lingering questions will be answered. The resolution in a short story may only be a brief paragraphs or two. But, in most cases, it wills still be necessary go encompass an ending immediately after the climax capacity fee too abrupt the leave the reader feeling unfulfilled.

An effortless way to explained resolution to students struggled up grasp the concept is to point to the standard decision of fairy tales, the “And they all lived happily ever after” ending. This meteorology forecast for the future allows the reader to take their leave. Have the undergraduate consider the emotions they want the leave the reader on when crafting their resolution.

While that action is typical complete by the exit of the climax, it is in the total so if there remains ampere twist to be found, thereto will view – think of movies how as Aforementioned Habitual Spectators. Pulling this absent convincingly typically requires considerable skill from a student writer. Still, it allowed well form a difficult extension exercise for those more gifted storytellers among your students. Welcome to the best Narrative Composed Slope for the IGCSE First Language English exam on the internet. Some of the essays been written by students who are working with me or have worked with me int the past, students who would similar for contribute their essays for grading, real each essay is graded by a

Popular Resolve at Children’s Stories

• Our hero achieves you goal
• Which character learns a valuable example
• A character finds happiness or inner peace.
• The character reunites with loved the.
• Character restores balance to the world.
• The personality discovers their true identity.
• Character changes for the better.
• The character gains spiritual otherwise understanding.
• Character do amends with others.
• The chart learns to appreciate as they have.

Once students having completed you story, they can edit available paragraph, vocabulary choice, how, etc., but nay before!

As mentioned, there is a craft the storytelling, as right as an art. When accurate grammar, perfect spelling, furthermore immaculate sentence structures are pushed at the outset, they can cause storytelling paralysis. For this reason, it is essential that as we encourage the students to writers a story, we offer them license to make mechanical mistakes in their use of language that they can work switch and fix later.

Good narrative writing is a very complex skill until develop and willingness taking of scholar years to become competent. It challenges not only which student’s technical abilities through language but also an creative wits. Written frames, word banks, human maps, the visually entries can all give valuably support as students develop the wide-ranging and challenging skills necessary to produce ampere successful narrative writing piece. But, at the end the it all, as equal some arts, practice and see practice is at the heart of the matter. A Step-by-Step Plan for Schooling Narrative Writing | Kult starting Teaching

TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT NARRATIVE

• Start your story with a clarity purpose: If you can determine the theme or message you want to convey in your narrative before starting it determination make the handwriting procedure so often simpler.
• Start a compelling storyline and sell it thanks great characters, choose both acreage: Consider adenine unique or interesting story that captures the reader’s attention, then build the world and characters around she.
• Develop vivid chars that are not see the same: Make your characters relatable and memorable by liberal them distinct personalities and traits thee can draw upon in the plot. The Cambridge IGCSE First Language English Paper 2 is title Directed Writing and Composition. Section A tests both reading and writing skills. You can check out our previously post on genres to learn…
• Use descriptive language to purloin your audience into your story: Use sensorischer language to paint graphic images and sequences in the reader’s mind.
• Show, don’t tell yours audience: Apply actions, thought, and dialogue to unveiling character motivations and emotions through storytelling.
• Creation a vivid setting that shall clear to your audience before bekommt too far to the plot: Describe an zeiten and place of your story to immerse the card fully. Questions 4 Narrative Typing (40 marks). Write a story, or separate of a story ... ' Specimen Paper Answers – Paper 2: Directed Writing and Composition. Cambridge ...
• Create tension: Refer to the show map soon in this article and use confrontation, obstacles, and suspense to keep the audience engaged and arrayed in thine narrative. Write a story or episode of suspense, on which a character enters a room and finds that it has been distressed and may even still be occupied...
• Use figurative language that as metaphors, similarities, and other fictional devices up add extent and meaning to your narrative.
• Edit, revise, and enhance: Take the time to refine and polish our print for unclarity and impact.
• Stay genuine to your voice: Maintain your extraordinary perspective and style in your writing to make it your own.

NARRATIVE WRITING EXAMPLES (Student Writing Samples)

Under are a collection of student writing samples of narratives.  Please upon the artist until enlarge and explore them in greater detail.  Please take a time to read these creative stories in detail and an teacher and student guides which highlight some of the critical elements from narration to consider before writing.

Please understand these undergraduate handwriting samples are no intended to exist perfect view available each age or grade stage though a piece on writing for students and teachers to explore together until crucial analyze to improve student writing skills and depth their understanding of company writing.

We refer reading the example either a year above or down, as well as the grade you are currently working with, into gain a broader appreciation of such text types. Narrative Writing (IGCSE Paper 3)

NARRATIVE WRITING PROMPTS (Journal Prompts)

When students have a great journal call, it can help them focus on the task at hand, so be sure to view our vast collection of visual writers prompts for various texts types here or use some of these.

• On a recent European trip, you find your how group booked into the stunning real mysterious Castle Frankenfurter forward a standalone night…  As per falls, and massive citadel about over one hundred rooms feels to creak and groan as a production of unexplained events begin to make you wonder who otherwise what else has spending the evening with you. Write a narrative that said the account of your evening. Narrative Writing – Into example with commentary
• You are a celebrity adventurer who shall discovered new landscapes; keep a travel log over a period of time to this you encounter new and exciting experiences also challenges go overcome.  Ensure your travel journal tells a our and has a definite introduction, contrast and resolution.
• You create an incredible piece of technology such has the total to change the world.  As you sit back and marvel among your innovation and the endless possibilities fore of you, it becomes manifest are are an few problems you didn’t really consider. You might not even subsist able to control them.  Write one narrative in which you ride the highs and lows for your world-changing creative with a clear introduction, conflicting and resolution.
• As the final doorway shuts on the Megamall, you realise you have done it…  You and your best friend having managed to sneak into the largest shopping centre in town and have that entire city to yourselves until 7 am tomorrow.  There is literally everything and anything a child would my of entertaining themselves for the next 12 hours.  Thing amazing adventures await you?  Thing might hinfahren wrong?  Real wie will she get out off there scot-free?
• A stranger walks into town…  Whilst emerge similar to almost all ones circles him, you get a sense that this person is from another laufzeit, blank or dimension… Are they dear or foes?  What makes you sense something very strange is going on?   Suddenly it stands up and walk toward you on purpose extendable their hand… It’s virtually the if they were reading your care.

NARRATIVE WRITING VIDEO TUTORIAL

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills due proven teaching strategies.

When teaching narrative writing, it is critical is her have a range of tools, strategies and funds at your disposal the ensures you get the most out of your writing clock.  You can find einige examples below, which are free and paid premium resources you can use instantly without no preparation.

FREE Narrative Graphic Organizer

THE STORY CASH BUNDLE OF CLASSROOM RESOURCE

AMPERE MASSIVE COLLECTION of resources for narratives and story writing in the my covering select elements of crafting amazing stories. MONTHS WORTH OF WRITINGS LESSONS AND RESOURCES, involving:

NARRATIVE WRITING CHECKLIST BUNDLE

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES ABOUT NARRATIVE WRITING

Narrative Writing for Kids: Essential Knowledge and Strategies

7 Great Narrative Lesson Floor Students and Teachers Love

Top 7 Storytelling Writing Operations for Students

How to Write an Scaring Show

The content for this pages has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh.  A former principal of an international school the Learn university course because 15 years of teaching and administration experience. Shane’s latest Book, Who Complete Conduct to Nonfiction Writing , can be found here.  Editing and support for this article do been provided by this literacyideas team.

Igcse Stories

182 Stories

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Narrative Writing Sample | GCE O Level English (1123) | Best Notes

You want to get an A* in GCE O Level English but, your writing skills are not very good? Even if you are good at writing, you want to see some work of other students to learn something new?

Do not, worry. I am here to help. But before, let me introduce the topic to you.

Narrative writing is a form of writing in which there is a main character. This character faces a problem or an event and then deals with it.

In simple words, it tells you a story with a proper sequence of events (plot). For example, you share your amazing story about your exams. So basically, if you do this, you are using characteristics of a narrative.

Suspense if a main part of a narrative. But, we will take a look at it later in this article.

You should know that narrative is a part of section 2 in paper 1 of O level English. You have to write between 350 to 500 words for this question.

We'll take a look at:

Parts of Narrative Writing:

(If you are interested in only reading the sample, scroll down. But, it is not recommended).

Just like a cake has some layers, narrative has also some parts. But, why should you know them?

It is very simple. If you do not know about the parts of a narrative you, will not be able to write a good story. For example, you have to know about your characters, story (plot) and setting while writing a story.

So, some of these parts are:

• Plot : In creative writing, it is the sequence in which events happen.

The plot is all about the story and how your events progress. But, it is not only how events are taking place in you story.

What do I mean by that? Let me tell.

A good plot shows how the character gets into a conflict (discussed below). Simply, your character has to get into trouble and then, he has to work out a solution to deal with the problem.

This creates suspense and drama that is one of the most important parts of creative writing, especially narrative. This is because you have to remember that without suspense, no one will read your story.

To summarise, a good plot looks something like this:

• The main character faces a conflict (problem).
• Things go right (everything gets normal).
• Things go wrong (problem arise that creates suspense).
• Finally, wrap up how your character deals with the problem (gets successful or fails).

Moving on, let’s talk about characters now.

• Characters : For me, characters are the most important. But why? Let me tell.

Characters are what your readers remember . For example, there is a hero or a villain that you will remember after reading a story. Therefore, they play a very crucial part in your essay writing.

Simply, characters are those people in your writing that perform actions and speak dialogues. They play their part in the story to develop the plot.

Note : Character development is the key if you want to write a good narrative. You have to show your characters change during the story and what part they play.

There are different kinds of character. For example:

• Protagonist : The main character of the story (and the most important one).
• Antagonist : The villain of the story (the opponent of the protagonist).
• Tertiary characters : They are the minor characters in the story that may or may not be linked to the storyline.

However, the tertiary characters serve different functions and objectives. You can use these characters to your benefit by developing your sequence of events (plot).

• Conflict : This is the part of the story when your main character faces some problems. This part is what you can call suspense or drama.

Here, you have to make sure that tension builds that keeps your readers engaged. What do I mean by that?

Simply, let’s suppose that your character is being accused (blamed) for a crime that he has not committed . This is the conflict that your character will resolve. So, the conflict allows your story to continue.

Remember the better the conflict, the better the story.

• Setting : A backdrop (or setting) refers to the location or time in the narrative.

It can be fictional or non-fictional, depending on your story. Let me explain this with the help of an example.

For example, a story about a boy who is bullied in college in the suburb of Atlanta , in the 1980s .

Moving on, let me share a sample of creative (narrative) writing with you so that we can discuss some other points regarding this topic.

Sample of Narrative Writing:

Question : Write a story in which you disobeyed an order.

Sample response:

The camp had never been as crowded as it was on that day which dawned crisp and clear. I had never witnessed so much chaos that erupted due to the convocation of the arriving troops.

This was because our village was under attack by a rival party, and our soldiers were summoned to prevent further loss of lives. This was the only thing that we could do at the moment – abide by the orders given to us.

Ryan , our leader, was a tall dark man who possessed fierce looks. He assembled me and Jimmy in his office and, we rushed to meet him. Unlike other days, we had to clear multiple security checks because dozens of Seraphites penetrated our camps.

Seraphites were the people of our rival squad but, Ryan called them “Scars”. Therefore, everyone followed his expression due to the simultaneous feelings of fear and respect.

Ryan’s office was as usually dark, and it was like a place out of time. The smoke of the cigarette occupied the entire room with its offensive, eye-watering and stale odour.

“Joel and Jimmy, do not leave the camp at any cost . The scars have their traps all around”, he said. We nodded and enquired about our future plans.

However, the blaring sounds of disarray disturbed our conversation. “Go check out what the matter is. I am expecting Chris and Karl back to the camp soon”, Ryan said in an optimistic manner. I dashed out where I glanced at some soldiers dragging a body towards Ryan’s room.

I lifted the muddy black fabric from the face, and it was Karl. “Chris has killed him! We will make that traitor pay for this”, one of the sobbing soldiers commented. I was in utter disbelief because Chris and Karl had served our village for decades and therefore, I could not comprehend one being a traitor.

Further reading :

Account Writing Sample | O Level English (1123)

Report Writing Sample | Directed Writing

Formal Letter | Format and Sample

“I have to get to the bottom of the issue”, I said in a hustle. My ally Jimmy urged me to stop and not disobey Ryan’s order of not leaving the camp. I was determined to reach out to Chris, and I even knew about his whereabouts.

This was because he was entrusted an assignment to our previous hide-out. Nonetheless, Jimmy helped me egress from the camp from the Southern door because the number of troops was minimal over here.

I confidently marched towards the East to confront Chris, but after twenty minutes of hectic sprinting, I became more cautious. Unfortunately, one of the traps of Scars caught me as my left foot was trapped in a metalled cage (like structure).

I was surrounded by numerous Scars within a fraction of seconds who had their heads shaved and eyebrows removed, and they were honestly terrifying. They referred to us (the people of my camp) as “ Wolves ” and one of them said: “We need to get rid of him. He has an idea where we are camping”.

I took a deep breath and my nose caught the most horrible odour ever. The smell was terrible – it could even get a beast on its feet. But, I was more concerned about my life as it flashed before my eyes . The muscles in my body screamed at me to flee, but the cage kept me frozen.

My intensifying breaths came to a halt for a while when I started to hear distant gunshots. These disturbing sounds caught the attention of most of the Scars, who departed in fragments to come across the matter. This was the time when I grabbed out my knife, which I concealed, and struck the cage with intense force until the lock pierced into pieces.

With this, I instantly broke into a sprint and multiple Scars started to chase me. The colour of my pale face was draining , and my legs were losing their energy and potential to run. However, half a mile forward, Jimmy appeared who diverted their route.

Exhausted, I arrived at the door of the camp where Ryan was standing with his wide-open glaring eyes and tightly closed lips. I wanted to explain but he yelled in an uncontrollable manner: “ You disobeyed me for that traitor? I also want to know why he did that to his close friend, Karl.”

Simultaneously, he struck sharply at my face with intense force from his hands and ordered me to get locked. I was anxious about my punishment but even more worried about Chris. My mind was bombarded with questions such as, “Why did he commit this crime? What if he is innocent? What punishment will the camp decide for him, and for me?” I sobbed in the cell which gradually escalated.

Examiner response:

First of all, let’s start with the strengths of the response .

• The candidate makes use of description (particularly sensory words sometimes) which is very important in a narrative.

For example, “I took a deep breath and my nose caught the most horrible odour ever. The smell was terrible – it could even get a beast on its feet”.

The thing over here is that good vocabulary is important to score well. However, do not the stuff in fancy words you have learned just to make your story look good. This will do more harm than good .

Therefore, try to keep your writing style as natural as possible. The candidate deserves appreciation for this point (at least in my point of view).

Bonus tip : If you want to use good vocabulary and make it look natural, here is what you can do. Find out the words you want to use. Learn about their meaning and read sentences around those words. Then, gradually use them in your writing. They will look much more natural than usual.

• There is some element of suspense in the story. This keeps the reader engaged.

For me, suspense and mystery are extremely important in a narrative.

Simply because it keeps your reader engaged , and when you convince your reader to keep reading, you have written something good. Let me explain this with the help of an example.

The candidate uses a cliffhanger technique at the end of the narrative. For you, a cliffhanger is a technique that creates suspense (at the end of the story). What happens is that the writer leaves some questions (unanswered) for the readers.

For example, the candidate leaves it on the readers to think what the fate of the writer (Joel) and another character, Chris, would be. The questions such as “what if he is innocent?” create suspense among the readers.

But note that, do not leave your story incomplete (this technique does not say that). It is all about leaving behind some questions (which you do not answer) and demand your readers to figure them out. This takes us to another important point, which is about the characters.

• You will agree with me over here, a story without good characters is not a good story.

When it comes to characters, there are some areas of improvement (which I have discussed later). But for now, let’s talk about some positive points.

There is some description about the characters and their roles, such as: “Ryan, our leader, was a tall dark man who possessed fierce looks”. The story has major as well as minor characters.

Moreover, the dialogues used by the characters show that the candidate had knowledge about dialogues. But remember that, do not use dialogues in excess .

You have to use dialogues sometimes to show the examiner that you have knowledge about them. But, too much dialogue makes your narrative less of a story but some of a speech . So, use them when necessary (and when you should use them).

If you are not using dialogues, you are compromising on major elements of narrative writing , such as character development. Because your reader will know about your characters through their dialogues. So keep that in mind.

• The story revolves around the topic of disobeying an order.

The topic was about writing a story in which you disobeyed an order. Well, the story justifies the topic (although there could have been some improvements).

The story clearly has a theme and a plot. Furthermore, the candidate successfully builds up the story, making the main character forceful to “disobey the command” of their leader. In terms of language, the student uses decent vocabulary along with transition words (such as however and moreover).

The candidate uses simple sentences along with compound sentences. The spellings and grammatical mistakes are less but, this area can be improved further (because in the English language, these things matter).

Now, let’s talk about some areas of improvement as well.

The areas of improvement:

• I think you will agree with me over here. The story has not a “great” beginning (particularly, the first paragraph).

But why am I saying this? Let me explain this to you.

A good starting in a story indicates what is going to happen in future (simply, an overview was required ). For example, the candidate could have given an overview of how events were going to happen in future.

And after all, the purpose of the introductory paragraph is to briefly tell your readers what the story will be about. In short, the candidate could have linked the starting lines with the topic (of disobeying the order).

The take away from this is that make sure that your reader knows what the story is going to be about. For that, make sure you talk about the topic at the start (this may not be applicable to all narrative topics). In my opinion, the start could have some reference to all the soldiers abiding by the orders of their leader.

And like the beginning, the conclusion could have improved (by describing some challenges that the character faced after disobeying the order).

Moving on to the next thing, which is about the element of suspense and tension.

• Earlier, I said that there is some element of suspense present in the story. But it can be improved. Let me show you how this can be done.

There is suspense in the story when the main character gets caught by his rivals . But, a better description of the problems faced by the character could have been written. The tension could have been build with details about what his rivals were planning to do with him.

And if I talk about the setting here, the candidate could have explained a little bit more about the time and place. These things are the main components of a narrative. Therefore, you should “show not tell”.

• A predictable plot is a bad plot .

You may have predicted what was going to happen in the future. If this happens, then there is a problem with the plot.

Let me explain.

A plot should have interesting twists (in the story) that build up tension and mystery. This is the thing that will prevent your writing from being “boring”. When it comes to this sample, a couple of twists in the plot could have made the story very good.

For example, the attack on the camp when the main character returned or meeting with the so-called “traitor” (or something like that may work). So, try to do these things to keep your readers engaged.

• The candidate should have worked on the characters as well.

Look, no one likes flat characters . The student has used characters – great. But, there are some things to improve over here.

You have to make your character interesting (for example your character may love to do strange or risky things). If your characters (especially the protagonist) are unique, readers will love your story.

For example, a casual story about a dad working hard for his family may not necessarily be interesting. But, a story about a dad working hard and educating his daughter despite social pressure may work out as a good story (depends on how you deliver it).

Conclusion:

With this, our topic about narrative writing has come to an end. Thank you very much for reading and staying with me till the end.

In this article, I have discussed the parts of a narrative along with a sample report. Do practise some questions and take proper feedback from someone so that you improve your writing skills.

Now I turn it over to you. Which part of a narrative you think matters the most? Is it the conflict, setting or the plot? I will appreciate your thoughts on the topic.

Stay tuned for more.

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