Example Text: Flashback

(Ages 9 - 11)
A flashback is used in a story, usually after something important has happened or has been
revealed. They take the reader back in time. Flashbacks help explain or add detail to events
that are currently happening in the story. They help to answer the reader’s questions, are
relevant to the storyline and it should be clear where a flashback occurs. Take a look at the
example below and the highlighted features.

Millie’s Discovery
The flashback should
be written in past
1 tense because the As Millie slowly woke, she experienced the usual
events happened in few seconds of adjusting her eyes to the light,
the past. wondering what day it was and whether she

In the example below, had to go to school. As the grogginess began to

the words ‘stormed’ and ease, she reasoned that it was Saturday and let
‘slammed’ are used to out a sigh of relief. Then, with startling clarity,
show that these things she remembered it. Her heart started to pound
happened previously. against her chest like a drum. Now fully alert,
her brain burst with crystal-clear memories

Make it clear where of the events from last night. She looked into
2 the flashback begins. the corner and saw the large, wooden trunk.
It was still covered in the hastily placed pile
Your child might introduce
the flashback with a of books. Shaking
Shaking, Millie began to recall what
phrase, such as ‘In the had happened. It had all started like any other
beginning…’ or ‘The last normal evening at home with the family…
time they were here…’ or
‘Memories began to flood This first paragraph is all about introducing the
back…’ A new paragraph
main character (Millie) and gives the reader an
should also be started.
idea of the setting, time and situation. It’s an
introduction. The end of the paragraph introduces
the flashback.

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 Use emotive Millie stormed up the stairs and slammed her
3 language. bedroom door as hard as she possibly could.
Emotive language refers She was fuming
fuming. If her little brother had done
to words used that make that, he wouldn’t have been sent to bed early.
the reader feel something. Life was so unfair
unfair. Crashing down onto her bed,
For instance, words are she couldn’t fight back the tears as she dug her
used in this example that
fingers into the cover and muttered plans for
might make the reader
revenge under her breath. Suddenly
Suddenly, her sobbing
feel nervous, tense or
scared, such as ‘trembling’, was interrupted by a bizarre and unfamiliar
‘fearful’ and ‘eerie’. scratching sound coming from the corner of the
room. Her tears instantly stopped trickling as
she sat up and shuffled to the end of the bed to
Include powerful
4 verbs. investigate. “If that’s you, Michael, I will…” she
began to warn but her threat was silenced by the
These are action or
sight of the wooden trunk. It had just moved
moved.
movement words. For
example, ‘stormed’,
‘slammed’ and ‘crashing’ This paragraph focuses on why Millie was in her
are all verbs that help bedroom and the interrupting sound. This gives
paint a picture for the the reader something to be curious about and
reader.
makes them want to read on.

Millie cautiously tiptoed across the room. She

moved carefully and slowly
slowly, trying not to
disturb the creaky floorboards underfoot. As she
got closer, the sound, which was now hectic
and louder than before, seemed to drown out
all other noises in the house. Millie pulled her
arms around herself and attempted to steady
her breath. Arriving at the trunk, she gently
crouched down and rested on her knees. Hands
trembling, she reached for the rusty lock. Sliding
trembling

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 Include powerful it off the latch, she placed it on the floor and
5 adverbs or adverbial momentarily paused — fearful of what she
phrases.
might discover
discover. Slowly
Slowly, she slipped her fingers
These describe how through the tiny gap and lifted the heavy,
something happened wooden lid just far enough to peek at the eerie
or how an action was
darkness within.
carried out. For example,
‘with startling clarity’,
‘instantly’ and ‘cautiously’ The next paragraph describes Millie’s quest to
help the reader know how investigate the sound. It builds up tension and
events unfurled. makes the reader feel on edge.

What greeted her was something she couldn’t

Include powerful
6 adjectives. ever have imagined
imagined. In the corner of the box was
an old, singed shoe. Peering over the top, with a
These describe things
(nouns) in the text and petrified expression
expression, was a tiny, spiky face. Millie
can create a certain mood. held her breath as the strange creature stared at
For example, ‘bizarre’, her. It was as if it were trying to decide whether
‘unfamiliar’ and ‘hectic’ or not she was a threat. Then, with an almighty
are all adjectives that shudder, it sneezed and smoke began to fill the
shudder
might make the reader feel
box. Millie jumped and slammed the lid shut.
tense or on edge.
She quickly grabbed the heaviest books from the
bottom of her bookcase and piled them on top of
the box.

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 Organise the writing This paragraph reveals what is inside the box.
into paragraphs, Millie is startled and afraid by what she sees, so
each based on a
7 different theme,
she quickly covers the box in an attempt to trap

character, place or the creature.

time.
Jumping into bed, she wrapped the duvet around
Remind your child to start
herself and repeated
repeated, “I’m dreaming, it’s just
a new paragraph on a
a dream, I’m dreaming…” before falling into a
new line and leave a space
between them. restless sleep
sleep.

The final paragraph ends the flashback. It tells the

reader that Millie hid herself under her duvet and
eventually fell asleep. It leaves the reader with
some questions about the creature in the box and
about what might happen next.

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