Edexcel English Language B: Narrative Essay Writing

A story consists of the following elements;

• Characters- Who are the major characters and how could you describe them?
• Setting -Where and when does the story take place?
• Problems- What is the problem or conflict?
• Events- What events lead to the conflict?
• Climax- How does the conflict unfold and how are the major characters affected? The
climax is generally the high point at which your main character faces their main
problem or biggest obstacle.
• Solutions- How is the conflict resolved?

The 5Ws and 1H

To help you plan your story complete the chart with as much information as possible.
Who?
Who are the main characters and
what are they like?
What?
What is the story about?
What is the problem and how is it
sorted?
When?
When does the story take place?
Where?
Where does the story take place?
Why?
Why is there a problem?
How?
How did it happen?

Character Description
Think about your main character and use the headings below to help you build up a
description or picture of him or her. You can also use these headings for the other
characters in your story.
• Character Name:
• Nick Name:
• Age:
• Male/Female:
• Marital Status:
• Hair Colour:
• Height:
• Eye Colour:
• Distinguishing Features: (beard, scars, special powers, etc.):
• Strengths:
• Weaknesses:
• Parents:

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 • Sisters/brothers:
• Friends:
• Personal Qualities, Traits or Superpowers (e.g.: charm; luck; humour; wisdom,
invisibility, etc.)
• Hobbies:

The Plot
Look at the plot diagram below and the example of the plot diagram using the story
Cinderella.

The climax: High

point or turning point

Rising Action Falling Action

Rising Action

Conclusion/ solution/
Rising Action reaction

Set Up: 1st event The climax

The prince says he will marry
the woman the slipper fits
Introduction or Rising Action
opening scene: setting, Cinderella leaves in a rush at
introducing characters midnight and loses her slipper Falling Action
The step sisters
Rising Action and Cinderella
Cinderella goes to the ball try on the slipper
and dances with the prince.

Rising Action
A fairy godmother appears
and provides Cinderella with
all she needs to go to the ball Conclusion/ solution/
reaction
Rising Action Cinderella and the
The stepsisters prepare for prince marry and live
and go to the ball. happily ever after.

Set Up: 1st event

An invitation to a ball
at the palace arrives.

Introduction or opening scene: 2

Cinderella lives unhappily with
her stepmother and stepsisters.
Features of a good narrative essay
1. Narrator
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.

2. Linguistic features
Dialogue: 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:

1. Use a new line for each new speaker

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

Flashback: 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.
Tense: 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.

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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.

3. Add, Subtract, Multiply and Divide

Select a paragraph or paragraphs from your story and use ‘+ + − − × and ÷’ method to
improve your writing.
+ Add a metaphor or simile (e.g. “The violin sounded like a rusty gate swinging
on its hinges”).
+ Add proper nouns (e.g. McCabe’s Pharmacy instead of shop).
− Subtract ‘square’ words, such as stuff, things, nice, pretty and good, and
replace them with ‘Wow’ words.
− Subtract all unnecessary words and repetitious ideas.
× Multiply the number of vibrant verbs, such as screamed, ripped and scoffed.
÷ Divide the writing into paragraphs.

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Here is a narrative essay written by one of the students in the Examination. This candidate
has score 29/30 marks.
Examiner comment:
AO4 The communication is perceptive and subtle and sharply focused on purpose. It
fulfils all Level 5 criteria. The response is quite lively. 20 marks
AO5 The ideas are manipulated with a range of structural and grammatical features.
There is a wide and selective vocabulary used accurately. The punctuation is used with
accuracy and effectively. 9 marks

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 Narrative Essay Topics
1. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘The Visit’.
2. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘A Great Adventure’.
3. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘Lost’.
4. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘The Lost Key’.
5. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘A brilliant idea’
6. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘What a strange day!’.
7. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘The Power Cut’.
8. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘An Interesting Offer’.
9. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘The Right Choice’.
10. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘A Pleasant Surprise’.
11. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘The Open Door’.
12. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘A Lesson Learned’.
13. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘I wish I had never said that.’
14. Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘The Turning Point’.

Buy a 40pg CR book to write these. Write one answer per week. Get it marked. Paste
these topics in that book. WORD LIMIT: 400 words. Spend only 1 hour for a task.