Macrostructure: The Big Picture
✅ Engaging Opening (Orientation)
Does my story start with a hook that immediately draws in the reader?
Have I used vivid sensory details (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) to introduce the setting?
Have I subtly revealed details about my main character through actions, dialogue, or thoughts rather than just telling?
✅ Rising Tension (Pebble, Rock, Boulder Sequence)
Have I gradually increased tension, making the problem more intense step by step?
Have I added obstacles or complications that challenge my main character?
Do my descriptions evoke emotions and keep the reader engaged?
✅ Climax (Turning Point of the Story)
Is the climax emotionally or physically intense, where the main character faces the biggest challenge?
Have I made the stakes clear and meaningful?
Is there a moment of revelation, change, or transformation for my main character?
✅ Falling Action & Resolution
Have I provided a satisfying resolution (or a thought-provoking cliffhanger)?
Have I answered all important questions raised in the story?
Have I ended my story with a strong, memorable final sentence?
✅ Paragraphing & Structure
Have I separated my paragraphs effectively, ensuring smooth progression between each stage of my story
Have I used dialogue effectively to break up long descriptions and add depth to my characters?
Macrostructure: Strengthening Your Sentences
✅ Variety in Sentence Structure
Does my writing sound natural and engaging when read aloud?
Have I used sentence length variation to maintain a dynamic, engaging rhythm?
Do my sentence structures match the tone and intensity of each scene?
✅Sentence Flow and Rhythm
Does my writing sound natural and engaging when read aloud?
Have I used sentence length variation to maintain a dynamic, engaging rhythm?
Do my sentence structures match the tone and intensity of each scene?
✅Use of Literary Devices
Have I included a variety of literary techniques such as:
Similes/metaphors (e.g. The moon was a silver coin, hanging in the ink-black sky.)
Personification (e.g. The trees whispered secrets to the wind.)
Symbolism/motifs (e.g. A ticking clock to symbolise time running out.)
Alliteration (e.g. The bitter breeze bit at my skin.)
✅Emotional Depth & Show, Don’t Tell
Have I avoided bland descriptions like “She was scared” and instead shown emotions?
Example: Instead of “He was nervous,” try: “His hands trembled, and a bead of sweat slid down his forehead.”
Have I immersed my reader by making them feel the emotions rather than stating them?
Stylistic Features & Final Checks
✅Character & Setting Descriptions
Have I painted a clear picture in my reader’s mind, using specific details rather than vague words?
Example: Instead of “The city was noisy,” try: “Car horns blared, neon signs flickered, and street vendors shouted their prices over the crowd.”
Have I avoided info-dumping and instead revealed descriptions naturally through the action?
✅Dialogue & Inner Thoughts
Have I used dialogue to reveal character personality and advance the plot?
Have I formatted dialogue correctly? (New speaker = new paragraph)
Have I balanced action, dialogue, and thoughts to create a well-paced story?
✅Final Editing & Proofreading
Have I checked for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors?
Have I eliminated repetitive words and unnecessary adjectives?
Does my story flow smoothly from one scene to the next without feeling rushed or disconnected?
Bonus: Quick Editing Tips
💡 Read your story aloud – if it sounds awkward or unnatural, rephrase it.
💡 Swap stories with a friend – fresh eyes can spot things you missed.
💡 Take a break before editing – returning to your story with a clear mind helps catch mistakes.
Final Thought: Does your story leave an impact on the reader? If not, revise until it does!
Creative Writing Prompts for Selective Test Prepration
- While exploring an old attic, a child stumbles upon a dusty notebook filled with stories about their future. The only problem? Some of the pages are missing.
- You wake up to find that you are the only person left in your town. There are no signs of anyone else, except for a single message written on your window: RUN.
- A girl receives a parcel with no return address. Inside, she finds an ancient key and a note saying, Use it wisely.
- Every night, you hear whispers coming from under your bed. One evening, you gather the courage to respond.
- A boy discovers a telescope that doesn’t show the stars but instead reveals glimpses of the past. One night, he sees something he was never meant to know.
- You find a diary in the school library. The strange thing is, the entries describe things that will happen tomorrow.
- While walking home, you notice a flickering neon sign for a shop that wasn’t there before. The sign reads: Wishes Granted—At a Cost.
- You receive a letter from your future self, warning you about something that will happen in exactly 24 hours.
- A mysterious train appears at the local station at midnight, but it has no driver. Its doors open, inviting you inside.
- One day, every pet in the neighborhood goes missing. That night, you see them gathered under the full moon, staring at something unseen.
- A child’s shadow starts acting on its own, leading them into a hidden world beneath their town.
- You wake up and discover that you have switched bodies with your best friend for the day. What happens next?
- A young scientist builds a machine that allows them to enter their dreams. But one night, they can’t find their way back.
- You hear an old legend about a book that can rewrite the past. When you find it, you realise you only have one chance to change something.
- Every time you close your eyes, you see through the eyes of a stranger in a different time. One day, they look back at you.
- A lighthouse keeper discovers an old journal detailing a shipwreck that hasn’t happened yet.
- The moment you blow out the candles on your birthday cake, time rewinds, and you have to live the day over again—until you make the right choice.
- A child discovers an old map hidden inside a school locker. The map leads to a place that shouldn’t exist.
- You discover that every statue in your city changes position at night. One morning, they are all pointing in the same direction.
- A letter arrives in your mailbox, addressed to someone who lived in your house 100 years ago. The letter begs for help.
Sample Full-Mark Selective School Essay
The Notebook of Fate
Dust motes danced in the slanted beams of golden sunlight as Oliver crept into the attic. It was a place of forgotten treasures—rickety trunks, yellowed newspapers, and the scent of time itself. His grandmother had always warned him not to wander up there, but curiosity had won. As he brushed aside cobwebs, his fingers landed on something odd—a small, tattered notebook wedged between the wooden floorboards.
The cover was cracked with age, and its leather binding smelled of ink and forgotten secrets. Oliver hesitated, then flipped it open. The first line made his breath hitch:
“The life of Oliver Grant, recorded before it happens.”
His hands trembled as he turned the pages. The handwriting was unmistakably his own, yet he had never written these words. His eyes darted over the entries, each one describing moments from his life—some he remembered, others he had not yet lived.
“On June 3rd, 2035, Oliver Grant will win first place in the national science competition.”
“In 2042, he will travel to a distant country and meet someone who will change his life forever.”
The words sent a shiver down his spine. Could this be real? Was he reading his own destiny? He hungrily flipped forward—until the inked words abruptly stopped. The next pages were missing.
A jagged tear ran through the book, leaving only frayed edges. Oliver’s heart pounded. His future—his fate—was incomplete. Who had taken the pages? And why?
Desperation clawed at him. If this book told his life’s story, was he now lost without it? Would he wander aimlessly, never knowing what was supposed to come next? A million thoughts spiraled in his mind. Perhaps the missing pages meant his future was unwritten, still his to shape. Or worse—someone else already knew what was coming.
A floorboard creaked behind him. Oliver’s breath caught. He wasn’t alone.
Why This Essay Would Get Full Marks
✅ Engaging Opening with a Strong Hook
The essay begins with sensory details (“Dust motes danced in the slanted beams of golden sunlight…”) to create an atmospheric setting that immediately immerses the reader. The attic’s description evokes mystery, making the reader eager to uncover what Oliver will find.
✅ Clear and Well-Structured Narrative
The story follows the five-stage structure of effective creative writing:
- Orientation – The attic, Oliver’s curiosity, and the discovery of the notebook.
- Rising Tension – The realization that the notebook predicts his future, creating suspense.
- Climax – The shocking discovery that pages are missing.
- Falling Action – Oliver’s panic and uncertainty about what it means.
- Resolution/Cliffhanger – The mystery deepens with the sound of someone else in the attic, leaving the reader wanting more.
✅ Powerful Use of Language
- Descriptive sensory details (“The cover was cracked with age, and its leather binding smelled of ink and forgotten secrets.”)
- Varied sentence structures to maintain rhythm and flow.
- Vivid verbs and adjectives to enhance imagery (“His hands trembled as he turned the pages.”).
✅ Emotional Depth & Character Development
The essay explores Oliver’s fear, excitement, and uncertainty, making the reader connect with him. His inner conflict—between destiny and free will—adds intellectual depth to the story.
✅ Memorable Ending
Instead of neatly resolving the story, the cliffhanger ending (“He wasn’t alone.”) leaves room for imagination, making it compelling.
Final Thought
This essay excels because it is well-paced, immersive, and thought-provoking, all qualities that selective exam markers look for. Would you like an alternative version with a different twist? 😊
