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GCSE English language: 10+ tips for creative writing

On paper creative writing should be one of the easiest parts of the English language GCSE but you're not alone if you're finding it tricky.

Creative Writing in GCSE exams can take various forms: You may have to tell an entire short story or you could be asked to write a description of a picture.

Here's some top tips when it comes to dealing with your creative writing headaches...

Understanding the Exam Format

First and foremost, it's essential to familiarise yourself with the GCSE English Language exam format. Creative writing usually forms a significant part of the assessment, often as part of a coursework component or in a specific section of the exam. Knowing what is expected in terms of length, format, and content can significantly boost your confidence and performance.

Reading Widely

One of the best ways to enhance your creative writing skills is to read a diverse range of literature. This exposure helps you understand different writing styles, narrative techniques, and genres. By reading extensively, you can develop a sense of what makes a story engaging and learn how to incorporate these elements into your own writing.

Practising Writing Regularly

Consistent practice is key in improving your writing skills. Try to write something every day, whether it's a short story, a descriptive piece, or even just a diary entry. This not only helps improve your writing style and vocabulary but also keeps your creative juices flowing.

Answer The Question

Read it VERY carefully because your answer will only be marked in the context of what was actually asked in the first place, regardless of how well written your piece may have been. Pay special attention to the type of creative writing you're asked to come up with and it's audience (see more below).

Developing Strong Characters and Settings

In creative writing, characters and settings are the heart of your story. Spend time developing characters who are believable and relatable. Similarly, create settings that are vivid and contribute to the mood of the story. Using descriptive language and sensory details can bring your characters and settings to life.

READ MORE: > 10+ GCSE creative writing ideas, prompts and plot lines

Mastering Narrative Structure

A good story has a clear structure - a beginning, middle, and end. The beginning should hook the reader, the middle should build the story, and the end should provide a satisfying conclusion. Think about the plot and how you can weave tension, conflict, and resolution into your narrative.

Showing, Not Telling

'Show, don’t tell' is a golden rule in creative writing. Instead of simply telling the reader what is happening, show them through actions, thoughts, senses, and feelings. For example, rather than simply telling the reader a character is tall, show them that in your writing: "He towered above me like a skyscraper." This approach makes your writing more engaging and immersive.

Take Inspiration From Real Life

Write more convincingly by taking inspiration from your real life experiences and feelings, embellishing where necessary.

Go Out of This World

If you're given a prompt to write the opening of a story involving a storm, it doesn't need to be a storm on earth. Going out of this world allows you to be really descriptive in your language and paint a picture of a completely unique world or species.

Varying Sentence Structure and Vocabulary

Using a range of sentence structures and a rich vocabulary can make your writing more interesting and dynamic. Avoid repetition of words and phrases, and try to use descriptive language that paints a picture for the reader. Consider the senses such as what you might hear, smell, feel or taste.

Don't Leave The Ending To The, Well, End

Some pieces will lend themselves to a nice, easy ending - and in some questions, the ending may even be provided for you - but other times it's not so simple to stop. When it comes to fictional stories, it may well be easier to plan your ending first and work backwards, you don't want to end on a whimper, in a rush or with leftover loose ends from the plot.

Editing and Proofreading

A vital part of writing is reviewing and refining your work. Always leave time to edit and proofread your writing. Look out for common errors like spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and punctuation issues. Also, consider whether your writing flows logically and whether there's anything you can improve in terms of language and style.

Seeking Feedback

Don’t be afraid to ask teachers, friends, or family members for feedback on your writing. Constructive criticism can provide new perspectives and ideas that can help you improve your writing significantly.

Staying Calm and Confident

Lastly, it's important to stay calm and confident during your exam. Stress and anxiety can hinder your creativity and writing ability. Practice relaxation techniques and believe in your preparation to help you stay focused and composed during the exam.

Remember, creative writing is an opportunity to express yourself and let your imagination run wild. With these tips and consistent practice, you can excel in your GCSE English Language creative writing exam look forward to results day and enjoy the process of crafting your own unique stories.

Thomas Brella is the founder of Student Hacks, starting the website in 2013 while studying at the University of Brighton to share tips and tricks on life as a cash-strapped student. He's now spent over 10 years scoping out the best ways to live on a budget

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2 Grade 9 Creative Writing Examples

I recently asked my year 11s to pen a piece of description and/or narrative writing for their mini assessment. I gave them the following prompts:

Your school wants you to contribute to a collection of creative writing.

EITHER: Write a short story as suggested by this picture:

OR: Write a description about a person who has made a strong impression on you.

The following were two COMPELLING and CONVINCING examples of the second choice – one pupil taking ‘you’ as a fictional invitation, the other as a biographical one:

EXAMPLE ONE:

Gradually, I awake and open my eyes only to see the cracked white ceiling which greets me every day. Here I sit, slumped in the bed with the scratchy white sheets hugging me and muffled beeping noises jumping into my ears. Rubbing the sleep crust from my bloodshot eyes, I observe the scene before me. The sound of footsteps overlapping as nurses rush from bed to bed; the metallic tang from stainless steel invading my nostrils; the cold metal bed rail imprisoning and mocking me; the pungent scent of antiseptic troubling me and the blood-curdling cries and moans utterly terrifying me. Using all my strength, I try to imagine I am somewhere else, anywhere else but here.

Crowds, signs, roars: it was 1903 and the suffragette movement had begun. It was a crisp night, refreshing almost and I had taken to the streets. It was like I was possessed by something that night, some urge and deep desire within me that had led me there, surrounded by women like myself. I stood clueless and lost in the crowd; the women yelling ‘Deeds not words’ in unison; passionately parading with large wooden signs and viciously shattering windows with bricks and stones. Despite the violence that was displayed before me, I was not afraid of what was happening and I didn’t deem it unnecessary or improper, in fact I wanted the same as these women, I wanted equality. Abruptly, all of the roars and cheers became muted and faint, one woman walked slowly towards me, her hair messily swooped into an updo, her clothes somewhat dirtied and her chocolate brown corset slightly loosened. There was a glimmer in her eyes as tears seemed to swell within their hazel pools, she seemed inspired, hopeful. After reaching me in the crowd, she held out her hand, gently passing me a sign. Immediately, I clasped it and the yelling and chanting rang loudly in my ears once more. My journey had begun.

Here however, is where it ends. I am aware I do not have much time left, as the doctors have told me so, and spending my last moments in this hospital room is not optimal. However, as I look around I can see beauty within a room which at first glance seems void of it. The hollow medical tubes by my side remind me of the awful act of force feeding I have faced in the past; the shrieks and bawls of patients reflecting the pain women had felt in my time and the bed bars mirroring the prisons we were thrown into and the gates we would chain ourselves too. I know these things may seem far from beautiful, but I can see my past within this room, the power I possessed and the changes I have contributed to today. I know now that I can leave this earth having had an impact. Slowly I close my eyes, I can see her, the women who changed my life many years ago, her name, Emmeline Pankhurst.

EXAMPLE TWO:

I will never forget that day. The hazel pools of her eyes glazed over, and hands delicately placed at her sides. Nobody in the room could quite grasp the fact that this was happening. The crowds of black attire row on row seemed to mimic the thing she loves most in life, the piano. However, this time she had taken the ivory natural keys with her and left everyone else with the sharp tones. You needed both to create beautiful symphonies but all that filled the room was the excruciating silence of her absense. Even the metronone like ticks of the clock seemed to come to a standstill.

It had all began that day, she seemed to open up this whole new world for us to explore together as she placed my fingers onto the keys for the first time. I knew that this was what I was meant to do. She was the most passionately beautiful pianist I had ever seen in my life. Often, I would peer round the oak doorway before my lessons just to catch a glimpse at her. It seemed like nothing in the world mattered to her at the time.

As the years progressed, so did the scope of this world we were exploring. Each sheet of lovingly handwritten sheet music was like a new section of the map we were slowly creating together. Each of her students had their own map. Each as beautiful and each as unique as the pianist. The crotchets and quavers that adorned the staves directed the different paths we could take as my fingers graced the keys. This may not have been a beautiful ballet routine, but this was our dance and it had been carefully choreographed just for us.

That piano room was the safest place in the world. Every inch of it her: the potent scent of her floral perfume; shelves full of scruffy and well loved sheet music; rows upon rows of framed photos of her and her students; the vintage piano which she always kept in tune, it was home. I couldn’t bear the

idea that someone else was going move in and rip away the music room without a second thought. It was her music room.

It was up to me now. Up to me to finish this journey we had begun together.

She may not be with me in person anymore, but she will always live within the world we built together and nothing could ever change that. For she could never truly be gone since she left a piece of her within every one of her students; the passion for piano.

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gcseenglishwithmisshuttlestone

Secondary English teacher in Herts. View all posts by gcseenglishwithmisshuttlestone

2 thoughts on “2 Grade 9 Creative Writing Examples”

This has helped me a lot, I myself am preparing for a narrative test like this and these prompts and descriptive short stories are marvellous! Thank you for sharing this! 🙂

My pleasure!

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AQA GCSE English Language Past Papers

This section includes recent GCSE English Language past papers (9-1) (8700) from AQA. You can download each of the AQA GCSE English Language past papers and marking schemes by clicking the links below. Scroll down for papers from previous years.

June 2023 AQA GCSE (9-1) English Language (8700) Past Exam Papers

June 2023: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (8700/1) Download Insert    -     Download Past Paper     -     Download Mark Scheme

June 2023: Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives (8700/2) Download Insert      -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2022 AQA GCSE (9-1) English Language (8700) Past Exam Papers

November 2022: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (8700/1) Download Insert    -     Download Past Paper     -     Download Mark Scheme

November 2022: Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives (8700/2) Download Insert    -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2022 AQA GCSE (9-1) English Language (8700) Past Exam Papers

June 2022: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (8700/1) Download Insert    -     Download Past Paper     -     Download Mark Scheme

June 2022: Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives (8700/2) Download Insert      -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2021 AQA GCSE (9-1) English Language (8700) Past Exam Papers (Labelled as June 2021)

November 2021: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (8700/1) Download Insert    -     Download Past Paper     -     Download Mark Scheme

November 2021: Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives (8700/2) Download Insert      -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 AQA GCSE (9-1) English Language (8700) Past Exam Papers (Labelled as June 2020)

November 2020: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (8700/1) Download Insert    -     Download Past Paper     -     Download Mark Scheme

November 2020: Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives (8700/2) Download Insert      -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 AQA GCSE (9-1) English Language (8700) Past Exam Papers

June 2019: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (8700/1) Download Insert    -     Download Past Paper     -     Download Mark Scheme

June 2019: Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives (8700/2) Download Insert      -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2018 AQA GCSE (9-1) English Language (8700) Past Exam Papers

November 2018: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (8700/1) Download Insert   -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2018: Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives (8700/2) Download Insert     -    Download Past Paper    -  D  ownload Mark Scheme

June 2018 AQA GCSE (9-1) English Language (8700) Past Exam Papers

June 2018: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (8700/1) Download Insert   -     Download Past Paper     -     Download Mark Scheme

June 2018: Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives (8700/2) Download Insert      -     Download Past Paper     -     Download Mark Scheme

November 2017 AQA GCSE English Language (8700) Past Exam Papers

November 2017: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (8700/1) Download Insert    -     Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2017: Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives (8700/2) Download Insert      -     Download Past Paper     -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2017 AQA GCSE English Language (8700) Past Exam Papers

June 2017: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (8700/1) Download Insert    -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2017: Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives (8700/2) Download Insert      -     Download Past Paper     -    Download Mark Scheme

For more GCSE English Language past papers from other exam boards  click here .