“Continue the following story: "I had walked past the wall a hundred times before. It ran along the edge of the park, covered in ivy and graffiti, unremarkable in every way. But today, something was different. Today, there was a door. A small, arched door, painted green, with a brass handle that gleamed as though it had just been polished." Write what happens next.”
Planning Hints
4 tips to help you plan your response
Maintain the mysterious, curious tone.
Should the character open the door? What's on the other side?
It doesn't have to be magical — it could be an unexpected garden, a workshop, a person.
Build tension before the door is opened. What does the character feel?
Starter Sentences
Suggested opening lines to get you started
“I stopped. My feet simply refused to keep walking.”
“Common sense said walk away. Curiosity said something else entirely.”
“The handle was warm. That was the strangest part.”
Key Techniques to Demonstrate
Techniques the examiner will be looking for in your response
Annotated Model Answer
A high-quality example response with techniques highlighted
Hover or tap the highlighted phrases to see the technique and explanation
Techniques Used in This Answer
Ready to Write?
Practice this prompt under timed conditions, just like the real exam. You have 20 minutes.
Planning Templates
Suitable for story continuation
Story Mountain
The classic 5-part narrative structure. Perfect for story writing prompts where you need a clear beginning, middle, and end.
4-Paragraph Plan (CSSE Style)
A focused structure for shorter writing tasks (15-20 minutes). Ideal for CSSE where you only write 2 compulsory paragraphs, but this plan gives you 4 strong ones if time allows.
Marking Focus Areas
imagination
atmosphere
organisation
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