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The Race

Story Writing

Foundation

30 minutes

CSSE

Kent

FSCE

Independent

The Prompt

“Write a story titled "The Race".”

Planning Hints

4 tips to help you plan your response

What kind of race — running, swimming, cycling, a competition that isn't physical?

What's at stake for your character? Why does this race matter?

Use slow-motion writing for the key moment — the start, a fall, the finish line.

Surprise the reader: the character doesn't have to win. Losing can be just as powerful.

Starter Sentences

Suggested opening lines to get you started

“Fifty metres. That's all that stood between me and everything I had worked for.”

“The starting pistol cracked and the world became noise.”

“I had never won anything in my life. Today, I decided, that was going to change.”

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

I had never won anything in my life. Not a single trophy, medal, or certificate that wasn't for attendance. Today, standing in lane four with my spikes digging into the rubber track, I decided that was going to change. The stadium was louder than I expected. Parents packed the stands, their voices blending into a wall of sound. I could see Dad near the front, his hands cupped around his mouth. I couldn't hear his words, but I knew what he was saying: "You've got this." "Runners, to your marks." My fingers pressed into the warm surface. My body folded. The world shrank to the lane ahead — a corridor of red stretching towards a distant white line. "Set." Silence. The most terrifying silence in the world. Every muscle locked, loaded, waiting. BANG. I flew. That's the only word for it — the first three strides were airborne, my arms pumping, my lungs dragging in air. Around me, six other runners exploded forward. I could see flashes of colour in my peripheral vision — a blue vest pulling ahead, a green one falling behind. At fifty metres, my legs began to burn. At seventy, they screamed. The blue vest was still ahead, its owner a full stride in front, and no matter how hard I pushed, the gap wouldn't close. I came second. One stride. Less than a second. I stood at the finish line, hands on knees, chest heaving. The disappointment hit first — sharp, bitter, unavoidable. But then Dad was there, his arms around me, his voice in my ear: "That was the fastest you've ever run." He was right. And somehow, standing there with silver instead of gold, I realised that was enough.

Hover or tap the highlighted phrases to see the technique and explanation

Techniques Used in This Answer

Humour

Metaphor

Listing

Short Sentences

Personification

Rule Of Three

Reflection

Ready to Write?

Practice this prompt under timed conditions, just like the real exam. You have 30 minutes.

Planning Templates

Suitable for story writing

Story Mountain

The classic 5-part narrative structure. Perfect for story writing prompts where you need a clear beginning, middle, and end.

5 steps|3-5 minutes

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.

4 steps|2-3 minutes