Why It Matters
Foreshadowing shows the examiner you have planned your story and that your writing has layers. It creates suspense and makes the reader feel that the story is connected and purposeful.
Examples
“"Don't go in there," Gran had said that morning. I should have listened.”
-- Direct hint“The sky darkened. Somewhere in the distance, a dog howled — a long, mournful sound that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once.”
-- Atmospheric hint“If I had known what was about to happen, I would have stayed in bed.”
-- Narrator looking backForeshadowing works best when it's subtle — a nervous feeling, an ominous detail, a throwaway comment that turns out to be important. Avoid being too obvious ("Little did I know, disaster was about to strike!"). Trust the reader to pick up on clues.
Practice Exercises
Try these exercises to practise using foreshadowing in your own writing. Click "Show Suggestions" to see example answers.
1
Write an opening sentence that foreshadows something going wrong on a school trip.
The coach was late, which should have been our first warning.
Mr. Chen checked the weather forecast three times before we left. That should have told us something.
2
Write a sentence that foreshadows a friendship forming.
I didn't know it then, but the girl sitting alone at the back of the bus was about to become the most important person in my life.
She nodded at me — just once, barely a movement — but something about it felt like the beginning of something.
Related Techniques
Creating Atmosphere
Using a combination of setting description, word choice, sentence length, and literary devices to create a specific mood or feeling in a scene.
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Show, Don't Tell
Instead of telling the reader what a character feels ("She was scared"), showing it through physical actions, sensations, and behaviour ("Her hands trembled and her breath came in short, sharp gasps").
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Pacing and Slow-Motion Writing
Controlling the speed of your narrative — slowing down at key moments for drama, speeding up when action is happening fast.
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