How do the four parts work?

Opening sets the scene, build-up raises a problem, climax is the peak, ending shows change.

How is speech punctuated?

Put the spoken words inside quotation marks, with the comma or full stop inside too.

Primary English Story Writing, Paper 4: four parts, speech and closing

2026-10-31

Plan the four parts, keep the past tense, punctuate direct speech, show feelings by detail and close by echoing the opening.

Focus　Split the story into four parts, hold the past tense, punctuate speech, and echo the opening at the end.

01　Paper details (check answers afterwards)

Item	Detail
Questions	10
Suggested time	25
Difficulty mix	Foundation 4 · Intermediate 3 · Challenge 2 · Error redo 1
Chapter	Chapter: Primary English: Story Writing
Level	P4 to P6

02　Questions (10 items)

FoundationA short story usually has four parts: opening, build-up, ___ and ending.
FoundationYesterday I ___ (go) to the beach with my cousin.
FoundationI am late, ___ Mia. (said or says)
FoundationWhich is the stronger opening: (A) It was a sunny day. (B) The gate creaked open.
Intermediate___ we reached the pier, the sky turned black and the wind picked up.
IntermediateReplace She was very tired with one detail that shows it.
IntermediateWhich sentence keeps the past tense: (A) He runs home and opened the door. (B) He ran home and opened the door.
ChallengeA story opens with The gate was always locked. Which ending echoes it best?
ChallengeWhy should a writer not describe every single event in a story?
Error redoCorrect the punctuation: He said, I will come tomorrow.

03　Answers and one-line notes

#	Answer	One-line note
1	climax	The climax is the tensest moment before the ending.
2	went	Yesterday needs the past tense, and the past of go is went.
3	said	A story is told in the past, so the reporting verb is said.
4	(B)	A concrete sound and action beat a vague weather line.
5	As soon as	As soon as links two events that happen at once.
6	Her eyes kept closing and she dragged her feet.	Show tiredness through action instead of the adjective.
7	(B) He ran home and opened the door.	Two verbs in one sentence must share the same tense.
8	This time the gate stood wide open.	Repeating the same object at the end shows the change.
9	because it turns the story into a list and the key moment loses focus	A list of events dilutes the one moment that matters.
10	put quotation marks around I will come tomorrow	Direct speech needs quotation marks around the spoken words.

04　What to do after marking

After marking, redo only the wrong items and write down which step went wrong (formula, unit, or misread number).
Repeat the same item two days later; move to the next paper only when both attempts are correct.
Parents only need the answer and note columns; there is no need to explain every item.

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