My own story: writing and a check-up
A short story has three parts. The beginning gives the setting and the main character: One windy morning, a boy named Zaki found a kitten. The middle shows the problem and what the character does about it, with sequence words: First, Then, After that. The ending gives the solution and the lesson: In the end … He learned that … Use the past simple for the events (found, waited, cried), the past continuous for what was happening in the background (The wind was blowing), and the present simple for a lesson or a fact (Doing the right thing feels good). Add one reported sentence: His mother said that the kitten might belong to someone. Keep the story peaceful and kind, with a clear problem and a clear ending. Write 60 to 80 words; if you can, write up to 110. Your book has a model story on page 96; yours must be about a different story. After writing, use the check-up below.
| Part | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Beginning | setting and character | A boy found a kitten on the school steps. |
| Middle | problem and actions | First he wrote a notice. Then he waited. |
| Ending | solution and lesson | The owner came. He learned to do the right thing. |
| Language | past simple, sequence words, said that | His mother said that it might belong to someone. |
One windy morning, a boy named Zaki found a kitten shivering on the school steps. He wanted to keep it, but his mother said that the kitten might belong to someone. First, Zaki wrote a notice. Then he waited by the gate all afternoon. At last a girl ran up and cried, “That is my Mimi!” Zaki was sad for a moment, but he felt proud. He learned that doing the right thing can feel better than keeping something.
Write your own story about a different problem: a lost key, a surprise visit, a broken kite or a difficult journey. Include a setting, two characters, a problem, three sequence words, one reported sentence and a moral. Count your words (60 to 80). Read it aloud and ask a grown-up what the moral is.