Creative writing is one of the most misunderstood parts of the 11+ English exam. Many children can write a perfectly decent story — but “decent” isn’t what earns top marks. Examiners are looking for writing that shows genuine craft: vivid imagery, varied sentence structure, a sense of control.
The good news is that the qualities examiners reward can absolutely be taught. Here’s what they’re looking for — and how to help your child deliver it.
What Examiners Want to See
Before looking at technique, it’s worth understanding what earns marks. 11+ creative writing is assessed on:
- Content and ideas — is the story engaging, imaginative, and original?
- Structure — does it have a clear beginning, middle, and end? Is the pacing controlled?
- Vocabulary — is word choice precise and varied? Are there moments of genuine descriptive power?
- Technical accuracy — spelling, punctuation, and grammar
- Sentence variety — do sentences vary in length and structure, or are they all the same?
The writing that scores highest tends to feel controlled — like the writer knew exactly what effect they wanted and chose their words deliberately to achieve it.
Tip 1: Plan First — Even Just Two Minutes
The most common mistake is diving straight into writing without any plan. Stories written without a plan tend to meander, run out of ideas, or end abruptly because the child has written themselves into a corner.
Before your child writes a single sentence, spend two minutes on a brief plan: who is the main character? What is the central problem or moment? How does it end? Even a three-bullet plan produces a noticeably more structured story.
Tip 2: Start in the Middle of the Action
Most children begin their stories with slow, scene-setting introductions: “It was a dark and stormy night. My name is Jack and I am twelve years old.” This immediately signals an inexperienced writer.
Strong stories begin in medias res — in the middle of the action. Compare:
Weak opening: “One day, Tom decided to go to the old house at the end of the street. He had always been curious about it.”
Strong opening: “The door was already open when Tom arrived — which meant someone had got there first.”
The second version creates immediate tension and pulls the reader in. It also signals a confident writer who understands that stories should grab attention from the first line.
Tip 3: Show, Don’t Tell
This is the most famous piece of writing advice for a reason. “Telling” gives the reader information directly: “She was scared.” “Showing” lets the reader feel it through specific detail: “Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking. She pressed them flat against her thighs and told herself to breathe.”
Showing is harder and slower to write — which is why it earns more marks. Encourage your child to pick two or three moments in their story to “show” rather than “tell”, even if the rest is more straightforward narration.
Tip 4: Vary Sentence Length Deliberately
A sequence of sentences that are all roughly the same length creates a flat, monotonous rhythm. Varying sentence length — long sentences for description, short ones for impact — gives writing energy and pace.
The easiest technique to teach: follow a long descriptive sentence with a very short one. “The forest was dense and dark, the branches overhead so thick that even in midday the light barely reached the ground, filtered into pale, thin slivers that barely illuminated the path ahead. He stopped. Something was watching him.”
Short sentences after long ones create tension. They signal something has changed.
Tip 5: End with a Punch
Endings that trail off (“And then they went home and had dinner and went to bed”) lose marks that were almost earned. The ending is the last impression the examiner receives — make it count.
Strong endings either: resolve the central tension with a satisfying twist, echo the opening (creating a circular structure that feels deliberate), or leave the reader with a single, resonant image. Any of these works. What doesn’t work is simply stopping because the time is up.
Teach your child to write their ending before they write the middle. If they know where they’re going, the story hangs together far more effectively.
Practice Makes the Difference
Creative writing under timed conditions is a specific skill. Practising it — regularly, with feedback — is the most reliable way to improve. Simply writing stories without guidance tends to reinforce existing habits rather than building new ones.
At Thorogood English, our 11+ English Preparation course covers all of this: planning techniques, descriptive writing, story structure, and how to write confidently under exam conditions. Classes run online via Zoom in small groups of no more than six students.
Classes launch in January 2027. Join the waiting list now — places are strictly limited.
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