Checkpoint 6 · Paper 2 writing (fiction)

Adventure Stories

How to write an exciting story of real danger, a brave hero and a race against time in 30 minutes — features, a five-part plan, phrases, vocabulary and a strong 250-350 word sample.

British & IGCSE › Checkpoint 6 English (Cambridge Primary 0058)

1. What is adventure writing?

An adventure story follows a brave main character through real physical danger — a storm, a cave, a river, a mountain, a race against time — while they try to reach a clear goal: to escape, to rescue someone, to find something or to get home.

The world of an adventure story is our real world: a desert, a jungle, the sea, a mountain, an old ruin. There is no magic. The tension comes from nature and the clock. The hero wins by being brave, clever and working with others.

	Adventure	Fantasy
Setting	real places: desert, sea, mountain, cave, island	an invented, magical world
Danger	weather, wild animals, injury, getting lost, time running out	magic, curses, creatures
How the hero wins	skill, quick thinking, teamwork, courage	courage, honesty, magic objects

Purpose: to entertain and excite the reader — to make the reader's heart beat faster. Audience: the examiner, who should feel as if they are running, climbing or swimming with your character.

Where it sits in the exam

Paper 2 is the Fiction paper. It lasts 1 hour and is worth 50 marks: Section A Reading (25 marks) and Section B Writing (25 marks).
The suggested time for each section is about 30 minutes. That means you have about 30 minutes to plan, write and check your story.
Section B is one writing task. It can ask you to write the opening of a story, to continue a story, to write a complete story on a theme, or to describe a setting or character inside a story. It can be linked to the extract you read in Section A, and it usually gives you bullet points to include.
The task will not always say "write an adventure story". It gives you a theme. YOU decide that this genre fits the theme — then you stay inside the genre from the first line to the last.
Your story is marked by Cambridge examiners, not by your teacher, so it must make sense to a stranger who has never met you.

Themes that suit an adventure story: a journey that goes wrong, getting lost, a rescue, a storm, a race against time, finding something hidden, being brave for someone else, a trip with family or friends.

How your story is marked (25 marks)

Mark category	Marks	What the top band looks like in this genre
Creation of texts	5	The story answers the theme and every bullet point. The danger feels real. The main character has a clear goal and solves the problem with his or her own actions (not by luck or a sudden rescue). The reader feels the excitement.
Vocabulary and language	3	Strong, precise action verbs (scrambled, clung, plunged) and sensory details. Images that help the reader feel the danger.
Structure of texts (Text structure)	7	A clear five-part shape. Paragraphs move the action on. Pace changes: slow description before the danger, fast short paragraphs during it.
Grammar and punctuation (Sentence structure, punctuation & grammar)	7	Short sentences for action, longer ones for description. Accurate speech punctuation, commas, dashes and ellipsis. Past tense throughout.
Word structure (spelling)	3	Common and harder words spelled correctly (disappeared, suddenly, breathe, shoulder, exhausted, beautiful).
Total	25	Marked by best fit: the examiner reads the whole story and chooses the band that describes it best in each row.

Rules that can cap your mark

20 words or fewer scores 0.
An answer of 21-60 words can get no more than 7 marks out of 25.
If you write the wrong text type (for example, a diary or a letter when the task asks for a story), Creation of texts can be capped at 1 and Structure of texts at 3 (sometimes 2).
If your story moves away from the task's theme or forgets a bullet point, you lose Creation marks even if the writing is lovely. Keep the bullet points in front of you.

2. Features of adventure stories

Feature	What it means	Example sentence
A brave, active hero	The main character DOES things and makes choices	Without a word, she grabbed the rope and climbed.
A real, exciting setting	Desert, sea, cave, jungle, mountain — described with the senses	The cave smelled of wet stone and old smoke.
Physical danger	Weather, falls, wild animals, injury, rising water	The water was already up to their knees.
A clear goal	Escape, rescue, find, get home — it drives every paragraph	They had to reach the boat before the tide came in.
Time pressure	A ticking clock makes everything more urgent	The sun would set in an hour.
Companions	A friend or brother/sister to help, argue with or protect	“We should go back,” Ali said. “Not yet,” said Hana.
Fast pace	Short sentences and strong verbs in the action	He slipped. He grabbed. He held on.
One big climax	The moment where success or failure is decided	There was only one way across: the old rope bridge.
Change in the hero	The hero is braver or wiser at the end	She knew now that she could do hard things.

Language and layout features (these earn Structure and Grammar marks):

Feature	How to use it	Example
A title	Name the place, the danger or the goal	The Stone Towers / The Last Boat / Storm Island
Paragraphs	New paragraph for each new event, speaker or change of pace. One-line paragraph for the turning point	Then the wind changed.
Action verbs	Choose a precise verb instead of "went" or "got"	scrambled, staggered, plunged, clung, hauled
Short sentences for action	Speed up the reader	The rope snapped. She fell.
Sensory detail	Sound, touch and smell put the reader inside the danger	Sand stung her cheeks like needles.
Dialogue	Short, urgent lines	“Get down!”
STEAL characterisation	Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions, Looks	His hands shook, but his voice stayed calm.
Time connectives	Move the action forward clearly	Within a minute, / Suddenly, / At last, / By sunset,

Do not let someone else save your hero

If an adult, a helicopter or pure luck solves the problem, your hero has done nothing — and the examiner sees a weak climax. Let the main character solve the problem first (finding the path, climbing out, making a signal). Help can arrive AFTER the hero has done the hard part, as in the sample.

3. How to structure an adventure story

Plan with G.C.S.P.P. first: Genre (adventure — what is the danger and what is the goal?), Characters (a hero + one or two companions, each with a different personality), Setting (one real place you can describe with the senses — a place you know well is easier), Point of view ("I" or "he/she" — keep it the same), Plot (whole story, opening or continuation?).

Then use the five-part adventure arc. In 30 minutes, each part is one or two short paragraphs.

Stage	Paragraph(s)	What to write	Tip
1. Opening — the hook	1	Start with speech, a warning or a moment of action. Do not begin with "One day I woke up".	A warning that the hero will ignore is a great hook.
2. Build-up — characters, setting, goal	2-3	Who is there, where they are and what they want. Show the place with the senses. Use STEAL for the characters.	Make the place feel calm or beautiful first — the danger will feel bigger.
3. Rising action — things go wrong	4-6	The danger arrives and grows: the weather changes, someone gets hurt, the path disappears, time runs out.	Each problem is worse than the last. Use a one-line paragraph for the turning point.
4. Climax — the big moment	7-8	The hero makes a choice and acts: climbs, swims, finds the way, saves a friend.	Short sentences, strong verbs, a few words of speech.
5. Resolution — safe, but changed	9	Show the cost (tired, hurt, shaking) and how the hero has changed.	End on an image or a thought, not "Then we went home and had dinner".

Minutes	What you do
0-4	Read the task twice. Underline the theme and every bullet point. Plan with G.C.S.P.P. (Genre, Characters, Setting, Point of view, Plot) and jot one note for each paragraph. Write the goal and the danger in one line each.
4-26	Write. Many strong answers are about 250-350 words. At minute 15 you should be at the problem (the middle of your story). If you are still describing the setting, move on.
26-30	Check: spelling of your best words and names, full stops (no long chains of commas), speech marks, capital letters, and the same tense all the way through.

Plant the solution early

In your first paragraph, hide the thing that will save your hero later: a guide's advice, a whistle, a torch, a lesson from a parent. When it returns at the climax, the examiner sees a planned story with linked paragraphs — Structure marks.

4. Useful phrases and vocabulary

Change the words in brackets to fit your own story. Use one or two in each stage — do not stack them.

Openings

“Whatever you do,” [the guide / Dad / the captain] said, “don't [leave the path / go near the cliffs].”
The [desert / sea / mountain] looked peaceful that morning. It was not.
We had been walking for three hours when we realised we were lost.
It started as a perfect day — and that should have warned us.

Describing the setting

The [rocks / waves / trees] [glowed / glittered / swayed] under a burning sun.
The [cave / jungle / canyon] was silent except for the drip of water.
The [path / river / ridge] stretched ahead, steep and narrow.
Every [step / wave / gust of wind] reminded us how far we were from home.

Danger arrives

Then the [wind changed / sky darkened / ground shook].
Within seconds, [the path had vanished / the water was up to our knees].
A wall of [sand / rain / fog] rolled towards us, swallowing everything.
There was a crack, a slide, and then nothing beneath [his/her] feet.

Action

[Name] [grabbed / clung to / hauled] the [rope / branch / ledge] with both hands.
We ran, slipping and stumbling, as the [water / rocks] chased us.
[His/Her] heart was hammering, but [his/her] hands were steady.
“Hold on!” [Name] shouted. “Don't let go!”

Climax

There was only one way out: [across the river / up the cliff / through the tunnel].
[Name] took a deep breath and [jumped / climbed / pulled].
For one terrible second, nothing happened… then [the rope held / the light appeared].
At last, [a torch beam / a voice / the road] appeared through the [darkness / storm].

Endings

We were tired, dirty and safe.
[Name] looked back at the [mountain / sea] and smiled. It had not won.
[He/She] had not [reached the top / found the treasure] — but [he/she] had found something better.
That night, I knew one thing for sure: I was braver than I had thought.

Word / phrase	Meaning / use
perilous	very dangerous — a perilous climb
treacherous	dangerous in a hidden way — treacherous rocks under the water
scramble	to climb or move quickly using hands and feet
cling	to hold on very tightly (past: clung)
stagger	to walk unsteadily, almost falling
plunge	to fall or jump suddenly into something — plunged into the river
haul	to pull something heavy with effort
summit	the top of a mountain
ravine	a deep, narrow valley with steep sides
exhausted	extremely tired
determined	having decided to do something even if it is hard
resourceful	good at finding clever ways to solve problems
relentless	never stopping — the relentless sun
desperate	feeling there is almost no hope, so you will try anything
triumphant	very happy and proud after a success

5. Strong sample answer

Adventure story — The Stone Towers341 words · Strong answer — Creation 5/5 · Vocabulary 3/3 · Structure 7/7 · Grammar & punctuation 7/7 · Spelling 3/3

Task: Write a story about a journey that does not go as planned. In your story you should: describe the characters and where they are going, describe what goes wrong and explain how the characters solve the problem.

“Stay on the path,” the guide had said. “Follow the stone towers. Never leave them.”

But the path was slow, and the view from the ridge was supposed to be the best in Sinai. So, while their parents rested in the shade, Laila and her little brother Karim climbed ahead.

For twenty minutes it was wonderful. The rocks glowed orange and red under an endless blue sky. Karim scrambled over the rocks like a mountain goat, laughing. Laila, who always carried the water bottle and the plasters, followed more carefully.

Then the wind changed.

At first it was only a hot breath on her neck. Within a minute, a brown wall of sand was rolling across the valley, swallowing the mountains one by one. The sun disappeared. Sand stung Laila’s cheeks like a thousand tiny needles.

“Karim!” she shouted. “Get down!”

They crouched behind a boulder, scarves over their faces, while the storm roared around them. When it passed, the path had vanished under the sand. Worse, Karim was holding his ankle, trying hard not to cry.

“I slipped,” he whispered. “It really hurts.”

Laila’s heart was hammering. They were lost, the water bottle was half empty, and the sun would set in an hour. For a moment she wanted to cry too. Then she remembered the guide’s words; the stone towers would show them the way.

She climbed onto the boulder and searched the valley. There, far below, stood a small pile of stones — then another, and another beyond it.

“Lean on me,” she said, pulling Karim’s arm over her shoulder. “One tower at a time.”

Karim hopped and winced; Laila counted every tower out loud to keep him going. Seven… eight… nine… At the tenth tower, a torch beam swept across the rocks, and their father’s voice called their names.

That night, by the campfire, Karim fell asleep against her shoulder. Laila looked up at the dark ridge and smiled. She had not reached the top — but she had found something better: she was braver than she had thought.

Why this gets the marks

Creation of texts 5/5 — all three bullet points: the characters and the journey (Laila, Karim and a family hike in the Sinai mountains, paragraphs 1-3), what goes wrong (they leave the path, a sandstorm hides it and Karim hurts his ankle, paragraphs 4-8), and how they solve it (Laila remembers the guide's advice and follows the stone towers, paragraphs 9-12).
Creation — the danger is real, not magic: weather, injury, a half-empty water bottle and the sun setting in an hour (paragraph 9). The hero wins with quick thinking and courage, and she changes: "she was braver than she had thought" (13).
Creation — characters through STEAL: Karim's Actions ("scrambled over the rocks like a mountain goat, laughing"), Laila's Looks/Actions ("always carried the water bottle and the plasters"), Laila's Thoughts ("For a moment she wanted to cry too"), Speech ("Lean on me… One tower at a time.").
Vocabulary 3/3 — strong action verbs: scrambled, stung, crouched, roared, vanished, hammering, winced, swept. Imagery: simile "like a mountain goat" (3), personification "a brown wall of sand… swallowing the mountains" (5), simile "like a thousand tiny needles" (5).
Structure 7/7 — the five-part adventure arc: hook with the guide's warning (1), build-up — characters, setting and a bad choice (2-3), rising action — storm, lost path, injury (4-9), climax — the search and the walk from tower to tower (10-12), resolution — safety and change (13).
Structure — cohesion: the stone towers appear in the first line and solve the problem at the end, so the story is tightly planned. One-line paragraphs ("Then the wind changed.") mark the turning point.
Grammar & punctuation 7/7 — sentence variety: short sentences in danger ("The sun disappeared."), a long sentence listing three problems (9), a relative clause ("Laila, who always carried…"), fronted adverbials ("Within a minute," "That night, by the campfire,").
Grammar & punctuation — range: semicolons joining two related sentences ("Karim hopped and winced; Laila counted…", "the guide's words; the stone towers…"), a single dash for emphasis ("— then another, and another beyond it"), ellipsis for a pause as she counts ("Seven… eight… nine…"), a colon for explanation ("something better: she was braver…"), and correct speech punctuation throughout.
Spelling 3/3 — tricky words correct: scrambled, plasters, disappeared, crouched, boulder, whispered, hammering, shoulder, beyond, winced. Apostrophes accurate (guide's, Laila's, Karim's, father's).

6. Common mistakes and final checklist

Common mistake	Why it loses marks	Fix
A long, slow start ("I woke up, brushed my teeth, ate breakfast…")	No hook, and time is wasted (Structure)	Start at the journey, with speech or action.
The danger is solved too easily or by luck	Weak climax (Creation)	Your hero must struggle and choose.
Too many problems — a storm, a bear, a volcano AND a shark	The story becomes silly and confusing	One main danger that grows worse.
Only action, no feelings	The reader does not care about the character	Add Thoughts and feelings with STEAL: "For a moment she wanted to cry."
Weak verbs: went, got, did	Vocabulary marks drop	Use precise verbs: scrambled, hauled, staggered.
Long sentences in the action	The pace slows down	Short sentences when the danger is high.
Changing tense ("She runs to the rock and grabbed the rope.")	Grammar & punctuation	Stay in the past tense: ran… grabbed.
Ending "…and it was all a dream"	Cancels the whole story (Creation)	End with the hero safe and changed.

Checklist before you hand in

I answered the theme and every bullet point.
My opening hooks the reader with speech, a warning or action.
My danger is real (nature, injury, time) and gets worse step by step.
My hero solves the problem with his or her own actions.
I used short sentences and strong verbs in the action.
I used correct speech punctuation and at least two of: colon, dashes, ellipsis, semicolon.
My ending shows how the hero has changed.
I stayed in the past tense and checked my spelling.

كيف تحصل على الدرجة الكاملة في قصة المغامرة؟

ابدأ بجملة حوار أو تحذير أو حركة، لا بجملة مثل "استيقظتُ من النوم وتناولتُ الإفطار".
يجب أن يكون الخطر حقيقيًا (عاصفة، إصابة، وقت ينفد) وأن يزداد خطوة بعد خطوة.
البطل نفسه هو الذي يحل المشكلة. إذا أنقذه شخص كبير أو أنقذه الحظ، تضعف القصة.
في لحظات الخطر استخدم جملًا قصيرة وأفعالًا قوية مثل scrambled و clung.
ضع في بداية القصة شيئًا صغيرًا (نصيحة أو أداة) يعود في النهاية لينقذ البطل. هذا يُظهر أن القصة مخطط لها جيدًا.

Practice tasks

Practice task 1: Write a story about a day at the sea that becomes dangerous. In your story you should: describe the characters and the place, describe the danger and explain how the danger ends. Write a G.C.S.P.P. plan.
Show answer
G: adventure (real danger at sea). C: Youssef (11, a strong swimmer who shows off), his cousin Mona (careful, afraid of deep water), a fisherman at the end. S: a quiet beach near a rocky island on the Red Sea, hot sun, clear water. P: first person (Youssef), past tense. Plot — 1 hook: Mona says, "The tide comes in fast here." 2 they swim to the island to explore rock pools. 3 the tide rises and covers the path back. 4 Mona panics and Youssef's ankle is cut on the rocks. 5 climax: Youssef keeps calm, uses his red T-shirt to wave at a fishing boat while helping Mona onto the highest rock. 6 the fisherman takes them back. 7 ending: Youssef no longer shows off — he listens.
Practice task 2: Turn this slow sentence into a fast action moment of three short sentences: "While he was climbing the cliff, his foot slipped on a loose stone and he nearly fell, but he managed to grab a branch."
Show answer
Possible answer: "A stone moved under his foot. He slipped. His hand shot out and caught a branch." — three short sentences, strong verbs (moved, slipped, shot out, caught), and the reader feels the speed.
Replace the weak verbs with stronger ones: "She went up the rocks, got the rope and went across the river."
Show answer
Possible answer: "She scrambled up the rocks, seized the rope and waded across the river."
In the sample, why does the writer use the ellipsis in paragraph 12 ("Seven… eight… nine…")? Give all the possible effects.
Show answer
Possible answers: (1) it creates pauses, showing how slow and tiring the walk is. (2) it shows time passing between each tower. (3) it builds suspense, because the reader waits to find out whether they will make it. (4) it lets the reader hear Laila's voice counting out loud.
In the sample, why does the writer use a one-line paragraph in paragraph 4 ("Then the wind changed.")?
Show answer
Possible answers: (1) it marks the turning point, where the happy trip becomes dangerous. (2) it creates suspense and makes the reader stop and wonder what will happen. (3) it changes the pace, from calm description to fast action. (4) it gives the moment emphasis because it stands alone.

All pages in this course

Start here: the exam

Reading: grammar & punctuation

Reading: understanding texts

Paper 1 writing: non-fiction

Paper 2 writing: fiction