Checkpoint 6 · Paper 2 writing (fiction)

Fables and Fairytales

How to write an original fable or fairytale for Paper 2: the features, the rule of three, a six-stage plan, openings, endings and morals, phrases, vocabulary and two strong 250-350 word samples with notes.

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

1. What are fables and fairytales?

Fables and fairytales are short, timeless stories that teach the reader something about right and wrong. They use magical or symbolic things — talking animals, enchanted objects, spells, wishes — and simple characters who stand for one quality: the greedy king, the kind girl, the clever fox, the proud lion.

	Fable	Fairytale
Main characters	Usually animals that talk and behave like people (the ant, the hare, the camel)	Usually people (a poor boy, a princess, a woodcutter) plus magical beings (a fairy, a witch, a giant)
Length	Very short, often only one main event	A little longer, often with a journey or several tests
Magic	Little or none — the animals talking is the only ‘magic’	Magic objects, spells, wishes, transformations
Moral (lesson)	Usually stated clearly at the end: “Moral: …”	Usually shown through the ending: good is rewarded, evil is punished
Typical opening	Long ago… / One hot summer, a proud…	Once upon a time…
Typical ending	Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.	…and they lived happily ever after.

Purpose: to entertain the reader AND teach a lesson (a moral). Audience: the examiner — and, in the story world, often younger children. Point of view: almost always third person (he/she/it), past tense, with a storyteller’s voice.

Where it sits in the exam

Any story you write goes in Paper 2 (Fiction), Section B Writing — 25 marks. The paper lasts 1 hour, and about 30 minutes is suggested for the writing.
Fables and fairytales are not usually named in the writing task. However, the task gives you a theme or situation, and some themes fit a fable or fairytale perfectly: a character who learns a lesson, kindness rewarded, greed or pride punished, a magic object, a wish, a test of honesty.
The reading extract in Section A can also be a traditional tale, and the writing task may ask you to continue it or write a story “in the same style”. Then you must keep the features of the genre.
So study this genre well: it is your ‘back-up’ genre whenever the task asks for a story that teaches a lesson.

How your story is marked (25 marks)

Your writing is marked in five categories. The examiner reads the whole story and chooses the band that fits it best in each category (we explain the bands in our own words below).

Mark category	Marks	What the top band looks like in this genre
Creation of texts	5	A clear story that fits the task · simple, symbolic characters (hero, villain, trickster, helper) · a clear struggle between right and wrong · a moral that is obvious from the ending and fits the events.
Vocabulary and language	3	A traditional storyteller’s voice (Once upon a time, Long ago, from that day on) and precise words for the characters’ qualities (greedy, humble, cunning, generous), with imagery for the magical setting.
Structure of texts (Text structure)	7	The traditional shape: opening and setting → characters → problem → tests or obstacles (often three) → climax → resolution and moral. Paragraphs change with each event · repetition gives the story rhythm.
Grammar and punctuation (Sentence structure, punctuation & grammar)	7	Varied sentences, including short ones for dramatic moments · speech punctuated correctly on new lines · a range of punctuation used accurately (commas, apostrophes, colon before the moral, dashes, ellipsis).
Word structure (spelling)	3	Ambitious words spelt correctly (generous, greedy, jealous, beautiful, magnificent, disappeared, palace) · no their/there/they’re mistakes.
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).
A lovely story that ignores the task or one of its bullet points loses Creation marks. Tick each bullet on your plan.

2. Features of fables and fairytales

Feature	What it means	Example
Traditional opening	Tells the reader at once that this is a timeless tale	Once upon a time, in a village beside a silver river…
Timeless setting	Forests, deserts, villages, castles, palaces, imaginary lands — no phones or cars	a single palm tree in the middle of a burning desert
Simple, symbolic characters	Each character stands for one quality	the greedy king, the kind fisherman’s son
Talking animals (personification)	Animals speak and act like people	“Go away,” said the camel. “There is no room.”
Magical elements	Spells, wishes, enchanted objects, magical helpers	a brass lantern that only shines when you speak kindly
Good against evil	A clear struggle between right and wrong	kindness against greed
Rule of three	Things happen three times: three wishes, three tests, three visitors	Three animals ask for shade, and three times the camel says no.
Repetition	Repeated words or lines give rhythm and help the reader predict	“Go away,” said the camel. “There is no room.” (said three times)
Transformation or consequence	Characters are rewarded, punished or changed at the end	The selfish camel becomes generous.
A clear moral	The lesson, stated or shown	Moral: Be kind to the small, for one day you may need their help.

Layout features: a title that names the main characters (The Camel and the Palm Tree) · short paragraphs, one for each event · a new line for each new speaker · and, for a fable, the moral on its own line at the very end.

Characters in fables: keep them simple

In realistic fiction your teacher asks you to build deep, real characters with STEAL. In a fable or fairytale the characters are symbols: each one shows ONE quality. You do not need five STEAL details. One clear action and one line of speech are enough to show that the camel is selfish or that Adam is kind. Spend your words on the events, the rule of three and the moral.

3. How to structure a fable or fairytale

Plan with G.C.S.P.P. for 3-4 minutes: G fable or fairytale + the moral in one line · C a hero, a villain or a selfish character, and perhaps a helper · S a timeless place · P third person, past tense · P six stages below. Write the moral FIRST: then every event can lead to it.

Stage	What to write	Example
1. Opening and setting	A traditional opening phrase and a timeless, magical or simple setting.	Long ago, in the middle of a burning desert, there grew a single palm tree.
2. Characters	Introduce the hero or the animal with ONE clear quality.	He lay down in the shade as if it belonged to him alone.
3. The problem	A challenge, a temptation, an unfair situation or a magical meeting.	A little lizard asked to rest in the shade.
4. Tests and obstacles (rule of three)	The problem happens three times, or the hero faces three tests. Use repetition.	Three animals ask, and three times the camel says no.
5. Climax	The hardest moment: the trick is discovered, the spell breaks, the selfish character needs help.	A sandstorm hides the desert, and the camel is lost.
6. Resolution and moral	Good is rewarded, the wrong-doer learns or is punished, and the moral is stated or shown.	From that day on, the camel shared his shade. Moral: …

How to start your tale

The classic fairytale opening: Once upon a time, in a kingdom where the rivers sang…
The classic fable opening: Long ago, when animals could still speak, a proud lion ruled the grassland.
Setting first: Deep in a forest so thick that sunlight never touched the ground, there stood a crooked little cottage.
Character first: There was once a fox who was so clever that he had never told the truth in his whole life.
A wish or a warning: “Never open the blue door,” the old woman warned her granddaughter. But of course, one day, she did.

How to end your tale

A stated moral (best for fables): Moral: Those who boast the loudest often fall the hardest.
“From that day on…”: From that day on, the hare never laughed at anyone who was slower than him.
A happy ending: And the boy and his mother never went hungry again.
A lesson shown through a final image: The king’s golden crown lay forgotten in the dust, but the little lantern shone brighter than ever.
A warning ending: And the greedy merchant is still digging in that field today, searching for gold that was never there.

Timing: 30 minutes for the writing

Paper 2 (Fiction) lasts 1 hour: Section A Reading (25 marks) and Section B Writing (25 marks). About 30 minutes is suggested for each section. Use your 30 writing minutes like this:

Minutes	What to do
0-4	Read the task twice and underline the key words and bullet points. Plan with G.C.S.P.P. (Genre, Characters, Setting, Point of view, Plot) in the planning space.
4-26	Write the story paragraph by paragraph, following your plan. Many strong answers are about 250-350 words: long enough to develop every stage, short enough to finish and check.
26-30	Check: spelling of ambitious words, full stops and capital letters, speech punctuation, tense (past tense all the way), and that every bullet point is answered.

4. Useful phrases and vocabulary

Openings

Once upon a time, when [magic still lived in the land]…
Long ago, before [people built cities / animals lost their voices], there lived [character].
In a faraway kingdom, where [magical detail], there was [character].

Introducing characters

The [clever / proud / greedy] [animal], known to every creature in the [forest], always [habit].
A humble [woodcutter / fisherman’s son] lived with [family], never guessing what [the forest] held.
Everyone in the village knew that [character] would never [share / tell the truth].

The problem and the rule of three

One day, [character] found [magical object], and everything changed.
[Three] times [character] tried to [goal], and [three] times [result].
Tempted by [greed / pride / curiosity], [character] ignored the warning and [action].

Climax

At that very moment, [the spell broke / the trick was discovered / the storm arrived].
Too late, [character] realised that [his/her] [greed / pride] had led to [problem].
With one final [cry / wish / word], [event].

Resolution and moral

From that day on, [character] [new behaviour].
And so [character] learned that [moral].
Moral: [a short, timeless lesson in the present tense].

Word / phrase	Meaning / use
humble	not proud, simple and modest
greedy	wanting much more than you need
generous	happy to give and share
cunning	clever in a tricky or dishonest way
boastful	talking too proudly about yourself
enchanted	under a magic spell, full of magic
vanish	to disappear suddenly
outwit	to beat someone by being cleverer
deceive	to make someone believe something that is not true
reward	to give something to someone because they did something good
punish	to make someone suffer because they did something wrong
wisdom	good sense that comes from experience
selfish	thinking only about yourself
ashamed	feeling bad because you did something wrong
moral	the lesson that a story teaches

5. Strong sample answers

Here are two strong answers: one fable and one fairytale. Read the task first, then the story, then the notes that show where each mark is earned. Numbers in brackets are paragraph numbers.

Fable — The Camel and the Palm Tree346 words · Strong answer — Creation 5/5 · Vocabulary 3/3 · Structure 7/7 · Grammar & punctuation 7/7 · Spelling 3/3

Task: In the extract you have read, a character behaves selfishly. Write a story in which a character learns an important lesson about how to treat others. In your story you should: introduce the main character and the place where the story happens, describe what the character does wrong and show how the character learns the lesson.

Long ago, in the middle of a burning desert, there grew a single palm tree, and beneath it lay the only shade for a hundred miles.

One summer, a proud camel arrived at the tree. He was tall and strong, and he lay down in the shade as if it belonged to him alone.

At noon, a little lizard came scurrying across the sand. “Please,” she gasped, “the ground is as hot as an oven. May I rest in your shade?”

“Go away,” said the camel. “There is no room.”

In the afternoon, a tired beetle came crawling. “Please,” he whispered, “may I rest for a moment?”

“Go away,” said the camel. “There is no room.”

In the evening, a thirsty hare came hopping. “Please,” she begged, “just one corner?”

“Go away,” said the camel, and he stretched out his long legs until no shade was left at all.

The three small animals — the lizard, the beetle and the hare — crept away into the rocks. They knew every hidden path, for small creatures must be clever to survive.

That night, the wind began to howl. A sandstorm swept across the desert like a giant brown wave. The camel stumbled to his feet; sand filled his eyes. He could not see the tree, the rocks or the stars.

“Help!” he cried, but the wind swallowed his voice.

Then, through the storm, came a tiny voice. “This way! Follow the tapping!” Tap, tap, tap… It was the lizard, beating her tail on the stones. The beetle buzzed beside his ear, and the hare thumped her feet to guide him. Step by step, they led him into a deep cave, where the air was cool and still.

When the storm ended, the camel lowered his head. “I sent you away three times,” he said, “and still you saved me. Why?”

The lizard smiled. “Because the shade was never yours to keep.”

From that day on, the camel shared his shade with every creature that passed.

Moral: Be kind to the small, for one day you may need their help.

Why this gets the marks

Creation of texts 5/5 — all three bullet points are answered: the character and the place (paragraphs 1-2) · what he does wrong, three times (3-8) · how he learns the lesson (9-16). It is clearly a fable: talking animals, a simple symbolic main character (the selfish camel), good against selfishness, and a moral that grows naturally out of the events.
Fable features — traditional opening (“Long ago…”) · timeless setting (a desert, a palm tree, a cave — nothing modern) · personification (the animals speak, beg and smile) · the rule of three (three animals at noon, afternoon and evening) · repetition (“Go away,” said the camel. “There is no room.” — three times, so the reader predicts it and feels the unfairness) · transformation (the selfish camel becomes generous) · the moral stated on its own line.
Characters — kept simple, as fables need: the camel’s pride is shown in one action (“as if it belonged to him alone”) and one repeated line · the three small animals are polite (“Please…”) and clever (“They knew every hidden path…”). The lizard’s final line gives the lesson in her own words before the moral.
Vocabulary 3/3 — precise verbs show each animal’s movement: scurrying, crawling, hopping, stumbled, thumped · strong words for the storm: howl, swept, swallowed. Imagery: simile “as hot as an oven”, simile “like a giant brown wave”, personification “the wind swallowed his voice”, sound words “Tap, tap, tap” (onomatopoeia).
Structure 7/7 — opening and setting (1) → character (2) → problem repeated three times (3-8) → the turn: the small animals’ cleverness is planted (9) → climax: the sandstorm and the camel’s cry for help, in a one-line paragraph (10-11) → rescue (12) → resolution and lesson (13-15) → moral (16). The ending reverses the problem: the camel who refused shelter is given shelter.
Grammar & punctuation 7/7 — varied sentences: short for drama (“Help!” he cried…), compound, complex (“…he stretched out his long legs until no shade was left at all”). Punctuation as taught: a pair of dashes for extra information (“— the lizard, the beetle and the hare —”) · a semicolon joining two related sentences (“The camel stumbled to his feet; sand filled his eyes”) · an ellipsis for a pause and suspense (“Tap, tap, tap…”) · a colon to introduce the moral as an explanation · commas in lists (“the tree, the rocks or the stars”) · speech split correctly (“Please,” she gasped, “the ground…”), with a new line for each speaker.
Spelling 3/3 — ambitious words correct: scurrying, whispered, thirsty, survive, stumbled, swallowed, creature.

Fairytale — The Lantern of Kind Words348 words · Strong answer — Creation 5/5 · Vocabulary 3/3 · Structure 7/7 · Grammar & punctuation 7/7 · Spelling 3/3

Task: Write a story in which a character is given a magical gift. In your story you should: introduce the character and explain how they receive the gift, describe what happens when someone else tries to use the gift, and show how the story ends and what the characters learn.

Once upon a time, in a village beside a silver river, there lived a poor fisherman’s son called Adam. His clothes were patched and his purse was empty, but he never passed anyone in need without helping.

One winter evening, Adam found an old woman shivering by the riverbank. He gave her his only blanket and half of his bread. “Thank you, kind boy,” she said, pressing a small brass lantern into his hands. “This lantern will shine for as long as you speak kindly.” Before he could reply, she had vanished like mist in the morning sun.

From that night, the lantern glowed whenever Adam spoke. It lit the dark lanes for the old baker, guided lost children home and warmed the fishermen’s cold hands.

Soon the news reached King Bahir, who lived in a palace of gold but loved nothing except himself. “A lantern like that belongs in a palace, not in a fisherman’s hut!” he snapped, and his guards snatched it from Adam’s hands.

That night, the king held the lantern high. “Shine!” he roared. It stayed dark. “Shine, you useless thing!” Still dark. “I am your king. Shine!” Nothing. He kicked his golden chair, but the lantern stayed as cold as a stone.

Furious, the king sent for Adam. “What trick is this?” he demanded.

Adam took the lantern gently. “Thank you for looking after it, Your Majesty,” he said. At once, warm golden light filled the hall.

The king stared. For the first time in his life, he felt ashamed. “Teach me,” he said quietly.

So every evening that winter, the king walked through the village with Adam and practised one kind word: please, thank you, sorry. At first the lantern only flickered… but by the spring, it shone as brightly as the moon.

Adam became the king’s adviser, and his family never went hungry again. As for the king, he grew kinder every year, until his smile shone brighter than his crown.

And so the kingdom learned what the old woman had always known – kind words are the brightest light of all.

Why this gets the marks

Creation of texts 5/5 — all three bullet points are answered: the character and the gift (paragraphs 1-3) · someone else tries to use it (4-6) · the ending and the lesson (7-11). It is clearly a fairytale: a humble hero, a magical helper (the old woman), an enchanted object with a rule, a selfish villain, and a happy ending where kindness is rewarded.
Fairytale features — the classic opening “Once upon a time” · a timeless setting (village, river, palace) · symbolic characters (kind Adam, selfish King Bahir) · a magic rule set early (“for as long as you speak kindly”) and then tested · the rule of three (the king commands the lantern three times and fails three times · later he practises three kind words: please, thank you, sorry) · transformation (the king changes) · a happy ending.
Characters — kept simple and symbolic: Adam’s kindness is shown by one action (giving away his only blanket) and his speech to the king · the king’s selfishness by his words (“belongs in a palace”) and his actions (roaring at the lantern, kicking his golden chair). The king’s change is shown when he speaks “quietly” for the first time.
Vocabulary 3/3 — precise words: shivering, vanished, snatched, roared, flickered, ashamed, adviser. Imagery: simile “vanished like mist in the morning sun”, simile “as cold as a stone”, simile “as brightly as the moon” · the contrast between the cold, dark lantern and the “warm golden light”.
Structure 7/7 — opening and hero (1) → the magical meeting (2) → the gift at work (3) → the problem: the villain takes it (4) → the failed tests (5-6) → climax: the lantern shines for Adam (7) → the turn: the king feels ashamed (8) → resolution over time (9-10) → the lesson (11). The ending links to the beginning: the old woman’s rule becomes the kingdom’s lesson.
Grammar & punctuation 7/7 — varied sentences: very short for drama (“It stayed dark.” “Still dark.”), compound, complex with a relative clause (“King Bahir, who lived in a palace of gold but loved nothing except himself”). Punctuation as taught: a pair of commas for extra information (“King Bahir, who lived in a palace of gold…”) · a colon for a list (“one kind word: please, thank you, sorry”) · an ellipsis for a pause before the change (“only flickered… but by the spring”) · a single dash for emphasis (“– kind words are the brightest light of all”) · apostrophes for possession (fisherman’s, Adam’s) and an exclamation mark for the king’s anger · speech punctuated correctly on new lines.
Spelling 3/3 — ambitious words correct: shivering, vanished, Majesty, furious, ashamed, practised (British spelling of the verb), adviser.

6. Common mistakes and final checklist

Common mistake	Why it loses marks	Fix
Retelling a famous tale (The Hare and the Tortoise, Cinderella)	The examiner wants YOUR ideas; Creation marks drop	Use the features, but invent new characters, a new setting and a new problem.
A moral that does not match the story	The story and the lesson do not fit together	Write the moral first, then plan events that lead to it.
Preaching for a whole paragraph	The ending becomes boring and slows down	Show the lesson through what happens; state the moral in ONE short sentence.
Modern details: phones, cars, shopping centres	It breaks the timeless feeling of the genre	Keep to forests, deserts, villages, palaces and rivers.
Too many characters	No time to develop the events	Three or four characters at most: hero, villain or wrong-doer, helper.
Forgetting the rule of three	The middle feels thin and rushed	Plan three visits, three tests or three tries.
Mixing tenses: “The fox runs to the river and saw the crow.”	Grammar & punctuation marks	Tell the story in the past tense. Only the moral is in the present tense.

Checklist before you hand in

My tale answers the task and every bullet point.
I used a traditional opening (Once upon a time / Long ago).
My characters are simple and symbolic, and each one shows one clear quality.
I included magic or talking animals, and a clear struggle between right and wrong.
I used the rule of three and some repetition.
The ending rewards, punishes or changes the characters, and my moral fits the story.
Speech is on new lines with correct punctuation · I used a colon, a dash or an ellipsis correctly.
I checked my spelling and kept the story in the past tense.

كيف تكتب fable أو fairytale وتحصل على الدرجة النهائية؟

اكتب الدرس (moral) أولًا في الخطة، ثم اختر أحداثًا تقود إليه.
الشخصيات بسيطة: كل شخصية تمثل صفة واحدة (الطمّاع، الطيب، المغرور، الذكي). لا تحتاج إلى تفاصيل كثيرة عن شكلها.
استخدم قاعدة الثلاثة (rule of three): ثلاث محاولات أو ثلاثة اختبارات، مع تكرار جملة معيّنة.
لا تكتب قصة مشهورة مثل الأرنب والسلحفاة، بل اكتب قصة جديدة بالخصائص نفسها.
اكتب القصة كلها بالزمن الماضي، واكتب الـ moral في النهاية في جملة قصيرة بالمضارع.

Practice tasks

Practice task 1: Write a story in which a character is punished for being greedy. In your story you should: introduce the character and what they want, describe how their greed causes a problem and show how the story ends and what the lesson is. Write a short G.C.S.P.P. plan.
Show answer
G: fable. Moral first: “Those who want everything may end up with nothing.” C: a greedy monkey (symbol of greed) · a wise old tortoise (helper who warns him). S: a mango tree by a river, long ago. P: third person, past tense. Plot — 1 Long ago, a mango tree by the river · 2 the monkey who ate every mango and shared none · 3 problem: he sees his reflection in the river holding a bigger mango · 4 rule of three: the tortoise warns him three times, “Be happy with what you have” · 5 climax: he grabs at the reflection, drops all his mangoes into the river and they float away · 6 resolution: hungry, he learns to share · moral on its own line.
Turn this weak opening into a strong fairytale opening: “There was a girl. She was nice. She lived in a house.”
Show answer
Example: Once upon a time, at the edge of a forest so dark that even the owls were afraid of it, there lived a girl called Salma, who shared her bread with every hungry bird that landed on her windowsill.
Write three repeated lines for a fable about a lazy cricket who will not help the ants prepare for winter.
Show answer
Example: Each time the ants passed with their heavy seeds, the cricket yawned and said, “Tomorrow, my friends. I’ll help tomorrow.” (Repeat in spring, summer and autumn — on the fourth time, winter has come and there is no tomorrow left.)
Which of these is NOT a feature of a fable? (a) talking animals (b) a moral at the end (c) a mobile phone that solves the problem (d) the rule of three.
Show answer
(c) — fables and fairytales have timeless settings, so modern objects like phones break the genre.
Write a moral for this story: a boastful peacock laughs at a plain sparrow, but when a hunter comes, the peacock’s heavy tail stops him escaping while the sparrow flies away.
Show answer
Examples: Moral: Being beautiful is not as useful as being wise. / Moral: Never laugh at others, for your pride may be your weakness.

All pages in this course

Start here: the exam

Reading: grammar & punctuation

Reading: understanding texts

Paper 1 writing: non-fiction

Paper 2 writing: fiction