Checkpoint 6 · Paper 2 writing (fiction)

Fantasy Stories

How to build a magical world with its own rules, an unexpected hero and a test of courage in 30 minutes — features, a six-stage plan, phrases, vocabulary and a strong 250-350 word sample.

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

1. What is fantasy writing?

Fantasy is a story set in a world with its own rules: magic, magical creatures, enchanted objects and places that exist only in the writer's imagination. The danger is often magical (a curse, a shadow, a spell), and the story is usually a battle between good and evil.

Fantasy is NOT "anything can happen". Good fantasy feels real because the magic follows rules. If a key can open a hidden door, it must not suddenly be able to fly. A fantasy world can start inside our own world too: a garden, a wardrobe, a library or a well can be the doorway to another place.

	Fantasy	Adventure	Mystery
The danger comes from…	magic, curses, creatures	nature, weather, time running out	a question nobody can answer
The setting is…	an invented or magical place	a real place: desert, sea, mountain, cave	an ordinary place with a secret
The hero wins by…	courage, honesty, kindness, a special object	skill, quick thinking, teamwork	noticing clues and thinking carefully

Purpose: to entertain and to amaze the reader, and to show something true about people (courage, honesty, friendship). Audience: the examiner, who wants to be carried into your world from the first line.

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 a fantasy 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 a fantasy story: a precious object, a special place, a hidden door, a promise, a test of courage, a journey, an unexpected hero, a wish that goes wrong, light against darkness.

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 fits the theme and every bullet point. The magic has a clear rule. The hero has a problem inside (fear, doubt) as well as an enemy or danger outside. The reader wants to know what happens.
Vocabulary and language	3	Well-chosen words that build wonder (glowing, ancient, enchanted) or danger (shadowy, icy). One strong image per sentence — not a pile of adjectives.
Structure of texts (Text structure)	7	A clear beginning, middle and end using the six stages. Paragraphs are linked. The ending connects back to the opening.
Grammar and punctuation (Sentence structure, punctuation & grammar)	7	Different sentence types and lengths used on purpose. Speech punctuated correctly. Accurate commas, colons, dashes and ellipsis. The same tense throughout.
Word structure (spelling)	3	Common and harder words spelled correctly (magical, mysterious, whispered, believe, guardian, ancient).
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 fantasy stories

Feature	What it means	Example sentence
Magic with a rule	Spells, gifts or powers that do not exist in real life — with a limit	The key could open any door, but only once.
A magical world	An invented land or a hidden place inside our world, shown through small details	In the Hidden Valley, the trees chimed whenever the wind touched them.
An unexpected hero	An ordinary child with a hidden gift, who doubts himself or herself	“Me? I can't even tie my shoelaces properly.”
Good against evil	Light against shadow, honesty against greed	The Shadow Queen wanted every lamp in the city to go out.
Magical creatures	Talking animals, dragons, guardians, spirits	A stone owl slowly opened its amber eyes.
A special object	A key, map, seed, lamp or necklace that matters to the plot	The necklace grew warm whenever danger was near.
A test or a temptation	The hero proves himself or herself with honesty or kindness, not only strength	“Give it to me,” croaked the crow, “and I'll make you famous.”
Sensory description	Sights, sounds and feelings that create wonder or fear	The sky turned violet and gold above the silent forest.
Change in the hero	The hero ends the story braver, wiser or kinder	This time, she did not wait for someone else to be brave.

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

Feature	How to use it	Example
A title	Name the object, place or creature	The Seed Keeper / The Silver Key / The Owl of Stone
Paragraphs	New paragraph for a new time, place, speaker or mood. A one-line paragraph for a big moment	Then the lights went out.
Dialogue	Short and important. It shows fear, wisdom or danger	“Turn back,” the voice whispered, “before it is too late.”
STEAL characterisation	Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions, Looks	His hands shook, but he stepped forward anyway. (Action)
Imagery	Simile, metaphor, personification — one at a time	The mist curled round her ankles like cold fingers.
Rule of three	Three adjectives, nouns or actions for rhythm	floating lanterns, silver rivers and singing trees
Contrast	Light and dark, warm and cold, small hero and huge danger	The seed was tiny, but the whole garden depended on it.

Do not overwrite

Fantasy tempts students to stack adjectives: "the dark, gloomy, black, scary, evil forest". This does not earn Vocabulary marks because the words all mean the same thing. Choose ONE clear image instead: "The forest was so dark that even the moonlight stayed outside."

3. How to structure a fantasy story

Plan with G.C.S.P.P. first: Genre (fantasy — what is the magic and what is its rule?), Characters (a hero + a helper + a danger or enemy — 2-4 characters only), Setting (one magical place, described with the senses), Point of view (first person "I" or third person "he/she" — and keep it the same), Plot (are you writing a whole story, an opening or a continuation?).

Then follow the six-stage fantasy arc. In 30 minutes, each stage is only one or two short paragraphs.

Stage	Paragraph(s)	What to write	Tip
1. Opening — the magical world	1-2	Hook the reader with an image or a rule of the magic. Show what is special — and what could go wrong.	A short first line works well: "The garden had one rule."
2. The hero and the problem	3-4	Introduce the hero with STEAL. Give the task or the object. Show a doubt or fear.	A helper (grandparent, wise creature) can explain the task in two lines of speech.
3. Rising action — the journey or test	5-6	The hero sets off. Add a warning, a strange sound or a temptation.	Use the setting to build tension: dark, cold, steep, silent.
4. Climax — the big moment	7-8	The hero faces the danger. ONE clear action that uses the rule of the magic and a good quality (honesty, courage).	Short sentences, strong verbs, a few words of speech.
5. Falling action — after the danger	9	Show how the hero feels: tired, shaking, relieved.	This makes the victory feel real, not too easy.
6. Ending — an echo	10	Return to an image from the opening and show how the hero has changed.	End on a picture, not on "and the lesson is…".

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 rule of your magic in one line.
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.

Make the magic follow a rule

Write the rule in your plan in one line: "The seed only grows for someone who tells the truth." Then make the climax USE that rule. The examiner can see that your story was planned — that is a top-band Creation mark.

4. Useful phrases and vocabulary

Change the words in brackets to fit your own story. Use one or two phrases in each stage, not more.

Openings

The [garden / library / old house] had one rule: never [open the blue door / speak after midnight].
Nobody in the village of [Name] remembered a time before the [lanterns / bells / dragons].
The air shimmered, as if the wind itself remembered old magic.
It was the kind of night when anything could happen — and something did.

Describing the magical place

Trees of [silver / glass / crystal] chimed softly in the breeze.
A river of [starlight / liquid gold] wound through the valley.
Lanterns floated above the path like sleepy fireflies.
Everything glowed, as though the whole land was lit from inside.

Introducing the hero and helpers

[Name] was not brave, not clever and definitely not magical — or so [he/she] thought.
[His/Her] hands shook as [he/she] held the [key / map / seed].
The [owl / fox / old woman] looked at [Name] with eyes as old as the mountains.
“You must go,” said the [guardian], “because only you can.”

Building tension

Somewhere in the darkness, something was watching.
“Turn back,” whispered a voice, “or you will never find your way home.”
With every step, the [path grew steeper / air grew colder / light grew weaker].
Time was running out; the moon was already sinking.

Climax

[Name] took a deep breath and [raised the lantern / spoke the truth / opened the door].
Light burst from the [stone / seed / key], filling the valley.
The shadow screamed, shrank and was gone.
For one long moment, nothing happened… then everything changed.

Endings

The [garden / village / kingdom] was safe — for now.
[Name] smiled. [He/She] was no longer the [girl/boy] who [was afraid of the dark].
Back at home, the [key / seed / map] sat on the shelf, glowing faintly.
Some doors, once opened, never really close.

Word / phrase	Meaning / use
enchanted	under a magic spell — an enchanted forest
shimmer	to shine with a soft, shaking light — the lake shimmered
glimmer	a small, weak light — a glimmer of gold in the dark
ancient	very, very old — ancient stones
luminous	glowing softly in the dark — luminous moths
majestic	grand and impressive — a majestic dragon
mysterious	strange and hard to understand — a mysterious voice
ominous	showing that something bad may happen — an ominous silence
guardian	someone or something that protects a place or object
realm	a kingdom or magical land — the realm of the Moon King
quest	a long, difficult journey to find or do something important
tremble	to shake a little because of fear or cold
radiant	shining brightly, or very happy — a radiant smile
vanish	to disappear suddenly

5. Strong sample answer

Fantasy story — The Seed Keeper346 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 character who is trusted with something precious. In your story you should: describe the character and the precious thing they are given, describe the magical place where the story happens and show how the character proves they can be trusted.

The garden behind Grandfather’s house had one rule: never pick a flower after sunset.

Omar thought it was a silly rule until the night Grandfather fell ill.

At sunset, every flower in the garden opened at once. Petals glowed blue and silver, and the air hummed like a sleepy bee. Where the old well had always stood, a staircase of moonlight now curled into the earth.

“So you can see it too,” whispered a voice. A hedgehog in a tiny green waistcoat sat on the edge of the well. “Your grandfather is the Seed Keeper. Tonight, you must go instead.”

Omar swallowed. He was the boy who forgot his homework and lost his trainers; nobody trusted him with anything. “Me? I can’t even look after a goldfish.”

“Then tonight you will learn,” said the hedgehog.

At the bottom of the stairs lay the Hidden Valley: a land of floating lanterns, silver rivers and trees that chimed in the wind. In a stone bowl, one golden seed — no bigger than a pearl — glowed softly. “Plant it on the Planting Stone before the moon sets,” said the hedgehog, “and the garden lives another year. But be careful. The seed will only grow for someone who tells the truth.”

Halfway up the steep path, a crow with eyes like cold coins hopped beside him. “Give me the seed,” it croaked, “and I’ll tell everyone you were the hero.”

Omar’s fingers closed tightly around it. He wanted to be a hero… but not like that.

“No,” he said firmly. “It isn’t mine to give.”

At the Planting Stone, as the moon sank, Omar placed the seed in the hollow and spoke honestly. “I’m scared, and I’m not as good as Grandfather. But I’ll try.”

The seed cracked open. Green shoots rushed upwards, and the whole valley blazed with light. Omar sank down, exhausted, and laughed.

Next morning, Grandfather was sitting up in bed, smiling. “I hear the garden is in safe hands,” he said.

Omar looked out of the window. Beside the well, a new flower was waiting for sunset.

Why this gets the marks

Creation of texts 5/5 — all three bullet points are answered: the character and the precious thing (Omar, the golden seed, paragraphs 5 and 7), the magical place (the glowing garden and the Hidden Valley, paragraphs 3 and 7), and how he proves he can be trusted (he refuses the crow and tells the truth at the stone, paragraphs 9-11).
Creation — the magic follows a rule: the garden only changes after sunset (paragraph 1) and the seed only grows for someone who tells the truth (paragraph 7). The climax USES that rule: Omar wins by being honest, not by a magic spell.
Creation — the hero changes: at the start nobody trusts him and he says "I can't even look after a goldfish" (paragraph 5). At the end, the garden is "in safe hands" (paragraph 13).
Vocabulary 3/3 — fantasy words chosen to build wonder: glowed, hummed, moonlight, floating lanterns, chimed, blazed. Imagery is controlled, one image per sentence: simile "hummed like a sleepy bee" (3), simile "eyes like cold coins" (8), personification "a new flower was waiting for sunset" (14).
Structure 7/7 — the six-stage fantasy arc: the world and its rule (1-3), hero and conflict (4-6), rising action with a test (7-8), climax (9-11), falling action — he is exhausted (12), conclusion with an echo (13-14).
Structure — cohesion: the ending returns to the rule from the first line (sunset, the flowers, the well), so the story feels complete. Short one-line paragraphs (6, 10) change the pace.
Grammar & punctuation 7/7 — sentence variety: a short opening statement, long descriptive sentences (3, 7), a question ("Me?"), a fronted adverbial ("At sunset," "Halfway up the steep path,"), and short sentences for the climax ("The seed cracked open.").
Grammar & punctuation — range used correctly: colon for explanation ("one rule: never pick a flower"), colon for extra information, here a list ("the Hidden Valley: a land of floating lanterns, silver rivers and trees…"), semicolon joining two related sentences ("lost his trainers; nobody trusted him"), a pair of dashes for extra information ("— no bigger than a pearl —"), ellipsis for a pause ("a hero… but not like that"), and speech punctuated correctly, including a split sentence ("“Give me the seed,” it croaked, “and I'll…”").
Spelling 3/3 — tricky words spelled correctly: Grandfather's, whispered, waistcoat, honestly, exhausted, staircase, tightly. Apostrophes for contraction (can't, isn't, I'll) and possession (Grandfather's, Omar's) are accurate.

6. Common mistakes and final checklist

Common mistake	Why it loses marks	Fix
Magic fixes everything instantly ("She waved her wand and it was all fine.")	No tension and a weak climax (Creation, Structure)	Give the magic a limit. The hero must try hard or make a choice.
Copying a famous film or book	It is not your own idea, and examiners notice	Invent your own object, creature and place names.
Too many characters and creatures	Confusing in 300 words	A hero, one helper and one danger are enough.
A long fight with no feelings	Action without tension	A few words of speech, ONE big action, then show how the hero feels.
Piles of adjectives	Vocabulary marks drop — the words repeat the same meaning	One precise image per sentence.
Ending with a lesson ("And he learnt that honesty is good.")	Telling, not showing	End with an image that shows the change.
Speech mistakes: “Turn back”, the voice said.	Grammar & punctuation	The comma goes inside the speech marks: “Turn back,” the voice said.
Spelling an invented name differently each time	Spelling and cohesion	Write names in your plan and copy them exactly.

Checklist before you hand in

I answered the theme and every bullet point.
My magic has a clear rule, and the climax uses it.
My hero has a fear or doubt at the start and has changed by the end.
I used one strong image per sentence — no piles of adjectives.
I followed the six stages: world → hero → journey → climax → after → echo.
I used correct speech punctuation and at least two of: colon, dashes, ellipsis, semicolon.
My ending links back to my opening.
I checked the spelling of my names and best words.

سر الدرجة النهائية في قصة الفانتازيا

يجب أن يكون للسحر قاعدة واضحة، مثل: البذرة تنمو فقط مع الشخص الصادق. ويجب أن تستخدم لحظةُ الذروة هذه القاعدة.
يبدأ البطل خائفًا أو غير واثق بنفسه، ثم يتغير في نهاية القصة. هذا ما يمنحك درجة Creation كاملة.
اخترع أسماء الأماكن والكائنات بنفسك، ولا تنقل من فيلم أو كتاب مشهور.
لا تكتب صفات كثيرة متتالية. صورة واحدة قوية (تشبيه مثلًا) في الجملة أفضل من خمس صفات.
اختم القصة بصورة تعود إلى الجملة الأولى، لا بجملة نصيحة مثل "وتعلّم أن الصدق مهم".

Practice tasks

Practice task 1: Write a story about a character who finds a door that was not there before. In your story you should: describe the door and where it leads, explain what the character must do and show how the story ends. Write a G.C.S.P.P. plan with the rule of your magic.
Show answer
G: fantasy (a hidden world behind a door). C: Salma (10, shy, never speaks in class), a talking cat who guards the door, the Grey Fog that steals voices. S: a small blue door that appears in the back wall of the school library, leading to a land where words grow on trees. P: first person, past tense. Magic rule: the door stays open only while someone keeps speaking. Plot — 1 hook: the door appears on a rainy afternoon. 2 the cat explains that the Grey Fog is eating the word trees. 3 Salma doubts herself (she hates speaking). 4 the Fog reaches the last tree. 5 climax: she reads a poem aloud, her voice shaking, and the Fog melts away. 6 she runs back as the door closes. 7 echo: next day she puts her hand up in class for the first time.
Practice task 2: Write the opening of a fantasy story called "The Silver Key". What must your opening do?
Show answer
It must: (1) hook the reader with one strong image or a rule of the magic. (2) introduce the hero with a STEAL detail. (3) show the special object. (4) end with a question, a warning or a one-line paragraph. Example first line: "The key had been warm for three days, and on the fourth day it began to whisper."
Rewrite this sentence to remove the adjective pile: "The big, huge, scary, frightening dragon came out of the dark, black, gloomy cave."
Show answer
Possible answer: "The dragon slid out of the cave like smoke, so large that its shadow covered the whole valley." — one simile and one clear detail about size do the work of all the adjectives.
In the sample, why does the writer use the ellipsis in paragraph 9 ("He wanted to be a hero… but not like that.")? Give all the possible effects.
Show answer
Possible answers: (1) it creates a pause, as if Omar is stopping to think before he decides. (2) it builds suspense, because the reader waits to see whether he will give the seed away. (3) it shows his thoughts changing in the middle of the sentence. (4) it makes the reader focus on the important words that come after it — "but not like that".
In the sample, why does the writer use a pair of dashes in paragraph 7 ("one golden seed — no bigger than a pearl — glowed softly")?
Show answer
A pair of dashes adds extra information. Here the extra information tells the reader how small the seed is, which makes the contrast stronger: something tiny is holding up the whole magical garden.

All pages in this course

Start here: the exam

Reading: grammar & punctuation

Reading: understanding texts

Paper 1 writing: non-fiction

Paper 2 writing: fiction