Checkpoint 6 · Paper 2 writing (fiction)

Realistic Fiction: STEAL and Imagery

How to write a believable realistic story for Paper 2 with the two key tools — STEAL characterisation and imagery — plus a paragraph plan, openings and endings, phrases, vocabulary and a strong 250-350 word sample annotated letter by letter.

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

1. What is realistic fiction?

Realistic fiction is an invented story that could really happen. There is no magic, no talking animals, no spaceships and no impossible luck. There are only ordinary people in ordinary places (a home, a school, a club, a market, a family trip) who face a problem that you or your friends could really have.

A realistic story does not need a big, dramatic event to be exciting. It needs a believable character, a believable problem and a believable ending. When the examiner finishes your story, you want them to think: “That could happen to anyone.”

Purpose: to entertain the reader and make them feel something: worry, sympathy, relief or pride. Audience: the examiner, who reads lots of stories and rewards the one that feels true. Point of view: first person (I) or third person (he/she), usually in the past tense.

Where it sits in the exam

Realistic fiction is written in Paper 2 (Fiction), Section B Writing — 25 marks. The whole paper lasts 1 hour, and about 30 minutes is suggested for the writing.
The task does not usually say “write a realistic story”. It gives you a theme or a situation, often linked to the reading extract, and sometimes bullet points telling you what to include. Recent Paper 2 writing tasks have asked for a story opening, a continuation of a story, and a story about a special place.
Most of these themes are perfect for realistic fiction, because they are about real feelings in real places. You choose the genre, and realistic fiction is often the safest and strongest choice.

Themes that suit realistic fiction: a mistake you have to put right, losing something important, a first day somewhere new, a competition or a performance, a falling-out with a friend, helping a stranger, a family surprise, keeping a promise, facing a fear, being trusted with an important job.

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	Everything in the task and every bullet point is covered · the characters feel like real people because they are SHOWN with STEAL · the problem and the ending are believable · the reader cares what happens.
Vocabulary and language	3	Precise words for feelings, actions and places (crinkling, scraped, steadily, trembling) and imagery that creates a mood — chosen for effect, not random “big words”.
Structure of texts (Text structure)	7	A clear shape: hook → character and setting → problem → rising tension → climax → resolution. New paragraphs for a new time, place, speaker or mood · the ending links back to the start.
Grammar and punctuation (Sentence structure, punctuation & grammar)	7	A mix of simple, compound and complex sentences · speech punctuated correctly on a new line for each speaker · a range of punctuation used accurately (commas, apostrophes, colon, semicolon, dash, ellipsis).
Word structure (spelling)	3	Ambitious words spelt correctly (believe, embarrassed, disappeared, immediately, necessary) · no slips with their/there/they’re or its/it’s.
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 realistic fiction

Feature	What it means	Example
Realistic setting	A familiar, everyday place you can describe with your senses	The classroom smelt of pencil shavings and orange peel.
Everyday problem	Something that really happens to children your age	a lost key, a broken promise, stage fright, a new school
Believable events	No magic and no lucky coincidence that solves everything	Karim does not find the watch by magic — he tells the truth and asks for help.
Relatable theme	Friendship, family, honesty, courage, growing up	Telling the truth is harder than hiding it.
Character growth	The main character learns something, changes or makes a choice	At the start she hides. At the end she speaks up.
Natural dialogue	Short lines that sound like real people	“Are you okay?” “Not really.”
STEAL characterisation	Show what people are like through Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions and Looks	He chewed his lip until it hurt.
Imagery	Sensory and figurative language that puts the reader inside the scene	Dry leaves scraped across the concrete like tiny claws.
Clear sequence	Beginning, middle and end, and each event leads to the next	loss → search → decision → help → ending
Believable resolution	The problem is solved, or partly solved, in a way that could really happen	The caretaker finds the watch by the goalpost.

Layout features every story needs: a short title that makes the reader curious, paragraphs (with a one-line paragraph for a big moment), a new line for each new speaker, the past tense all the way through and one point of view.

The two tools of realistic fiction

In realistic fiction there is no dragon or magic spell to impress the reader. Everything depends on two tools: STEAL characterisation (to make your people real) and imagery (to make your places and feelings real). These are the two tools your teacher wants you to use in every realistic story.

3. Tool 1: STEAL characterisation

There are two ways to show a character. Telling (direct characterisation) gives the reader the answer: “Grandad was kind.” Showing (indirect characterisation) gives the reader clues, and the reader works it out: “Grandad’s eyes crinkled when he smiled, and he always saved the biggest piece of cake for me.” Showing is almost always stronger. We show characters with STEAL.

Letter	Ask yourself	Telling (weak)	Showing with STEAL (strong)
S — Speech	What does the character say, and HOW (quietly, sharply, with a joke)?	Mum was worried.	“Where have you been? I’ve called you ten times!” Mum said, her voice shaking.
T — Thoughts	What do they think, worry about, hope or remember?	Lina was nervous.	What if I forget my lines? What if everyone laughs?
E — Effect on others	How do other people react to them?	Mr Adel was strict.	When Mr Adel walked in, the whole class stopped talking at once.
A — Actions	What do they do? Think about habits and body language.	Omar was angry.	Omar threw his bag on the floor and slammed the door.
L — Looks	Face, clothes, hair, expression, the way they stand	Grandad was old.	Grandad’s hair was as white as cotton, and his glasses sat on the end of his nose.

You do not need all five letters for every character. A small character may need only one or two (Looks + Effect on others). Give your main character at least three, especially Thoughts and Actions, because they show feelings.
Use STEAL to show feelings. Do not write “I was scared.” Show it: Thoughts (What if…?), Actions (I gripped the desk), Looks (my face went pale).
Spread STEAL through the story. Do not stop for a long paragraph of description. Add a Looks detail when someone first appears, a line of Speech when they act, and a Thought at the most worrying moment.
Effect on others is the letter most students forget — and it impresses the examiner. One reaction (a silence, a laugh, someone leaning forward) tells the reader a lot about a character.

S — Speech

“[Short line],” [Name] said, without looking up.
“[Line],” [he/she] whispered, so quietly that I almost missed it.
“[Question]?” [Name] asked, already knowing the answer.

T — Thoughts

What if [worry]? What if [bigger worry]?
A little voice inside me whispered that [doubt].
I kept telling myself that [it was fine], but I did not believe it.

E — Effect on others

When [Name] spoke, even [the noisiest boy] stopped [talking].
The whole room went quiet when [Name] [action].
[Name] put down [his/her] pen the moment [he/she] saw my face.

A — Actions

[Name] [gripped / twisted / tapped] [object] until [his/her] knuckles turned white.
Instead of [expected action], [Name] [surprising action].
[He/She] [habit], the way [he/she] always did when [he/she] was [feeling].

L — Looks

The first thing anyone noticed about [Name] was [detail].
[His/Her] [shoes / bag / hands], [worn / spotless / cracked], told me everything about [him/her].
[Name]’s face went [pale / red] and [his/her] eyes [filled with tears / narrowed].

4. Tool 2: Imagery

Imagery is descriptive language that helps the reader see, hear, smell, taste or feel what is happening, as if they were inside the story. It has two parts: sensory details (the five senses) and figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification).

Type of imagery	Sense	Realistic example
Visual	sight	The goalposts threw long, thin shadows across the playground.
Auditory	hearing	The bus doors hissed open.
Olfactory	smell	The kitchen smelt of cumin and warm bread.
Gustatory	taste	The medicine tasted bitter, like burnt lemons.
Tactile	touch	The metal railing was cold and wet under my fingers.
Simile	a comparison using like or as	My legs felt as heavy as sandbags.
Metaphor	says one thing IS another	The empty hall was a cave of silence.
Personification	gives a human quality to a thing	The old fan groaned above our heads.

Use two or three senses in each scene, not all five at once. Sound and smell are the most forgotten, and they make a place feel real immediately.
Make imagery do a job. Use it to create a mood or to show a feeling: an empty, silent playground shows how lonely and worried the character feels.
One strong simile is better than three weak ones. Avoid tired clichés (as white as snow, as fast as lightning). Choose a comparison that fits your setting.

STEAL and imagery together

The best sentences use both tools at once: “Karim walked to the office, his legs as heavy as sandbags.” This is Actions (walked to the office) + a simile (as heavy as sandbags) that shows his fear. Try to write two or three sentences like this in your story.

5. How to structure a realistic story

First, plan with G.C.S.P.P. for 3-4 minutes:

G — Genre: realistic fiction. Write the problem in one line (A boy loses his grandfather’s watch at school).
C — Characters: 2-3 only. For each one, note two STEAL details (one Looks and one Speech or Action).
S — Setting: one or two everyday places. Note three sensory details (sight, sound, smell).
P — Point of view: first person (I) is great for Thoughts, and third person (he/she) is fine too. Keep the past tense. If you continue an extract, keep its point of view.
P — Plot: six short paragraph notes following the plan below. Tick each bullet point from the task.

Stage	What to write	STEAL / imagery focus
1. Hook	Start in the middle of a moment: a line of speech, an action or a surprising short sentence.	Actions or Speech
2. Character and setting	Introduce the main character and the place. Give a little background.	Looks + one or two senses
3. The problem	Something goes wrong. Show how the character feels.	Thoughts (What if…?) + Actions
4. Rising action	The character tries to fix it and meets a difficulty or a choice.	Imagery for mood + Speech
5. Climax	The most important moment: a brave choice, a confession, a risk. Use a short paragraph.	Actions + Effect on others
6. Resolution	The problem is solved (or partly solved) in a believable way. Show what the character has learned. Link back to the opening.	Speech or Thoughts to close

How to start your story

Never start with “One day I woke up and brushed my teeth.” Start close to the problem. Here are five kinds of opening:

A short, shocking sentence: The watch was gone.
Speech: “You’re not going to tell Dad, are you?” my sister whispered.
Action: Laila sprinted through the school gate just as the bell stopped ringing.
A thought or question: How do you tell your best friend that you broke her favourite thing?
Setting with a mood: The hospital corridor smelt of soap and worry, and the clock above the door ticked far too loudly.

How to end your story

Do not end with “Then I woke up and it was all a dream.” That cancels the whole story. Try one of these:

Link back to the opening (circular ending): The story began with “The watch was gone.” It can end with the watch ticking on the character’s wrist.
A lesson learned, shown not preached: From then on, I always told the truth first — even when it was hard.
A final line of speech: “Same time next week?” Coach asked. This time, I nodded.
A final image: As we drove away, the old house grew smaller and smaller until it was just a white dot between the palm trees.
A feeling shown with STEAL: I smiled all the way home, and for once I did not care who saw me.

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.

6. Useful phrases and vocabulary

Openings

I never imagined that [an ordinary Tuesday / one small mistake] could change everything.
“[Look out! / Wait!]” [someone] shouted, but it was already too late.
That was the day [something] changed, though at the time [character] had no idea.

Describing the setting

The air smelt of [detail], mixed with [detail].
In the distance, [character] could hear [sound].
[Place] was [empty / crowded], and [detail of sight or sound].

Building tension

[Character]’s heart pounded harder with every [step / second].
The more [character] tried to [fix it], the worse things became.
“Did you [hear / see] that?” [character] asked, [his/her] voice breaking the silence.

Climax

[Character] took a deep breath and [brave action], even though [his/her] hands were shaking.
It was now or never.
In that moment, everything seemed to slow down.

Resolution

In the end, [character] realised that [lesson].
A quiet smile spread across [character]’s face.
Things were not perfect, but they were better.

Word / phrase	Meaning / use
anxious	very worried about what might happen
hesitant	slow to act because you are unsure
relieved	happy because a worry has ended
ashamed	feeling bad about something wrong you did
determined	having decided firmly to do something
reluctant	not wanting to do something
frantic	wild with worry and in a hurry
embarrassed	feeling silly or uncomfortable in front of others
confess	to admit that you did something wrong
trembling	shaking a little because of fear or cold
glance	to look quickly
mutter	to speak quietly and unclearly, often when unhappy
crumpled	pressed or crushed into folds
steadily	in a calm, regular way
precious	very valuable or very much loved

7. Strong sample answer

Read the task, then the story. The notes underneath show exactly where each STEAL letter, each type of imagery and each mark is earned. The numbers in brackets are paragraph numbers.

Realistic fiction — Grandad’s Watch344 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 is given an important responsibility. Write a story about a character who is trusted with something precious and then loses it. In your story you should: introduce the character and the precious thing, describe how the character feels when it goes missing, and show what the character decides to do and how the story ends.

The watch was gone. Karim patted his blazer pocket once, twice, three times, but his fingers found only a pencil sharpener and a crumpled tissue.

That morning, Grandad had pressed it into his palm at breakfast. It was old and heavy, with a scratched silver face and a leather strap that smelt of soap and strong coffee. “Bring it back safely,” Grandad had said, his eyes crinkling behind his thick glasses. “It has been ticking since before your father was born.”

Karim had shown it to the whole class in his history talk. Even Ali, who never listened to anyone, had leaned forward to hear it tick. Then, at break, Karim had played football in the dusty corner of the playground… and now it had disappeared.

After school, the playground was empty. Dry leaves scraped across the concrete like tiny claws, and the goalposts threw long, thin shadows. Karim searched under every bench and behind every bin. What would Grandad say? What if he never trusted him again?

He could say nothing. He could even pretend that someone had stolen it. Karim chewed his lip until it hurt. Then he picked up his bag and walked to Mr Fathy’s office, his legs as heavy as sandbags.

Mr Fathy put down his pen the moment he saw Karim’s pale face.

“Sir, I’ve lost my grandad’s watch,” Karim said, his voice cracking.

Mr Fathy listened without interrupting; then he picked up the phone. “Telling the truth takes more courage than scoring a goal,” he said quietly.

Ten minutes later, the caretaker knocked on the door. In his rough, oil-stained hand lay the watch: its strap was muddy, but it was still ticking steadily. He had found it beside the goalpost.

That evening, Karim told Grandad everything: the football, the search and the office. Grandad was silent for a long moment. Then he laughed, a warm, rumbling laugh that filled the whole kitchen, and fastened the watch round Karim’s wrist.

“Keep it until tomorrow,” he said. “You brought back something more precious than a watch – the truth.”

Why this gets the marks

Creation of texts 5/5 — all three bullet points are answered: the character and the precious thing (paragraphs 1-3) · his feelings when it is missing (paragraphs 4-5) · his decision and the ending (paragraphs 5-11). Every event could really happen: the watch is found because Karim tells the truth and an adult helps, not by magic or luck.
STEAL — S (Speech): Grandad’s gentle warning “Bring it back safely” (2) shows how much the watch means to him · Karim’s confession “Sir, I’ve lost my grandad’s watch” with his voice cracking (7) shows his fear and honesty · Mr Fathy’s calm line (8) shows his wisdom without any adjective.
STEAL — T (Thoughts): the questions “What would Grandad say? What if he never trusted him again?” (4) and the two choices he considers, saying nothing or pretending it was stolen (5), put the reader inside Karim’s head.
STEAL — E (Effect on others): Ali, “who never listened to anyone”, leans forward to hear the watch tick (3) · Mr Fathy puts down his pen the moment he sees Karim’s face (6) · Grandad’s silence and then his warm laugh (10) show how he reacts to Karim’s honesty.
STEAL — A (Actions): patting his pocket “once, twice, three times” (1), searching under every bench (4), chewing his lip until it hurt (5), walking to the office (5) — every feeling is shown through actions, never told.
STEAL — L (Looks): Grandad’s eyes “crinkling behind his thick glasses” (2) · Karim’s “pale face” (6) · the caretaker’s “rough, oil-stained hand” (9), which tells us he is a hard worker in only three words.
Imagery — sight (scratched silver face, long thin shadows), sound (the tick, leaves scraping, the rumbling laugh), smell (soap and strong coffee), touch (heavy watch pressed into his palm, rough hand). Similes: leaves “like tiny claws” (the lonely, scary mood) and legs “as heavy as sandbags” (his fear).
Vocabulary 3/3 — precise words chosen for effect: crumpled, crinkling, scraped, cracking, oil-stained, steadily, rumbling, precious. The empty playground creates a worried mood, and the warm kitchen creates a happy one.
Structure 7/7 — hook with a short shocking sentence (1) → flashback to the morning (2-3) → the problem and the search (4) → the choice (5) → climax: the confession, with a one-line paragraph for impact (6-7) → resolution (8-11). The ending links back to the opening: the watch that was “gone” is now ticking on Karim’s wrist.
Grammar & punctuation 7/7 — sentences are varied: very short for impact (“The watch was gone.”), compound (“its strap was muddy, but it was still ticking steadily”), complex (“Even Ali, who never listened to anyone, had leaned forward…”). The past perfect (“had pressed”, “had played”) is used correctly for the flashback. Punctuation as taught: a pair of commas for extra information (“Even Ali, who never listened to anyone, had leaned…”) · an ellipsis for a suspense pause (“…and now it had disappeared”) · a semicolon joining two related sentences (“Mr Fathy listened without interrupting; then he picked up the phone”) · a colon for an explanation (“lay the watch: its strap was muddy…”) and for a list (“everything: the football, the search and the office”) · a single dash for emphasis (“– the truth”) · apostrophes for possession (Karim’s, grandad’s, Fathy’s) and contraction (I’ve) · speech on new lines with correct punctuation.
Spelling 3/3 — ambitious words are spelt correctly: crumpled, crinkling, disappeared, interrupting, courage, caretaker, steadily, precious.

Paragraph	STEAL letters used	Imagery used
1	A (patting his pocket three times)	sight/touch: crumpled tissue
2	L (Grandad’s crinkling eyes, thick glasses), S (Grandad’s warning)	touch: heavy watch in his palm · sight: scratched silver face · smell: soap and strong coffee
3	E (Ali leans forward to listen)	sound: the watch ticking · sight: dusty corner
4	A (searching), T (What would Grandad say?)	sound + simile: leaves scraping like tiny claws · sight: long, thin shadows
5	T (his two choices), A (chewing his lip, walking to the office)	simile: legs as heavy as sandbags
6-8	E (Mr Fathy puts down his pen), L (pale face), S (Karim’s confession, Mr Fathy’s advice)	sound: voice cracking
9	L (caretaker’s rough, oil-stained hand)	sight: muddy strap · sound: ticking steadily
10-11	A (Grandad fastens the watch), E (Grandad’s silence then laugh), S (final line)	sound: warm, rumbling laugh

8. Common mistakes and final checklist

Common mistake	Why it loses marks	Fix
Telling feelings: “I was very sad and scared.”	Creation and Vocabulary stay in a middle band	Show it with STEAL: a Thought (What if…?), an Action (I chewed my lip), Looks (my face went pale).
A list of looks: “He was tall. He had black hair. He wore a blue shirt.”	It reads like an ID card and shows no personality	Choose ONE detail that shows character: his rough, oil-stained hands.
Impossible events: winning a million pounds, a superhero arriving	It is not realistic any more, and the reader stops believing	Keep the problem and the solution small and real: one apology, one brave sentence.
Long speeches	Real people do not talk in speeches; the story slows down	Short lines, with an action in between.
No setting at all	The story floats in empty space	Add two or three sensory details in the first half.
“…and then I woke up. It was a dream.”	It cancels the whole story	End with a real, believable change.
Comma splices: “I was tired, I kept walking.”	Grammar & punctuation marks	Use a full stop or a connective: “I was tired, but I kept walking.” A semicolon can join two closely related sentences: “The bell rang; the hall emptied.”
Changing tense: “I ran to the door and I see my friend.”	Grammar & punctuation marks	Stay in the past tense: I ran… and I saw…

Checklist before you hand in

My story answers the task and EVERY bullet point.
Everything that happens could happen in real life.
My main character is shown with at least three STEAL letters, including Thoughts and Actions.
There is at least one moment of Effect on others (how people react).
I used imagery from at least three senses, plus one strong simile, metaphor or personification.
My paragraphs follow the shape: hook → problem → rising action → climax → resolution, with one short paragraph for impact.
Speech is on new lines with correct punctuation, and I used a colon, a dash or an ellipsis correctly.
My ending shows what the character has learned and links back to the opening.

كيف تحصل على الدرجة النهائية في القصة الواقعية؟

القصة الواقعية ليس فيها سحر: أشخاص عاديون في مكان عادي، لديهم مشكلة يمكن أن تحدث لأي شخص.
لا تذكر المشاعر مباشرة، بل أظهرها بـ STEAL: كلام الشخصية (Speech)، وأفكارها (Thoughts)، ورد فعل الناس عليها (Effect on others)، وأفعالها (Actions)، وشكلها (Looks).
استخدم الـ imagery: الحواس (ماذا رأيت؟ ماذا سمعت؟ ماذا شممت؟ ماذا لمست؟) + تشبيه واحد قوي في كل مشهد.
يجب أن تكون النهاية منطقية وأن توضح ماذا تعلّمت الشخصية، والأفضل أن تعود إلى جملة البداية.

Practice tasks

Practice task 1: Write a story about a character who has to do something new for the first time. In your story you should: introduce the character and what they have to do, describe how they feel before and during the new experience and show how the experience changes them. Write a short G.C.S.P.P. plan with STEAL notes.
Show answer
G: realistic fiction — Malak, 11, must read her poem aloud in the school assembly. C: Malak — L: hair tied back too tightly, paper shaking in her hand · T: “What if my voice disappears?” · A: practises in the bathroom mirror. Her little brother Hamza — S: “You read it to me every night. Just pretend I’m there.” Ms Rania, the teacher — E: the hall goes quiet when she raises her hand. S: school hall — squeaking chairs, smell of floor polish, bright stage lights. P: first person, past tense. Plot — 1 hook: “My name is next,” I thought, as the paper trembled. 2 Malak and the poem she wrote about her grandmother. 3 the night before: she cannot sleep. 4 in the hall: her mind goes blank. 5 climax: she sees Hamza in the front row giving a thumbs-up and begins to read. 6 resolution: the applause · she signs up for the next assembly — link back to the trembling paper, now folded neatly in her pocket.
Rewrite this sentence using THREE STEAL letters instead of telling: “My uncle was a kind man and everyone liked him.”
Show answer
Example: Uncle Sherif always kept a bag of sweets in his jacket pocket for the neighbours’ children (Actions + Looks). “Only one each, or your mothers will blame me,” he would say with a wink (Speech) — and the children would run to meet him the moment his old car turned into our street (Effect on others).
Add imagery from three senses to this weak setting: “The beach was nice.”
Show answer
Example: Waves hissed over the pebbles and pulled back with a soft rattle (sound). The sand was so hot that it burned the soles of my feet (touch), and the air smelt of salt and grilled corn (smell). Far out, the sea glittered like a carpet of broken mirrors (sight + simile).
Which STEAL letter is used in each sentence? (a) “Not again,” she sighed. (b) The whole class went silent when he stood up. (c) Was it my fault? I kept asking myself. (d) He tugged at his collar and stared at the floor. (e) Her school shoes were scuffed grey at the toes.
Show answer
(a) Speech. (b) Effect on others. (c) Thoughts. (d) Actions. (e) Looks.
This ending is weak: “Then I woke up and it was all a dream. The end.” Write a better ending for the story “Grandad’s Watch” (or your own story) that links back to the opening.
Show answer
Example: The next morning, Karim gave the watch back to Grandad. As it ticked against his ear, Grandad smiled. “Next time,” he said, “I will give you something even more precious.” Karim did not ask what it was. He already knew: his trust.

All pages in this course

Start here: the exam

Reading: grammar & punctuation

Reading: understanding texts

Paper 1 writing: non-fiction

Paper 2 writing: fiction