Writing a story

✔ A local magazine has asked its readers to send in short stories with the title ‘A trip to
Remember’. The best story wins a two-week holiday to Thailand.

It was very windy (STORMY) when I set off for the airport last Monday morning. The sky was full
of dark MISTY clouds and soon it started raining heavily. What a great BIG way to start a holiday!
While I was driving to the airport, the storm got worse NOT SO GOOD. Suddenly, a huge BIG
flash of lightning struck a tree. It came crashing down just metres in front of my car. The fallen
uprooted tree completely blocked the road, so I was stuck. I tried to call the emergency services on
my mobile, but the line was dead CUT OFF.
I was positive CONFIDENT that I’d miss my plane, so I turned on the radio and tried to get
used to the idea. Soon there was a loud POWERFULL knock at the window. To my surprise it was
a young JUVENILE man in leather SKIN clothes, “Need a ride?” he said. My plane was leaving in
an hour so I didn’t think twice. I grabbed my bags, climbed carefully onto the motorcycle, and
shouted urgently, “To the airport, please!”
It was my first time on a motorcycle so I was terrified SCARED. The young man drove so
fast QUICK that I kept my eyes tightly shut all the way. Suddenly, the motorcycle came to a halt.
“We’re here!” he said. I looked at my watch and saw that I was just it time for my flight. The
young man wished me a nice GOOD trip, then quickly speed away.
As soon as my plane took off, I breathed a huge BIG sigh of relief. I could now relax and
enjoy my holiday.

1. Read the story and put the events in the order they happened.

__4_ I turned on the radio. _2__ Lightning struck a tree.

__6_ He drove me to the airport. _5__ A man knocked at the window.

__1_ I set off for the airport. __3_ A tree blocked the road.

__7_ The plane took off.

 2. Likers / Time expressions

Which of the words in bold: join similar ideas? Refer to time? Join contrasting ideas? Show
consequence?

When refer time

And join similar ideas

So show consequence

While refer time

But contrasting ideas

Then refer time

As soon as refer time

Until refer time

3. Adjectives and adverbs

A. Underline the adjectives in the story. Replace them with synonyms.

B. Complete the phrases 1-6 with the adverbs used in the story. Rewrite the full sentences
from the story.
1. __COMPLETlY______ blocked
2. Climbed ___CAREFULLY____
3. Shouted __URGENTLY _____
4. Drove ___SO FAST______
5. __ tightly __ shut
6. ___QUICKLY___ sped away

Your turn!

Read the rubric again. Underline the key words. Answer the questions in the plan, then, write
your story.

A travelers’ magazine has asked its readers to send in short stories entitled: “The most
exciting holiday of my life” (150-180 words)
 Sequence of events
Study Skills
When writing a story, present the events in the
order they happened. This helps readers follow
the story easily.

Plan
Introduction
(Para 1) When/ Where did the story happen?
Who was / were the main characters?

Main Body

(Para 2-3) What happened? (events in sequence and the climax even)

Conclusion

(Para 4) What happened in the end?

How did you feel?

 The most exciting
holiday of my life!!

In the middle of October,

my family and I decided to
use our new tourist
membership, our
destination was Punta
Cana. We made all the
phone calls, reservations,
and in one week we had
all ready to go. To get
there, we had to arrive to
the Mexico´s city airport
and then we took a plane
to Punta Cana.
At the airport, all of us
made the check-in, but
then we got lost in the
airport, and we just had a
few minutes to get to the
correct boarding gate, It
was not easy because there
were too much people, and
when we asked for
directions, the police man
was not to clear enough,
so we went in the wrong
direction and we finished
in the area of restaurants.
We came back and asked
another person who was
so gentle, and explained to
us how to get there.
It was too hard, but we
made it to the end. We
could get to the correct
abording door We got on
the plane, and were so
excited to arrive at our
destination. We were also
exhausted, so we agreed to