Writing Part 2 Short story

This lesson is intended for those students who are preparing for the B2 First for Schools exam. It replaces
the Writing Part 2 Report sections in the Student’s Book.

1 Read the following Part 2 instructions and the plan made by a student.
You have decided to enter a short-story competition. The competition rules say that the story must begin with
the following words:
There is one meal I will never forget for as long as I live.
Your story must include:
• a phone call
• a television
Write your story in 140–190 words.

Plan
• Begin with words from question
• ‘Anniversary meal’ – going out together for six months
• I arrived late – my girlfriend was angry
• Television in restaurant – football match – more angry
• Her friend phoned her – talked for long time
• Big argument – split up

2 Read the student’s answer below ignoring the gaps. What changes did the writer decide to make to their plan
in Exercise 1?

There is one meal I will never forget for as long as I live. My girlfriend, Tess, and I had been going out together for
six months, (1) and we decided to celebrate our anniversary in our favourite restaurant.
Tess was understandably upset (2) I turned up half an hour late. I’d set off early from home
(3) on my way to the restaurant I realised I’d left my wallet behind and had to go back to get it.
(4) , just as we were deciding what to order, the waiter turned the television on, (5) he
wanted to watch a football match. (6) I’m not a big football fan, I found it difficult to take my eyes off
the enormous screen on the wall in front of me.
Tess was beginning to get very annoyed, (7) we changed seats to stop me watching the football.
(8) , the situation just got worse. A friend phoned me on my mobile, and I couldn’t get rid of him,
(9) though I kept telling him I was with my girlfriend.
(10) that time, Tess was furious with me. Suddenly, she got up from the table and rushed out of the
restaurant. Not surprisingly, I never saw her again.

3 Complete the gaps in the story in Exercise 2 with the following linking words. The first one has been done
for you.

although  ​and ​because ​but ​by
even ​however ​so ​then ​when

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4 Find examples in the story in Exercise 2 of the following features:
a different past tenses
b good vocabulary and structures

5 Either write your own answer to the task in Exercise 1, using a different plan, or write an answer to the
following question:
You have decided to enter a short-story competition. The competition rules say that the story must begin with
the following words:
I will never forget the day I decided to get fit.
Your story must include:
• a gym
• an accident
Write your story in 140–190 words.

Don’t forget!
Your story should include:
• a variety of past tenses
• a wide range of vocabulary
• time linkers, e.g. as soon as, afterwards, while

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 Writing Part 2 Short story Answer Key

2 In the plan the girl’s friend phoned her – talked for long time. Big argument – split up. In the story, the writer’s
friend phoned him. His girlfriend rushed out of the restaurant.

3
2 when 3 but 4  Then 5 because 6  Although 7  so
8 However 9 even  10   By

4 a
Past perfect simple: I’d set off, I’d left
Past perfect continuous: My girlfriend and I had been going out
Past continuous: we were deciding, Tess was beginning
Past simple: we decided, I turned up, I realised

b eg Tess was understandably upset when I turned up half an hour late, I’d set off early, I found it difficult to
take my eyes off the enormous screen, we changed seats to stop me watching the football, I couldn’t
get rid of him, I kept telling him, rushed out of the restaurant, not surprisingly.

5 Sample answer
I will never forget the day I decided to get fit. It was the beginning of September and I had put on weight
during the summer holiday. The balance marked eighty kilos so I made up my mind to go to the gym to sign
up for being a member.
I decided to walk, to show to myself I was serious about my proposal. As the gym is about five kilometres
from my house, I walked quickly to not take too long time. After a kilometre more or less, I was feeling good,
and I began to run. However, I had just started running when I had an accident: I sprained my ankle on the
edge of the pavement. It was very painful and I couldn’t carry on. Fortunately, at that moment the bus was
coming so I got on and went to the hospital – which is next to the gym!
My ankle took some weeks to get better. During that time I couldn’t do exercise, and in the end of September
my weight was 85 kilos. So, on October 1st I finally went to the gym – but this time I caught the bus.

Examiner comments
Content: All the content is relevant and the story continues logically from the first sentence. The two points,
a gym and an accident, are included naturally.
Communicative achievement: The reader’s attention is held throughout. The writer develops the story well,

explaining the reason for wanting to get fit in the first paragraph, moving on to the accident in the second and
providing an outcome, with an element of humour, in the last.
Organisation: The story is well organised and coherent, and good use is made of linking devices (e.g. so; As;

However; Fortunately, at that moment; which (is next to the gym); During that time; this time).
Language: There is a good range of appropriate vocabulary (e.g. put on weight; made up my mind; sign

up for; sprained my ankle; carry on; get better; do exercise). The use of proposal for plan or decision in the
second paragraph and in the end for at the end in the final paragraph do not impede understanding, but the
meaning of the balance marked (= the scales showed), in the first paragraph, is not immediately obvious.
A range of past tenses is used and complex grammatical forms are handled with good control. Errors do not
impede communication (sign up for being (sign up to be); to not take (so as/in order not to take)).
Mark: good pass

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