C1 Creative Writing Task – Short Story
Write a short story of 250–300 words.
Your story should demonstrate advanced control of narrative technique, descriptive
language, and coherence. Choose ONE of the prompts below.
Prompts
1. The Forgotten Key
While clearing out an old relative’s attic, you find a small key wrapped in a letter that
ends with the words: “Do not open it unless you’re ready for the truth.” Continue the
story.
2. A Stranger’s Warning
On your way home, a stranger stops you and urgently whispers, “Don’t go back there
tonight.” Before you can ask any questions, they disappear into the crowd.
3. The Last Train
You board the last train of the night, but as the doors close, the announcement says
something you’ve never heard before: “Passengers, please remain calm.”
4. The Experiment
Your best friend confesses they have been secretly participating in a scientific
experiment—one that is about to go terribly wrong.
5. The Photograph
You stumble upon an old photograph of a group of people smiling at a place you’ve
never visited. The disturbing part: you are standing among them.
6. “The Memory Merchant”
In a future where memories can be bought and sold, you visit a black-market stall
hoping to erase one painful moment. Instead, the merchant recognises you and says:
“I’ve been waiting for you. There’s a memory you must take back.”
Continue the story.
7. “The Missed Connection”
You meet someone unexpectedly during a delayed train journey. You talk for hours,
but as the train approaches the final station, they admit:
“There’s something I should have told you from the start…”
Continue the story.
8. “The Day Everything Went Right”
You wake up expecting an ordinary day, but small coincidences keep working in your
favour. By the afternoon, you realise these events are leading you toward something
wonderful that you never anticipated.
Vocabulary bank:
1. Descriptive Adjectives & Atmosphere
1. eerie
Strangely frightening or unsettling, often because something feels unnatural or out of place.
2. desolate
Empty, bleak, and abandoned, often creating a strong sense of loneliness.
3. unsettling
Causing discomfort or anxiety because something seems wrong or strange.
4. cryptic
Mysterious, obscure, or difficult to understand, usually because something is deliberately
hidden.
5. dilapidated
Old, damaged, and in very poor condition, usually referring to buildings or objects.
6. ominous
Suggesting that something bad or threatening is going to happen.
7. uncharted
Not recorded or explored, referring to places, territories, or situations.
8. fragmented
Broken into pieces or incomplete, often used for memories, thoughts, or narratives.
9. concealed
Hidden or kept secret, often to prevent others from finding out.
10. mist-shrouded
Covered or surrounded by mist, making something difficult to see clearly and adding a
mysterious atmosphere.
2. Advanced Verbs
● to decipher (a message, expression) - solve
● to unveil (a secret, truth) - reveal
● to anticipate (danger, outcome) -expect
● to linger (in the air, in memory) - stay longer than necessary
● to venture (into the unknown) - a risky journey
● to stumble upon (an object, place) - come across
● to retrieve (information, objects) - get back
● to distort (perception, reality) - twist out of shape
● to falter (voice, confidence) - lose strength, speak hesitantly, move unsteadily
● to unravel (a mystery, events) - solve
3. Narrative Connectors & Storytelling Phrases
● Before I realised what was happening…
● Moments later…
● Little did I know that…
● To my astonishment…
● What happened next still puzzles me…
● Meanwhile, in the distance…
● Against my better judgement…
● As the truth dawned on me…
4. Sensory Language
Sight: flickering shadows, a faint glow, a blurred silhouette
Sound: a faint whisper, echoing footsteps, a sudden crack
Touch: cold metal, trembling hands, a rough surface
Smell: a musty scent, lingering smoke, damp earth
Taste: metallic air, bitterness of fear
5. Expressing Emotion (C1 Level)
● overwhelmed by curiosity
● paralysed with fear
● filled with foreboding
● an inexplicable sense of déjà vu
● torn between hesitation and urgency
● consumed by doubt
6. Phrases for Mystery & Suspense
● Something felt profoundly out of place.
● I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched.
● Every instinct urged me to turn back.
● The silence felt heavier than words.
● The discovery changed everything I thought I knew.
1. Introduction – Setting the Scene (40–60 words)
● Establish the time, place, and atmosphere using descriptive language.
● Introduce the narrator or main character.
● Hint at tension or mystery.
● Use a hook to engage the reader.
Useful questions:
● Where am I?
● What unusual detail immediately stands out?
● How do I feel at the start?
2. Trigger Event / Complication (50–70 words)
● Present the key event from your chosen prompt (e.g., the key, the stranger’s
warning, the photograph).
● Show the character’s emotional reaction.
● Suggest that something is not what it seems.
● Increase suspense.
Useful questions:
● What unexpected thing happens?
● Why is it disturbing or intriguing?
3. Rising Action – Building Suspense (70–90 words)
● The character investigates, makes a decision, or follows a clue.
● Introduce obstacles, confusion, or danger.
● Reveal hints but not the whole truth.
● Use sensory details and strong verbs.
Useful questions:
● What does the character discover?
● What new information deepens the mystery?
4. Climax – Turning Point (40–60 words)
● The moment when the mystery reveals itself or the danger peaks.
● The character faces a critical choice or discovers a hidden truth.
● Use vivid, emotional descriptions.
Useful questions:
● What changes everything?
● What truth comes out?
5. Resolution – Final Impact (30–50 words)
● Show the character’s reaction.
● Leave a twist, reflection, or unanswered question.
● Create a lasting emotional or atmospheric effect.
Useful questions:
● How is the character changed?
● What lingering sense should the reader have?