P1-W4 Narrative writing Quiz: AQA English Language, Unit 1

The 20 questions

1. What is the main purpose of narrative writing?

   • To tell a story, moving events forward for the reader to follow
   • To describe a place in detail with no action at all, so that the reader can picture the setting
   • To give instructions the reader can follow step by step, in the order that they must be done
   • To argue a case with evidence and counter-arguments, moving the reader from one claim to the next

2. Which feature of a narrative opening engages the reader quickly?

   • A title repeated at the start of every paragraph of the story, so the reader is reminded of it
   • A statement that the story is not very interesting, so the reader is told to read on anyway
   • A long list of background facts about the setting, given in the first paragraph of the story
   • A hook such as dialogue, a question or an intriguing event in the first lines

3. What is a 'turning point' in a narrative?

   • A line of dialogue that repeats a previous sentence word for word in the middle of the scene
   • A list of the characters' names printed in the margin beside each scene of the story
   • A moment where the situation changes and the story moves in a new direction
   • A description of the weather that changes with the seasons across the whole of the year

4. Why might a writer use a first-person narrator in a story?

   • To make sure the reader knows nothing about the events until the very end of the story
   • To remove the need for any dialogue in the story, so the reader hears only the narration
   • To avoid describing the setting in any detail at all, so that the reader focuses on feelings
   • To give intimacy and direct access to the narrator's thoughts and feelings

5. Which narrative element creates suspense?

   • Writing every sentence in the present perfect tense, so that the events seem already complete
   • Using a list of facts with no action or emotion, so that the reader is given the details clearly
   • Giving a full summary of the plot in the first line, so the reader knows what will happen
   • Withholding information, such as the outcome of an event, until later

6. What makes an ending satisfying in a narrative?

   • It introduces a brand new character in the final line, so that the story ends on a surprise
   • It stops mid-action with no connection to the earlier story, so the reader must guess the rest
   • It resolves the main tension and leaves the reader with a clear impression
   • It repeats the whole story in a summary of bullet points, so the reader can check the outcome

7. A student writes a story with no conflict. What is the main weakness?

   • The story is too short for the examiner to read properly in the time allowed for the task
   • The story is written in the third person throughout, which makes it harder to follow for readers
   • There is no tension to drive the plot or hold the reader's interest
   • The story uses too many adjectives in its description, so the reader loses track of the plot

8. Which technique shows a character's emotion without naming it?

   • Quoting a dictionary definition of the emotion itself, to show exactly what the word means
   • Stating that the character felt happy or sad in plain words, so the reader knows the feeling
   • Showing it through action, such as a hand shaking as a letter is opened
   • Writing a list of emotions the character might feel, so the reader can choose the right one

9. Why does pacing matter in a narrative?

   • It limits the story to a single location and a single time, so that the events happen in one place
   • It decides the font used in the printed version of the story, so the text looks neat and tidy
   • It controls how quickly or slowly the reader experiences events and tension
   • It sets the length of each paragraph exactly to the same size, so the story looks balanced on the page

10. Which sentence adds variety to pace in a fast action moment?

    • Running was something that he had decided to do that morning
    • He ran. The door slammed. Silence.
    • The running was done by him, and it was done quickly
    • He had been running for quite some time, considering the matter

11. Which detail best develops a plot twist?

    • A small earlier clue that the reader can now see in a new light
    • A list of the author's personal reasons for writing the story, placed at the very end of the text
    • A sudden change of weather with no link to the plot, which surprises the reader as they read on
    • A brand new character who appears only in the last line of the story and is never mentioned before that

12. What does 'narrative voice' mean?

    • The printed font used to present the story on the page, chosen by the publisher for the book
    • The volume at which the story is read out loud in class, set by the teacher at the start of the lesson
    • The total number of characters who speak in the story, counted across all of the chapters together
    • The personality and perspective through which the story is told

13. Which structure suits a narrative that includes a flashback?

    • Writing the whole story as a single sentence for effect, so that the reader reads it in one breath
    • Presenting every event in strict date order without change, so the reader sees the sequence clearly
    • Ending on a list of the characters and their ages, which gives the reader the key facts at last
    • Opening in the present, then moving back to explain an earlier event

14. Harder: Which judgement about a story's climax is the most developed?

    • The climax is the peak of tension, and the best ones are built through earlier, precise details
    • The climax is unnecessary in any story that uses dialogue, because speech already carries the tension
    • The climax should always be placed in the very first paragraph, so the reader is hooked straight away
    • The climax can come at any point, as long as it is long enough to hold the reader's attention for a while

15. Which technique helps a narrative sound natural in dialogue?

    • Writing speech that reflects each character's voice and avoids repetitive speech tags
    • Making every character speak in long, formal sentences, so that all of them sound the same throughout
    • Using only the speech tag said for every single line, so that the reader never has to think about it
    • Writing dialogue in a list form with no speech marks, so that the speakers are shown as a simple column

16. Why is a clear sense of setting useful in a story?

    • It makes the story impossible to understand without a map, which the reader needs to keep at hand
    • It replaces the need for any plot or conflict in the story, because the setting carries all of the meaning
    • It allows the writer to skip describing characters entirely, so the reader must work them out from the setting
    • It grounds the events and can mirror or contrast the characters' feelings

17. Harder: A student's story has a strong opening but a weak middle. Which fix is most effective?

    • Add a list of facts about the setting at the centre, so the reader has more information to hold
    • Repeat the opening paragraph several times to fill the middle, so the story has more length overall
    • Add escalating obstacles and specific choices that move the plot towards the turning point
    • Cut the middle entirely and end on the opening scene, so the story is short and easy to finish

18. Which use of a repeated image in a narrative is most effective?

    • Returning to an image at a key moment to show how its meaning has changed
    • Placing the image in a footnote at the end of the story, so that it is kept separate from the events
    • Using the image once at the start and never again, so the opening is the only place it matters
    • Repeating the same description in every paragraph without change, so that the reader sees it often

19. Harder: Which evaluation of a narrative ending that leaves a question open is the most balanced?

    • It can invite reflection, though it risks frustrating readers who expect resolution
    • It is suitable only for non-fiction and never for a short story, because stories need full resolution
    • It is always the best choice because readers dislike endings that are tidy and neatly finished
    • It is always weaker than any closed ending in every case, whatever the subject or style of the story

20. Which element best shows a narrator's reflection on events?

    • Past-tense comment that looks back and weighs what the events meant
    • A list of future plans the narrator has not yet begun, set out in a short column at the end of the text
    • A description of the narrator's appearance in the mirror only, shown at the start of the story
    • A detailed map of where each event happened in the town, drawn for the reader to follow the route

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