223. The Cambridge exam B1 story writing
01/12/25 • 18 min
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.
To write a successful story for the Cambridge PET exam (Preliminary English Test)
Here is some of the help and advice I talk about in the podcast. I will also read you a model story.You are always given a first sentence, which you must use.
'When Jasmin looked down at the soft ground, she could see quite clearly that the tiger had recently come this way.'
Use of 'when' here. 'When ' is a good word to use in your story as it means you create a complex, 2-part sentence.Setting the scene - where the story is happening etc.
It was foggy in the early morning light, but she clearly noticed that something was moving in the long grass.
Here we can show where the action is happening, and things that can be seen from where we are. Note the use of past continuous.Putting the story into context by saying what happened before.
It had all started when she began hanging out with gamers*. They said she was a ‘natural’. So she had started training. All that time spent in the gym working out to get fit for the most realistic computer game ever.
Notice the use of the past perfect here to talk about what happened before the present moment in the story.Use of linking words.
Despite, however, although, so, because...Back to the present action...
She turned and set off again.
We now use past simple to describe the action in the story.Use of adverbs like, luckily, fortunately, unfortunately, slowly etc.
She fell about ten metres. Luckily, her fall was broken by a branch
Fortunately, she had not reached the bottom,
Although this world was not real, the tears on her cheeks were wet, and the cold morning fog and her fear made her body shake.
(linker 'however' - making the story exciting - what happened next?)
However, what happened next made Jasmin scream. The branch began to break - slowly, at first. You could also finish with a more classical ending than mine
Finally, her friends came to rescue Jasmine and took her out of the virtual world.
At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/
My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.
To write a successful story for the Cambridge PET exam (Preliminary English Test)
Here is some of the help and advice I talk about in the podcast. I will also read you a model story.You are always given a first sentence, which you must use.
'When Jasmin looked down at the soft ground, she could see quite clearly that the tiger had recently come this way.'
Use of 'when' here. 'When ' is a good word to use in your story as it means you create a complex, 2-part sentence.Setting the scene - where the story is happening etc.
It was foggy in the early morning light, but she clearly noticed that something was moving in the long grass.
Here we can show where the action is happening, and things that can be seen from where we are. Note the use of past continuous.Putting the story into context by saying what happened before.
It had all started when she began hanging out with gamers*. They said she was a ‘natural’. So she had started training. All that time spent in the gym working out to get fit for the most realistic computer game ever.
Notice the use of the past perfect here to talk about what happened before the present moment in the story.Use of linking words.
Despite, however, although, so, because...Back to the present action...
She turned and set off again.
We now use past simple to describe the action in the story.Use of adverbs like, luckily, fortunately, unfortunately, slowly etc.
She fell about ten metres. Luckily, her fall was broken by a branch
Fortunately, she had not reached the bottom,
Although this world was not real, the tears on her cheeks were wet, and the cold morning fog and her fear made her body shake.
(linker 'however' - making the story exciting - what happened next?)
However, what happened next made Jasmin scream. The branch began to break - slowly, at first. You could also finish with a more classical ending than mine
Finally, her friends came to rescue Jasmine and took her out of the virtual world.
At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/
My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)
Previous Episode
222. A Window on Time (complete version) B2 level
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.
Strong B1 to B2-level story. Today, as I'm still on holiday, I'm offering you the complete version of the very popular story I published in September - A Window on Time. Read and listen to the comprehension questions before you start listening.
1) What was the bad news Geoffrey received at the beginning of the story?
2) What physical changes happened to Geoffrey when he entered the classroom for the first time?
3) Why did Geoffrey stay in the classroom and not make an attempt to get back to his own time?
4) What was the plan that Geoffrey, or Geoffer, Ken and Timmy made for 6.30 that evening?
5) Why did Geoffrey decide not to stay in the past as a teenager, and live his life again?
Below, are the answers. Please, don't look until you have listened to the story!
1) What was the bad news Geoffrey received at the beginning of the story?
He learned from the hospital that he possibly had cancer.
2) what physical changes happened to Geoffrey when he entered the classroom for the first time?
a) his skin was younger and fairer
b) he had lost his stomach - he now had a firm, flat tummy
c) his voice was higher pitched.
d) He was 14 again.
3) Why did Geoffrey stay in the classroom and not make an attempt to get back to his own time?
Because he was excited to at the thought of seeing his parents again.
4) What was the plan that Geoffrey or Geoffer, Ken and Timmy made for 6.30 that evening?
Ken was going to bring some cigarettes and they were going to smoke them.
5) Why did Geoffrey decide not to stay in the past as a teenager, and live his life again?
He realised he would make the same foolish mistakes, and he missed his wife and two children.
At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/
My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)
Next Episode
224. The Londoner (B1 B2 level story)
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.
In today's story, I'll be looking at some B2-level phrasal verbs.
I explain 5 of the phrasal verbs below in the podcast: 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10. You can listen to all ten of these phrasal verbs. They are in the order you'll hear them.
1) figure something out - try to find the answer to a problem
2) get on with something - continue an activity you were doing earlier
3) get round to something - do one of the jobs that needs doing but you don't find time for it
4) go down with something - to get ill
5) get over a bad cold etc. - recuperate from an illness
6) live up to your expectations - when something is as good as you expected it to be e.g. a product you bought
7) put somebody up - give temporary accommodation to somebody
8) stick out - something can be seen because it is showing from inside something e.g. a handkerchief sticking out somebody's pocket
9) miss out on an opportunity - lose an opportunity you did not take advantage of
10) Get round to something (repeat of no3)
To see the answers, please visit my website at: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-224.htm
At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/english-grammar/
My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)
At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/
My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)
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