Seven ways to start an 11 Plus story

You only get one chance to start a story.

But, finding that first sentence can be the hardest.

It can take some time, but once it’s there, the rest seems to flow onto the page. I say this to my students all the time - and it's true!

In an 11 Plus writing exam, there’s not much time to contemplate the benefits of various ways to start a story, so remembering your favourite is a surefire way to start the exam confidently!

So, to help, here are seven tried-and-tested ways to start a story:
1. Background information
Example: The park always shuts its gates at 9 pm each night.

2. Character introduction
Example: Wolfgar was the tallest man in the kingdom.

3. Action
Example: Crouching in the shadows, Sam reflected that this was probably a bad idea.

4. Dialogue
Example: “What’s going on here?”

5. Questions
Would you have done the same as me if you'd had the choice?

6. Mystery
Example: The town changed forever on that wet Saturday in June.

7. Setting description
Example: The silent, shifting clouds cast an unfamiliar and unwelcome shadow on Sam’s house.