Writing: Composition Set 3 - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

19 original exam-style questions - 9 pages of questions with a full mark scheme - free printable PDF.

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CE.E12 Writing: Composition Set 3

ISEB COMMON ENTRANCE CE.E12 · Calculators not allowed · about 130 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

This pack is a third block of entirely fresh material for the ISEB Common Entrance Composition paper, spanning narrative, descriptive, discursive/persuasive and personal writing. Short questions on vocabulary, sentence craft, punctuation and planning come first, followed by two short levels-marked writing tasks (one narrative, one descriptive) and a plan for a personal piece, and finally two full composition tasks (a discursive essay and a personal reflective piece) marked using the grids provided. Spend a few minutes planning each composition before you begin, and leave time at the end to check your work.

For each sentence, select the option containing the most powerful and precise word for a piece of composition writing.

(a)The floorboards ___ under his weight as he crept upstairs.(1)

A) creaked
B) made noise
C) sounded
D) went

(b)The runners ___ across the finish line as the crowd roared.(1)

A) went
B) came
C) surged
D) moved

(c)Rain ___ against the classroom windows all afternoon.(1)

A) fell
B) hammered
C) was
D) came

(d)The puppy ___ across the kitchen tiles, chasing its tail.(1)

A) went
B) moved
C) skidded
D) was

(Total for Question 1 is 4 marks)

State two ways a writer can make a description feel immersive to the reader, other than simply listing what can be seen.

(Total for Question 2 is 2 marks)

Identify whether each sentence is simple, compound or complex.

(i)'The bell rang.'(1)

(ii)'The bell rang, and the pupils filed outside.'(1)

(iii)'Although the bell had rung, nobody moved.'(1)

(Total for Question 3 is 3 marks)

Punctuate this line of speech correctly, adding inverted commas and any other punctuation needed. Do not change the words.

mind the gap called the guard the doors are closing

(Total for Question 4 is 4 marks)

Each sentence below has an error in verb tense. Rewrite each sentence correctly, keeping it consistently in the past tense.

(a)'Yesterday, Kofi run all the way to the shop and forgets his wallet.'(2)

(b)'By the time the whistle blows, the players already leaves the pitch.'(2)

(Total for Question 5 is 4 marks)

Write an expanded noun phrase (using at least two well-chosen describing words or phrases) for each of the following.

(a)the alleyway behind the theatre(1)

(b)the bridge over the ravine(1)

(Total for Question 6 is 2 marks)

Write one original sentence for each task below. Do not copy any example used elsewhere in this pack.

(a)Write one original simile describing a crowded train carriage during rush hour.(2)

(b)Write one original metaphor describing fear just before public speaking.(2)

(Total for Question 7 is 4 marks)

Write one original sentence that uses personification to describe fog rolling into a harbour.

(Total for Question 8 is 2 marks)

Rewrite this sentence so that it shows Meera's feelings through her actions, senses or physical details, without using the words 'nervous', 'anxious' or similar feeling words.

Meera was very nervous before her piano exam.

(Total for Question 9 is 3 marks)

Below are four plan notes for a story titled 'The Second-Hand Bicycle', labelled W, X, Y and Z, but they are not in the correct order.

W: Amara pedals harder, weaving between the market stalls, aware that the chain has started to slip every few seconds.
X: Amara wheels the bicycle proudly into the yard, the chain finally fixed, ready for tomorrow's ride to school.
Y: Amara discovers a rusty, second-hand bicycle left outside her gran's shed, its tyres flat and its chain hanging loose.
Z: The chain snaps completely halfway across the bridge, and Amara has to grab the handlebars tight to keep from toppling into the road.

Write the letters in the correct order to show the Opening, Build-up, Climax and Resolution of the story.

(Total for Question 10 is 4 marks)

Add the missing capital letters, apostrophes and punctuation to this paragraph.

leons scarf had blown into the canal he leaned over the railing carefully but couldnt reach it hold on shouted a passer-by ill get a stick

(Total for Question 11 is 5 marks)

Write three different sentence openers to begin a description of a bustling railway station, each using a different technique.

(a)Begin with an -ing (participle) opener.(1)

(b)Begin with an adverb.(1)

(c)Begin with a preposition or prepositional phrase.(1)

(Total for Question 12 is 3 marks)

Write an opening paragraph (about 60 to 90 words) for a story titled 'The Night Ferry'. Your paragraph should create a sense of tension and make the reader want to read on.

(Total for Question 13 is 6 marks)

Write an opening paragraph (about 60 to 90 words) for a description titled 'The Frozen Harbour'. Your paragraph should create a strong sense of atmosphere and make the reader want to read on.

(Total for Question 14 is 6 marks)

Before writing a personal composition titled 'A Skill I Taught Myself', jot down a brief plan using bullet points. Your plan should include: a brief description of the skill and why you decided to learn it; one specific moment of difficulty or failure; a turning point where progress was made; and a reflection on what the experience taught you.

(Total for Question 15 is 4 marks)

Each sentence below uses an overused, vague word. Replace the underlined word with a more precise and effective alternative, keeping the sentence's meaning.

(a)The soup at the cafe was NICE.(1)

(b)'Stop that now!' she SAID firmly.(1)

(c)He WENT down the stairs to answer the door.(1)

(d)It was a LOUD noise that echoed through the hall.(1)

(e)The film was really SAD.(1)

(Total for Question 16 is 5 marks)

Proofread this paragraph and correct the five spelling errors. Write out the corrected paragraph.

She was definately going to be late unless she found a seperate route through the park. It felt strange to recieve the letter after everything that had occured that week, and she knew it was neccessary to reply straight away.

(Total for Question 17 is 5 marks)

Discursive writing task. You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on this question. Plan before you begin and leave time to check your work. (14 marks for content, organisation and style; 6 marks for technical accuracy.)

Some people believe that homework should be abolished for students under the age of fourteen. Write a discursive piece exploring both sides of this argument before reaching your own conclusion.

(Total for Question 18 is 20 marks)

Personal writing task. You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on this question. Plan before you begin and leave time to check your work. (14 marks for content, organisation and style; 6 marks for technical accuracy.)

Write about a moment when you had to be braver than you expected. This can be a real experience or one you invent, but explain how it changed you.

(Total for Question 19 is 20 marks)

Mark scheme · CE.E12 Writing: Composition Set 3

Question 1

(a) B1 A only, cao
(a) Answer: A) creaked
(b) B1 C only, cao
(b) Answer: C) surged
(c) B1 B only, cao
(c) Answer: B) hammered
(d) B1 C only, cao
(d) Answer: C) skidded

Question 2

B1 one valid technique, e.g. appealing to senses other than sight, such as sound, smell or touch (oe)
B1 a second valid technique, e.g. using precise, specific detail rather than generic description, or addressing the reader directly (oe)
Answer: Any two of: using senses other than sight, such as sound, smell or touch; choosing precise, specific detail instead of generic description; using figurative language such as simile or personification; varying sentence length to control pace and mood; suggesting movement or change within the scene rather than a static list.

Question 3

(i) B1 simple (cao)
(i) Answer: Simple sentence
(ii) B1 compound (cao)
(ii) Answer: Compound sentence
(iii) B1 complex (cao)
(iii) Answer: Complex sentence

Question 4

B1 opening inverted commas before capital 'Mind' (cso)
B1 comma after 'gap' and closing inverted commas before 'called the guard' (cso)
B1 comma after 'guard', then reopening inverted commas before lower-case 'the' (cso)
B1 closing full stop placed inside the final inverted commas (cso)
Answer: 'Mind the gap,' called the guard, 'the doors are closing.'

Question 5

(a) B1 corrects 'run' to 'ran' (cso)
(a) B1 corrects 'forgets' to 'forgot' (cso)
(a) Answer: Yesterday, Kofi ran all the way to the shop and forgot his wallet.
(b) B1 corrects 'blows' to 'blew' (cso)
(b) B1 corrects 'already leaves' to 'had already left', using the past perfect for the earlier action (cso)
(b) Answer: By the time the whistle blew, the players had already left the pitch.

Question 6

(a) B1 a noun phrase headed by 'alleyway' with at least two effective modifiers (oe)
(a) Answer: e.g. 'the narrow, rubbish-strewn alleyway behind the theatre'
(b) B1 a noun phrase headed by 'bridge' with at least two effective modifiers (oe)
(b) Answer: e.g. 'the swaying, rope-strung bridge over the ravine'

Question 7

(a) B1 a grammatically complete simile using 'like' or 'as' (oe)
(a) B1 an apt, effective image suited to a crowded rush-hour carriage, e.g. tightly packed bodies or a lack of space (oe)
(a) Answer: e.g. 'The carriage was packed as tightly as a tin of sardines, with barely a gap left to breathe.'
(b) B1 a grammatically complete metaphor stating that fear is/becomes something else, with no use of 'like' or 'as' (oe)
(b) B1 an apt, effective image suited to nervousness before speaking to an audience (oe)
(b) Answer: e.g. 'A swarm of moths beat their wings inside her chest as she waited to be called to the podium.'

Question 8

B1 gives the fog a human action, feeling or intention (oe)
B1 an effective, apt choice of verb or feeling suited to fog moving into a harbour (oe)
Answer: e.g. 'The fog crept over the harbour wall and swallowed the fishing boats one by one.'

Question 9

B1 no direct emotion words used (cao)
B1 includes at least one physical, sensory or behavioural detail that implies the feeling (oe)
B1 the rewrite is coherent and clearly implies the same emotion (oe)
Answer: e.g. 'Meera's fingers trembled over the keys as she waited backstage, wiping her palms again and again on her skirt.'

Question 10

B1 Y identified as the Opening (cao)
B1 W identified as the Build-up (cao)
B1 Z identified as the Climax (cao)
B1 X identified as the Resolution (cao)
Answer: Correct order: Y, W, Z, X (Opening, Build-up, Climax, Resolution).

Question 11

B1 capital 'Leon's' at the start, with the apostrophe showing possession (cso)
B1 full stop after 'canal' and capital 'He' to start the next sentence (cso)
B1 comma before 'but' and full stop after 'it' (cso)
B1 apostrophe in "couldn't" (cso)
B1 inverted commas and exclamation mark around 'Hold on!', comma before 'shouted a passer-by', and apostrophe in "I'll" (cso)
Answer: Leon's scarf had blown into the canal. He leaned over the railing carefully, but couldn't reach it. 'Hold on!' shouted a passer-by, 'I'll get a stick.'

Question 12

(a) B1 sentence begins with a present participle phrase, grammatically correct (oe)
(a) Answer: e.g. 'Dragging a suitcase twice her size, an elderly woman hurried toward platform six.'
(b) B1 sentence begins with a single adverb followed by a comma, grammatically correct (oe)
(b) Answer: e.g. 'Anxiously, a group of tourists studied the departures board.'
(c) B1 sentence begins with a prepositional phrase, grammatically correct (oe)
(c) Answer: e.g. 'Beneath the vaulted glass roof, pigeons wheeled between the rafters.'

Question 13

Level 1 (1-2): A simple, largely generic opening with little sense of tension; limited or repetitive vocabulary; the situation is barely described.
Level 2 (3-4): A clear attempt to create tension, for example through the delayed departure, the darkness of the water, or a character's reason for urgency; some appropriate vocabulary and sentence variety.
Level 3 (5-6): An effective, engaging opening that creates a strong sense of tension through carefully chosen detail and precise vocabulary; deliberately withholds information; uses varied sentence structures; clearly makes the reader want to read on.
Indicative content:
- establishes time pressure, e.g. a delayed departure, a closing gangway, or a deadline the character must meet
- uses sensory or atmospheric detail about the setting (engine noise, cold spray, the dark water) to build unease
- deliberately withholds information, e.g. why this particular crossing matters so much
- uses a short, impactful sentence or a rhetorical question to hook the reader
- varies sentence length or structure for effect rather than using a flat, uniform style
- avoids simply announcing that the situation is tense or dangerous

Question 14

Level 1 (1-2): A simple, largely generic description with little sense of atmosphere; limited or repetitive vocabulary; the harbour is barely described.
Level 2 (3-4): A clear attempt to create atmosphere, for example through the stillness of the ice or the silence of the moored boats; some appropriate vocabulary and sentence variety.
Level 3 (5-6): An effective, engaging description that creates a strong sense of atmosphere through carefully chosen detail and precise vocabulary; suggests stillness or cold through specific detail; uses varied sentence structures; clearly makes the reader want to read on.
Indicative content:
- describes the ice itself (e.g. gripping the hulls, silvering the ropes, locking the boats in place)
- uses sensory or atmospheric detail (silence, biting air, the creak of frozen rigging) to build mood
- notes a specific frozen or half-frozen detail, such as a gull standing on the ice or a frosted mooring rope, to suggest scale
- uses a short, impactful sentence or vivid image to hook the reader
- varies sentence length or structure for effect rather than using a flat, uniform style
- avoids simply announcing that the harbour is cold or unusual

Question 15

B1 a suitable description of the skill and a plausible reason for choosing to learn it (oe)
B1 a suitable specific moment of difficulty or failure (oe)
B1 a suitable turning point showing progress (oe)
B1 a suitable reflection on what the experience taught the writer (oe)
Answer: e.g. Skill: teaching myself to juggle over a summer, because a friend at camp could do it; Difficulty: dropping the balls constantly and feeling foolish practising in the garden; Turning point: the evening it finally clicked after weeks of short, focused practice; Reflection: learning that steady, patient effort matters more than natural talent.

Question 16

(a) B1 a precise, more vivid alternative to 'nice', e.g. delicious, appetising, flavourful (oe)
(a) Answer: e.g. 'delicious'
(b) B1 a precise alternative to 'said' that conveys authority, e.g. ordered, snapped, commanded (oe)
(b) Answer: e.g. 'ordered'
(c) B1 a precise alternative to 'went' that conveys manner of movement, e.g. hurtled, bounded, thundered (oe)
(c) Answer: e.g. 'hurtled'
(d) B1 a precise alternative to 'loud' suited to a noise, e.g. deafening, thunderous, ear-splitting (oe)
(d) Answer: e.g. 'deafening'
(e) B1 a precise alternative to 'sad' that conveys deep emotion, e.g. heart-wrenching, poignant, harrowing (oe)
(e) Answer: e.g. 'heart-wrenching'

Question 17

B1 'definately' corrected to 'definitely' (cso)
B1 'seperate' corrected to 'separate' (cso)
B1 'recieve' corrected to 'receive' (cso)
B1 'occured' corrected to 'occurred' (cso)
B1 'neccessary' corrected to 'necessary' (cso)
Answer: She was definitely going to be late unless she found a separate route through the park. It felt strange to receive the letter after everything that had occurred that week, and she knew it was necessary to reply straight away.

Question 18

Content, organisation and style (AO5, 14 marks)
- Level 4 (12-14): A balanced, well-developed discussion that presents genuinely persuasive, well-evidenced points on both sides of the argument; sophisticated connectives of contrast and addition are used precisely; a considered, independent conclusion weighs the arguments rather than simply repeating them; paragraphing and structure guide the reader confidently through the debate.
- Level 3 (8-11): A clear discussion that presents reasonably developed points on both sides; connectives of contrast and addition are used accurately to link ideas; a conclusion reaches a clear view; logical paragraphing structures the debate.
- Level 2 (4-7): Some attempt to present both sides, though development may be thin or one-sided; simple connectives are used; a brief or unclear conclusion; basic paragraphing gives some sense of structure.
- Level 1 (1-3): A largely one-sided statement of opinion with little genuine discussion of the other side; connectives rarely used to link ideas; little evidence of a considered conclusion or planning.
Technical accuracy (AO6, 6 marks)
- Level 3 (5-6): A wide range of sentence forms, including complex sentences that weigh alternatives, used accurately and for deliberate effect; spelling and punctuation almost always accurate, including accurate use of connectives of contrast.
- Level 2 (3-4): Some variety of sentence forms; generally accurate spelling and punctuation, with occasional errors that do not obscure meaning.
- Level 1 (1-2): A limited range of sentence forms; frequent errors in spelling and/or punctuation, though meaning generally remains clear.