Section B writing task bank

You spent a night lost on a hillside before being found safe. Write a letter to your best friend explaining what happened and how you felt.

Planning steer: Open with the situation, move chronologically, and let feeling build - fear, then relief. Sign off warmly.

Write a diary entry for the day you moved to a new country, town or school. Capture what you noticed and how you felt.

Planning steer: Dated, first person, reflective. Use a present-then-looking-back voice; end on a small hope or worry.

Write a magazine article about a local green space and why it should be protected.

Planning steer: Headline, lively standfirst, evidence-led paragraphs, a clear call to action at the end.

Write the opening of a story that begins: “The door was already open when she got there.”

Planning steer: Hook fast, control pace with sentence variety, show don’t tell, leave a question hanging.

Write a speech persuading your year group to support one change you believe would improve your school.

Planning steer: Direct address, rhetorical questions, a rule of three, a confident close. Keep it balanced and credible.

Recount the day you (or a character) discovered something unexpected. Make the reader want to keep reading.

Planning steer: Orientation → events in order → reorientation. Strong verbs; one vivid detail per paragraph.

Design the words for a safety leaflet for people visiting a remote coastline or mountain.

Planning steer: Headings, imperative verbs, short scannable sections, a reassuring but firm tone.

Write about a journey that changed how you see something. It can be a short, ordinary journey.

Planning steer: Select a few significant moments, not everything. Use hindsight: what you know now.

Describe a storm arriving and passing over a place you know well.

Planning steer: Move through the scene (before / during / after). Sensory imagery; control your figurative language.

Write a letter to a younger student who is nervous about something, explaining how to find courage.

Planning steer: Warm, simple register for the audience. Practical steps; an encouraging close.

Write a community newsletter piece announcing and explaining an upcoming change in your area.

Planning steer: Masthead-style heading, clear sections, community voice, useful practical detail.

Write a short biographical piece about someone (real or invented) whose curiosity led to a discovery.

Planning steer: Third person, selected significant moments, a shaping idea (e.g. persistence) running through.

Write a story in which a character must make a hard decision to stay safe.

Planning steer: Build tension; one clear turning point; a controlled, satisfying ending.

Write an article persuading readers to visit a place you find special.

Planning steer: Appeal to the senses and the imagination; honest, not just glossy. End with a reason to go now.

Write a formal letter to a local council arguing for action on an environmental issue near you.

Planning steer: Formal layout and register, a clear line of argument, evidence, a polite but firm request.

Write a diary entry for the night before something you were dreading.

Planning steer: Honest, present-tense feeling; a small resolution by the end of the entry.

Describe the same place in two different seasons, so the contrast does the work.

Planning steer: Mirror your structure across the two halves; let one precise detail change carry the meaning.

Recount an experiment, project or hobby where you learned something by accident.

Planning steer: Clear sequence, a moment of surprise, a reflective reorientation at the end.

Write a speech persuading people to learn one practical life-saving skill.

Planning steer: Open with a vivid scenario; use direct address; finish with a single clear ask.

Write a story that takes place entirely during one bus, train or boat journey.

Planning steer: Confined setting; reveal character through small actions; end at the destination - literal or emotional.