English Teaching

Writing a Short Story — The 5-Part Story Shape (A2/B1)

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A2/B1  ⏱ 5 min

📚 Writing a Short Story — The 5-Part Story Shape

I grew up reading Dostoevsky in secret. Stories saved me. Here’s how every great story is built — and how you can write yours.

📖 The 5-Part Story Shape

  1. Setting — where and when: On a dark Tuesday in November, in a small café in Paris…
  2. Characters — who: A young woman named Leila sat alone at the counter…
  3. Problem — what goes wrong: Suddenly, she realised her wallet was missing.
  4. Solution — how it’s fixed: The barista, who had found it on the floor, slid it quietly across.
  5. Ending — what changed: She smiled — Paris didn’t feel so cold after all.

🌟 Story Starters (Choose One!)

1. It was the quietest morning the island had ever seen, until…
2. She had travelled three thousand kilometres to deliver a single envelope.
3. The old man at the corner table always ordered the same thing — until today.

What is the ‘setting’ in a story?

Which part of the 5-part shape introduces what goes wrong?

A good story ending should:

The ____________ in a story is where and when events take place.

A story without a ____________ has no tension or reason to read on.

✏️ Write Your Story

Use the 5-part shape to write a short story of 100-150 words. Use one of the story starters above, or create your own. Set your timer for 5 minutes and begin!

Independent project; not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Confers no qualification.