Bringing Your Story to Life

English · Writing Composition · ages 7-11

Name ______________________ Date ____________

What is dialogue in a story?
- The words a narrator uses to describe a scene
- The exact words characters say to each other
- A list of events in order
Which sentence describes the setting instead of just naming it?
- There was a forest.
- The dark forest smelled of wet leaves and pine.
- A forest is a place with trees.
A satisfying ending means the story's problem gets solved.
Circle one: True False
Which word is a temporal word that helps put events in order?
- Meanwhile
- Whisper
- Enormous
Read: Leo dropped his bag. "I can't believe I forgot my project," he groaned. What does this dialogue reveal about Leo?
- He is excited about his project
- He is upset and disappointed with himself
- He does not care about school
Which sentence shows a developed character instead of just naming them?
- Maria is a girl.
- Maria bit her lip and stared at her shoes, too nervous to speak.
- Maria is nine years old.
A story ends with: "And then everyone had cake. The end." The writer never explains what happened to the problem from earlier in the story. What is wrong with this ending?
- It uses too much dialogue
- It is too short
- It does not resolve the story's problem, so it does not feel satisfying
Amara's story says: "A boy walked into a room. Then he left." What does this narrative still need to be complete?
- A described setting, a developed character, and a problem with a resolution
- More numbers and dates
- A title only

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

The exact words characters say to each other · Dialogue is what characters actually say, usually shown inside quotation marks.
The dark forest smelled of wet leaves and pine. · This sentence uses details like smell and darkness, so the reader can picture the setting.
True · A satisfying ending ties up the problem so the reader feels the story is complete.
Meanwhile · "Meanwhile" tells the reader when something happens compared to other events, unlike "whisper" or "enormous," which describe actions or size.
He is upset and disappointed with himself · The word "groaned" and what Leo says show he feels upset about forgetting his project.
Maria bit her lip and stared at her shoes, too nervous to speak. · This sentence shows Maria's feelings through her actions, which makes her feel like a real person.
It does not resolve the story's problem, so it does not feel satisfying · An ending should tie up the story's problem. Jumping straight to cake without solving it leaves the reader confused.
A described setting, a developed character, and a problem with a resolution · Right now it just lists actions. It needs details about the setting, the character, and a problem to solve.