KET - Key English Writing: Short Story Writing Questions and Answers

Question 1

In the KET Writing test, Part 2 shows you three pictures. What is the main task you need to complete?

Accepted Answer

Write a story that connects all three pictures.

Answer

The goal of this task is to create a single, coherent story that uses the three pictures as a guide for the beginning, middle, and end. Describing them separately does not create a narrative.

Question 2

Your story starts: 'Last Sunday, Maria went to the park. The sun was shining and she felt happy.' Which sentence is the BEST one to continue the story?

Accepted Answer

Suddenly, she heard a strange noise coming from the trees.

Answer

This sentence introduces a new event using the past simple tense ('heard') which moves the story forward and makes it more interesting. The other options are either simple descriptions, general facts, or use the wrong tense (future).

Question 3

When writing a story about something that happened in the past, which verb tense should you use the MOST?

Accepted Answer

Past Simple (e.g., 'he walked')

Answer

Stories about past events are primarily told using the Past Simple tense to describe completed actions in a sequence. Other tenses like Present Simple or Future are incorrect for narrating past events.

Question 4

Look at these three ideas for a story: 1. A boy finds a map. 2. He follows the map into a forest. 3. He discovers an old box. Which is the BEST opening sentence for this story?

Accepted Answer

One afternoon, Leo was cleaning his room when he found an old map.

Answer

This sentence is a strong opening because it sets the scene (when and where) and introduces the first key event from the pictures using appropriate past tenses ('was cleaning', 'found'). The other options describe the end of the story, use the wrong tense, or are a simple description rather than a narrative opening.

Question 5

Which of the following sentences is the BEST example of a concluding sentence for a short story?

Accepted Answer

Finally, they arrived home, feeling very tired but happy.

Answer

This sentence uses a concluding word ('Finally') and summarizes the end of the journey and the characters' feelings, which is a typical way to end a story. The other options describe the beginning, a detail, or the middle of a story.

KET - Key English Test Practice Test

KET - Key English Test Practice Test

KET - Key English Writing: Short Story Writing Questions and Answers