STORY WRITING FOR CLASS 9 & 10: FORMAT, TIPS & 50+ EXAMPLES TO SCORE FULL MAR

Story Writing Masterclass

The Ultimate Guide for Class 9 CBSE (Format, Examples & Exercises)

1. The Basics (CBSE Format)

Before writing, students must understand the technical requirements.

📋 Exam Specs:
• Marks: 5 Marks
• Word Limit: 100–120 Words
• Structure: Title + 3 Paragraphs (Intro, Body, Conclusion)

The Marking Scheme (5 Marks)

Criteria	Marks	What Examiners Look For
Content	2	Plot logic, creativity, adhering to the prompt.
Organization	2	Flow, paragraph structure, sequencing.
Accuracy	1	Spelling, grammar, punctuation.

2. How to Structure: The Story Mountain

Do not write blindly. Follow the narrative arc used by professional authors.

The "S.P.C" Rule

Before starting, check for these three elements:

• S - Setting: Where and when? (e.g., A stormy night in a forest).
• P - Plot: The sequence (Problem → Action → Solution).
• C - Characters: Who is the hero? Give them a name immediately.

3. The Resource Bank (50 Examples)

Use these lists to improve specific parts of your story.

A. 10 Ways to Start a Story (Hooks)

Avoid "Once upon a time." Try these instead:

1. Sound: "CRASH! The sound of glass shattering woke everyone."
2. Dialogue: "'Don't you dare open that door,' whispered the old man."
3. Action: "Rohan sprinted down the alleyway, his heart pounding."
4. Question: "Have you ever wondered what happens when the clock strikes thirteen?"
5. Shock: "The letter was addressed to me, but the date was 50 years in the future."
6. Atmosphere: "The fog was so thick that Maya couldn't see her own feet."
7. Flashback: "Looking at the broken trophy, I remembered exactly how it all went wrong."
8. Mystery Object: "It was just a small, rusty key, but it looked like it belonged to a castle."
9. Weather: "The rain didn't just fall; it hammered against the roof like angry stones."
10. Warning: "I should have listened to my mother when she told me to stay home."

B. 10 Examples of "Show, Don't Tell"

Telling (Weak)	Showing (Strong)
He was angry.	His face turned red and he slammed his fist on the table.
She was scared.	Her knees knocked together and her voice was a tiny squeak.
It was cold.	I could see my breath in the air, and my teeth began to chatter.
He was tired.	His eyelids felt heavy, and he dragged his feet as he walked.
She was happy.	A wide grin stretched across her face and she hummed a tune.
The room was messy.	Clothes were piled on the chair, and books lay scattered across the floor.
He was nervous.	He bit his fingernails and couldn't stop tapping his foot.
The pizza was hot.	Steam rose from the cheese, burning the roof of my mouth.
She was sad.	She stared out the window, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
He was confused.	He scratched his head and frowned at the map.

C. 10 Vocabulary Swaps (Power Words)

1. Walked → Trudged, Strolled, Marched.
2. Said → Whispered, Screamed, Mumbled.
3. Ran → Sprinting, Darted, Bolted.
4. Big → Colossal, Enormous, Gigantic.
5. Small → Tiny, Miniature, Minute.
6. Nice → Delightful, Pleasant, Charming.
7. Looked → Glanced, Stared, Peered.
8. Bad → Terrible, Horrific, Dreadful.
9. Ate → Devoured, Nibbled, Munched.
10. Scary → Terrifying, Spine-chilling, Eerie.

D. 10 Catchy Title Ideas

1. The Midnight Visitor (Mystery)
2. A Lesson Learned (Moral based)
3. The Empty Chair (Emotional/Mystery)
4. Courage in the Dark (Bravery)
5. The Unsent Letter (Drama)
6. Lost in the Jungle (Adventure)
7. The Golden Opportunity (Moral/Choice)
8. A Narrow Escape (Thriller/Action)
9. The Talking Parrot (Humor)
10. Better Late Than Never (Proverb based)

4. Teaching Tips & Activities

How to make the class interactive:

• Chain Story: Start a story with one sentence on the board. Ask each student to add exactly one sentence. This teaches flow.
• Vocabulary Surgery: Write a boring sentence on the board (e.g., "The good boy went home"). Ask students to "perform surgery" and replace the weak words with strong ones.
• Analyze the Rubric: Show them the marking scheme table so they know exactly where their 5 marks come from.

5. Exercise Bank (20 Prompts)

Set A: Short Drills (10 Mins)

1. The Discovery: You find a wallet full of money on the way to school. What do you do?
2. The Mistake: You accidentally break your neighbor's window while playing cricket.
3. The Hero: You see a puppy stuck in a drain during a rainstorm.
4. The Mystery: You wake up one morning and realize you can hear what animals are thinking.
5. The Exam: You studied the wrong subject for the final exam.
6. The Travel: You get on the wrong train and end up in a strange village.
7. The Gift: You receive a birthday gift with no name tag, and it’s exactly what you secretly wanted.
8. The Fear: You get locked inside the school library after everyone has left.
9. The Competition: You have to give a speech, but you lose your notes 5 minutes before.
10. The Stranger: An old man at the park gives you a map to a "treasure" in your city.

Set B: Full Length Assignments (120 Words)

11. The Phone Call: The phone rang at exactly midnight. When I picked it up, a voice whispered, "I know what you found in the garden."
12. The Reflection: I looked into the mirror, but instead of my reflection, I saw a strange alien landscape behind me.
13. Missing: The final exam was starting in 10 minutes, but when I opened my bag, my pencil box and admit card were missing.
14. Buried: Walking along the beach, my foot struck something hard buried in the sand. It was a metal box with a strange symbol.
15. The Monkey: The monkey snatched the tourist's bag and ran straight up the temple stairs, but the bag contained something very important.
16. The Perfect Crime: It was the perfect robbery, or so they thought, until one small mistake gave them away.
17. The Specific Ending: Write a story that ends with the line: "...and that is why I will never eat ice cream ever again."
18. The Hollow Tree: The old oak tree in the school playground had a hollow trunk. One day, a ball rolled inside, and I crawled in to get it.
19. The Dilemma: You find a wallet full of cash on the road. There is no ID inside, but there is a prescription for expensive medicine.
20. The Halt: The train stopped in the middle of a dense forest. The lights flickered and went out. The conductor announced, "Don't open the doors."

⚡ Rapid Fire Generator

Click the button to generate a random prompt for the class.

Ready? Click the button below!