4.2 Writing Part 7: Picture Story Narratives
Key Takeaways
Writing Part 7 requires composing an imaginative chronological narrative of 35 or more words based on a sequence of three cartoon pictures.
A successful narrative follows a three-part structure: setting the scene in Picture 1, developing the complication in Picture 2, and concluding with a clear resolution in Picture 3.
Past simple serves as the core tense for sequential events, while past continuous establishes background activities and atmospheric conditions.
Time sequencers and cohesive devices—such as first, then, next, suddenly, while, because, and in the end—are essential for securing high Organization marks.
Cambridge advises writing roughly the required length (35 words or more); about 40–50 words usually covers all three pictures with linking words and a clear ending.
4.2 Writing Part 7: Picture Story Narratives
Writing Part 7 is the second productive task on the Cambridge A2 Key for Schools Reading and Writing paper. Candidates receive a sequence of three cartoon illustrations depicting an everyday storyline and must write a connected narrative of 35 words or more. OpenExamPrep provides this independent study resource for Cambridge A2 Key for Schools to help learners develop narrative structure, past tense control, and cohesive sequencing.
Part 7 carries 15 marks, representing the remaining 50% of the Writing component. While Part 6 tests functional communication, Part 7 evaluates imaginative narrative ability, chronological sequencing, and descriptive detail.
Understanding Part 7: The Three-Picture Narrative
The three cartoon panels depict a straightforward storyline based on school-age life: discovering a lost object, helping an injured animal, experiencing unexpected weather during an outing, or preparing for an activity.
Candidates must satisfy three core narrative principles:
- Complete Story Arc: Cambridge's handbook says candidates must refer to all three picture prompts. Leaving one out means the reader is not fully informed, which lowers the Content mark.
- Chronological Progression: The narrative must advance logically from Picture 1 to Picture 2 to Picture 3 using time markers.
- Consistent Narrative Perspective: Stories should maintain a steady point of view, using third person (Tom, Sarah, they) or first person (my friend and I).
Three-Act Narrative Structure (Beginning, Middle, End)
Structuring the narrative into three distinct acts ensures full coverage of the cartoon prompts:
1. Act I: The Beginning / Setting the Scene (Picture 1)
The opening sets the scene:
- Characters & Location: Give characters names (e.g., Oliver and Harry) and establish the setting (in the forest, at the bus stop).
- Background Action: Use the past continuous for background circumstances (The sun was shining and they were walking in the park), followed by the past simple for the first event (Oliver saw something on the grass).
2. Act II: The Middle / Complication (Picture 2)
Picture 2 introduces a complication, surprise, or main action:
- The Event: Describe what happened unexpectedly (Suddenly, dark clouds gathered and it began to rain, or They found a small brown bird under a tree).
- Character Reaction: Describe how characters responded (They were surprised, Oliver picked up the bird gently).
3. Act III: The Resolution / Outcome (Picture 3)
Picture 3 resolves the situation:
- The Solution: Describe how the problem was resolved (They carried the bird home and put it in a warm box).
- Feelings & Conclusion: Conclude with the characters' feelings (The bird was safe and the boys were very happy).
Mastering Narrative Verb Tenses: Past Simple & Past Continuous
Narrative stories are written in the past tense. High-scoring scripts demonstrate control over two verb tenses:
Past Simple for Chronological Actions
The past simple moves the plot forward. Candidates must master common regular and irregular past verbs:
- Regular Verbs (+ed): walked, looked, opened, decided, played, shouted, thanked, stopped, dropped.
- Irregular Verbs: went, saw, found, had, took, gave, ran, came, heard, said, lost, felt, bought.
Example: Jack opened the box, saw a puppy, and smiled happily.
Past Continuous for Background Scenes
The past continuous (was/were + verb-ing) describes activities in progress when the main action occurred:
- The sun was shining and birds were singing.
- While they were riding their bicycles, Jack found a wallet.
Combining Tenses with 'When' and 'While'
Combining both tenses creates varied sentence patterns:
- While Tom was waiting for the train, he noticed a lost backpack.
- They were playing tennis when it suddenly started to rain.
Time Sequencers and Cohesive Devices
Cohesive linkers transform separate picture descriptions into a smooth narrative. The table below lists essential sequencers:
| Connector Category | High-Frequency A2 Sequencers | Story Function | Authentic Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporal Sequence | First, Then, Next, After that, Later | Moves action forward chronologically | First, they packed their bags. Next, they rode to the park. |
| Sudden Changes | Suddenly, At that moment | Introduces the complication in Picture 2 | Suddenly, a loud noise came from the bushes. |
| Simultaneous Time | While, When, As | Connects background and main actions | While Maria was searching for her keys, her dog barked. |
| Cause & Result | Because, So | Explains motivations and results | The bus was late, so the boys decided to walk home. |
| Narrative Closure | Finally, In the end, At last | Concludes the storyline in Picture 3 | In the end, they found the owner and felt proud. |
Model Story Comparative Analysis
Comparing two candidate stories based on a prompt (Picture 1: walking in woods; Picture 2: finding an injured bird; Picture 3: feeding the bird in a box at home) illustrates examiner scoring:
Strong Model Story (Likely Top Bands: 5, 5, 5)
Yesterday morning, Oliver and Harry were walking in the forest. Suddenly, Oliver saw a small bird on the ground under a tree. It was hurt, so they carefully carried it home. They put the bird in a warm box and gave it some water. In the end, the bird was safe and the boys were happy.
(56 words)
Examiner Analysis:
- Content (Band 5): All three pictures are clearly represented in a complete, coherent narrative arc. The reader is fully informed.
- Organization (Band 5): Excellent chronological cohesion using diverse sequencers (Yesterday morning, Suddenly, so, In the end).
- Language (Band 5): Accurate combination of past continuous (were walking) and past simple (saw, was, carried, put, gave, were), with simple descriptive lexis (small, hurt, carefully, warm, safe).
Disjointed & Weak Response (Likely About 5/15 — Bands 3, 1, 1)
Two boys go in woods. See bird. Bird is sad on floor. They take bird to home. Put in box. Bird eat. End.
(23 words)
Examiner Analysis:
- Content (Band 3): All three pictures are mentioned (the woods, finding the bird, the box at home), so the reader is on the whole informed, but the story is very thin at 23 words, under the 35-word guide.
- Organization (Band 1): Sentences are isolated fragments with no linking words.
- Language (Band 1): Isolated words and phrases with little grammatical control: missing subjects and articles (See bird, Put in box) and uncontrolled verb forms (Bird eat).
Five-Step Narrative Construction Technique
Follow this routine of about 12 minutes (Cambridge suggests about 20 minutes for both writing tasks together):
- Scan the Pictures (1 minute): Identify the storyline, name characters, and plan three past verbs for each picture.
- Draft Picture 1 (3 minutes): Write two sentences establishing the setting and background activity (was/were + verb-ing).
- Draft Picture 2 (3 minutes): Write two sentences using Suddenly or Then to introduce the complication and character actions.
- Draft Picture 3 (3 minutes): Write two sentences using Finally or In the end to resolve the plot and state character emotions.
- Review and Polish (2 minutes): Check word count (35 or more; about 40–50 is comfortable) and confirm past tense verb forms.
Which sentence demonstrates the most effective use of past tenses to set the scene and initiate action in Picture 1 of a Part 7 story?
Yesterday Leo walks to the park while it was raining and he loses his green schoolbag.
Leo was walking in the park yesterday and the sun is shining very brightly in the sky.
Leo and his friend walk yesterday in the park when suddenly they were finding a lost puppy.
While Leo was walking in the park yesterday morning, he suddenly found an old brown backpack under a tree.
What narrative strategy should a candidate use to ensure a high Organization score across the three pictures in Writing Part 7?
Write a connected chronological narrative that links all three pictures in sequence using time words such as 'First', 'Then', 'Suddenly', and 'In the end'.
Write three isolated bullet points, each describing what objects are visible in Picture 1, Picture 2, and Picture 3 separately.
Focus the entire story on Picture 1 with extensive descriptions of the weather, leaving Pictures 2 and 3 unmentioned.
Describe the events in reverse order, starting with the final scene in Picture 3 to create dramatic mystery before explaining Picture 1.
Writing Part 7 asks for 35 words or more. Which approach to length is supported by Cambridge's handbook?
Write fewer than 35 words if the story is clear, because length is never considered.
Aim for roughly the required length, making sure all three pictures are included and connected.
Write at least 100 words, because examiners multiply the Language mark by the word count.
Spend the first 35 words on Picture 1 and add the other pictures only if time allows.
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.