O Level Essays (Need some Ideas)

bonkysleuth SG

I'm currently preparing some essay drafts to gear myself up for my prelims. I stumbled upon some very very old O Level Essay questions which I seemed to lack ideas when it comes to development of the stories:

Write a story about what happened when, on the morning of your journey to spend a year studying overseas, you were unable to find your passport.

This question has basically set out the plot for you. The thing is: You are never going to find your passport so what actually happens? I guess I'm required to describe those moments of panick and futile searching, making my essay development very limited. Is there any other way I can add some interesting ideas in this story?

Write a story about what happened when a family moved to a new home and found that the keys provided did not unlock the front door

For me, the first thing that struck me is that the family got the wrong house! (I hope this isn't lame) Or maybe they got tricked by their agents. Then again, I really couldn't develop this story because it seems like all I've got to talk about is how they are left to stay in the open, with their belongings and furniture taking up space in the main road(assuming it's private property)

The questions are from the 2003 and 2002 O level questions. As you can see, the questions pretty much already give you the guiding points of the story and that's what makes expansion of ideas very tough.

Feel free to give me your feedback! Any ideas are welcome.

Dejomel SG

I'm taking O' levels this year too.

Haven't you noticed that the second question

"Write a story about what happened when a family moved to a new home and found that the keys provided did not unlock the front door"

is a lot like a primary 4 standard composition question? I honestly doubt that such an uncanny (for lack of a better word) topic will come out for O' levels ever again with the new syllabus in place. If it were me, I wouldn't bother doing this question, but that's just me.

As for the first question,

"Write a story about what happened when, on the morning of your journey to spend a year studying overseas, you were unable to find your passport"

I can't really help as I always write the one-word topics for the composition section and have less skill in writing descriptive or recount essays. Sorry.

SPDCP SG

I always picked the single word questions like "Responsibility" or "Sentimental"...

In fact, for my own O lvls, i chose " Marriage." This was like the easiest question for me cos my pastor had just preached a sermon that had marriage listed as one of the points.. Repeated EVERYTHING he said... haha... even quoted Song of Solomon from the Bible.. End up get A2 even tho my paper 2 summary was half blank... Compo saved my life.. xD

So... looks like i cant help with narratives... =(

caleb_chiang SG

Write a story about what happened when, on the morning of your journey to spend a year studying overseas, you were unable to find your passport.

Write a story about what happened when a family moved to a new home and found that the keys provided did not unlock the front door

Feel free to give me your feedback! Any ideas are welcome.

Well, for this 2 essay... it mostly about the feelings that you feel during the whole ordeal

loki_chaos SG

Wow...O levels. Now that I think of it, I feel so old for it already...haha.

anyways, what I remembered from my time(not too long ago, around 2005) was that whatever story you may write, try not to end it that you woke up realizing that it was all a dream.

As for ideas for the first question, I beg to differ that ideas is limited. It's alot to thinking out of the box, like instead of focusing on the scenerio given, you can turn it into a theft case...like someone stole your passport and by the time you wanted to enter into the gate you could not find it...
Then from there you would describe your panic, your calls to your family, your different methods of trying to retrieve your passports.
And...after all the panic, you can twist the story by saying that while on the skytrain you noticed someone very suspicious. Then while exiting the train you accidentally bumped into him and vola, something dropped. your passport.

Hope that I have given you a jumpstart to your essay writing. Try to fit into your own style of writing.

loki_chaos SG

I always picked the single word questions like "Responsibility" or "Sentimental"...

So... looks like i cant help with narratives... =(

marriage sounds familiar...think we did the same paper?

SPDCP SG

Haha... think it was in 2005.. for those born in '89

Mikethm SG

Write a story about what happened when, on the morning of your journey to spend a year studying overseas, you were unable to find your passport.

Write a story about what happened when a family moved to a new home and found that the keys provided did not unlock the front door

Feel free to give me your feedback! Any ideas are welcome.

Who ever said you can't find your passport by evening time in time for your 1145pm flight? Or get a new passport done in a few hours thanks to wondrous civil servants ( fictional of course).

As for the house essay, you can either turn it into a story of wondrous statutory board service (just one call and they ran around to resolve your issue instantly) or the other way round where you are the one running around. It could even turn into a month or year long saga if you want to.

yiha093 SG

my input is that plot doesnt really matter, if your english is not really fantastic.

because good plot + good vocab/lang/grammar= high marks

while good vocab/ lang/grammar= 19marks and above

besides, one would not really have time to 'plot' when crunch time comes.

hence, i would suggest u collect vocab. :D

yiha093 SG

Who ever said you can't find your passport by evening time in time for your 1145pm flight? Or get a new passport done in a few hours thanks to wondrous civil servants ( fictional of course).

for tht i read a essay about my mother forgetting i put in bag compartment, notice qn only say u canot find, not canot find permentantly.

i mainly focus on narrative, btw.

Write a story about what happened when a family moved to a new home and found that the keys provided did not unlock the front door.

para 1) intro- family happy move into hse. everything at doorstep.

para 2) discover canot open door - talk about feelings. every1. eg. father calm. every1 panic.

para 3) papa step in.

para 4) agent come give correct keys.

SPDCP SG

Thought it was a rule of thumb to never drag a compo past the 2nd day? Lol.. all my teachers from pri sch to sec sch said not to let a story go to :" The next day/week/year,..." kind of scenario... dunno why still.. haha... all my narratives ended up plagiarising hollywood movies.. my teacher once caught me copying off the script for Sister Act 2.. xD never again touched narratives..

Mikethm SG

Because most students can't pull it off.

Dejomel SG

Because most students can't pull it off.

True.

Usually my main character just dies in a very ironic way within minutes of the beginning of the plot.

airgrinder SG

Write a story about what happened when, on the morning of your journey to spend a year studying overseas, you were unable to find your passport.

Write a story about what happened when a family moved to a new home and found that the keys provided did not unlock the front door

Feel free to give me your feedback! Any ideas are welcome.

On the morning of my journey to spend a year studying overseas, I was unable to find my passport. I remembered having stuff it into my pocket. I put my hand into my pocket and found my passport. Suddenly, I heard a loud bang! I turned around and saw 3 terrorists running towards me with their AK47s, spreading bullets at a nearby car... ...

A family moved to a new home and found that the keys provided did not unlock the front door. The father kicked the door and it opened. The family moved in. Suddenly, there was a loud bang! There were 3 terrorists running towards the house with their AK47s, spreading bullets at a nearby car... ...

ASKL! SG

You seemed to like AK's. :D

yiha093 SG

350 to 500 words please

*rofl