lesson
Track story time and telling order
1 · Learn
A narrative may tell events in an order different from when they happened. A flashback can reveal a cause after its consequence, changing how readers interpret an earlier action. Clear time signals help the reader follow the shift.
Original outline: 'The broken medal lay on the table. Three days earlier, Imani had refused to let anyone touch it.' The earlier event adds a question about what changed; it does not yet answer it.
2 · Worked example
I identify 'Three days earlier' as the shift and explain how the protected medal's later damage creates a gap in information.
3 · Your turn
Does the supplied outline explain who broke the medal?
Check your answer
No. It contrasts two moments but leaves the cause of the damage unknown.
4 · Apply your learning
Write a chronological account, then rearrange it to reveal a motive later, checking that time signals remain clear.
Adult guidance and safety
Require precise evidence and allow defensible alternative readings. Give feedback on sustained writing, not only short answers. These original short texts support skills but do not replace whole-book study, two authors in depth each year, stage-wide Shakespeare or a varied reading programme.
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