25 Narrative Writing Prompts for Selective Tests, Scholarships and NAPLAN

Below are 25 original narrative writing prompts for Years 3 to 9, grouped by year level. Each one can be written in 25 to 40 minutes. Below the list you'll find a simple practice routine, and how to find out what a marker would actually think of your child's story.

Want more? Get the full set of 60 narrative prompts as a free PDF, including opening-line and one-word prompts.

How long does my child get?

Practise at your child's real test time. A story that takes an hour at home won't fit into 25 minutes on the day.

Years 3 and 4

For NAPLAN Year 3 and early OC preparation. Aim for a clear beginning, middle and end.

1. You find a tiny door at the bottom of your garden that wasn't there yesterday.
2. Your class pet escapes during the school assembly.
3. A balloon lands in your backyard with a note tied to it.
4. Your shadow decides to go somewhere without you.
5. You're chosen to look after the zoo for a day.
6. Your grandparent's old suitcase is heavier than it should be.
7. A new student arrives who can speak to birds.
8. It rains lollies for exactly one hour.

Years 5 and 6

For selective entry, OC extension and scholarships. Aim for one strong idea, a character who changes, and a controlled ending.

9. The day you told the truth and it cost you something.
10. A storm traps two people who don't like each other in the same place.
11. Write about a promise that was hard to keep.
12. Someone in your town has been leaving gifts on doorsteps. Tonight you find out who.
13. A character finds an old map with their own name on it.
14. The race you were sure you would win.
15. A character must choose between winning and doing the right thing.
16. The ordinary object that turned out not to be ordinary.
17. Two friends find a phone that only receives messages from the future.

Short-phrase prompts

Turn the phrase into a character with a problem, not a description of the word.

18. Second chance
19. Footprints
20. Behind closed doors
21. Home

Years 7 to 9

For NAPLAN Years 7 and 9, Victorian selective entry and Year 10 academy entry. These reward mature themes, subtle character change and control of pace.

22. Write about a moment when someone realised they had been wrong about a person.
23. A character returns to a place from their childhood and finds it smaller.
24. Write a story in which the most important thing is never said aloud.
25. A character must leave something behind to move forward.

A simple practice routine

Writing lots of stories helps only if each one is a little better than the last.

1. Plan first, every time. Five minutes: character, problem, turning point, ending.
2. Start with more time, then cut it. Begin at a comfortable time limit, then shorten it as planning gets faster, until your child finishes within the real test time three times in a row.
3. Pick one fix. After each piece, choose one habit to improve next time: paragraphing, a stronger ending, fewer "and then"s.
4. Rewrite one paragraph. Rewriting the weakest paragraph teaches more than writing a new story.

Common traps: stories that are mostly dialogue (avoiding direct speech), too many events and no real problem (generating story ideas), telling feelings instead of showing them (show, don't tell), and "it was all a dream" endings.

Has your child written one? Find out how it would score.

Most parents can tell a story is "good" but not why it would score 6 out of 10 instead of 9, or which single change would lift it most. That's what selective markers judge, and it's very hard to see from home.

Have a teacher mark it for $15. Your child writes a response to one of our free sample prompts, and a human marker returns:

• rubric scores for ideas, structure, expression, and spelling and grammar
• comments written directly on your child's writing
• the one or two changes that would lift the score most

Feedback normally arrives within five business days. Start a free sample.

Want regular feedback? Our writing packs include exam-style prompts with every piece human-marked.

Related guides

• 25 persuasive writing prompts
• NAPLAN writing prompts
• Teaching your child to write a short story
• How to mark your child's timed writing

Frequently asked questions

How many prompts should my child practise? One or two timed pieces a week is plenty, as long as each one leads to a specific improvement.

Should my child memorise a story to adapt on the day? No. Markers spot pre-written stories that don't fit the prompt. Practise planning quickly instead.

Are these real past test prompts? No. They're original practice prompts. Our paid packs use prompts written to match each specific exam.

Writing times from NAPLAN information for parents and carers, NSW Department of Education, Brisbane State High School, WA Department of Education and Queensland Academies test information. Confirm current timings with each test provider.