Things are Falling Apart — Narratives and the Vic Selective Test

prettyhavoc

Yes, I am aware that the title of this post is super long, but I am also aware that my narratives are horrible. Unfortunately, as ACER has taken over the position of creating the Victorian selective entry test, students (like me) who are writing the test this year have to write both a narrative and a persuasive, both under 15 minutes (we are given 5 minutes extra for planning for each essay). However, this scenario is kinda like a ‘history repeats itself’ kinda thing for people previously had to write a persuasive and narrative under 20 minutes (planning time included ofc). So does anyone who had previously written the exam under similar circumstances and had gotten a superior for writing have any tips or tricks to writing the narrative? A picture of the mock narratives they wrote as preparation for the exam would be awesome as well!

V!

prettyhavoc
Hi!
For context, I sat the SEHS Exam this year (2023) and got a first round offer. Fortunately, I received a Superior (Now known as a 10% ranking for ACER's marking system) in the writing section. Although, I do not have any photos of mock narratives, I can give you a general idea of what to prioritise in your writing.
Vocabulary: In preparation, I would definitely be looking through a dictionary for words that you could include in your writing pieces as synonyms or just in general. (We should not be seeing phrases like 'she said' or 'he ran.') Sprinkling some flashy words here and there show the assessors you have an excellent understanding of language, which, when trying to separate the 'smart' from the 'genius' is critical.
Punctuation: You should definitely know your basics: commas, full stops, exclamation marks, quotation etc. However, learning how to use some 'extra' punctuation, like, the handy-dandy semi colon (😉 might boost your writing for the same reasons as having an extensive vocab.
Creativity: This one is simple. Surprise your assessor with something wacky- but still relevant! Do not go for the obvious story, instead, practice thinking outside of the box with your own practice narratives.
Spelling: Again, simple. Whatever words you do use, please make sure you know how to spell them. With- I'm sure- a few exceptions for extra tricky words that would earn you a few points in vocab like phenomenon etc.
Sentence Length: One really awesome quote I remember goes vaguely along the lines of "writing should be like music". Since this is the case, experiment with different sentence lengths. Short, long and medium. Give your writing some texture and character!

*Just a few last minute additions. Remember your conventions of writing (similes, metaphors...) and paragraphs!

Mina

No sry. But i hope u got in.

Mina

V! Congrats on getting into a school! Proud of u

Mina

Do u have any key tips on creating a fictional writing piece (eg: we should stick with a sad story or happy story, we shoudl start with the plot,etc.)

Nutella

Mina
It doesn't really matter if it's a sad or happy story, it all depends on how well you write it. You could start with the plot but again, you have to write it well.

V!

Nutella Yeah, I agree. Tone does not matter so much, more so HOW you write and your understanding of the English language.