Here are simple schemes you can use straight away

Ask questions: who? what? where? when? why?

Write a debate when giving an opinion on something: for-against-conclusion

Past -Present - Future e.g. Mealtime.

Past: - big meals often prepared by servants; whole family together

Present - rushed or skipped breakfast; ‘t.v. dinners’ in own rooms, convenience foods.

Future - pills; meal machines etc. Which is best?

Before - During - After e.g. A Snowstorm

before: bleak weather forecast/grey, threatening sky/cold wind;

during: first flakes build into a blizzard, cutting areas off as drifting closes roads;

after: velvet-like covering; children play; cars will not start; gritting lorries.

Points of view

Instead of writing from one point of view, invent several different, interesting characters.

Try young, middle-aged and old.

Describe an event from the point of view of each; what do THEY think/feel/say?

e.g. Car Accident

young person - panic/ realises all life lost/no job, marriage, etc.

pregnant woman - thinks of baby/ two lives not one /thinks of family.

pensioner - has flashbacks to events years ago.

You could quote a newspaper report at the end, showing your skill at writing in that style.

Involved/Not involved

Write about something from the point of view of someone doing something/watching it/writing about it for a news report.

Alternatively try a variation of the last idea.

Seasons: spring/summer/autumn/ winter.

Good for a descriptive passage; e.g., describing the field at the school you go to.

Five Senses.

Use as or combine with other patterns.

All these 'tricks' make for interesting writing - use them.

'Cold, severe, self-righteous and prejudiced, Mrs Birling is even more dislikeable than her unsympathetic husband.'

This is an effective opening statement about Mrs Birling because:

it gives a clear opinion.

a great deal of information/opinion is expressed succinctly.

it shows awareness of other characters and contrasts Mrs B with them.

the vocabulary suggests a sophistication of expression.

Avoid phrases such as 'like when', e.g. 'Lennie is stupid, like when he and George went to see the boss'.

A better phrase is 'for example' or 'An example of this occurs when' e.g.

'Lennie is slow-witted, when, for example, he and George are being spoken to by the boss’

Try to contrast and compare one character with other in the text.

e.g.

Show contrast within individual characters by using sentences beginning with 'whereas' and 'although'

e.g.