Story Writing: Building Suspense
Learning Objective: Pupils can use suspense techniques to create tension in their writing
About this resource
This comprehensive lesson plan for Year 5 English teachers focuses on developing pupils' ability to build suspense in their creative writing. It provides engaging activities and strategies to help children master various suspense techniques, directly supporting the National Curriculum's emphasis on effective narrative writing. Teachers can utilise this resource to guide pupils in crafting compelling stories that captivate their readers.
Starter
10 minutesRead aloud a suspenseful extract (e.g., from 'Room 13' by Robert Swindells). Stop at the cliffhanger. Ask: 'What made that exciting? What techniques did the author use to build tension?'
Main Activity
30 minutesPart 1: Suspense Toolkit Teach 6 suspense techniques:
- Short sentences for pace: She stopped. Listened. Nothing.
- Ellipsis for pause: The door creaked open...
- Rhetorical questions: Was someone watching her?
- Sensory detail: The air was thick with the smell of damp earth.
- Show don't tell: Instead of 'She was scared' → 'Her hands trembled as she reached for the handle.'
- Cliffhanger endings: Stop at the most tense moment.
Part 2: Suspense Sentence Practice Rewrite 6 boring sentences using each technique.
Part 3: Suspense Story Write the opening of a suspense story (200+ words). Setting: an abandoned building at night. Use at least 4 of the 6 techniques. Underline each technique used.
Plenary
10 minutesVolunteers read their openings aloud. Class identifies which techniques were used. Peer feedback: 'The most effective moment was... because...'
Differentiation
SEN Support
Technique cards with examples. Sentence starters for story. Paired sentence practice.
EAL Support
Visual technique posters. Model sentences displayed. Key vocabulary: suspense, tension, cliffhanger. Paired writing.
Gifted & Talented
Use all 6 techniques in their story. Analyse how a published author builds suspense across a whole chapter.
Key Vocabulary
Assessment Criteria
- Can identify suspense techniques in a text
- Can use at least 4 techniques in their writing
- Can create tension through word choice