{"id":288,"date":"2020-03-31T13:56:13","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T13:56:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/patrickcarpen.com\/englishforcxc\/?page_id=288"},"modified":"2026-01-25T17:50:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T17:50:41","slug":"the-short-story","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/patrickcarpen.com\/englishforcxc\/the-short-story\/","title":{"rendered":"(Redirected) The Short Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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This article has been migrated to: The Short Story<\/a> on the CXC English Official Website.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article was first published on the 31st of March, 2020 by Patrick Carpen.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last updated: January 25, 2026 at 17:50 pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A good short story is a healthy mix of fantasy and reality. You must hold the reader in suspense, make him laugh and stir up emotions such as fear and joy while keeping the story realistic and believable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But even if your story weren’t all that believable, no one can call you into account for it. The story is yours, and it is limited only to your imagination, so give free reign to your imagination. For example, if you write that you saw a flying pig, you won’t lose marks “because pigs don’t fly.” The short story falls under “fiction.” And fiction means “created by the imagination.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is important is that your story contains all the elements of the Short Story, which include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting<\/strong> – time and place where the story takes place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Characters<\/strong>: people or animals who play a role in the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conflict<\/strong> – a problem which the main character must solve or overcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plot<\/strong> – exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, you need to make sure your words are spelled correctly, your grammar is flawless and your sentences are properly paragraphed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, you need to adhere to the word limit. Most CXC papers ask you to write a short story of 450 words. That means your short story should be between 425-475 words (plus or minus 25 words). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some examples of CXC short story titles that students were asked to write in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Write a short story which contains the following line: “I Saw Two Hands Rising Out of the Water.” <\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Nothing was unusual about that Friday evening when I was walking home from school. Except that, on that day, I decided to ditch my friends and take the back road which ran alongside the big trench and bushes. Continue Reading…<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Write a Short Story Entitled: “The Day I Got Lost.”<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

At 6 am, we set out for our adventure. The morning sun was just peeping over the mountain tops, casting its golden rays over the peaceful village of Moco Moco. The bags on our backs were packed heavy with food, clothes and hammocks. Continue Reading…<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compose a Short Story Based on the Following: You Received a Note from the Principal of Your School.<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

At 9:00 a.m., I strolled into the school compound. There was nothing unusual about that Monday morning. The skies were blue, and the birds were chirping in the trees above. The Monday Morning Assembly had already concluded and the students were starting their first subject for the day. Continue Reading…<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Write a Short Story Entitled: A Day I Will Never Forget<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The alarm clock woke me up suddenly. It was a mistake I had made last night to go partying with my friends. And as I shook the drowsiness off my tired body, I promised never to let my friends stray me like that again. Continue Reading…<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Write A Short Story Entitled: It All Depended on Us to Defend Our Country.<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The President came on air to address the nation. \u201cThe crisis is very real. The danger is very real. The future of this great nation lies in the hands of you the people and our armed forces. I, the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, call on you to join forces with our military now.\u201d Continue Reading…<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This article has been migrated to: The Short Story on the CXC English Official Website. This article was first published on the 31st of March, 2020 by Patrick Carpen. A Continue Reading →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":14,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-288","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-short-story-writing"],"yoast_head":"\n(Redirected) The Short Story - English for CXC<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When writing a short story for cxc, ensure that you adhere to te word limit. 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