✍️ Part 6: Writing Openings and Endings That Stick
(For IGCSE, AS Level, and IB English Exams)
Your opening is the hook. Your ending is the echo. Together, they shape how your story is remembered.
🎯 What Makes a Strong Opening?
A strong opening should:
- Grab attention instantly
- Establish tone or atmosphere
- Hint at character or conflict
- Raise questions
🔑 5 Powerful Opening Techniques
- Start with Action or Tension
The vase shattered. No one moved.
→ Immediate conflict = instant interest. - Sensory Description (Descriptive Start)
The air was thick with jasmine and sweat. Summer had arrived like a punishment.
→ Sets mood and place vividly. - Mysterious or Shocking Statement
My mother always said the river would take one of us.
→ Intrigues the reader to keep going. - Start in the Middle (In Medias Res)
“Run!” he screamed, but my legs wouldn’t move.
→ Drops the reader into the scene. - Inner Thought or Confession
I didn’t mean to hurt her. But I did.
→ Makes the reader curious about the backstory.
🧠 Exam Insight for Openings
- IGCSE/AS: Effective openings are original but not forced.
- IB: Openings should show control over voice and tone right away.
✅ Avoid cliché starts like “It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time.”
🧩 What Makes a Great Ending?
A good ending:
- Resolves or reflects on the conflict
- Leaves a lasting emotional or thematic impact
- Doesn’t feel rushed or tacked on
- Often circles back to the beginning
💡 5 Memorable Ending Techniques
- Circular Ending
→ Echoes the opening line or idea for a sense of unity.
Opening: “I never liked Tuesdays.”
Ending: “Turns out, Tuesdays never liked me either.” - Emotional Reflection
→ Ends with a character’s thought or emotional shift.
She looked at the empty chair and smiled. She was ready to begin again. - Twist or Surprise
→ Works well in narrative tasks, but should feel earned.
The letter wasn’t from him. It was from me, five years ago. - Sensory Callback
→ Reuse an image or sound that appeared earlier.
The wind howled, just as it had that night. But this time, I didn’t run. - Unresolved but Thought-Provoking
→ Especially useful in IB or AS writing.
He walked away. I never followed — and never knew why.
💬 Sample Opening + Ending (Narrative)
Opening:
The lock clicked behind me. I didn’t know it yet, but I’d just walked into my past.
Ending:
As the door creaked open again, I realised something. I wasn’t the same person who entered.
✅ Why it works: Builds curiosity, reveals a shift, and uses a circular motif (“door” imagery).
✍️ Writing Practice
Prompt:
Write:
- a 50-word opening that builds mystery
- a 50-word ending that offers quiet resolution
Try matching tone and atmosphere.
❌ Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why to Avoid |
| Starting with a cliché | Feels unoriginal or lazy |
| Over-explaining the ending | Kills emotional impact |
| Abrupt or rushed conclusion | Leaves the reader unsatisfied |
| Telling instead of showing | Weakens immersive power |
📌 Examiner Tip
Examiners love:
- Confidence in the first and last paragraph
- Openings that show control and creativity
- Endings that linger and leave an impact
🎓 “Well-crafted openings and endings signal a writer’s maturity and planning.” – Cambridge Examiner