English: creative writing

Plan a short story opening titled 'The Locked Door'.

1. Hook: start with a sound or action (the handle rattling).
2. Setting and character: one detail each, using senses.
3. Problem: a reason the door matters.
4. Ending: a small twist or open question.

Answer: A four-part plan (hook, setting/character, problem, ending). Model opening paragraph: The handle rattled once, then stopped. Mia froze on the top stair, her torch beam trembling across the peeling green paint of the door Grandad had always kept locked. A thin line of cold air slid out beneath it, carrying a smell of damp earth and something sweeter - like oranges left too long in the sun. She had promised never to open it. But someone, it seemed, was trying to open it from the other side.

1. Rewrite with a stronger verb: 'She walked quickly into the room.'

2. Add a sentence that shows fear without using the word 'scared'.