Free Year 5 Nobody Believed Me — Narrative Writing
A NAPLAN-style narrative prompt built around a single opening or closing line. Students plan a story with a clear complication and a resolution that earns its ending, and practise the craft moves that lift Year 5 writing: a strong hook, figurative language, varied sentence lengths and a deliberate final line.
Instant download · No sign-up · Free for personal, classroom and homeschool use
- Year
- Year 5
- Subject
- English
- Topic
- Narrative Writing
- Difficulty
- Level 2 · Standard
- Estimated time
- 40 minutes
- Curriculum
- Australian Curriculum
- Questions
- 6
- Answers
- Included, with working
- Format
- PDF (A4) + print
Students will practise
- writing an engaging hook
- developing a complication with rising tension
- using figurative language for effect
- controlling sentence length and paragraphing
Curriculum: Australian Curriculum. We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.
What's next?
Completed: Nobody Believed Me — Narrative Writing
How to use this writing prompt
- Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
- Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
- Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
- Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.
Common questions
Who is this writing prompt for?
Year 5 students (typically ages 10–11) working on narrative writing. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.
Are the answers included?
Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.
How long does it take?
About 40 minutes for 6 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.
Do I need to sign up to download?
No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.
What should we do next?
Try Should Homework Be Banned in Primary School? — Persuasive Writing.
Preview
Year 5 · English · Narrative Writing
Nobody Believed Me — Narrative Writing
Student name:
Date:
Plan for five minutes, write for thirty minutes, then edit for five minutes.
The prompt
Write a narrative that begins or ends with this sentence:
Nobody believed me when I told them what I had seen.
Your story can be realistic or imaginative. It could be set in the bush, at the beach, in a city, at school or somewhere no one has ever been.
A good narrative has:
• A hook in the first lines that makes the reader want to keep going.
• A complication that builds through two or three events, not just one.
• Figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification) used where it adds meaning.
• Varied sentences: short ones for impact, longer ones for description.
• A resolution that feels earned, and a final line the reader will remember.
Plan
Plan for five minutes. Note the events in order.
Write
Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.
Narrative Writing in other year levels
- The Note in the Library Book — Narrative Writing
Writing Prompt · Year 4 · Narrative Writing · Level 1 · Easier
- The Difficult Choice — Narrative Writing
Writing Prompt · Year 6 · Narrative Writing · Level 2 · Standard
- The Door in the Tree — Narrative Writing
Writing Prompt · Year 3 · Narrative Writing · Level 1 · Easier
- The Photograph — Narrative Writing
Writing Prompt · Year 7 · Narrative Writing · Level 2 · Standard
About this resource
- Created by
- Success Tutoring
- Last reviewed
- 1 October 2026
- How it was made
- Written by our team
Free to print and share for personal, classroom and homeschool use. Please don't resell. Spotted an error? Let us know.