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Evaluation in practice: tension and suspense
Now apply evaluation to a full practice extract. Tension and suspense are common focuses for Question 4.
The practice extract
Read it twice: once for the story, once for the methods.
How tension is built here
Pace: short actions, 'one by one', slow the reader down.
Sound in silence: the heavy clock and creaking boards stand out against the still night.
Character: his trembling pen and his excuse show fear.
Ending: it stops just as the handle turns, so the reader never sees who is there.
Sound in silence: the heavy clock and creaking boards stand out against the still night.
Character: his trembling pen and his excuse show fear.
Ending: it stops just as the handle turns, so the reader never sees who is there.
A strong paragraph
'The writer very successfully builds suspense through sound. In the silence, the clock 'ticked heavily', and the word 'heavily' makes each second feel slow and weighty. The creaks come 'nearer', so the reader senses the danger approaching step by step. This is convincing because we hear exactly what Mr Pellow hears.'
Why is the line 'For a long moment nothing happened at all' effective?
- It is a pause just before the climax.
- The reader expects action, but nothing comes.
- Delaying the action makes the suspense stronger.
Answer: The pause delays the climax, so the reader's suspense grows.
Track how tension builds through pace, sound, character reaction and the ending. Judge how well each works, quote briefly and explain the effect.
The interactive lesson includes the diagrams for this topic.
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