Scéal a Scríobh

Make sure you use the title given in your essay.

Make the beginning intiguing and use descriptive language.

Learn plenty of adjectives for the scéal.

Plan before you begin!

Oíche dhubh, dhorcha a bhí ann. Bhí sé chomh dubh le píc. Bhí mé ag tabhairt aire do mo dheartháir óg. Bhíos ag féachaint ar sraith teilifíse...(it was a dark, pitch black night. I was minding my little brother, watching the TV series....)

Gnáthlá a bhí ann, i ndáiríre. Bheul, sin mar a cheap mé - ach ní fhéadfainn a bheith níos faide ón bhfírinne. (It was an ordinary day, really. Well, that's what I thought - but I couldn't have been further from the truth...)

Dhúsaigh mé de phreab. Bhí mé ag cur allais. Bhí tromluí uafásach agam. Go tobann, thuig mé nach tromluí a bhí ann, ach fíorscéal uafásach...(I woke with a fright. I was sweating. I'd had a terrible nightmare. Suddenly, I realised that it wasn't a nightmare, but a terrible reality...)

Bhí mé ag súil go mór leis an lá sin, gan aon dabht. Lá tábhachtach i saol an duine óg - lá nach ndéanfainn dearmad air go deo. Ach, ní raibh a fhios agam ag an am sin, cé chomh tábhachtach is a bheadh sé i mo shaol.(I was really looking forward to that day, no doubt about it. An important day in a young persons life - A day I'd never forget. But I didn't know at the time just how significant it would be in my life...)

Make sure to use terminology that pushes the story forward:

Níorbh fhada go raibh mé/muid...(It wasn't long before...)

Tar éis tamaill beag...(after a little while...)

Ina dhiadh sin (after that)

...áfach (however)

is ansin a thuig mé....(it was then I understood)

Ar an drochuair (unfortunately)

nuair a... (when...)

agus mé ag... (when I was...-ing)

is ansin a...(it was then...)

ach (but)

faraor / ar an drochuair (unfortunately)

go tubaisteach (tragically...)

chomh maith le sin (as well as that)

Use a range of adjectives and emotions.

Show off the language and verbs that you have learned over the years! This is definitely the time to dig deep and show off everything - if you think it's too much, do more!

Make sure you're writing in the correct tense - this is where people lose a lot of marks.

For the story, you'll usually be writing in the past tense.

unbelievable - dochreidte

harsh/strict - dian

angrily - go feargach

quickly - go tapa / go gasta

terribly/awfully - go huafásach

slowly - go mall

quietly - go ciúin ....

I ran like the wind (rith mé ar nós na gaoithe)

It was as black as coal (dark night) - (bhí sé chome dhubh le píc)

I screamed at the top of my lungs (Scread mé in ard mo chinn)

I was extremely lucky (Bhí an t-ádh dearg orm)

He hadn't any repect for... (Ní raibh meas madra aige ar...)

I was over the moon (delighted) - (Bhí mé ar muin na muice)

·       Is ait an mac an saol

life is odd

·       is maith an scéalaí an aimsir

time will tell

·       ní lia duine ná tuairim

opinions are as plentiful as people

·       de réir a chéile thógtar na caisleaín

by degrees the castle is built

·       mol an óige agus tiocfaidh siad

praise the youth and they will prosper

·       Ní bhíonn saoi gan locht

Nobody's perfect

·       ní mar a shíltear a bhítear

things aren't always as they seem

·       filleann an feall ar an bhfeallaire

what goes around comes around

·       ní bhíonn bua gan dua

there's no winning without work

·       is fearr an tsláinte ná na táinte

health is better than wealth

·   aigne shlán i gcorp folláin

healthy mind in healthy body

Bhíomar go léir slán sábháilte agus cinnte, ní dhéanfaidh mé dearmad ar an lá/oíche sin riamh.(We were all safe and well - I'll never forget that day/night)

Mairfidh an cuimhne sin i mo mheon go deo.(that memory will stay in my mind forever)

Dfhoghlaim mé ceacht iontach tábhachtach an lá /oíche sin.(I learned an important lesson that night)