Year 7 · English · Modern novel study · Lesson 5

Plot structure and the climax

Plot structure (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution) and building tension at the climax, using the original novel ‘The Night Library’.

17-minute video lesson

Teaching, worked examples and 20 practice questions solved step by step.

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What your child will learn

Name the five stages of plot
Identify the climax
Explain how writers build tension
Link the climax to character change

The method

Find the peak.
Techniques.
Quote.
Effect.

Key words: plot, exposition, rising action, climax, resolution, tension, stakes.

Worked examples

The first three practice questions from the lesson, with every step.

Question 1

Name the five stages of plot.

Step 1: E, R, C, F, R

Answer: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution

Question 2

What happens in the exposition?

Step 1: Introduce

Answer: characters and setting are introduced

Question 3

What happens in the rising action?

Step 1: Build

Answer: problems and tension build