SEA 2025 Creative Writing - The Forgotten Exam

The following is a prompt from SEA 2025 exam for Creative Writing:

The sun was high and blazing over the youth club field. I could already feel the sweat trickling down my neck as I laced up my boots. My friends were on the pitch, passing the ball, laughing, stretching for our usual Saturday morning game. It had been a long week of revision and stress, and finally, I felt free.

I tossed my water bottle into the grass and jogged toward the field, the smell of cut grass and fried snacks from the nearby parlour mixing in the breeze. Just then, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I checked it lazily, thinking it was probably my cousin sending a meme.

Instead, I read:  "Reminder: SEA Math Mock Exam – Today at 9:00 a.m." My heart dropped. "I can’t believe this is happening to me!" I shouted, my voice cracking as I stared at the screen.  Everything froze around me. I could hear my pulse thudding in my ears. The game hadn’t even started, but now it didn’t matter. The mock exam. Today. And it was already 8:39.

My boots felt like they were made of cement as I yanked them off and grabbed my bag. “What happened?” one of my teammates called, but I didn’t answer. My legs moved before my brain caught up—I was sprinting across the field, out the gate, down the street. The air was thick and hot. Each step pounded out a single word in my head: You. Forgot. The. Exam.

I reached the school gate, drenched and out of breath. My chest heaved as I burst into the hallway. My teacher was just walking past with a clipboard. “Hurry,” she said with a small smile, “you’ve got just enough time.” I slipped into my seat as she handed me the paper. My hand trembled as I picked up my pencil. For the first few minutes, the numbers swam on the page. My shirt was damp. My mind was racing.

But slowly, I remembered what I knew. Fractions, decimals, percentages. I started circling, writing, solving—one question at a time. By the time I flipped to the last page, I was focused. I had survived the worst part—showing up.

When I walked out of that classroom two hours later, I felt light. The sky still blazed overhead. I hadn’t made it to football, but I had made it through something harder.  That evening, I sat under the mango tree in our yard, sipping juice, the test already fading from my mind. I didn’t know what my results would be, but I knew this: sometimes, the real test isn’t just what’s on the paper—it’s what you do when life throws a surprise at you.

Essay Breakdown

🔸 Content: 5 – Exemplary

• The story aligns perfectly with the prompt, with the required line integrated naturally and meaningfully.

• Full narrative structure is present:

  • Exposition (football setup at youth club),

  • Rising Action (realization and panic),

  • Climax (racing to school and sitting the test),

  • Falling Action (gaining confidence mid-exam),

  • Resolution (emotional reflection at home).

• The internal journey is clear and authentic—balancing stress, action, and eventual resilience.

🔸 Language Use: 5 – Exemplary

• Excellent sensory details: “smell of cut grass and fried snacks,” “boots felt like they were made of cement,” “numbers swam on the page.”

• Figurative and expressive language is varied and vivid without overuse.

• Inner voice is strong and believable, showing the emotional highs and lows effectively.

🔸 Organisation: 5 – Exemplary

• Smooth transitions between scenes and clear paragraph structure.

• Pacing builds suspense and ends on a satisfying, reflective note.

• Final paragraph ties the story’s emotional theme together beautifully.

🔸 Grammar & Mechanics: 5 – Exemplary

• No noticeable errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar.

• Sentence variety and structure support clarity and reader engagement.

• Dialogue and internal monologue are punctuated correctly.

🌟 Total Score: 20/20

💡 Comment:
This essay is an outstanding example of a SEA narrative because it presents a relatable situation with emotional depth, a well-structured plot, and vivid descriptions that draw the reader in. The character’s journey from surprise and panic to resilience and reflection demonstrates strong personal growth.

The use of clear sensory details, natural dialogue, and a satisfying resolution makes the story both engaging and memorable. It fully meets the expectations of the SEA rubric across all categories.

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