Best 11 Plus Writing Practice Books: What to Look For and Where to Find Them

If your child is preparing for the 11 Plus exam, finding the right writing practice resources can feel overwhelming. With so many options out there – from generic English workbooks to online courses – it’s easy to miss the resources that actually match what grammar schools and independent schools are looking for.

This guide covers the most effective types of 11 Plus writing practice books and what to look for when choosing them.

What Makes a Good 11 Plus Writing Practice Book?

The best 11 Plus writing resources do three things well: they provide a range of prompt types (narrative, descriptive, persuasive), they’re matched to the vocabulary and structure examiners expect, and they offer enough practice volume to build speed under exam conditions.

Many standard creative writing books sold in bookshops are aimed at general KS2 literacy development – not 11 Plus exam technique. For grammar school preparation, you need prompts that encourage sophisticated vocabulary, clear structure and the kind of original detail that examiners reward at selective schools.

Types of 11 Plus Writing Practice You Should Cover

• Picture-based writing prompts – many 11 Plus papers use an image as a writing stimulus. Practice helps children learn to ‘read’ an image and build a story from what they see.
• Persuasive writing tasks – letters, speeches, articles and arguments are increasingly common in 11 Plus and KS3 English assessments.
• Descriptive writing – using sensory language, varied sentence structure and precise vocabulary to paint a vivid picture.
• Narrative/story writing – with a clear structure (opening, build-up, climax, resolution), a distinctive narrative voice and a satisfying ending.
• Diary entry and first-person writing – requires children to adopt a character’s perspective convincingly.

Recommended 11 Plus Writing Practice Resources

At Geek School, our writing prompts booklets are written by specialist 11 Plus tutors with direct experience of what Bromley, Sutton, Barnet and independent school entrance exams are looking for. Each booklet focuses on a specific genre or writing type, so children can build genuine expertise rather than jumping between styles.

Our most popular resources include:

• 50 Question 11+ Writing Prompts Booklet – a comprehensive bank of varied prompts covering all major 11 Plus writing styles. Ideal for regular timed practice at home.
• 30 Persuasive Writing Tasks Booklet – perfect for children who need to build confidence in argument-based writing, with model sentence openers and planning frameworks included.
• 50 Diary Entry Writing Prompts – helps children develop a convincing first-person voice, with prompts matched to KS2 and 11 Plus requirements.

How Often Should Children Practice 11 Plus Writing?

For children sitting the 11 Plus in Year 5 or Year 6, we recommend at least two timed writing sessions per week from around 12-18 months before the exam. Short, focused sessions of 20-30 minutes produce better results than occasional long sittings – and having a structured prompt to work from removes the “I don’t know what to write” block that holds many children back.

Browse the full range of 11 Plus writing resources in the Geek School shop – all available as instant digital downloads or printed booklets.