TEACHER’S NOTES

www.macmillandictionary.com
flash fiction

Overview: Suggestions for using the Macmillan Dictionary BuzzWord article on flash fiction and
the associated worksheets.

Total time for worksheet activities: 45 minutes

Suggested level: Upper intermediate and above

1. If you intend to use the worksheet in class, go a more detailed summary of the text using a
to the BuzzWord article at the web address specified number of words (e.g. 200).
given at the beginning of the worksheet and 7. Exercise 4 focuses on some key vocabulary
print off a copy of the article. Make a copy of connected with books. Ask students to
the worksheet and the BuzzWord article for complete the exercise in pairs and give help
each student. You might find it helpful not to with the vocabulary where necessary, or
print a copy of the Key for each student but to suggest that students look up any unfamiliar
check the answers as a class. words in the Macmillan Dictionary.
2. If the members of your class all have 8. After completing the exercise, further related
computer and internet access, ask them to vocabulary could be explored, e.g. epilogue
open the worksheet before they go to the (an extra part added at the end of a novel),
BuzzWord article link. Make sure they do prologue (an introduction to the story),
not scroll down to the Key until they have foreword (an introduction which is usually
completed each exercise. written by another writer).
3. As an opener, write the word fiction on the 9. Complete Exercise 5 orally as a class activity,
board and ask students what it means (books inviting individual students to play the role of
and stories about imaginary events and each speaker and then asking the rest of the
people). If necessary, explain the distinction class which book they think is needed. As
between fiction and non-fiction (writing that an extension, students could choose one of
gives facts about real events, things, or the books and make up their own snippets of
people) and the meaning of science fiction conversation from which the other students
(fiction dealing with space travel and life on then guess the correct book.
other planets, etc).
10. As a wind-up activity and/or homework, ask
4. Encourage students to read through the students to write their own piece of flash
questions in Exercise 1 before they look at the fiction. You could vary the length according
BuzzWord article. Ask them to read through to time and/or student ability, e.g. ask for a
the whole article carefully and answer the drabble (100 words), a dribble (50 words) or a
questions, then compare their answers with a single page (about 250 words).
partner. Check the answers as a class.
5. Ask students to complete Exercise 2
independently and then compare their
answers with a partner. Check the answers as
a class.
6. Exercise 3 is a matching activity which builds
five key sentences based on the text and
summarizes the gist of the article. Students
complete the exercise in pairs and, as an
extension activity, able students could work in
pairs to expand the sentences and construct
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MACMILLAN DICTIONARY BUZZWORD / flash fiction

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 WORKSHEET
www.macmillandictionary.com
flash fiction

Go to the Macmillan Dictionary BuzzWord article at:

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/buzzword/entries/flash-fiction.html

1 Find the information

Read the BuzzWord article on the word flash fiction and answer these questions.

1. What is flash fiction?

2. Give two alternative terms for flash fiction.

3. What word is used to describe stories of exactly 100 words?

4. What is a dribble?

5. When did the term flash fiction first appear?

6. What expression is used to describe stories written by fans of a book or TV series?

2 Comprehension check

Choose the correct answer according to the text.

1. Who wrote the six-word story at the beginning 4. Pieces of flash fiction contain ...
of the article?
a. protagonists.
a. William Shakespeare b. conflicts.
b. Ernest Hemingway c. protagonists and conflicts.
c. It is not certain who wrote the story.
5. The idea of writing short pieces of fiction
2. The six-word story is fascinating because ... dates back to ...

a. it makes people think. a. the 1930s.

b. it makes people sad. b. Ancient Greece.
c. it makes people laugh. c. the 1990s.

3. The term micro-fiction is used to describe 6. What expression is sometimes used to describe
stories of less than ... novels written for young men?

a. 300 words. a. lab lit

b. 250 words. b. lad lit
c. 1000 words. c. chick lit
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MACMILLAN DICTIONARY BUZZWORD / flash fiction

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 WORKSHEET
www.macmillandictionary.com
flash fiction

3 Re-build the text

Match the sentence halves.

1. Flash fiction is a style of a. all the classic story elements.

2. Flash fiction is quite different b. writing.

3. There’s no widely accepted c. nothing new.

4. Pieces of flash fiction contain d. to the concept of a short story.

5. The idea of very short pieces of fiction is e. definition of flash fiction.

4 Choose the correct word

Complete the sentences with the words from the box.

author chapter character plot story title

1. The first _______________________ is a bit boring, but after that the book is really exciting.

2. It’s the _______________________ of a woman who cycled from Perth to Sydney.

3. His last novel has a funny _______________________ ‒ it’s called Breakfast with a Guinea Pig.

4. Sara Jackson is the ______________________ of three best-selling novels.

5. The main ______________________ is a young Spanish boy named Juan.

6. The book isn’t always easy to follow because the _____________________ is very complicated.

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MACMILLAN DICTIONARY BUZZWORD / flash fiction

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www.macmillandictionary.com
flash fiction

5 Which book?
Match the sentences to the appropriate book, choosing from the words in the box.

atlas cookery book dictionary encyclopaedia

guidebook notebook novel textbook

1. I’m not sure what the word

‘conflate’ means.
____________________________________

2. Tom’s parents are coming for dinner and I want

to make something special.
____________________________________

3. What are the best things to do in Paris?

____________________________________

4. I’m doing a physics course this year.

____________________________________

5. Can you recommend a good book to

read on holiday?
____________________________________

6. Where exactly is Madagascar?

____________________________________

7. I’d like to find out more about giant

sea turtles.
____________________________________

8. We should write that down before

we forget it.
____________________________________
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MACMILLAN DICTIONARY BUZZWORD / flash fiction

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 KEY
www.macmillandictionary.com
flash fiction

KEY

1 Find the information 4 Choose the correct word

1. a style of literature in which stories are extremely 1. chapter

short (less than 300 words) 2. story
2. possible answers: micro-fiction, sudden fiction, 3. title
postcard fiction, short short, short short story 4. author
3. drabble 5. character
4. a story of 50 words 6. plot
5. the early 1990s
6. fan fiction
5 Which book?

2 Comprehension check 1. dictionary

2. cookery book
1. c 3. guidebook
2. a 4. textbook
3. a 5. novel
4. c 6. atlas
5. b 7. encyclopaedia
6. b 8. notebook

3 Re-build the text

1. b
2. d
3. e
4. a
5. c
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MACMILLAN DICTIONARY BUZZWORD / flash fiction

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