Fiction Comprehension

Fiction passages — stories, novel extracts, and narrative writing — are a major part of the SET Stage 1 English paper. In this lesson, you will learn how to read fiction passages effectively, understand characters and settings, and answer multiple-choice questions with confidence.

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What Is Fiction?

Fiction is writing that tells an imaginary story, created by the author. It includes novels, short stories, myths, legends, fairy tales, and narrative poems. In the SET exam, you will usually be given an extract (a section) from a longer story.

The passage will be one you have never read before. This is deliberate — the exam tests your comprehension skills, not whether you have read the book.

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Key Elements of Fiction

When you read a fiction passage in the SET exam, pay attention to these elements:

Element	What to look for
Characters	Who is in the passage? What are they doing, saying, and feeling?
Setting	Where and when does the story take place? What is the atmosphere?
Plot	What is happening? What events are described?
Narrator	Who is telling the story? First person ("I") or third person ("he/she")?
Theme	What bigger ideas or messages does the passage explore (e.g. courage, friendship, loss)?
Mood/Atmosphere	What feeling does the passage create (e.g. tense, peaceful, joyful)?

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Understanding Characters

Characters are at the heart of fiction. In the SET exam, you may be asked about:

What a character is like

Look at their actions, words, thoughts, and how other characters react to them.

Example:

Raj walked to the front of the class, his hands steady and his voice clear. "I have something to say," he announced.

What this tells us: Raj is confident and determined. His steady hands and clear voice show he is not nervous.

How a character feels

Look for clues in their behaviour and the language used to describe them.

Example:

Sophie turned the letter over in her hands, her fingers trembling slightly. She took a deep breath before breaking the seal.

What this tells us: Sophie is nervous or anxious about the letter. The trembling fingers and deep breath are physical signs of worry.

How a character changes

Sometimes a character changes during the passage. Noticing this can help you answer questions about their journey.

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Understanding Setting and Atmosphere

The setting is not just a backdrop — it creates the mood of the passage.

Setting description	Mood it creates
"A dark, foggy street with shadows shifting in every doorway"	Mysterious, threatening
"Golden sunlight poured through the open window onto a vase of wildflowers"	Warm, peaceful, happy
"Rain hammered against the glass and the house shuddered in the wind"	Wild, dramatic, unsettling

Top tip: If a SET question asks about mood or atmosphere, look at the setting description — it will often give you the answer.

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First-Person vs Third-Person Narration

Type	What it means	Example
First person	The narrator is a character in the story, using "I"	"I could hear footsteps behind me."
Third person	The narrator is outside the story, using "he", "she", or "they"	"She could hear footsteps behind her."