The inherited violin
An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.
Samuel opened the case and found the violin wrapped in faded silk. His uncle had never allowed him to touch it. Now the solicitor’s letter said it belonged to him. He lifted the instrument carefully, noticing a worn patch beneath the chin rest. The wood held the shape of somebody else’s habits.
He drew the bow across one string. The rough note startled him. He stopped, glanced towards the door and almost returned the violin to its case. Then he remembered his uncle laughing at a missed note during a lesson. Samuel tried again, easing the pressure of the bow. This time the sound lasted until he chose to end it.
Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to present Samuel’s hesitation about playing his uncle’s instrument. Support your answer with references to the passage.
120 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE English Language 1.3 Content: prose fiction study requirements, covering 1.3.1 Read challenging prose fiction for the unseen 19th-century extract. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.