An ending is earned when the reader can look back and find the reasons for it in the story. Revising means checking the ending against the evidence already on the page.
This lesson is the fourth pass in revising an original Chinese narrative. If your ending needs to show the main idea, see connecting an ending to the central theme.
What is the evidence-list method?
- List what the story has shown: the problem, the main actions, the objects, the feelings.
- Write the ending you planned.
- Check each part of it against the list. If something new appears, revise.
- Use at least one listed fact in the ending.
The claim evidence and explanation revision desk follows the same habit of tying each claim to a named piece of evidence.
Worked example: a quarrel over a toy
Story: 我和弟弟为了一辆遥控车吵架，争抢时车子摔坏了一个轮子。妈妈没有责骂，只是把车子放在桌上。
Evidence list: the toy car, the broken wheel, the quarrel, the mother’s silence.
Unearned ending: “第二天，我们和好如初，从此再也没有吵过架。”
Nothing in the story explains the reconciliation, and “再也没有吵过架” is hard to believe.
Revised ending: “周末，弟弟拿来胶水，我扶着车身，他把那个轮子粘了回去。胶水还没干，我们谁也没有说话，却同时伸手去扶着它。”
The revised ending uses the toy car, the broken wheel and the silence. The reconciliation is shown by a shared action, not declared. The reader can trace each element back.
The mistake that costs marks
The common slips are the sudden reward, the instant forgiveness and the dream twist.
| Ending | Why it fails | Repair |
|---|---|---|
| “突然，我中了大奖。” | No earlier clue | Use a result from the character’s own effort |
| “他们马上原谅了我。” | No scene showing why | Show one act of making amends |
| “原来这一切都是梦。” | Cancels the story | End on the real event |
The fix is usually small. Choose one object or action from earlier and let it finish the story.
Check yourself
Story summary: 小芳每天放学后练习跑步，却在校运会输掉了一百米。Planned ending: “后来她成了全国冠军。” Revise the ending using the story evidence.
Answer
Evidence: daily practice after school, the lost 100 metres.
“全国冠军” has no support and is a sudden reward. A revised ending: “放学后，跑道上仍然只有她一个人。她在起跑线前蹲下，这一次，她把输掉的那张名次纸条折好，放进了鞋盒。”
The ending returns to her routine and to the lost race, and shows that she continues. No new fact is introduced, yet the ending still points to the change in her attitude toward losing.
What to study next
Test all four passes on the revision practice set. Go back to the four-pass revision guide to choose which pass to repeat.
To revise an ending with a teacher, see online one-to-one Chinese tuition.