Personal Narrative

ELA 7

Personal Narrative

• Turn to the next blank page in your journal.

• Set it up like this:

First Person Story

• A true story you tell about yourself

• First person uses words like “I,” “Me,” “myself.”

• Story is significant to the writer

• A memory of one specific incident

Focus/Development of Ideas

• Message is easily identified

• Topic is narrowed to a manageable size

• Details are beyond the obvious or general

• Use descriptions to say things in a unique and memorable way

Sequence of Events

• Retell the story in chronological, or time, order

• Inviting introduction and effective conclusion

• Transition words and phrases link sentences and paragraphs

Sensory Details• Write passages that

show the reader what is happening instead of telling or stating facts.

• Think about what each of the senses is experiencing in that moment.

• Use vivid images to help the reader experience the setting, characters and action as you did.

Dialogue• Reveal details about

the characters through what they say to each other.

• Add details in the dialogue tags you use.

• Dialogue should add to the plot of the story.

Significance of Event• The writer

communicates the importance of or reasons for the actions and/or consequences.

• Truisms- universal truths about life that are often common quotes or clichés.

End Result: