CREATING BETTER DESCRIPTIONS IN NARRATIVES
Improve your writing by using stronger adjectives (describing words) with each noun (name of person, place, animal, thing):
Create a picture in the mind of the reader by using powerful imagery (images or pictures):
Create a picture in the mind of the reader by using powerful imagery (images or pictures):
- Use the RAKE (See, hear, feel, taste, smell, touch, think) to help you imagine what it would be like if you or your reader were a character in your story
- Use figurative language (language of imagination) such as alliteration (same starting sound - combine with adjectives - silently, slithering snake, fluttering flapping flags);
- onomatopoeia - makes the sound of the thing it is describing (crashing, cracks and smashing smacks of the violent thunderstorm; squashy, squishy, squelchy mud - this combines alliteration and onomatopoeia and you can really imagine what it feels and sounds like!
- Later we will look at more figurative language (similes, personification, metaphor).
- We will also be learning to use adverbs to add descriptions to our verbs and adjectives to tell how, when, where someone does something - Rachel grabbed her school bag and hurriedly dashed down the street - completely forgetting her homework on the messy kitchen table. How did she rush (verb)?. She rushed 'hurriedly' = adverb. Adding 'ly' to the verb 'hurried' turns it into an adverb. One type of adverb gives us more detail about actions. It's easy to add an adverb to your writing. Sometimes, you can use these adverbs at the start of your sentences. Have a look at the Uplevelling Mat below to see some examples.
GRAMMAR LESSONS
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HAVE FUN ADDING DETAIL TO YOUR SENTENCES
HOW TO MAKE YOUR NARRATIVE INTERESTING
PLAN, PLAN, PLAN - take 5-10 minutes to carefully plan your narrative:
Include an exciting title that allows the reader to predict what the story may be about
Genres for your story:
Use dialogue
"If we don't leave right now, the river will cut off our escape!" screamed Jack in a panic-stricken voice.
"I know, but I can't get my foot out - it's caught under this rock and the water's rising fast ... I'm scared, Jack," Jill wailed, soaked and sobbing uncontrollably.
"Hang on!" Jack shouted desperately. "I think I have a plan."
"Hurry, I'm going under and I can't hold my breath for long."
Then it was silent - just the rushing roar and thunder of the rapidly rising river. Jack had never been so totally terrified. He was the older brother. What if he failed his sister. Somehow, he had to dive under that raging water and try to free her foot. But he hated going underwater. He hadn't even passed his swimming lessons at school.
- the genre you will write - what are 3-4 elements or things that belong to this genre only
- the setting
- at least 2 main characters (one a hero, one a villain or evil) - good stories also show a hero who may have a weakness that he/she gets over (overcomes) by the end of the story and/or a villain who shows some good character traits
- the problem or event that gets the story started and has to be solved
- 2 events in the story that the main character has to complete so the problem can be solved
- a solution
- a message or lesson that one of the characters learns
Include an exciting title that allows the reader to predict what the story may be about
Genres for your story:
- Fantasy, Adventure, Mystery, Realistic or everyday, Science fiction, Horror, mixed genre (eg fantasy/adventure)
- To get an idea, use the Ziptales, Extending Literacy Year 3 - 6 link and then select the icon or picture for your genre. Listen to the story and notice what special things are included in that genre.
- When you plan, make sure you include some of the elements of that genre - for example, in Fantasy, plan to have some mythical creatures, magical powers, medieval world things like knights, kings, queens, princes, princesses, jesters, swords, armour, quests, talking animals or non-living things. What would you include in a Mystery genre story?
- Plan to include at least 3 or 4 elements that belong in your chosen genre. Make sure you use these in writing your story to make it much more interesting and detailed. Don't just mention a whole lot of things and then not use them in your story! It is much better to just have about 3-4 and use all of them in the events of your story.
- Describe your settings and your characters with more detail - see the page Better Sentences.
Use dialogue
- Make the characters talk by using dialogue with speech marks. " and " only go around the actual words a character speaks and not around the 'said' part.
- " and " go around all other punctuation such as full stops, exclamation marks and question marks.
- Each time a different character speaks, you must use a new line.
- Put a comma , between the words the character actually said and the word for 'said that is used
- Use different words for said
- For example,
"If we don't leave right now, the river will cut off our escape!" screamed Jack in a panic-stricken voice.
"I know, but I can't get my foot out - it's caught under this rock and the water's rising fast ... I'm scared, Jack," Jill wailed, soaked and sobbing uncontrollably.
"Hang on!" Jack shouted desperately. "I think I have a plan."
"Hurry, I'm going under and I can't hold my breath for long."
Then it was silent - just the rushing roar and thunder of the rapidly rising river. Jack had never been so totally terrified. He was the older brother. What if he failed his sister. Somehow, he had to dive under that raging water and try to free her foot. But he hated going underwater. He hadn't even passed his swimming lessons at school.