Welcome to Recount and Diary Writing!
Have you ever come home from a school trip and wanted to tell your family every single thing that happened? Or maybe you have a special notebook where you write down your secret thoughts and feelings? If so, you are already a recount and diary writer!
In this chapter, we will learn how to turn those memories and events into organized, exciting pieces of writing. Whether you are retelling a historical event or writing about your breakfast, the skills are the same. Let’s dive in!
What is a Recount?
A recount is a piece of writing that tells the reader about something that has already happened. Its main purpose is to inform or entertain the reader by retelling events in the order they occurred.
There are different types of recounts, such as:
• Personal recounts: Like a diary or a letter about your holiday.
• Factual recounts: Like a newspaper report or a history book retelling a famous battle.
• Imaginative recounts: Writing as if you were a character in a story or a person from the past.
The "Recount Recipe": How to Structure Your Writing
To keep your reader from getting lost, a good recount usually follows a clear pattern. Don't worry if this seems like a lot to remember—just think of it as a beginning, a middle, and an end!
1. The Orientation (The Introduction)
This is where you set the scene. You need to answer the 5 Ws:
• Who was involved?
• What happened?
• Where did it take place?
• When did it happen?
• Why did it happen?
2. Sequence of Events (The Middle)
This is the main part of your writing. You describe what happened in chronological order (the order in which things happened). To keep it organized, use paragraphs to group different parts of the day or different ideas together.
3. Re-orientation (The Conclusion)
This is where you wrap things up. You might say how the day ended or how you felt about the events. "I went to bed feeling exhausted but very happy," is a classic way to finish a personal recount!
Key Takeaway: Always start with the 5 Ws and tell your story in the order it happened!
The Recount Toolbox: Helpful Language Tips
To make your recount sound professional, you need to use the right "tools" from your grammar toolbox. Here are the most important ones for KS2 students:
Using the Right Tense
Because recounts are about things that have already finished, we usually write in the past tense.
• Simple past: "I walked to the park."
• Present perfect: "I have visited the museum before."
First or Third Person?
• If you are writing about yourself (like a diary), use the first person (I, we, me, us).
• If you are writing about someone else (like a biography), use the third person (he, she, they, it).
Fronted Adverbials (Time Connectives)
To help your writing flow, use fronted adverbials to show when things happened. This builds cohesion (how well your writing sticks together).
Examples: "First," "After lunch," "Suddenly," "Later that afternoon," or "Eventually."
Common Mistake Alert: Don't forget the comma after your fronted adverbial!
Correct: "After the rain stopped, we went outside."
Focus on: Diary Writing
A diary is a very special type of personal recount. It is usually private and written in a more informal register (a casual, chatty tone).
Features of a Great Diary:
• The Date: Always put the date at the top so you know when it happened!
• "Dear Diary": Many people start this way to make it feel like they are talking to a friend.
• Emotive Language: Since it's personal, use words that describe your feelings (e.g., anxious, thrilled, frustrated, delighted).
• Inverted Commas: If you want to include something someone said to you, use inverted commas (speech marks).
Example: Mum shouted, "Clean your room!"
Did You Know?
Some of the most famous books in history are actually diaries! They help historians understand what life was like hundreds of years ago because they capture small, everyday details that big history books might miss.
Quick Review: The Recount Checklist
Before you finish your writing, ask yourself these questions:
• Is it in chronological order?
• Have I used paragraphs to organize my ideas?
• Is it mostly in the past tense?
• Did I use fronted adverbials and commas?
• If it’s a diary, have I used the first person ("I") and shared my feelings?
Top Tip: To avoid repeating the same words, use pronouns. Instead of saying "The dog" in every sentence, you can use "he," "she," or "it" to make your writing smoother.
Note: For more help on telling stories, check out the chapter on "Narrative writing: setting, character and plot."