HOW TO

Forms of Recount
An imaginative recount is written for the purpose of entertaining the reader. An imaginative recount is told by a fictional character, such as a fairy, or a dragon.

The purpose of a recount is to narrate past experiences or events by retelling them in chronological order (the order in which the events occurred). Recounts can be written with the intention to either entertain the audience, or give factual information to the audience.

Title
Should provide a hook for the reader The title should summarise the recount

Characters
Who is featured in your recount? (Mum/Dad/Dog/Cat?)

Setting
Where does your recount take place? When does your recount occur? Why did the events in your recount happen?

Order of events
A factual recount is written for the purpose of giving a real life account of events to the reader. An example of a factual recount is a witnesses report to the police. Describe events in the order that they occurred.

Details
Be specific. What time did the events in your recount occur? Where did the events unfold?

Reactions
A personal recount is written for the purpose of telling the reader a sequence of events that has occurred in the authors life. For example, if you went to a party on Saturday night, the purpose of your personal recount would be to tell the reader what happened from the time you arrived, until the time you returned home. How did you feel at the time? How did you react? Use paragraphing to retell the events that took place

Paragraphs

Ending
What was the outcome?

Past tense:
Recounts are used to retell events that have occurred in the past - therefore, they are written in past tense. For example: Last night after school, I did my homework

Language use in Recounts

Word choice
In recounts, words are chosen in order to connect events in time. For example: Afterwards Later that night Next When Before Earlier First On Monday evening At the same time As soon as Then Last week Last year On June 19th

Verbs (Action words)

Verb use is important in recounts because verbs tell us whether something is happening in the past, present or future.

For example:
Past Harry smiled Present Harry is smiling Future Harry will smile Adverbs (Modify/ add detail to verbs) Adverbs, like verbs are important in recounts because they are used to describe events that have taken place in greater detail.

For example:
She quickly put away her shoes. He ate his dinner slowly.

Use personal pronouns. (Such as I, we) Use describing words to add interest or humour. Write your sentences in a way that create excitement and anticipation. Use figurative language in your recount. (Alliteration, similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, personification) Change paragraphs when: A new character comes along, a new event takes place, a new idea is introduced, the setting changes, etc.

Did you know?

If you add ly to the end of many adjectives, they turn into adverbs!

For example:
Adjective: Awful + ly = Adverb: Awfully Adjective: Careful + ly = Adverb: Carefully Adjective: Slow + ly = Adverb: Slowly

Below are some story-starters that you could use to begin your recount with: 1. There was a knock at the door 2. Everything happened so quickly 3. The smell that filled the air was repulsive 4. It was the first day of school 5. I was sitting on the train, minding my own business when 6. On the 18th of May 7. It was my birthday 8. It all happened so suddenly 9. Everything was perfect until 10. I had been warned 11. After my English exam 12. Smoke filled the room as I tried to escape 13. Her eyes were the colour of the ocean 14. The day we met 15. Dear, 16. There was something about that man 17. The water was as cold as ice 18. The shiny new car sped away 19. He saw the police and ran 20. Nothing made sense

(Let your imagination run wild)

Have you proof-read your recount? Have you read your work out loud? Does your recount remain in past tense from beginning to end? Have you fixed any spelling errors that you may have found? Do your sentences make sense?