WRITING A NARRATIVE ESSAY

A narrative is a story with a sequence of connected events. It could be about a personal

experience or an imagined event or events.

Let us look at some typical examination questions:

1. Write a story of a man who returns to his home after many years.
2. The day I lost my temper.
3. Write a story ending with, I shall never forget this day for the rest of my life.
4. Write about an occasion when you got into trouble.
5. Write a story beginning with, I could not believe my eyes.

How do I write a narrative essay for the examination?

A. PLANNING

Lets say you have chosen question 3, - Write a story ending with, I shall never forget
this day for the rest of my life.

1. Read the question carefully and underline important phrases. Pay particular
attention to the ending.
2. Brainstorm for ideas by using the 5Ws and 1H approach and jot down notes.
Who is the character?
When is the event taking place?
Where is it happening?
What is happening?
Why is there a problem?
How is the problem solved?

B. WRITING THE ESSAY

Now that you have got the skeleton of your story, it is time to begin writing.

1. Use linkers and phrases which link the events to move your story in a
chronological order. Some phrases that are suitable :
It was very dark.
I will never forget ..
A few minutes later.
Suddenly,
When the disaster happened, ..
2. Use the past tense forms. Check all the verbs you have used.
3. Use descriptive language (adjectives, adverbs)
4. Use sensory details to reveal the events and to get the readers involved. Do
not merely tell but show the events through words and phrases.


Example:
a. I went into the restaurant.
b. I walked into the restaurant.
c. I sauntered into the restaurant.

5. Sentence a: merely states that I went into the restaurant
Sentence b: gives a little more information as to how I went into the
restaurant.
Sentence c: uses a more specific word to show clearly the idea of how I went
into the restaurant.

Sentence c. allows the reader to see what I am doing. The word sauntered
means to stroll. It gives the image of a person walking slowly into the
restaurant. Thus, sentence c. is more effective in narrative and descriptive
writing.

6. Use direct speech, but use it sparingly and effectively. Remember, you are
writing a narrative, not a script.

7. Avoid using informal language

C. CHECKING

Read your essay once through and check for the following things:

Is the spelling accurate?
Is the punctuation appropriate? Did you use too many commas in a
sentence?
Did you vary the sentence structure? Are your sentences too long?
Does one thought follow the next in a logical order?
Did you stick to the topic? Did you use words so that your reader could
experience the incident?
Did you use the appropriate tense of the verb throughout?
Make any corrections neatly.

Write a story beginning with, I could not believe my eyes
I could not believe my eyes as I saw the skinny lady who was walking
slowly towards the medicine counter. She looked old, haggard and depressed.
She looked so familiar to me, but a younger, happier version. There was no
way I could be wrong.
Quietly, she sat on one of the chairs and waited patiently for her turn
to collect her medicine. I suddenly remembered, it had to be Diana, my best
friend in secondary school. But this person looked too old to be 30. Anyway, I
braved myself to approach her. Hearing my footsteps, she looked up slowly.
You are Diana Yusof, arent you?
She nodded her head silently. Hello, Amira? You are looking good.
Her remarks reminded me of how beautiful she had been once. Diana
had been the school beauty. Everyone had admired her for her looks, her
brains and her beautiful character.
One day, Diana had stopped coming to school. No one knew where
her family had gone and why they had left so suddenly.
Taking a seat next to her, I wondered what had happened to her.
Why did you leave so suddenly, Diana? Why?
She looked at me nervously. I could sense that she was reluctant to
talk and expose a part of her life. After a long silence, finally, she started telling
me her story.
Her mother had been diagnosed with cancer and there was nothing
the doctors could do. They said that she had only three months to live. Her
father decided to return to their hometown, to let her live in peace.
Her father, distressed by his wifes death, started to neglect his own
health and three months later, he too died, leaving Diana in the care of her
aunt.
Tears rolled down Dianas cheeks as she related the difficult years
with her aunt. Her aunt treated her badly. She forced her to quit school and to
work at a restaurant. The cruel old lady often beat her. Her cousins, jealous of
her beauty, were nastier than their mother.
Now that the aunt was old, her five children had left her when they
realised that she needed special care. Despite her aunts poor treatment of
her, Diana felt sorry for her.
She has no one else, she said. I have promised to take care of her.
I looked at Diana and saw her goodness. Instead of seeing a gaunt
and weary figure, I saw an amazingly beautiful human being. My heart went
out to her. Just then, her name was called. She got up and collected the
medicine which, I knew, was for her aunt. Her story reminded me of something
my mother used to say,
Life is like an onion: You peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you
weep.
Before leaving, Diana turned and smiled sadly at me. I never saw her
again after that.