DIARY WRITING GUIDANCE BOOKLET AND WORKSHEET

A Diary is a:

Personal account through which we see an individual's view of the world. It is taught so that students can engage
with characterisation and imaginative writing.

A diary entry can...

• Record events that have taken place

• Record travels (this is called a journal)
• Entertain readers (in newspapers)
• Give opinions
• Talk about secret thoughts, hopes, wishes

Although the general rule is to write in chronological order, if something amazing has happened, that should come
first in your diary entry.

If you won a lottery, the Big Match or witnessed the murder of a close friend, for example, you would not begin by
saying: ‘Another frosty morning. It took me ages to scrape the ice from the windscreen. I hope they grit the roads
soon because the forecast is for worse weather in the coming days and I’m quite nervous driving on ice…’

Register (Word choices around the central idea)

Look at the date. If the diary is meant to have been written in the early 1900s, for example, the language will be
formal and no modern slang will be used, nor will there be references to modern events, technology etc.

JOURNAL – (A type of diary entry with a wider audience.)

Written in the first person, which makes it engaging: we relate to the writer. Anecdotes add human interest Won’t
be as personal as a diary intended for private use only Usually informative about travel, sport etc. This makes it
interesting.

In a journal, the writer may address the readers from time to time, although the focus will mainly be on his or her
own experiences and reflections on these experiences. Journals can be amusing, which engages the readers. The
tone in this case can be light-hearted and chatty.

A personal diary can be written in informal, chatty, relaxed language. Remember, however, to avoid text speak,
bad language or any offensive references.

Tone

Depends on the task.

International English Learning IB/IGCSE/MYP

Can be humorous, nostalgic, irritated... Should not be a dry chronicle of events

Structure

Chronological order, but remember to mention most important item first! Reflect on each event you discuss (this is
very important) Give the date and start by saying 'Dear Diary'. No need to sign off. This is not a letter.

Check List for a diary entry: (Check the boxes)

1. Is each sentence clear and complete? Read each one.
2. Can any short, choppy sentences be improved by combining them?
3. Read each entry backwards one sentence at a time. Check for run-ons, and sentence
fragments.
4. Did you write from the first person point of view? For example, your entries should use I, me,
my, we, us, and our instead of she, her him, they. Remember you are writing as if you are the
main character, and the entries should be revealing his/her thoughts, and
feelings.
5. Every sentence should have end punctuation.
6. Every sentence should have a capital letter at the beginning.
7. Each entry should have four or more complete sentences.
8. Does each entry contain text support? Text examples should be specific and directly takenfrom
the book. Text support is NOT your thinking, but is actually the author’s words.
9. Does each entry contain your thinking? Your ideas are inferences or conclusions from the
text. It is “reading between the lines.” Your ideas are the ideas that the author doesn’t directly
state. These are the ideas you form.
10. Did you include figurative language? Check the definitions on the wall. You should have:
Simile, personification, Onomatopoeia, Idiom
11. Did you write “Dear Diary” on each entry?
12. Did you sign each entry with your chosen character’s name?
13. Does your writing contain your voice? Voice is what makes your writing unique, and different
from the writing of others. It sets the “tone” and “mood.” This means that the reader will get a
feeling when your writing is read.
 Practice Passage: Story of Anne Frank

Anne Frank was a young Jewish girl who lived in Amsterdam during World War II. Her family emigrated there
from Germany after Adolf Hitler rose to power. The Franks, like so many other Jewish families, feared Hitler and his
hate-filled regime. In 1942, Anne and her family were forced into hiding. They lived in a small, secret annex. Anne
spent a lot of time writing in a diary. She wrote about her fears and her dreams. She wrote about the other people
living in hiding with her family. She wrote about the sad fate that so many Jewish people were experiencing. The
more she wrote, the more confident she became.

After writing in her diary for nearly two years, Anne heard a radio broadcast in March of 1944 that changed
the way she viewed her private journal. A government official urged people to keep a diary during the war. He
thought that diaries and letters could be published once the war ended so that no one would ever forget all that had
occurred during this frightful time. Anne felt as though the voice in the radio was speaking just to her! Perhaps she
could have her diary published! She revised her thoughts and rewrote some of the diary. She also wrote of her
desire to have the diary published one day. She wanted to call it The Secret Annex. She liked this title because she
thought that some people might think that the book was a detective story or a mystery.

Anne's diary was published. Sadly, Anne did not survive to see this dream come true. In August of 1944, the

Frank family's secret annex was found. .....

Question: Imagine you are Anne Frank, you live in a secret hiding, write a diary entry describing your day and the
forced changes in your lifestyle. You may want to consider the fact that there are a lot of people helping you in your
everyday life – They bring you supplies of food and essential commodities and keep you secretly in the hiding.

Write your entry between 120 to 150 words. Use the check list in the previous page and check that your entry is
proper and accurate.

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