Key features and writing framework PDF - EAL Nexus

This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals
Nexus resource
Recount writing
Key features and writing framework
Subject:
English
Age groups:
8–11, 12–14, 15–16, 17–18
Topic:
Non-fiction genres
Licence information | This resource is free to use for educational purposes. ©British Council 2014
Source | This resource was originally developed by Charlotte Hurley and has been adapted by EAL
Nexus.
Recount
There is a clear opening paragraph to set the scene (who, what,
when, why, where?)to orientate the reader
A new paragraph is started when there is a change in place,
time, mood or topic
The first person is used for a first-person recount, e.g. diary entry:
‘I’, ‘we’
The third person is used for a third-person recount, e.g. biography
or newspaper report: ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘they’
Past tense is used
Present tense may be used when writing a diary entry or letter
and the events are happening as they write, e.g. I’m hiding as I
write this.
Feelings, reactions, thoughts and opinions are included
The events are told in sequential order – the order in which they
happened
Adverbial phrases are used to order the events, indicating when
an event happened, e.g. later, after lunch, when the sun went
down, as they slept …
Adjectives are used to add detail and clarity
Carefully chosen verbs and adverbs are used to add detail and
clarity
Direct speech is used including inverted commas
Reported speech may be used.
©British Council 2014
Recount writing framework
Purpose: To retell an event or series of events (from the point of
view of someone who was there)
Beginning - an opening
paragraph that orientates
the reader and sets the
scene (who, what, where,
when?)
Middle – a series of
paragraphs in sequential/
time order that tell the
reader what happened.
Written in the past tense
and covering a specific
period of time
A new paragraph is started
when there is a change in
place, time, mood or topic
There may be personal
commentary at any stage
of the recount
Ending – a paragraph that
brings the writing to a
satisfactory conclusion
©British Council 2014