General WritingGeneral Writing

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative

What is a narrative?It means to “tell”, to describe an event or events in order.A piece of writing telling a story;Purely fictional story or an account (description) of some real experience.

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative

The purpose:Share the experiences;To entertain readers;To teach a lesson;Explain or illustrate an idea.

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative

Organize Your Paragraph:A. Topic sentence.It should be a sentence that can be developed by one incident. It shows what the story is about and why writer produces it.Another very important element:Reveals the writer’s attitude towards the event.

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative Organize Your Paragraph:

Look at these topic sentences:1. My sister’s wedding reception was a mess.2. I learned a good lesson on my last birthday.3. Bob’s first class of his teaching career was a disaster.4. Falling in love is very time consuming.5. I made a good bargain at the market in this morning.6. A beautiful appearance doesn’t mean a beautiful heart.

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative Conclusion:

All could be developed in paragraphs.

Some opposites:1. My aunt lives a miserable life.2. I spent an exciting vacation with my uncle.3. Traveling by air  has many advantages over traveling by train.4. My hometown is a very beautiful place.5. I have a busy and interesting life in university.

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative b. A college education is necessary for success.

What degree? B.A.? M. A. ?Major in history or accountingHow to define success? Making money, getting a certain standing in literature, finding a husband/wife, getting a certain job, or  just being a happy person?

c. The Cherokee jeep is the best in its class.Advertisement type. Vague. Best in what way?When specified, there is not need for argument.

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative .

B. Supporting DetailsHighlight the most important partGood paragraph should have beginning-middle-ending.Get the most important aspect to develop, an skip the less important parts.

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative

Order of organization and verb tense.It is often in past tense and follows the chronological order.

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative Model 1 Traveling can have its exciting, though frustrating,

moments. A few years ago I spent a week in the Dominican Republic. The week was over, and I was at the airport ready to leave when I discovered, to my dismay, that I had forgotten one of my suitcases at my hotel. Quickly, I jump into a taxi and explained my situation to the taxi driver. We sped off in the direction of my hotel. Suddenly, the taxi driver slowed down so he could talk with the driver of a truck moving along the road next to us. The truck contained live chickens. Without stopping the taxi, the taxi driver stuck his

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative Model 1 (Continue) hand out the window and took a live chicken, which he

neatly stuck under the seat next to him. Meanwhile, I was getting more and more anxious about my suitcase and making my plane on time. Time wasn’t bothering the taxi driver, though. Instead of heading straight for the hotel, he made a detour to drop the chicken off at his home! In the end, however, we managed to get the suitcase and then raced back to the airport. Fortunately, I made it to my plane on time. What started out as a frustrating moment ended up being a hilarious memory and a great story.

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative Analysis of Model 1

As the writer mentioned the key points about the travel, it was  exciting and frustrating, so readers are expecting to see how things are frustrating and exciting at the same time. Writer: anxiousTaxi driver: slowed downtalked to truck driver stuck out the window Stuck the chicken under the seatMake detour to drop the chickenResult: made it to my plane on timeFrustrating could be turned into exciting.

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative Model 2

It was July 6th in 1976 when I had a horrifying, gruesome experience at the age of twenty. I was on the night shift that day at a hospital in Tangshan where I had been working as a nurse. I was consulting Dr. zhang about a patient by the main desk on the second floor when I heard some noise just like the rumbling of thunder in the distance. Suddenly the whole building began to shake violently, and I grabbed the desk trying to steady myself. But it failed me. Meanwhile, I heard screams, the clash of furniture, and crash of bottles from all directions. Before I fully understood what was happening, my head was hit heavily by something and I lost

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative

Model 2 (Continue) lost consciousness. Some time later, I came round only to find I

was buried alive in the ruin. It was dark and yells for help could be heard by me. I couldn’t see anything and my body couldn’t move except the right arm. Then, with my right arm, I began to feel about  the things on my body, trying to figure out where I was. When my arm stretched to my left shoulder, I touched something hairy against me. I thought it was my hair, but just then my fingers lay on something soft, fleshy and cold. It was the face of a dead body lying beside me! I was frightened out of my senses and began to scream. Hours later, rescuers managed to drag me out from the ruin. It has been ten years since the dark night after the earthquake; however, to this day, I still can feel the touch on the cold face. This nightmare will linger in my memory forever.

Writing a NarrativeWriting a Narrative

Writing tasks:1. A memorable shopping (camping, sports) experience etc. 

2. An exiting meeting to talk about raising salary, but the result is that the boss is very happy.3. An incident happening to other people (exam, sports game, funny meeting ). 

Writing a narrativeWriting a narrative

Writing Through Describing a Writing Through Describing a Picture: My HobbyPicture: My Hobby

Write a short passage of about Write a short passage of about 100 words to describe the pictur100 words to describe the pictur

e. e.

Useful Words and PhrasesUseful Words and Phrases

My spare time activities: read novels and magazines listen to country music watch baseball or football games on

television The best thing I love is: play the guitar

I became interested in guitar: hear a famous guitarist give a concert at the age of seven save up to buy my own guitar take guitar lessons What I can do with the guitar: write my own songs relax express my inner feelings

I’m a student. My spare time is filled with a variety of activities.

Reference keyReference key

I’m a student. My spare time is filled with a variety of activities.

You might find me reading novels and magazines or listening to

country music. I might be watching baseball or football games on

television. However, the best thing I love is playing the guitar. At the

age of seven, I heard a famous guitarist give a concert in a big

auditorium. I became interested in playing the guitar. I saved up to

buy my own guitar and take guitar lessons. Now I try to write my own

songs. I find playing the guitar a way both to relax and to express my

inner feelings.