Personal narratives are stories of your life that you wish to share with others so they can
experience the things that happened to you. As a writer, your job is to put your reader in
the action letting him or her live through your experiences. Good stories make us laugh,
frighten us, and have us on the edge of our seats. You may develop your narrative in
chronological order, as a flashback, or as a reflection.
Prompt: Have you ever had a day that was really different from your usual daily routine?
Write a story about that day and what made it so unique. Use details from your
experience to explain how this changed you based on the event and people there.
Criteria
Paragraph
Vivid Details
Mechanics
10
Paragraphs
are
cohesive. 3
paragraphs.
Uses 5 vivid Uses 4 vivid
details in the
details in
story.
the story.
5 or less
There are 6mechanical
7
error(s).
mechanical
errors.
Logical and
clear
The story
flows in an
organized
manner. It
makes
sense.
Final Copy
Final copy
is written
neatly.
Rough draft
is attached
with details
highlighted
and shows
corrections.
Rough Draft
Figurative
language
8
Uses a
simile and
an idiom
correctly.
Total: +_________________/70
The story
flows in an
organized
manner.
Mostly
makes
sense.
Rough draft
is attached
with some
details
highlighted
and shows
some
corrections.
Tries to use
a simile and
an idiom.
6
Most
paragraphs
are
cohesive. 2
paragraphs.
Uses 3 vivid
details in
the story.
There are 89
mechanical
errors.
4
0
Paragraph(s)
do not make
sense. 1
paragraph.
Uses 2 vivid
details in the
story.
There are
10-11
mechanical
errors.
Uses 1 vivid
details in the
story.
There are
more than
12
mechanical
errors.
The story
makes no
sense.
The story
has some
organized
manner.
Some of it
does not
make sense.
Final copy
is sloppy.
The story is
not easy to
read. There
is not much
organization.
Rough draft
is attached.
Part of
rough draft
is attached.
Uses either
a simile or
an idiom
correctly.
Final copy is
illegible.
Tries to use
either a
simile or an
idiom but
incorrectly.
No rough
draft.
Uses no
figurative
language.