Like everyone else, you have stories to tell.
Think about how many times you have said, “Guess
what happened to me!” or “Do you know what I did?”
Your life is full of stories. You took a trip, you broke
your arm, or you finally got a pet. Writing a personal
narrative is a way to share one of your important
stories. It’s also a way for you to learn about
yourself and your special place in the world.
Think about personal experiences that you
could share with classmates. You could write
about something that happened to you, something
you did, or someone you have a special
relationship with. Here are some guidelines to
help you get started.
Writing Guidelines
•
•
•
•
Subject: A personal experience
Form: Personal narrative
Purpose: To share a true experience
Audience: Classmates and teachers
Understanding Your Goal:
Your goal is to write an essay about an interesting personal
experience. The traits listed below will help you plan and write
your personal narrative.
TRAITS OF NARRATIVE WRITING
Ideas:
Use details and dialogue to tell about a specific experience or event. Make the
reader want to know what happens next!
Organization:
Open with a clear beginning that pulls the reader into the story. Then present
ideas in the order which they happened.
Voice:
Write the story in a way that sounds natural. Use dialogue to give the people
in your story voice.
Word Choice:
Use specific nouns, vivid verbs, and well-chosen modifiers.
Sentence Fluency:
Use a variety of sentence styles that flow smoothly from one idea to the next.
Personal Narrative
In the following personal narrative,
the student author writes about a special
person who taught her about turtles. The
side notes point out the main parts of the
narrative.
Turtle Lady
Beginning
The
beginning
catches the
reader’s
attention and
gives an idea
of what the
story is
about.
Middle
The middle
includes
details and
dialogue
that
introduce an
important
person in
the story.
When we first moved to Florida, Dad and I went to the ocean every week
and enjoyed just taking walks on the beach. The beach was usually
deserted, except for some seagulls and a few sand crabs. However, one
night, we spotted a campfire way down the beach. We went to check it out.
As we got closer, we saw someone sitting in the sand near the dying flames.
The glow of the fire revealed an old woman wearing a long orange coat and
a red bandana.
“Stop right there! Don’t move,” the woman whispered loudly. Not far from
where I stood, I made out the shape of a huge turtle digging in the sand.
“That turtle needs her space right now.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” I whispered back.
“She’s digging out a nest, and she’ll lay her eggs there tonight. When
she’s done, she’ll go back to the sea.”
“Who are you?” I whispered.
She came closer and I smelled the campfire on her tattered clothing. “My
name is Dolly Cripps, but you can call me Turtle Lady because I rescue
turtles. Now if you two promise to be quiet, I’ll tell you more about
loggerheads.” Then she began talking about the turtles.
Every week we hiked up the beach to visit Dolly, and every time she
taught us more about the loggerheads. We’d sit in the sand near her fire,
and Dolly would tell us about the turtles that she had helped. She must
Middle
The middle
includes
details that
tell what
happened
first, second,
third, and so
on.
End
The ending
tells how the
writer felt
after her
experience.
.
have been very old because she knew turtles that were more than 100
years old!
After a couple months, an amazing thing happened. The sand near
the shore began to ripple and shake. A couple days later, dozens of little
turtles tunneled their way out from under the sand and scrambled toward
the sea. The waves tossed some of them back onto the shore. That’s
when Dolly, Dad, and I grabbed any baby turtles that landed upside down
and couldn’t get back up. We quickly rescued them and gently placed
them back in the ocean. If we had not been there, the hatchlings would
have died or might have become a seagull’s supper.
Rescuing those turtles was the coolest thing I’ve ever done. As
quickly as the turtle rescue had begun, it was over. The turtles no longer
needed us.
As the last turtle disappeared into the ocean, I turned to the turtle lady
and asked, “Will we see you again next year?”
“Maybe,” she answered. “Wherever my turtles are, that’s where I’ll
be!”
Respond to the reading. Why is “Turtle Lady” such a good personal
narrative? To find out, answer the following questions.
Ideas: What specific experience does the writer share?
Organization: How does the writer organize the events in the story?
Voice and Word Choice: What words and phrases show that the author
is interested in her topic?
Prewriting
Before you are ready to write your narrative, you need to choose a personal
experience to write about. After selecting a topic, you will continue prewriting by
gathering and organizing details.
Keys to Effective Prewriting
1. Select an experience that you know well and would
like to share.
2. Make sure you can answer the questions who, what,
when, where, and why about the experience.
3. Think about and describe the people in your
narrative.
4. Put the events in order by using a time line.
5. Gather details about sights, sounds, and other senses
related to your narrative.
Prewriting
Selecting a Topic
The key to a good personal narrative is finding an interesting topic – one that both you and
the reader will enjoy. The chart below shows how I brainstormed ideas by remembering different
people, places, animals, and experiences.
Brainstorm Chart
People I
Know
Places I’ve
Been
My best
friend
Christine
Disney World
My sister
Kara
My favorite
teacher, Dr.
Ackerman
Animals I
Remember
Experiences
I’ve Had
My first dog
Casper
My first day
as a teacher
St. Croix for
Mrs. Elia’s
wedding
Mikiah the
snake
My graduation
from college
Puerto Rico
My cat Squeak
My senior
prom
Brainstorm Chart
People I
Know
Places I’ve
Been
Animals I
Remember
My best
friend
Christine
Disney World
My first dog
Casper
My first day
as a teacher
St. Croix for
Mrs. Elia’s
wedding
Mikiah the
snake
My graduation
from college
Puerto Rico
My cat Squeak
My senior
prom
My sister
Kara
My favorite
teacher, Dr.
Ackerman
Experiences
I’ve Had
Brainstorm for Topics. On your own sheet of paper, draw a chart like the one above. Use
the same four headings for your categories. Then fill in the chart using the directions
below.
 Under each heading, list at least three possible story choices.
Now go over your ideas and circle the topic that you think would make the best story.
Brainstorm Chart
People I
Know
Places I’ve
Been
Animals I
Remember
My best
friend
Christine
Disney World
My first dog
Casper
My first day
as a teacher
St. Croix for
Mrs. Elia’s
wedding
Mikiah the
snake
My graduation
from college
Puerto Rico
My cat Squeak
My senior
prom
My sister
Kara
My favorite
teacher, Dr.
Ackerman
Experiences
I’ve Had
Focus on the Traits
Ideas: Your topic does not have to be a complicated one. In fact, a short trip or simple event can make a
great story. Think about an important experience that took place within a short period of time – a day, an
hour, a few minutes even!
Brainstorm Chart
People I
Know
Places I’ve
Been
Animals I
Remember
My best
friend
Christine
Disney World
My first dog
Casper
My first day
as a teacher
St. Croix for
Mrs. Elia’s
wedding
Mikiah the
snake
My graduation
from college
Puerto Rico
My cat Squeak
My senior
prom
My sister
Kara
My favorite
teacher, Dr.
Ackerman
Experiences
I’ve Had
Brainstorm Chart
People I
Know
Places I’ve
Been
Animals I
Remember
My best
friend
Christine
Disney World
My first dog
Casper
My first day
as a teacher
St. Croix for
Mrs. Elia’s
wedding
Mikiah the
snake
My graduation
from college
Puerto Rico
My cat Squeak
My senior
prom
My sister
Kara
My favorite
teacher, Dr.
Ackerman
Experiences
I’ve Had
But not just any trip to Disney World…
the very first one I took with my family,
when I was in fourth grade.
Sizing Up Your Idea
Now that you have a story idea, you must decide if it will make a
good personal narrative. Your narrative should tell about an experience
you had at a specific time and place. You can use the 5 W’s (who, what,
when, where, and why) to find out if you story has all of these details.
1.Who are the people in my story?
2.What main experience will I write
about?
3.When and where did
the experience take place?
4.Why did the experience change me?
So, let’s take a look through
my Disney World scrap book
from 1990…
There’s Jenna with her giant glasses and MGM
Studios hat! How embarrassing!
And there is
the whole
Wyks
family: Mom,
Jenna, Dean
and Kara…
and poor Dad
who is never
in the picture
because he is
always
taking them
And here’s a picture of Jenna,
Dean, and Kara at Mickey’s
Birthday Land! Kara is
carrying “Michael,” her
favorite doll. She used to
take him everywhere! In
fact, Michael was the reason
that Kara got lost that day.
Boy, I remember that day
like it was yesterday…
Kara was just 2 ½ when we went to
Disney World. People said that she
was too young to go and that she’d
be confused and scared. But
nothing could have been farther
from the truth! She was fearless!
So fearless, that on our third day
there, she decided to go right up to
Cinderella (her favorite character!)
and introduce her to Michael! And
it just so happened that she did it
when no one way looking!
Once we realized she had wandered off, we
immediately spread out to look for her! It
was so scary because my parents were
frantic! They were both screaming and
crying at the same time. It was the first
time I was ever truly afraid because my
parents were not in the frame of mind to
make my brother and I feel safe and secure
about what was happening, which they had
always done in my past scary moments.
It only took us a few minutes to figure out
where she’d gone to. When we found her, she
was talking Cinderella’s ear off about
“Michael!” She never even realized what a
panic she caused!
Sizing Up Your Idea
Wow! I remember that day like it was yesterday! Going through
my scrap book really helped me out! So, let’s see if my story has all the
necessary details.
1.Who : Mom, Dad, Me, Kara, Dean, “Michael,” and Cinderella
2.What : The day Kara got lost in Disney World
3.When and where : Our 1990
trip to Disney World in the Magic Kingdom
4.Why : It was the first time I was ever truly terrified
because my parents were so frantic.
Yup! This story has got all the necessary details! I think it will make a good
story! Now, you look through your possible topics and see which one has all the
necessary details for your great personal narrative!
Gathering Details About People
A personal narrative tells about your own experience, so you will be one person in
your story. Other people and animals may appear as well. A personality web can help you
gather details about the people in your story.
Personality Web
The oldest kid
fearless
Responsible
Me
Careful
My Parents
confident
Calm
Loving
The “baby”
unaware
Kara
Loves Cinderella
Gathering Details About People
Now it’s your turn to make a personality web about the people
in your personal narrative. Create a web like I did for the important
people and animals for your story. The more details you include, the
better your story will be.
Prewriting Putting Events in Order
Once you’ve completed your personality webs, it’s time to list the events in your story.
Most narratives are organized in chronological (time) order. That means events appear in the
order in which they happened. A quick list like the one below is one way to organize events.
Quick List
Kara’s Adventure with Cinderella
 We had spent the afternoon in the Magic Kingdom.
 We were waiting on Main Street for the parade to start.
 Mom was going to the Nestle Café to get us ice cream
sandwiches. She was trying to take our orders.
 We looked down at the stroller and saw Kara was missing.
 We began to search frantically for her. Some people helped
us. I felt very scared.
 My dad found her with Cinderella, who was outside the
Crystal Tea Room signing autographs.
 We all hugged her and kissed her while she told us all about
meeting Cinderella!
Prewriting Putting Events in Order
On your own paper, make a chronological list about your story like I did for mine. At
the top of your list, write your story idea. Then, write the main ideas of your story in the order in
which they happened.
Quick List
Title






List your ideas in order…
Idea
Idea
Idea
Idea
Idea
Focus on the Traits
Organization Once you have the main details of the story in
chronological order, think of some transition words and phrases that
could help you tie your ideas together.
Location Words:
Comparing Words:
Words that Emphasize:
above, across, against,
along, among, around,
behind, below, beneath,
beside, between, by,
down, inside, into, near,
outside, throughout,
under
likewise, like, as, also,
similarly, one way, both
again, to repeat, truly, in
fact, especially, to
emphasize, for this
reason
Time Words:
after, at, before, first,
second, during, yesterday,
meanwhile, until, next,
soon, later, finally, then
Contrasting Words:
but, however, still, yet,
although, otherwise, on
the other hand, even
though
Words that Clarify:
in other words, for
instance, an example
Summarizing Words:
finally, lastly, therefore,
to sum up, all in all, in
conclusion
Words to Add Info:
again, also, another,
besides, finally, for
instance, moreover
Gathering Sensory Details
A good story has lots of colorful, specific details. Some of these details should relate
to the senses. Then the reader is able to imagine not only what things look like but how things
sound, smell, taste, and feel.
Making a sensory chart is one way to gather sensory details about your experience.
SENSORY DETAILS
I saw…
•People all over waiting for the parade to begin
•Characters signing autographs
I smelled…
I heard…
•The cookies from the Nestle bake shop
•People talking to their families
•My parent’s calling for my sister
I felt…
I tasted…
•Hot from the afternoon sun
•Anxious and scared
•Fear
Gathering Sensory Details
Make your own sensory chart describing what you saw, heard, tasted, felt, and
smelled. Remember, you are telling the story, so your VOICE should come through loud and
clear. Use words that you would really use when talking.
SENSORY DETAILS
I saw…
I smelled…
I heard…
I felt…
I tasted…
Prewriting Reviewing Your Details
Before you begin writing your story, look over your prewriting chronological list, personality webs,
and sensory chart. Be sure you’ve collected enough details to write a good personal narrative.
Read the paragraph below. Then answer these questions about the details used in
“A Hair Raising Experience.”
1.
Have the 5 W’s (who, what, when, where, and why) been answered?
2.
What transitions show the time order of the paragraph?
3.
What sensory details help create a clear picture?
A Hair Raising Experience
One evening, my mom was downstairs doing the laundry. As usual, she
was trying to do 10 jobs at once when she grabbed the wet clothes from the
washer and tossed them in the dryer. She slammed the dryer door, turned the
timer, and started to run upstairs. All of a sudden, a whining sound stopped
her in her tracks. The sound was coming from the dryer. She yelled for me. As I
raced downstairs, the sound grew louder and louder. I flung open the dryer door.
There to our surprise was Mica, our cat. He looked like someone who had just
gotten off a Tilt-A-Whirl ride. His eyes bugged out, and his hair looked like a
cartoon character with a finger in an electric outlet. Mica darted out of the dryer
and up the stairs. After that, Mom always checked out the dryer before slamming
the door, and Mica stayed clear of the laundry room for a long, long time.
Writing
Now that you have gathered and organized your ideas, you are ready to write the
first draft of your narrative. Focus on putting your ideas on paper in the best order.
Use your own unique story telling voice.
Keys to Effective Writing
1. Use the ideas you gathered to help you create your
first draft.
2. Focus on getting all of your ideas from prewriting
down on paper.
3. Write on every other line to make room for any
changes you want to make later.
4. Include action in your story.
5. Include sensory details in your story.
6. Include dialogue in your story.
Alright, now it’s time to give
writing a personal narrative a
try!!
Good Luck!
Revising
When you revise, you improve your first draft in many ways. You might spice up
descriptions, add dialogue, or experiment with different beginnings and endings.
Revision can make even a ho-hum draft into something special.
Keys to Effective Revising
1. Read through your entire narrative out loud so you
can see and hear how it works as a whole.
2. Check your beginning, middle, and ending to make
sure each part works well.
3. Make sure your own unique storytelling voice comes
through.
4. Check your words and sentences.
5. Edit and proofread your narrative.
6. Have a friend edit and proofread your narrative.
Revising for Organization
When you revise for organization you are checking the beginning,
middle, and end of your narrative.
Make sure your story is in chronological
order.
You need a hook for the beginning of your
narrative.
You need writing risks throughout the middle
of your narrative.
You need to close your paper with a punch.
Start your story with a…
Some good hooks to start with:
1.
Dialogue (“Keep an eye on your sister while I go get some ice cream!”
my Mom said.)
2.
Action (As the stroller came to a halt, Kara’s Mickey Ears fell over
her eyes.)
3.
A Snapshot (The beautiful blue castle stood before us, kissing the
clouds in the sky. The hustle and bustle of the crowd mixed the with
steamy Orlando heat made me feel almost enchanted! “How great is
it going to be to watch this parade while eating a delicious ice cream
sandwich!” I thought as we took our places on Main Street.)
4.
Hyphenated Hounddog (Kara looked longingly at the castle with an Ican’t-believe-what-I’m-seeing look on her face.)
5.
Personal Statement (I can’t agree more with people who say that
Disney World is the happiest place on Earth!)
Start your story with a…
Try to come up an example of each hook for your story:
1.
Dialogue
2.
Action
3.
A Snapshot
4.
Hyphenated Hounddog
5.
Personal Statement
In the middle, remember to
include some writing risks.
• Similes: The steamy Orlando heat was like a
sauna.
• Metaphors: The delicious smell of the Nestle
Café was heaven!
• Personification: The Mickey shaped balloon that
Kara was holding danced in the air.
• Dialogue: “KARA!” my Mother screamed.
• Idioms: We were running around like chickens
with their heads cut off looking for Kara.
Try to come up with an example of each
risk that would be good in your story.
• Similes:
• Metaphors:
• Personification:
• Dialogue:
• Idioms:
End it with a…
After you share the most important moment in your personal narrative, you
want to bring your story to a close very soon after. We all know by now that
it’s good to end with a “punch!” Here are some good ways to end your
narrative:
 Tell how the experience changed
you: After we found my sister and all was well, I started to think about what had just
happened. It gave me that I’m-going-to-puke feeling in my stomach and I started to cry. Up
until that day, I thought my parents could make anything better. Suddenly, I was forced to
realize that sometimes things go wrong and my parent’s won’t be able to make it all okay. It
was the first time I was ever truly frightened.
Relate the experience to the
audience: I guess there comes a time in every kid’s life when they realize that
sometimes scary stuff happens and there is nothing anyone, not even the people who love
you most, can do about it.
End it with a…
Try to come up with an example of each punch for your
story.
Tell how the experience changed
you:
Relate the experience to the
audience:
Revising for
Ideas
When you revise for ideas, you first need to make sure that your narrative is
only about one experience. You also need to make sure that you answered the
5 W’s and included sensory details.
Will my readers understand my narrative?
Readers will understand your narrative if you include details that answer
the 5 W’s.
1. Who are the people in my story?
2.What events are included in this experience?
3.When do the events happen?
4.Where does my narrative take place?
5.Why is this experience important?
Read the following paragraph and answer the who,
what, when, where, and why questions.
Every other weekend, Mom drives me out to the
family farm where my older cousin, Buster, teaches me
all kinds of new things. He has taught me how to shoot
arrows, fix an engine, and bale hay. Usually, we spend the
evenings in his workshop. The last time we got together,
Buster taught me how to carve a piece of wood into a
simple whistle. I really enjoyed carving and can hardly
wait to start my next project. I’d like to carve a figure
of a wolf, but that may be too hard for now. No matter
what Buster teaches me, we have a great time together.
Revise
Check your ideas. Read through your first draft.
Be sure your narrative includes details that answer the
5 W’s
Revising for
Ideas
Have I included enough sensory
details?
You have included enough sensory details
if they help your readers use their
imaginations – and their five senses – to
connect with your experience.
Read the following paragraph and find at least five
sensory details.
During the summer of 2001, my family lived on a busy street
in Cincinnati. During the daytime, buses rumbled and screeched
right in front of our second-floor apartment. The noise and oily
exhaust from these vehicles is something I will always remember. In
the heat of that summer, we passed the time playing hearts or
rummy. My little sister often sat in an old rocking chair and watched
us. Mom always made sure that there was a pitcher of sweet
lemonade in the fridge. Once in a while, she’d even surprise us with
some chocolate ice cream. It may have been hot and noisy, but that
was one of the best ones ever!
Revise
Review your details. Read through your first draft.
Have you included a variety of sensory details in your
narrative? Do your details bring your story to life?
Revising for
Voice
When you revise for voice, check to see if your writing sounds natural, as if
you were talking to someone. Also make sure you have used dialogue.
Your voice sounds natural if your reader can “hear” your personality in
your narrative. You can check your voice by paying special attention to
the way you use words. In each paragraph below, a different writer
describes the same event. Notice how the personality and voice of each
writer comes through in the writing.
I flipped open my locker and jabbed my hand in. I got a fistful of
fuzz. “Whoa! What’s this critter doing in my locker!”
I pulled open my locker and sighed. What a day! What could go
wrong now? I reached in and felt something furry and alive. “Yikes! A rat!”
I screamed.
Write for three minutes about the scenario below. Use your imagination and
include lots of detail. Your writing should sound like you’re telling the story to a
friend. When you finish, underline words and phrases that show your unique
personality or voice.
While cleaning up after a parade, I found a $50 bill
on a littered street.
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Revise
Check your voice. Read through your personal
narrative. Does it reflect your true voice or personality?
Revising for Word Choice
When you revise for word choice, check to see if you used adjectives and
adverbs to capture your experience. Also, check to see if you have
replaced overused words with synonyms.
Have I used adjectives and adverbs well?
You have used adjectives and adverbs well if they help create a clear
and interesting picture. Adjectives describe nouns or pronouns. Adverbs add
meaning to verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Check out how much better
this sentence becomes with a little help from adverbs and adjectives.
The cafeteria served sandwiches.
The school cafeteria served spicy sub sandwiches yesterday.
Copy this paragraph and fill in the blanks with
adjectives and adverbs to make the story better.
Our soccer team had practiced __________ to
get ready for the championship game with our
____________ rival. I arrived _____________ on
Saturday to find a flooded field, ruined by the
_________________ rain the night before. After
running to the gym, I found our coach talking
_______________ to some other _____________
players about postponing the game.
Revise
Revise for adjectives and adverbs. In your
narrative, use adjectives and adverbs to help
create a clear picture.
Have I checked for overused words?
Writers often use synonyms - other words that mean almost the
same thing - to replace overused words. You can use a thesaurus to find
synonyms and then a dictionary to make sure it’s appropriate for your
writing.
Below are some commonly overused words. Write a sentence
for each of them. Then, use a thesaurus to find a synonym to
replace the overused word. Finally, use a dictionary to make
sure your synonym makes sense in your sentence.
1. mad
2. went
3. bad
4. cold
Revise
5. big
6. good
7. happy
8. said
Revise to replace overused words. Go back in your
narrative and replace any overused words with a
synonym. Use a thesaurus and dictionary to help you.
Revising for Sentence Fluency
When you revise for sentence fluency, you need to check your
writing for a variety of sentence lengths. You may need to combine some
sentences to have a smoother flow.
Are too many sentences the same length?
When you speak, you automatically
use sentences of many different
lengths. This gives a natural flow to
your voice. When you write, you want
to do the same thing, so it is a good
idea to go back and check the number
of words in each of your sentences.
Read the following paragraph. Write down the number of words
in each sentence. What did you discover about the sentence
fluency of this paragraph?
(1) I see the shoe-shine man each morning. (2) He
is always in the same spot. (3) He looks older than my
grandpa. (4) Each day he wears green pants. (5) He has a
red cap. (6) He has a long leather vest. (7) In its pockets
are brushes and polish. (8) His stand is near the train
stop. (9) He smiles at me every morning. (10) “Hello,” he
says and nods. (11) We talk about my homework. (12)
While we talk, he shines shoes. (13) He waves as I leave
for school.
How do I combine sentences?
To easy ways to combine short sentences are (1) creating compound
sentences and (2) using a series of words.
I see the shoe-shine man each morning. He is always in the same spot.
I see the shoe-shine man each morning, and he is always in the same spot.
(Two sentences combined using a comma and a conjunction.)
Each day he wears green pants. He has a red cap. He has a long leather vest.
Each day he wears green pants, a red cap, and a long leather vest
(Two sentences combined into one using a series of words.)
Below are two sets of sentences. Combine each set into one
sentence.
1. I’ve always enjoyed reading about dinosaurs. I didn’t realize
that they had once lived in my neighborhood.
2. My grandmother has taught me how to sew. She also showed
me how to crochet and quilt.
Revise
Revise your paper for sentence length. Go
back and check the lengths of your
sentences. Combine short sentences into
long ones.
 Write down the number of words in each of
your first 10-15 sentences.
 Do you have a variety of sentence lengths?
 If you don’t, you should try to combine
some of your short sentences using the
methods described.
 What did you discover about sentence
fluency in your narrative?
Editing
After you have finished revising your narrative, it’s time to edit it for
your use of conventions: punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar.
Keys to Effective Editing
1. Use a dictionary and a thesaurus.
2. Check for any words or phrases that may be
confusing to your reader.
3. Check your writing for correctness of punctuation,
capitalization, spelling, and grammar.
4. Edit your copy with a pencil and then go back and
make your corrections on the computer.
5. Use the editing and proofreading marks.
Editing for Conventions
When you edit for conventions, you need to check for
spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation errors.
Have I punctuated dialogue correctly?
Dialogue is a great addition to your narrative, but it can be tricky
to punctuate! Remember these rules:
• Commas are used to set off the words of the speaker from the rest of the
sentence.
“A raccoon crawled down the chimney,” Laura announced, “and I think it’s
still in there!”
• Sometimes an exclamation point or a question mark separates the speaker’s
words from the rest of the sentence.
“Are you sure it went down the chimney?” Regina asked.
•The speaker’s exact words are placed within quotation marks.
“I’m positive!” Laura replied.
Punctuate the following lines of dialogue.
1. Mom asked what time does the party start
2. Ben said right after supper
3. You have to finish your homework first she reminded
him
4. He answered I’ll start right now
5. Later, his mom called up the stairs Thomas is here
6. Great Ben shouted
7. I’ll be right down he added because I just finished
Edit Dialogue. Use the rules and examples above to
make sure you have punctuated your dialogue correctly.
How do I know when to indent dialogue?
As you write your narrative, remember that you need to
indent and begin a new paragraph each time a different person
speaks.
In the following paragraph, the dialogue runs together.
“It’s snowing!” cried my sister. “I hope it snows all night,” I added.
“Maybe we’ll have a snow day, and we won’t have to go to school tomorrow,” she
replied. “I hope so,” I yelled. “Let’s do a snow dance!
To be correct, dialogue should be indented each time a new person speaks.
“It’s snowing!” cried my sister.
“I hope it snows all night,” I added.
“Maybe we’ll have a snow day, and we won’t have to go to school
tomorrow,” she replied.
“I hope so,” I yelled. “Let’s do a snow dance!”
Check the dialogue in your narrative. Have you started a new
paragraph each time there’s a new speaker? Use the paragraph
symbol (¶) to mark each sentence that should begin a new
paragraph. Make sure to indent those sentences.
Using a Checklist
Punctuation:
1. Do I use end punctuation in all my sentences?
2. Do I use commas after items in a series?
3. Do I use commas in all my compound sentences?
4. Do I use apostrophes to show possession (boy’s bike)?
Capitalization
1. Do I start all my sentences with capital letters?
2. Do I capitalize all proper nouns?
Spelling
1. Have I spelled all my words correctly?
2. Have I double-checked the words my spell checker might have missed?
Grammar
1. Do I use correct forms of verbs (had gone, not had went)?
2. Do my subjects and verbs agree in number? (She and I were going, not She and I was
going.)
3. Do I use the right words (to, too, and two)?
Publishing
You are almost finished! Now all
you need is a catchy title and a
nice neat copy!
Congratulations on successfully
completing a Free Choice
Writer’s Workshop! I can’t wait
to read your stories.