Characteristics of

PERSONAL NARRATIVE
WHAT DOES PERSONAL NARRATIVE MEAN?

 Personal~having to do with oneself

 Narrative~telling a story

A personal narrative is a story about yourself!

POINT OF VIEW

 Personal Narratives are told in FIRST

PERSON point of view
 Use pronouns like I, me, we…

 YOU are telling the story of what happened

to you.
FOCUS OF YOUR PERSONAL NARRATIVE

 Focus on only ONE event in your story

 Do not try to tell your whole life story
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

 Personal Narratives should be told in

chronological order
 Start with what happened first, second, third,
etc.
 Use transitions that help show the passage
of time (then, later, the next day, etc.)
INTRODUCTION TECHNIQUE

 Use a sophisticated introduction technique

 For this assignment, you will you the
technique called FLASHBACK
 I will teach you how to use flashback when
we start the writing process
INCLUDE REACTIONS IN YOUR STORY

 Tell the reader how people reacted to the

events in the story
 What did you and the other people DO?

 What did you and the other people SAY?

 This is what makes the story interesting and

connects the reader to the events
INCLUDE REFLECTION IN YOUR STORY

 Reflection tells why the story is important

 Reflection reveals what you and the other
people in the story learned from the
experience
 Reflection indicates why the story is
memorable
 This is what makes your writing more
mature!
 Use reflection throughout your story, but
especially at the end (as a conclusion)
ISAT TESTING

 There will be a Personal Narrative prompt on

the ISAT test in March
 You will be expected to write a multiple-
paragraph essay
YOUR PROMPT:

 Write a Personal Narrative Essay about an

important, life-changing event from your life
 Include reactions and reflections in your
essay
 Use flashback as an introduction technique

 Describe your memorable event

 Return to the flashback in the conclusion

 Follow the steps of the Writing Process