Explain the following features of

diary writing to the class

❖Diary ❖Personal tone
❖Example ❖Rhetorical question
❖Exclamation mark ❖Self reflection
❖Extract ❖Short sentence
❖Features ❖Soldier
❖Paragraph ❖Technique
❖Past tense ❖Traumatic
Diary Writing
• In groups, can you write five reasons
which make people keep writing diaries.

• Think about the features of diary writing,

or what type of writing and words you
would expect to see in a diary.
• Read the extract from “The Diary of a
Young Soldier in World War 1”.
• 14 April 1915

I’m home on leave. It’s good to be back and

seeing everyone.
I haven’t written anything for a long time
because I haven’t had the heart to. We’re
hearing bad things from the Front in France.
Terrible battles with thousands killed and no
land gained. Poison gas used. Jack’s letters to
Mam and Dad don’t say much except that
he’s keeping as well as can be expected,
whatever that means. When I read them, I
feel a shiver. It’s mostly fun with my mates in
the army now, but will it always be like this?
• 15 April 1915

Jack turned up on leave today. He’s

only here for a few days, because though
his leave is nine days long, it took him
three days to get here. He brought his rifle
and pack with him, but he wouldn’t let me
look at the rifle.
“Leave it alone,” he shouted. “I didn’t
bring it here for fun.” I only wanted to see
what a really good new one was like. He
looks twenty years older.
• 20 April 1915

• He left yesterday. Seeing him go

was the worst moment of our lives. He
looked so unhappy. I wish I knew what
he was feeling. I didn’t sleep all night
for thinking about him. I’m going back
to Llandudno today. Jack not talking
hasn’t made me feel very happy about
it.
• In groups, check your five resons for
writing diaries:

• Is there anything you want to change or

add?
 •Diary Writing
•Features Checklist
•Date –Shows which day the diary entry is
about.
•First person - Writer is writing about himself.
•Past tense - Writer writes about what has
happened.
•Personal tone - We can almost hear the writer
speaking.
•Self-reflection - Writer writes about their
feelings, thoughts, hopes and fears.
•Rhetorical question - The writer asks
questions about what is happening.

•Short sentence - Used to emphasise the

writer’s words.

•Exclamation mark - Used to emphasise the

writer’s words.

•Paragraphs - Used when a new time, place,

person or topic is written about.
 Diary features
Date
First person
Past tense
Personal tone
Self reflection
Rhetorical question
Short sentence
Exclamation mark
Paragraphs
•In the second column, find an example of each
diary writing technique in the text.
Diary features Example from the text

Date
First person
Past tense
Personal tone
Self reflection
Rhetorical question
Short sentence
Exclamation mark
Paragraphs
 •What does the word traumatic mean?

❖Shocking, ❖Hurtful,

❖Disturbing, ❖Harrowing,

❖Upsetting, ❖Painful,

❖Distressing,
• Task
• Go and write your diary entry for the Hay
Cart Journey.

•
❖Include the date of the day,
❖Write in the first person,
❖Write in the past tense,
❖Use a personal tone,
❖Include self reflection,
❖Include a rhetorical question,
❖Include a short sentence,
❖Include an exclamation mark,
❖Aim to write five paragraphs.
• November 24th 2009

• Today was awful! Let me tell you about it.

• It started when ………
• By then I was feeling ………
• Can you guess what happened next? Well, I was ………
• I thought that ………
• I’m hoping tomorrow will be better for me.
• Goodnight!
• Homework
• Diary Writing by : TUESDAY 17th on
Google Classroom.