This document provides guidance on how to write narrative paragraphs. It discusses how to narrate events in chronological order using first or third person point of view. Details like who was involved, when and where events took place should be included. The document offers examples and prompts writers to include specific details to make their narration interesting for the reader. Writers are encouraged to indicate why recounted events are important and not just list what happened. Overall, the document outlines best practices for constructing cohesive narrative paragraphs that tell a story through descriptive language and in a meaningful way.

1. “It’s all storytelling, you know. That’s what
journalism is all about.”

2.  To narrate means to tell a story
about what happened.
 Explain events in the order they
occurred.
 Include information about when
the events happened and who was
involved

3.  2 ways to write an narrative paragraph
 First Person (Autobiography)
 Third Person
 Practice 1, Hisham Matar
 PG. 65
 What is the topic sentence?
 What type of narrative paragraph is this?
 Who is the narrator?
 What was happening in the country at the time?
 Where did the events happen?

4.  Express a main point
 What did I learn?
 How did I change?
 How did it make me feel?
 What is important about it?
 Has a controlling idea
 Practice 3
 PG 67

5.  Specific details help the reader
understand what happened
 Ask yourself…
 Who is the paragraph about?
 What happened?
 When did it happen?
 Where did it happen?
 Why did it happen?
 How did it happen?

6.  Transitional Words and Expressions
 PG 71
 Vocabulary Boost
 PG 71

7.  Does my topic sentence clearly
express the topic of the narration?
 Does my topic sentence contain a
controlling idea that is meaningful
and interesting?
 Does my paragraph answer most of
the following questions: who,
what, when, where, why, how?
 Do I use transitional expressions
that help clarify the order of
events?
 Do I include details to make my
narration more interesting?

10.  Ask yourself what you learned,
how you changed, or why the
event is important
Something wonderful happened the
summer I turned fifteen.

11.  Make sure your essay has a point.
Do not simply recount the events.
Indicate why they are important.
 Organize the events in time order.
 Make your narrative more
interesting by using descriptive
language.
 Sensory details!

12.  Who is the essay about?
 What happened?
 When did it happen?
 Where did it happen?
 Why did it happen?
 How did it happen?

13.  PG 205

15. PG 551

16.  What is a word that means
“remaining”?
 lingering
 What does the word insatiable
mean?
 Uncontrollable (c)
 In your own words, what
happened to Tony Cicoria? Answer
the who, what, when, where, why,
how?
 Why was it so astounding that
Cicoria became a pianist?
 Before the accident, he knew very little
about music and how to play the piano
 What are some physical causes
that may lead someone to be a
musicophile?
 Brain degeneration or trauma

17. PG 569

18.  Why does the author use Spanish
words in the essay?
 Give an example of how illegal
immigrants used to cross the
border into the States.
 How has illegal border crossing
changed since the writer was a
child?