Course Source: Reading and writing Theme: Narrative essay lesson introduction/warm-up activity

Basic Format of a Narrative Essay 
Paragraph #1-The Introduction 
1. Begin with an attention grabber that captures your reader’s interest. 
Ex: Sometimes it takes something terrible to realize what is important in life. 
2. Follow with 2-3 sentences that lead up to your thesis statement. 
3. State your thesis statement-this should clearly state the experience or event that you will 
describe and its significance. Do not begin telling the details of your story yet. 
Example: Although my sister and I have sometimes not seen eye-to-eye at times, it took her 
being horribly sick to make me realize how much she truly means to me. 
 
 
Paragraph #2-4 Body Paragraphs-Your story. 
1. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence. Begin this sentence with a TRANSITION 
that show the order that the events occurred (First, Later, In the end, Second, Third, etc.) 
and the details of your story. 
Examples: 
The day first began like any other day. 
Later that day, my sister began to feel worse and my family and I began to worry. 
After a day of much distress, my sister finally began to feel better. 

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2. This is where you tell your story. Just like any story you read, you need to make sure to 
have a clear beginning, middle, and an end. Make sure to describe people and places 
involved with vivid details. 
General guidelines: 
- A rule familiar to a lot of 
essay writers
 is to give one idea per paragraph. 
- A story has to follow some logical pattern. Chronological is the easiest one. 
- With every new paragraph underline the significance of experience and the 
universal truth the story brings to the audience. 
- 
Use descriptive language. This is made possible by using figurative language 
(similes, metaphors, personification), sensory words (use your 5 senses to place 
your reader where you are) and vivid words (smiled brightly, explained softly).