Narrative WritingNarrative WritingNarrative WritingNarrative WritingTelling stories to proveTelling stories to prove

your points!your points!

Develop Paragraphs with Stories!

• To relate a memory or about an incident, just tell a story.

• Example Writing Question: “What was the most difficult choice that

you have ever made? What made it so hard to decide?”

Why Do We Write Stories?

• The basic reasons to narrate in an essay are to inform and to persuade.

• To answer what was your most difficult choice, you have to explain what made any selection a tough call.

Use Assertive Topic Sentences

• We answer a question with our main idea in a topic sentence:“My most difficult choice was coming to college without a scholarship.”

• Yet this assertion needs further explanation to become reasonable.

Can You Prove Your Assertions?

• Answer what makes it a tough call to go to college without a scholarship?

• “My parents were unwilling to pay my tuition, so going to college without a scholarship was a difficult decision.”

We Use Pointed Topic Sentences!

• Which sentence is more on topic?

1.“When I moved to a new city, I had to tell my old girlfriend good-bye.”

2.“Leaving my girlfriend when I moved was my most difficult choice.”

How Do We Organize in Time?

• Does this story follow a direct time Does this story follow a direct time sequence, from first to last?sequence, from first to last?

• “Moving into a dormitory at age 16 put me on my own. My parents were not there to tell me what to do. If I was late to the cafeteria, I didn’t eat. I had to make new friends in morning classes and at work in the afternoon. In the evening, I played sports well enough to gain respect.

Three words tell time sequence:

• “Moving into a dormitory at age 16 put me on my own. My parents were not there to tell me what to do. If I was late to the cafeteria, I didn’t eat. I had to make new friends in morning classes and at work in the afternoon. In the evening, I played sports well enough to gain respect.

• The words morning, afternoon, and evening suggest a time sequence.

Can You Add Transition Words?

Use: then, until, when, after, whileUse: then, until, when, after, while• We played basketball ___ the dean made us

go inside the dormitory.• ___ my friends and I sat around talking ___

other kids studied.• ___ the bell sounded at 10 o’clock, the lights

went off.• Everyone fell asleep pretty soon ___ getting

into bed.

Can You Use Consistent Tense?

Keep the story in the past tense!• Use: stopped, started, be, kept, wrote1. In college, we listened to all kinds of lectures

and __ lots of class notes.2. Sometimes the professor went off topic, so

we ___ writing notes.3. I listened while my friends in the back row

___ telling jokes.4. When the professor got back on topic, I ___

taking notes again.5. It __ not much use hoping that he would go

off topic again.

Can You See What Is Off Topic?

• Which sentence below is off the topic?1. In Korea, the busses were very

crowded.2. Once my necktie got caught between

two people on the bus. 3. It was dark blue and light gray. 4. I lost it when I took it off so that I could

breathe.

Can You Use Consistent Voice?

• Inconsistent voice means changing from formal to casual language.

• Changing the formality of the words in a story is comparable to switching from a bass to a tenor voice!

• Inconsistent voice makes your story look and sound bad.

Can You Find the Inconsistency?

1. I majored in history as I am interested in the past.

2. To me, it is more than just names, dates, and events.

3. History explains human nature. 4. We see ourselves in our ancestors.5. They did good and they messed up.

Use Stories to Prove Your Points!

• Certain writing questions require story answers.

• The purpose of the story is not so much to entertain as to explain.

• Through a story, for example, the writer can tell how a past event changed his life.

Can You Find the Story’s Point?

• Nasr borrowed a pot from his neighbor Ali. The next day he brought it back with another little pot inside. Nasr explained: “It had a baby."Later, Ali lent Nasr another pot, hoping that he would get back two. Days passed, but Nasr had not returned it. Ali went to demand his property.

• "I am sorry," said Nasr. "I can't give you back your pot, since it has died."

• "Died!" screamed Ali. “How can a pot die?" • "Well," said Nasr. “You believed me when I told

you that your pot had had a baby."

A. There is no point. B. Don’t believe anything. C. Nasr tricked Ali.

Can You Find the Story’s Point?

• Nasr went to buy clothes. He tried on trousers, but gave them back. Then he tried a robe with the same price. Nasr was pleased with the robe, and he left the shop.

• Before he went home, the shopkeeper ran out. "You didn't pay for the robe!" he shouted."But I gave you the pants for the robe, didn't I?" replied Nasr. "Yes, but you didn't pay for the trousers, either!" said the shopkeeper. "But I didn't buy the trousers," replied Nasr. "I am not stupid to pay for what I never bought."

A. It’s a mix-up. B. Nasr stole the robe. C. Nasr fooled the man.

Which ones require storytelling?

1. Describe why you need to have a college degree.

2. Tell about your favorite personal experience.

3. Explain how you plan to become a big success one day.

4. What is your all-time, very most memorable incident?

Can you see major errors?1. In the past, when an oil spill occurs, wildlife perishes.2. Imported oil is increasingly expensive that can inflate

the price of gas even further.3. A Polar bear that ingest much oil may very well die.4. With the oil drilling come the issue of earthquakes.5. There is other ways to solve the energy problem.6. Why kill the Polar bears they never hurt us?7. Whether their wildlife or not, let’s save them.8. Then bears would drown, they won’t even have food.9. As gas prices rise; we really need energy solutions.10. If the drilling start; Arctic melting will speed up.

Can you find the comma splices, run-ons, fragments, and s/v errors?

You can fix major errors:1. In the past when an oil spill occurredred, wildlife perisheded.2. Imported oil is increasingly expensive;; that can inflate

the price of gas even further.3. A Polar bear that ingestss much oil may very well die.4. With the oil drilling comess the issue of earthquakes.5. There areare other ways to solve the energy problem.6. Why kill the Polar bears;; they never hurt us?7. Whether they’rethey’re wildlife or not, let’s save them.8. Then bears would drown asas they won’t even have

food.9. As gas prices rise,, we really need energy solutions.10. If the drilling starts,s, Arctic melting will speed up.

You can find the comma splices, run-ons, fragments, and s/v errors.

Can you see major errors?1. Another thing he stand for is alternate fuel.2. In America, color and gender does not matter.3. He’ll change us he is already making a difference.4. Bill taught Hillary how the White House is ran.5. The question is we Americans ready for Hillary?6. What does ‘Obama’ do it makes you think danger!7. Would you vote for one who sound like a terrorist?8. It was his historic night it was also one for voters.9. All men are equal these words are famous ones.10. Patience is a virtue we will see a female president.

Can you find the comma splices, run-ons, fragments, and s/v errors?

You can fix major errors:1. Another thing he standss for is alternate fuel.2. In America, color and gender do__ not matter.3. He’ll change us;; he is already making a difference.4. Bill taught Hillary how the White House is ruun.5. The question is areare we ready for Hillary?6. What does ‘Obama’ do?? It makes you think

danger!7. Will you vote for one who soundss like a terrorist?8. It was a historic night;; it was also one for voters.9. All men are equal;; these words are famous ones.10. Patience is a virtue;; we will see a female president.

You can find the comma splices, run-ons, fragments, and s/v errors.