Grade 5: Personal Narrative

Details and dialogue fill out your narrative for your readers.

Use sensory details to describe what you saw, heard, tasted, smelled, and felt.

Not enough: The bug moved off the leaf and stayed next to my foot.

Much better: The fat caterpillar inched its way off the leaf and curled up next to my foot.

Use dialogue if it makes sense in your narrative. Dialogue can bring events and people to life.

Without dialogue: Dad yelled at me to be careful.

With dialogue: “Watch out!” Dad yelled.

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