Grade 5: Story

If the middle of your story needs help, check out these tips.

Stay focused on the story problem, but include only the important events. Tell enough to carry the plot along and make it interesting.

Tia wasted no time once she saw the leak in the rowboat. She reached over and got her backpack. She undid the buckle and opened the zipper. [That part wasn't important.]Quickly she grabbed her waterproof poncho and stuffed the hood into the hole. Then she began scooping water out of the boat with a cup.

Tell the events in time order. Use time-clue words and phrases. They help make the sequence of events clear and show the amount of time that has passed.

In the evening, Benjamin planted the golden seeds in the woods. Right away, they began to sprout. He ran home, and that night he dreamed about the gifts he would buy his parents when he was rich.

Seven days later, he went back to the woods to gather the golden berries.

Tell some events through dialogue. Dialogue helps events seem real to your readers.

Without dialogue: Suddenly Chitra noticed that Eric wasn't beside her. He had fallen into a manhole. He wasn't hurt, and he found an important clue.

With dialogue: Suddenly Chitra noticed that Eric wasn't beside her.

“Eric!” she shouted. “Where are you?”

“I'm down here,” he called back, “in the manhole. I fell in. Wow! I think I've found something!”

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