Diary Example Exclamation mark Extract Features Paragraph Past tense

1. Diary Example Exclamation mark Extract Features Paragraph Past tense Personal tone Rhetorical question Self reflection Short sentence Soldier Technique Traumatic Write these words in your spelling booklet.

2. Diary Writing

3. In groups, can you write five questions that can be answered with the words “diary writing”? • Think about the features of diary writing, or what type of writing and words you would expect to see in a diary.

4. Read the extract from “The Diary of a Young Soldier in World War 1”.

5. 14 April 1915 • I’m home on leave. It’s good to be back and seeing everyone. • I haven’t written anything for a long time because I haven’t had the heart to. We’re hearing bad things from the Front in France. Terrible battles with thousands killed and no land gained. Poison gas used. Jack’s letters to Mam and Dad don’t say much except that he’s keeping as well as can be expected, whatever that means. When I read them, I feel a shiver. It’s mostly fun with my mates in the army now, but will it always be like this?

6. 15 April 1915 • Jack turned up on leave today. He’s only here for a few days, because though his leave is nine days long, it took him three days to get here. He brought his rifle and pack with him, but he wouldn’t let me look at the rifle. • “Leave it alone,” he shouted. “I didn’t bring it here for fun.” I only wanted to see what a really good new one was like. He looks twenty years older.

7. 20 April 1915 • He left yesterday. Seeing him go was the worst moment of our lives. He looked so unhappy. I wish I knew what he was feeling. I didn’t sleep all night for thinking about him. I’m going back to Llandudno today. Jack not talking hasn’t made me feel very happy about it.

8. 23 April 1915 • Back in Llandudno, to find news waiting. We’re leaving Wales and going back north to Ripon Camp in Yorkshire. • “A real army camp at last,” Sergeant Pickering told us. “And may God help you.” No more free sweets in the morning, no more seaside piers to guard. Ah well!

9. In groups, check your five questions that give the answer “diary writing”. • Is there anything you want to change or add?

10. Diary Writing • Features Checklist

11. Date –Shows which day the diary entry is about. • First person - Writer is writing about himself. • Past tense - Writer writes about what has happened. • Personal tone - We can almost hear the writer speaking. • Self-reflection - Writer writes about their feelings, thoughts, hopes and fears.

12. Rhetorical question - The writer asks questions about what is happening. • Short sentence - Used to emphasise the writer’s words. • Exclamation mark - Used to emphasise the writer’s words. • Paragraphs - Used when a new time, place, person or topic is written about.

13. In groups, fold a sheet of A4 paper in half. • In the first column, make a list of the features of diary writing.

15. In the second column, find an example of each diary writing technique in the text.

18. What does the word traumatic mean?

19. Task • Write your own diary entry for one traumatic day.

21. Include the date of the day, • Write in the first person, • Write in the past tense, • Use a personal tone, • Include self reflection, • Include a rhetorical question, • Include a short sentence, • Include an exclamation mark, • Aim to write five paragraphs.

22. November 24th 2009 • Dear Diary, • Today was awful! Let me tell you about it. • It started when ……… • By then I was feeling ……… • Can you guess what happened next? Well, I was ……… • I thought that ……… • I’m hoping tomorrow will be better for me. • Goodnight!

23. Homework • Diary Writing by ……………………….