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Recount Writing Basics

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Recount Writing Basics

A recount tells about a real event that has already happened. Read the short recount, explore how it is organised, then plan and write your own recount about a real event. Use past-tense verbs and time words to show the order of events.

Read the recount

Last Saturday, Hugo, Mere and Kahu went stargazing with their families at a quiet beach. First, they spread a blanket on the sand and wrapped themselves in warm jackets. Next, Kahu helped Hugo point the telescope towards the moon. They saw bright craters and counted three stars that seemed to form a triangle. After that, Mere shared warm cocoa while everyone looked for other star patterns. A cloud covered the moon for a few minutes, so they told funny stories as they waited. Finally, the cloud moved away and the moon shone brightly again. Hugo felt amazed by the sky and happy to share the evening with her friends.

1.Which choice best explains what a recount does?

Explains how to make or do something
Tells about an event that happened
Invents a story about imaginary characters

2.Find two past-tense verbs in the recount. Write them below.

3.Put these events in the order they happened. Write 1, 2, 3 and 4 beside them: ___ They shared warm cocoa. ___ They spread a blanket. ___ The cloud moved away. ___ They looked at the moon through the telescope.

4.Complete the sentence with a time connective from the recount: “, the cloud moved away and the moon shone brightly again.”

5.Why did the friends tell funny stories?

6.Which sentence is written in the past tense?

Mere shares warm cocoa.
Mere will share warm cocoa.
Mere shared warm cocoa.

Plan your own recount

Choose a real event you remember clearly, such as a game, celebration, trip, performance or special day. Use brief notes to plan what happened. Your event does not need to be about stargazing.

7.What real event will you recount? Add when and where it happened.

8.Jot down three things that happened, in order. Start each note with a time word such as First, Next, Then or Finally.

9.What feeling did you have during or after the event? Write a feeling word and one reason for it.

10.Write your recount in 5–7 sentences. Include when and where it happened, events in order, past-tense verbs, time connectives and how you felt. Remember capital letters and full stops.

11.Edit your recount. Check each point and fix anything you missed: past-tense verbs; events in order; at least two time connectives; capital letters and full stops.