This document provides a lesson on writing recounts. It defines recounts as narratives that describe events in chronological order. There are three types of recounts: factual, personal, and imaginative. Factual recounts objectively describe real events, personal recounts involve the writer's first-hand experiences, and imaginative recounts embellish real events with creative details. The document outlines the typical structure of recounts and seven key language features to employ, such as using time connectors, third-person perspective, and past tense verbs. Students are then instructed to write a 350-word factual recount based on provided information.

1. T H E F A C T S … A N D N O T H I N G B U T T H E F A C T S
RECOUNTS

2. LESSON AGENDA
• By the end of this lesson you would be able to:
• Understand what is a recount
• Know the purpose of recounts and their language features
• Know how to plan and then write a recount

3. LESSON REFERENCES
• Longman’s Complete Guide to Upper Secondary
Composition, Pearson-Longman, Singapore: 2003,
2008

4. INTRODUCTION
• Recounts are used in everyday life to record or
describe in a sequential manner daily events
• They are shaped by:
• Our own observations and ability to recall the event
• Our own feelings, opinions, biases etc., about the subject.

5. PUT ON YOUR THINKING CAPS…
• Can you think of examples of recounts?
• With your partner sitting next to you…come up with an
example of a recount…lets see how many we can come
up with?
• What do the recounts that you have suggested have in
common?

6. WHAT IS A RECOUNT?
• Longman defines recounts as follows:
• “…A recount tells “what happened”. The events are usually
told in the order in which the events occurred. The purpose
is to tell the reader when the event happened and give the
description of the details in a sequential manner (words in
italics are my own) …” (Longmans: 107)

7. TYPES OF RECOUNTS
• There are three types of recounts which may be set
in the O’Level English Examinations. These are:
• Factual Recounts
• Personal Recounts
• Imaginative Recounts

8. FACTUAL RECOUNTS
• This type of recount captures the details (or facts)
about a particular event.
• for example a newspaper article of a court trial
• …or a student’s report to the principal about the
disappearance of a student.

9. FACTUAL RECOUNT
• Characteristics:
• The writer need not have been directly involved with the
incident or need not be even physically present.
• So how does the writer get information about the event?
• Interviews with people at the scene…
• refer to police reports about the incident…
• Conducts independent research on the facts…

10. PERSONAL RECOUNTS
• A Personal recount tells the details of an event that
the author/writer may have been involved with
personally or was present at.
• Example:
• A student’s account of an accident she caused in a
science lab
• The written details of the writer’s life in the form of an
autobiography

11. IMAGINATIVE RECOUNTS
• These recounts involve the writer or speaker or are
“told” by a fictional character. They are based on
real life events that are embellished by the use of:
• creative or imaginative language or
• that require the use of imagination
• Examples:
• A description of the events following a natural disaster such
as an earthquake that is told from the writer’s imagination.

12. IMAGINATIVE RECOUNTS VS
NARRATIVES
Imaginative Recounts
• An imaginative recounts tells what
happened. Events in the recount
are real although participants may
be fictional.
• There are participants and a
background to the recount…
• There are also events that link it
together and that are told in the
past tense.
Narratives
• A narrative tells what happened by
using imagination is brought in to
play rather than the events being
real.
• There is suspense throughout to
make the reader want to read on.
• Events - more complicated &
involves problems to be resolved.
• Feelings are being expressed.
Sometimes thoughts and reflections

13. STRUCTURE OF A RECOUNT
• While there are three types of recount, they
generally follow the same structure:
• Part One: An Introduction – this part places the
reader in a particular position. It indicates:
• What the event was
• Where and When it happened and
• Who was there:
• Remember: “5 Wives and 1 Husband”

14. STRUCTURE OF A RECOUNT
• Part Two: A Body – The body contains a series of
events in the order in which they occurred.
• Remember: Sequence, in order of time (chronological)
• Part Three: A conclusion – This part is put in for a
personal comment. May be omitted if it is not a
personal recount

15. LET’S WORK ON THIS
• Read the following recount…can you identify the
parts?

16. CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE PARTS?
Dear Mum and Dad,
We had a great time yesterday. It was our first day in Singapore.
First we were taken to our new school and were introduced to the other students
at Assembly. Then we sat with the Vice-Principal and worked out our courses
and subjects we would take. After that we were released to spend the rest of
the day as we wanted.
In the late morning, our host parents took us to the MRT and showed us how to
take it to get to school. They later took us for a delicious lunch of local food – I
had my first plate of chicken rice!
It rained in the afternoon – a real tropical downpour which made the end of the
day much fresher and cooler. In the evening, after our meal, I prepared all my
books and stationery for school. My host mother, Mrs Lim helped me to get my
uniform ready.
It was a most successful day.

17. LANGUAGE FEATURES
• Language Feature 1: Use adjectives, adjectival
phrases and clauses to add details to the
description:
• “The white Mazda, which was obviously speeding, narrowly
missed two 14-year-old boys who were standing on the
footpath under the towering trees…”
• (For imaginative recount…can afford to give more
adjectives that reflect on the feelings of the “key players”)
but for factual recount….stick with the facts.

18. LANGUAGE FEATURES
• Language feature 2: Use connectors to do with time
• example: then, after, five minutes later, etc.
• “…On the morning of the meeting he spent some time
going over his notes. Later, he changed some of his original
ideas, incorporating new ones and from the interviews he
conducted earlier that day. That evening he was ready –
ready to make the announcement they were all waiting
for…”
• Here are some other examples: now, when, following that,
afterwards, meanwhile, next, at this moment, lastly, at this
point, before that, soon after, momentarily.

19. LANGUAGE FEATURES
• Language Feature 3: Use nouns, proper nouns, noun
phrases and clauses:
• Write the names of people, places and events to make your
account believable
• Noun phrases are groups of words without a verb e.g. – “my
lively cousin”, “his shiny, white, car”, “my crazy godfather”
• Noun clauses are groups of words that contain a verb but
the main word is still the noun: “my hilarious cousin jumped
straight in…”, “…my forgetful aunt, remembered nothing”

20. LANGUAGE FEATURES
• Language Feature 4: Use passive voice where
appropriate – this give the account a “reported,
objective feel”:
• The tree was broken in two by the impact of the car.
• The test tube of hot liquid was dropped by the student
• The passive voice allows you to describe an event
from the point of view of the thing or person
affected.

21. LANGUAGE FEATURES
• Language Feature 5: Use past and past perfect tense
to re-tell the events and report the words spoken.
• Eg.
• The accident was not the first one on that stretch of road (past
tense).
• There had been at least three similar accident on the same
road in the last three weeks. (past perfect tense)

22. LANGUAGE FEATURES
• Language Feature 6: Use the 3rd person, when
writing a factual recount
• Do Write: The class was stunned by the announcement
• Don’t write: You all became quiet after the announcement
• Exception: When writing personal recount where
you (the writer) are supposed to be part of the
action.
• We climbed on board the bus and settled down waiting for
Mrs Lee’s instructions.

23. LANGUAGE FEATURES
• Language Feature 7: Use actual words spoken
through indirect or reported speech
• Write: The boy was visibly distressed when his injuries were
dealt with by the doctor.
• Don’t write: “Ouch” cried the boy as he was being
examined by the paramedic. His tears began welling up in
his eyes at the pain.

24. LESSON RECAP
• What are recounts?
• What is the structure of a recount?
• Name the 7 features of a recount?

25. NOW LETS TRY IT OUT!
• Refer to the assignment worksheet given to you:
• Refer to the information sheet to give you the facts of the
incident.
• Write a factual account based on the point of view of the
character you are supposed to be.
• Account should be 350 words long.