WRITING WORKSHOP 2011

Narrative Writing for UPSR

By:
Cynthia C. James
SK Kunak 2, Kunak
 Know your verbs!
- Regular Verbs -
Present Tense Past Tense Present Tense Past Tense
walk walked pitch pitched
play played camp camped
watch watched collect collected
study studied cook cooked
carry carried open opened
weigh weighed lock locked
look looked close closed
clean cleaned serve served
pick picked happen happened
reach reached arrange arranged
 Know your verbs!
- Irregular Verbs -
Present Tense Past Tense Present Tense Past Tense
eat ate drink drank
run ran write wrote
go went read read
hold held hang hung
catch caught shut shut
teach taught drive drove
buy bought make made
sell sold lead led
choose chose feel felt
take took think thought
Verb ‘to be’, ‘to have’ and ‘to do’
Present Tense Past Tense
is was
are were
has had
have had
do did
does did
 Modals

Present Tense Past Tense

can could
will would
shall should
 Know your tenses!
Present or Past?
• Last week, the boy scouts went for a
camping at the Madai Waterfall.
• I am doing the dishes in the kitchen.
• The scout master instructed the boy
scouts to clean up the camping site.
• The girls were playing the congkak when
they heard the noise.
• He is a hardworking and honest boy.
• They are tired but they can do it.
• They were tired but they would go.
Sentences Tenses
Last week, the boy scouts went for a Past
camping at the Madai Waterfall.
I am doing the dishes in the kitchen. Present
The scout master instructed the boy Past
scouts to clean up the camping site.
The girls were playing congkak when
Past
they heard the noise.
He is a hardworking and honest boy. Present
They are tired but they can do it. Present
They were tired but they would go. Past
 Know your verbs!
Identify the verbs in the sentences below.
• Last week, the boy scouts went for a
camping at the Madai Waterfall.
• I am doing the dishes in the kitchen.
• The scout master instructed the boy
scouts to clean up the camping site.
• The girls were playing congkak when they
heard the noise.
• He is a hardworking and honest boy.
• They are tired but they can do it.
• They were tired but they would go.
 Know your subjects!
Identify the subjects in the sentences below.
• Last week, the boy scouts went for a
camping at the Madai Waterfall.
• I am doing the dishes in the kitchen.
• The scout master instructed the boy
scouts to clean up the camping site.
• The girls were playing congkak when they
heard the noise.
• He is a hardworking and honest boy.
• They are tired but they can do it.
• They were tired but they would go.
 Learn your sentence structures!
Subject Verb Wh
The boy scouts were camping at the waterfall
The waterfall was dirty
There were many rubbish
The scout master gave instructions
They cleaned the place
The boys pitched the tents
Several scouts cooked dinner
Practise 1

Noni – walking – school – saw –

beggar – tree

beggar – shivering – hungry –

took – lunch box – gave - him

ate – food – smiled – thanked -

kindness
 Noni – walking – school – saw –
beggar – tree

Subject Verb Wh

Noni was walking to school

She saw a beggar
under a tree
 beggar – shivering – hungry –
took – lunch box – gave - him

Subject Verb Wh

The beggar was shivering because he

was hungry
Noni took out her lunch box

She gave it to him

 ate – food – smiled – thanked -
kindness

Subject Verb Wh

The beggar ate the food

He smiled at Noni

He thanked Noni for her

kindness
Rewrite the sentences and turn it
into a paragraph.

Noni was walking to school. She saw a

beggar under a tree. The beggar was
shivering because he was hungry. Noni took
out her lunch box. She gave it to him. The
beggar ate the food. He smiled at Noni. He
thanked Noni for her kindness.
 Let’s make it more interesting!
Tip 1: Add time markers.
(Yesterday, Last week, One day, etc

One day, Noni was walking to school.

She saw a beggar under a tree. The beggar
was shivering because he was hungry. Noni
took out her lunch box. She gave it to him.
The beggar ate the food. He smiled at Noni.
He thanked Noni for her kindness.
 Let’s make it more interesting!
Tip 2: Add connectors.
(Suddenly, Therefore, After that,
etc.)
One day, Noni was walking to school. On
the way, she saw a beggar under a tree. The
beggar was shivering because he was hungry.
So, Noni took out her lunch box. She gave it
to him. The beggar ate the food. He smiled
at Noni. After he finished eating, he
thanked Noni for her kindness.
 Let’s make it more interesting!
Tip 3: Add additional info.
(Be creative!)
One day, Noni was walking to school.
She had extra class in the afternoon. On the
way, she saw a beggar under a tree. The
beggar was shivering because he was hungry.
Noni felt sorry for the beggar. So, she took
out her lunch box. She gave it to him. The
beggar ate the food. After he finished
eating, he thanked Noni for her kindness.
 Let’s make it more interesting!
Tip 4: Add adjectives.
(small, big, thin, beautiful, old, etc)
One day, Noni was walking to school.
She had extra class in the afternoon. On the
way, she saw a poor beggar under a big tree.
The beggar was shivering because he was
hungry. Noni felt sorry for the beggar. So,
she took out her small lunch box. She gave it
to him. The beggar ate the delicious food. He
smiled at Noni. After he finished eating, he
thanked Noni for her kindness.
 Let’s make it more interesting!
Tip 4: Add adverbs.
(slowly, quickly, hungrily, happily, etc)
One day, Noni was walking slowly to school.
She had extra class in the afternoon. On the way,
she saw a poor beggar under a big tree. The
beggar was shivering hard because he was hungry.
Noni felt sorry for the beggar. So, she quickly
took out her small lunch box. She generously gave
it to him. The beggar ate the delicious food
hungrily. He smiled sweetly at Noni. After he
finished eating, he humbly thanked Noni for her
kindness.
 Let’s make it more interesting!
Tip 5: Add an introduction.
Noni is a kind and helpful girl. She likes to
help other people.
One day, Noni was walking slowly to school.
She had extra class in the afternoon. On the way,
she saw a poor beggar under a big tree. The
beggar was shivering hard because he was hungry.
Noni felt sorry for the beggar. So, she quickly
took out her small lunch box. She generously gave
it to him. The beggar ate the delicious food
hungrily. He smiled sweetly at Noni. After he
finished eating, he humbly thanked Noni for her
kindness.
 Let’s make it more interesting!
Tip 6: Add a conclusion.
Noni is a kind and helpful girl. She likes to help other
people.
One day, Noni was walking slowly to school. She had
extra class in the afternoon. On the way, she saw a poor
beggar under a big tree.
The beggar was shivering hard because he was
hungry. Noni felt sorry for the beggar. So, she quickly took
out her small lunch box. She generously gave it to him.
The beggar ate the delicious food hungrily. He smiled
sweetly at Noni. After he finished eating, he humbly
thanked Noni for her kindness.
Noni continued her walk to school with a big smile on
her face. She was happy because she had helped someone
that day.
 Practise 2

boy scouts – camping – waterfall - left – picnickers – scout master

– reached – surprised – dirty - – instructions – collected - burnt

- pitched – tents – cooked

– dinner – campfire –
played – games – sang
 Identify the verbs.

boy scouts – camping – waterfall - left – picnickers – scout master

– reached – surprised – dirty - – instructions – collected - burnt

- pitched – tents – cooked

– dinner – campfire –
played – games – sang
 Subject Verb Wh
The boy were near the
scouts camping waterfall
They were surprised
The was dirty
waterfall

boy scouts – camping – waterfall –

reached – surprised – dirty -

The boy scouts were camping near the waterfall.

They were surprised. The waterfall was dirty.
 Subject Verb Wh
The was left by the
rubbish picnickers
The scout gave instructions
master
The boy collected the rubbish
scouts
They burnt the rubbish
- left – picnickers – scout master –
instructions – collected - burnt

The rubbish was left by the picnickers. The scout

master gave instructions. The boy scouts collected
the rubbish. They burnt the rubbish.
 Subject Verb Wh
The boy pitched the tents
scouts
They cooked dinner
They sat around the
campfire
They played games
They sang songs
- pitched – tents – cooked – dinner –
campfire – played – games – sang

The boy scouts pitched the tents. They cooked

dinner. They sat around the campfire. They played
games. They sang songs.
 Put it all together!
The boy scouts were camping near the waterfall.
They were surprised. The waterfall was dirty. The
rubbish was left by the picnickers. The scout master
gave instructions. The boy scouts collected the
rubbish. They burnt the rubbish. The boy scouts
pitched the tents. They cooked dinner. They sat
around the campfire. They played games. They sang
songs.
 Make it interesting!
• Add time markers.
• Add connectors.
• Add additional info.
• Add adjectives.
• Add adverbs.
• Add an introduction.
• Add an ending.
Practise 3
Fiqhri - friend – went –
bird watching – jungle -

-evening – home - lost – way –

tired – frightened - decided
– spend night

heard – voices – woke up –

happy – parents – hugged -
 Fiqhri - friend – went –
bird watching – jungle -

Subject Verb Wh
Fiqhri and his went bird watching
friend, Hanafi in the jungle
 -evening – home - lost – way –
tired – frightened - decided
– spend night

Subject Verb Wh
They wanted to go home
They lost their way
They were tired

They were frightened

to spend the night in

They decided
the jungle
 heard – voices – woke up –
happy – parents – hugged -

Subject Verb Wh
Fiqhri and heard voices
Hanafi
They woke up
They felt happy
Their parents hugged them
 Put it all together!
Fiqhri and his friend, Hanafi went
bird watching in the jungle. In the
evening, they wanted to go home. They
lost their way. They were tired. They
were frightened. They decided to spend
the night in the jungle.
Fiqhri and Hanafi heard voices. They
woke up. They felt happy. Their parents
hugged them.
 Tip 1: Add time markers.
Last Wednesday, Fiqhri and his
friend, Hanafi went bird watching in the
jungle. In the evening, they wanted to go
home. They lost their way. They were
tired. They were frightened. They
decided to spend the night in the jungle.
The next morning, Fiqhri and Hanafi
heard voices. They woke up. They felt
happy. Their parents hugged them.
 Tip 2: Add connectors.
Last Wednesday, Fiqhri and his friend,
Hanafi went bird watching in the jungle. In
the evening, they wanted to go home.
Unfortunately, they lost their way. They
were tired and frightened. Not knowing what
else to do, they decided to spend the night
in the jungle.
The next morning, Fiqhri and Hanafi
heard voices. They woke up. They felt happy.
Their parents hugged them.
 Tip 3: Add additional info.
Last Wednesday, Fiqhri and his friend, Hanafi
went bird watching in the jungle near their houses.
They were having so much fun.
In the evening, they wanted to go home.
Unfortunately, they lost their way. They could not
find their way home. They were tired and frightened.
Not knowing what else to do, they decided to spend
the night in the jungle. Fiqhri and Hanafi tried to
sleep under a tree.
The next morning, Fiqhri and Hanafi heard
voices calling their names. They woke up. Their
families were there looking for them. They felt
happy. Their parents hugged them. Everyone was glad
because Fiqhri and Hanafi were both safe.
 Tip 4: Add adjectives.
Last Wednesday, Fiqhri and his friend, Hanafi
went bird watching in the small jungle near their
houses. They were having so much fun.
In the evening, they wanted to go home.
Unfortunately, they lost their way. They could not
find their way home. They were tired and frightened.
Not knowing what else to do, they decided to spend
the night in the jungle. Fiqhri and Hanafi tried to
sleep under a shady tree.
The next morning, Fiqhri and Hanafi heard loud
voices calling their names. They woke up. Their
families were there looking for them. They felt
happy. Their parents hugged them. Everyone was glad
because Fiqhri and Hanafi were both safe.
 Tip 5: Add adverbs.
Last Wednesday, Fiqhri and his friend, Hanafi
went bird watching in the small jungle near their
houses. They were having so much fun.
In the evening, they wanted to go home.
Unfortunately, they lost their way. They could not
find their way home. They were tired and frightened.
Not knowing what else to do, they decided to spend
the night in the jungle. Fiqhri and Hanafi tried to
sleep under a shady tree.
The next morning, Fiqhri and Hanafi heard loud
voices calling their names. They woke up immediately.
Their families were there looking worriedly for them.
They felt happy. Their parents hugged them tightly.
Everyone was glad because Fiqhri and Hanafi were
both safe.
 Tip 6: Add an introduction.
Fiqhri is an adventurous boy. He likes outdoor
activities. He also loves challenging activities.
Last Wednesday, Fiqhri and his friend, Hanafi
went bird watching in the small jungle near their
houses. They were having so much fun.
In the evening, they wanted to go home.
Unfortunately, they lost their way. They could not
find their way home. They were tired and frightened.
Not knowing what else to do, they decided to spend
the night in the jungle. Fiqhri and Hanafi tried to
sleep under a shady tree.
The next morning, Fiqhri and Hanafi heard loud
voices calling their names. They woke up immediately.
Their families are there looking worriedly for them.
They felt happy. Their parents hugged them tightly.
Everyone was glad because Fiqhri and Hanafi were
both safe.
 Tip 7: Add a closure.

Fiqhri is an adventurous boy. He likes outdoor

activities. He also loves challenging activities.
Last Wednesday, Fiqhri and his friend, Hanafi
went bird watching in the small jungle near their
houses. They were having so much fun.
In the evening, they wanted to go home.
Unfortunately, they lost their way. They could not
find their way home. They were tired and
frightened. Not knowing what else to do, they
decided to spend the night in the jungle. Fiqhri and
Hanafi tried to sleep under a shady tree.
The next morning, Fiqhri and Hanafi heard
loud voices calling their names. They woke up
immediately. Their families were there
looking worriedly for them. They felt happy.
Their parents hugged them tightly. Everyone
was glad because Fiqhri and Hanafi were
both safe.
After that incident, Fiqhri and Hanafi
always try to be more careful when they go
for bird watching trips in the jungle.