Narrative Elements
Narrative Structure is
The way a story is organized so it flows clearly and shows what happened, why it mattered, and how you changed.
Active Choice involves
Writing where the subject does the action, making sentences clearer and stronger
Adjectives are (give some examples)
Add details to nouns
(Ex: Sharp, Nervous, Proud)
What is a value?
A belief that guides your choices and helps explain why you made decisions.
Resolution typically shows
How the situation ends or how you respond to it, often with a takeaway or lesson.
Descriptive Language is
Writing that uses the five senses to help the reader experience the moment.
Descriptive Language uses
Sensory details like sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste used in writing to create a scene.
Passion can be
What you truly care about and invest energy into in your life
Turning Points show
The moment when your thinking, emotions, or direction changes and you realize something important.
The first 1–3 sentences of an essay that grab the reader’s attention.
What are strong adjectives?
Strong describing words that help the reader picture the moment more clearly.
Qualities are
Traits you consistently show, such as resilience, proven through actions and choices.
Inciting incidents are
The moment that disrupts the status quo and starts the story’s problem or challenge.
Passive voice happens when
The action happens to the subject and can sound distant or unclear. We use it only when you want to hide who did the action or emphasize the result.
Status Quo is
Your “normal” before the story begins that sets the baseline for the reader. In a personal narrative, it sets the baseline so the reader can see what shifts later.
Anecdotes are
Short personal stories used to show who you are, not just tell.