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Year 5

Identifying features of a diary entry to write from 'How To Train Your Dragon'

I can identify and analyse layout and linguistic features of a diary entry.

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Year 5

Identifying features of a diary entry to write from 'How To Train Your Dragon'

I can identify and analyse layout and linguistic features of a diary entry.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A diary entry is a type of recount written in the first person.
  2. A diary entry is informal in its tone.
  3. The purpose of a diary entry is to recount events and record thoughts and feelings.
  4. A diary entry can be sequenced in chronological order.
  5. A diary entry may switch between past, present and future tenses.

Keywords

  • Purpose - the aim of the text

  • Recount - a piece of writing that recalls an event or experience

  • Layout - the way a text is structured

  • Linguistic features - structures of language that use words

Common misconception

Pupils may think that a diary is written entirely in the past tense.

Examples of present and future tense are referred to and modelled in the examples given. Emphasise repeatedly to pupils that a range of tenses will be used in a diary.


To help you plan your year 5 english lesson on: Identifying features of a diary entry to write from 'How To Train Your Dragon', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

If pupils need additional consolidation of apostrophes for contraction, explicit lessons on this can be found in the Y5 Grammar unit 'Speech punctuation, parenthesis and apostrophes'.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is a diary?
a fictional narrative involving magical creatures
Correct answer: a private book where someone records their experiences and feelings
a non-fiction text providing information to others
Q2.
What does writing in the 'first person' mean?
writing about things that are going to happen
Correct answer: writing from the perspective of the person involved
writing about yourself and calling yourself by your name
Q3.
Which of these words might a writer use when writing in the first person?
you
Correct answer: I
Correct answer: my
they
Correct answer: we
Q4.
A diary greeting normally starts with which word?
Goodbye
Hello
Correct answer: Dear
Be right back
Q5.
What does chronological order mean?
order of importance
order of height
Correct answer: order of time
Q6.
What usually comes at the very beginning of a diary entry?
a drawing
Correct answer: the date
the name of the person writing it

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:purpose,the aim of the text
tick

the aim of the text

Correct Answer:recount,writing that recalls an event or experience
tick

writing that recalls an event or experience

Correct Answer:layout,the way a text is structured
tick

the way a text is structured

Correct Answer:linguistic features,structures of language that use words
tick

structures of language that use words

Q2.
What is the purpose of a diary entry?
to tell a fictional story
to share your feelings with other people
to write recipes
Correct answer: to recount important experiences and express feelings
Q3.
Put the following in the order they appear in a diary entry.
1 - date
2 - greeting: 'Dear Diary,'
3 - paragraphs to organise recount
4 - sign-off
Q4.
Which of the following linguistic features appear in a diary entry?
third person
Correct answer: informal language
Correct answer: first person
formal language
Q5.
Which tense does the writer use when writing a diary entry?
Correct answer: past tense
Correct answer: present tense
Correct answer: future tense
Q6.
Which of the following supports the sequencing of events chronologically?
fronted adverbials of manner
viewpoint fronted adverbials
Correct answer: fronted adverbials of time

Additional material

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