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Year 4

Analysing features of a diary entry

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

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New
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Year 4

Analysing features of a diary entry

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

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The purpose of a diary entry is to recount important experiences and express feelings.
  2. A diary entry has a specific layout, it is written in the first person and it uses informal language.
  3. Simple past and progressive past tenses recount what the writer experienced and felt.
  4. Fronted adverbials of time support in sequencing events in a recount chronologically.
  5. The present tense is used towards the end of a diary entry to show how the writer is feeling now.

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 feature - a structure of language that uses words

Common misconception

Children may find it difficult to identify informal language.

Spend some time examining different ways informal language appears in the model diary entry (e.g. exaggeration, contractions, capitalised words, informal vocabulary).

Provide each child with a copy of the model diary entry so that they can annotate features. You may wish to provide children with a range of diary entry examples to analyse.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need a copy of the 2022 Puffin Books edition of ‘Into the Forest’ by Anthony Browne for this lesson.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), 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 tale involving magical creatures
Correct answer: a private book where someone records their experiences and feelings
a non-fiction text providing information to others
a book that contains recipes for food
Q2.
What does writing in the 'first person' mean?
writing about things that are going to happen
writing about yourself and calling yourself by your name
Correct answer: writing from the perspective of the person involved
Q3.
Which of these words might a writer use when writing in the first person?
you
Correct answer: I
Correct answer: my
they
Q4.
A diary greeting normally starts with which word?
Goodbye
Correct answer: Dear
Hello
Be right back
Thank you
Q5.
What does chronological order mean?
Correct answer: order of time
order of importance
order of height
Q6.
What usually comes at the very beginning of a diary entry?
a title
the name of the person writing it
Correct answer: the date

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the purpose of a diary entry?
Correct answer: to recount important experiences and express feelings
to tell a fictional story
to write recipes
to share your feelings with other people
Q2.
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
Q3.
Which of the following linguistic features appear in a diary entry?
third person
Correct answer: informal language
Correct answer: first person
formal language
Q4.
Which tense does the writer use when recounting in a diary entry?
Correct answer: past tense
present tense
future tense
Q5.
Which of the following supports the sequencing of events chronologically?
fronted adverbials of manner
Correct answer: fronted adverbials of time
viewpoint fronted adverbials
Q6.
When does a diary entry shift into the present tense?
when the writer is recounting past events
Correct answer: when the writer is expressing how they are currently feeling
in the greeting

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