Non-fiction

texts:
Recount

Recounts can come in a number of

forms. Some of these forms are given
beIow. The onIy probIem is that the
Ietters in each word are jumbIed up.
Can you work them out?
airdy
nourjaI
tauboogirayph
bragyphio
Can you think of any
more?
diary
journaI
autobiography
biography
Non-fiction
texts:
Recount

Recounts give a written version of

something past. Here are some of
the usuaI features, or conventions,
of recount texts.
written in the first person (e.g. autobiography) or the third
person (e.g. biography)
written in the past tense
a variety of sentence structures are used, to create different
effects
the active voice is usuaIIy used
connectives are used to indicate time, cause or to contrast
diaIogue may be used
There may be sophisticated use of punctuation for effect (e.g.
coIons, dashes, brackets)
Non-fiction
texts:
Recount

Here are some connectives that my be

usefuI when writing a recount text.
Some of the Ietters are missing. Can
you work them out?
I _ t _ r
_ o_ ev _r
a _ t_ o_ gh
m _ _ n _ hiIe
Iater
aIthough
however
meanwhiIe
See how
many more
you can Iist.
Non-fiction
texts:
Recount

Thursday
1oday I felt really ill. I think it
was the school fish stew, followed
by a dose of Maths with :Dolly'. I
was working happily - minding
my own business - until he asked
for the homework due in. I
managed to think up the best
excuse I could: it was stolen and
used by the cook in the fish stew,
but I still got detention.
et's expIore some of these
features in this extract of a diary
written by a student.
Connectives
related to
time
Subordinate
clause used
Past tense
The first
person is
used
A colon is
used to
introduce the
excuse.
Quotation
marks
indicate a
nickname
Non-fiction
texts:
Recount

Here is another recount, this time a

biography of a teacher.
harles Frank Whackem (1845-
1945) was a highly respected school
master. As the son of the founder of
the school, he felt it his duty to
uphold the school values embodied
in the school motto: whack in time
saves nine. Despite his love for the
cane, his students admired him. As
one student commented: What a
bloke. Nobody could wield a cane
like Old Beaky!`
ork with a partner
and anaIyse the
features of
recounts present in
this passage.
Did you spot any of
the foIIowing?
Non-fiction
texts:
Recount

harles Frank Whackem (1845-

1945) was a highly respected school
master. As the son of the founder of
the school, he felt it his duty to
uphold the school values embodied
in the school motto: whack in time
saves nine. Despite his love for the
cane, his students admired him. As
one student commented: What a
bloke. Nobody could wield a cane
like Old Beaky!`
ialogue to
give an idea
of character
connectives
Colon used to
introduce
information
Past tense
Subordinate
clause
Third person
(plural)
brackets
Non-fiction
texts:
Recount

Have a go at writing your own recount!

Here are some ideas:
n account of Sports Day for the SchooI
Magazine
journaI of a schooI trip, by one of the
teachers.
The diary of a student who went to
Oromocto High SchooI in 1950