Date –Shows which day the diary entry is about.

First person - Writer is writing about himself.

Past tense - Writer writes about what has happened.
Personal tone - We can almost hear the writer speaking.
Self-reflection - Writer writes about their feelings, thoughts, hopes and fears.
Short sentence - Used to emphasise the writer’s words.

Paragraphs - Used when a new time, place, person or topic is written about

Diary of a soldier (print and stick in the English notebook)

14 April 1915
I’m home on leave. It’s good to be back and seeing everyone.
I haven’t written anything for a long time because I haven’t had the heart to.
We’re hearing bad things from the Front in France. Terrible battles with
thousands killed and no land gained. Poison gas used. Jack’s letters to Mom
and Dad don’t say much except that he’s keeping as well as can be expected,
whatever that means. When I read them, I feel a shiver. It’s mostly fun with
my mates in the army now, but will it always be like this?
15 April 1915
Jack turned up on leave today. He’s only here for a few days, because though
his leave is nine days long, it took him three days to get here. He brought his
rifle and pack with him, but he wouldn’t let me look at the rifle.
“Leave it alone,” he shouted. “I didn’t bring it here for fun.” I only wanted to
see what a really good new one was like. He looks twenty years older.
20 April 1915
He left yesterday. Seeing him go was the worst moment of our lives. He
looked so unhappy. I wish I knew what he was feeling. I didn’t sleep all night
for thinking about him. I’m going back to Llandudno today. Jack not talking
hasn’t made me feel very happy about it.

Diary features Evidence

1. Date
2. informal, conversational style

3. written in first person

4. add details by using nouns, adjectives

and adverbs

5. use simple past tense to write down

events

6. use words that show how we think and

feel

7. thoughts and feelings at the moment of

writing

8. Self-reflection

9. Paragraphs