Account Writing

Grade VI
 What is Account Writing?
• Account writing is defined as a written detail of an event or a situation.
• An example of an account is when a child relays all of the events of his
school day.
• In simple words account writing is the process of recording events or
situation in a chronological manner.
 Format of an Account
• To: recipient’s full name or Designation(The Principal/The Police)
• From: Writer’s full name or Designation
• Date: 5th April,2021
• Introductory Paragraph
• Body paragraph
• Concluding paragraph
 Features of Account Writing
• An account is always written in past tense as in an account the writer
relays the events of the past.
• It is always written in a chronological order.
• Accounts must direct the reader in the right order as what and how things
had exactly happened. Unlike other reports the first paragraph must
necessarily answer the questions of ‘What’, ’Where’ and ‘When’ followed
by the explanation about the incident.
 Features of Account Writing
• The tone of an account totally depends on to whom the account is written.
If the question clearly states that the account should be written to a
headmaster or an inspector/a police personnel, then it is pretty obvious
that the tone should be formal, polite and respectful. On the other hand if
the question does not mention the recipient at all then the writer needs to
self-assume his /her recipient and write abiding by the rules of using a
suitable register for the recipient (formal or informal).
 Features of Account Writing
• An account can have personal feelings. The writer may, therefore, choose
emotive language and sensational words and phrases as far as those assist
in providing relevant information to the recipient. (Remember! Here the
purpose is to inform not to entertain) Thus, baseless emotions and
excessive exaggeration should be avoided.
• Unlike a report, in an account the ‘I’ pronoun isn’t restricted.
• The writer is free to give his opinion about the event. He may provide
suggestions to certain matters even if he/she isn’t asked to.
 Sample Account Writing
• Q1. Write a personal account by Austin Clarke about his first day at s
chool in 1944 in Barbados, to the principal of the school. In your acco
unt, include the following:
• how he got enrolled into the school
• how he felt
• what his mother was like
Think carefully about the purpose of your account, and the audience fo
r whom it is intended.
October 3, 1944

To: Principal Percival Davis

Address: Combermere School, Barbados

From: Austin Clarke

Address: St. Matthias, Barbados

Back in September 1944, I was enrolled into Combermere School and it almost felt (in terms of the emotional
environment) like the day I was born. I was enrolled into it with thirty other boys, almost ready to experience
something entirely, completely different. Combermere School happened to be located in Barbados, a Caribbean
island, and this was also my home country, for all my life.

Why was I enrolled? It was because my mother wanted me to. And she could not have been happier for me, as she
had just achieved something that was incredibly unexpected, and exceeded the expectations of everyone at our
village. It happened to the extent that all the mothers of the village, with a hope for me being successful, cheered
me on, told me to accomplish great things at school, said that learning would make me a better man, and,
otherwise, simply wished me good luck on my way to school. Their motivation was very much required, and
provided me with some optimism.
If one were to ask me how I felt during all of this, I would probably have said that I was very happy. Nervous,
tense and stressed, sure, but I was also extremely glad, proud of myself, happy with my mother’s pride for my
enrollment, and ready to conquer whatever awaited me.

But, what of my mother? She was indeed very happy for me, as I pointed out before, and was prepared as to
what she would put in my bag: books, puzzles, compasses, a biscuit tin, a fish sandwich and lemonade. She
wanted me to learn all that could be learned, study all that could be studied, and be the best, most well-groomed
by in the entire world. And yet… she did not want me to be a civil servant. Rather than letting me achieve my
dreams, she would have rather preferred me to become a doctor, the safer, more ‘accepted’ job, than the
dangerous sorts, which was in the form of a ‘civil servant’.

So, here I am now, a student in secondary school, writing to you an account regarding my experiences getting
prepared for secondary school, to make my mother proud. My mother’s insistence resulted in me getting enrolled
into secondary school, with me being very tense and excited, and my mother being happy; she wanted me to be a
doctor, whereas I wanted to be a civil servant. I have learnt that, sometimes, experiences do not go the way you
want them to go. It is advised that the principal impresses me greatly with this school, so that I do not wish to
leave, and I hope that everything in this above account is extremely helpful to the addressee, to further their
cause of better education.
 Quiz Link
https://forms.gle/PWeWaa737CyWtd676
 Assignment: Written Task
• Q. Write a personal account of your expedition of climbing the
mountain of K2, highlighting your experience in terms of the
following:
• The difficulties you encountered
• How you left
• How you survived