Narrative Writing
Write narratives with developed settings, characters and plot, using dialogue and description to develop experiences and show character responses to situations
Suggested ages 7–11
Learning journey
Your child is developing as a writer — learning to organize their ideas into paragraphs, write engaging stories with developed characters, and edit their work to make it clearer and more effective.
Evidence of understanding
- Write a narrative that includes a described setting, at least one developed character, and a clear plot with a problem and resolution
- Use dialogue to show what characters say and reveal their personality or feelings
- Use descriptive details and temporal words to organise events into a clear sequence with a satisfying ending
Assessment prompt
When Narrative Writing writes a story, do they bring it to life with descriptions of the setting, details about the characters, and some dialogue — rather than just listing what happened?
Standards alignment
W.2.3
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 2
W.3.3
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 3
W.3.3a
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 3
W.3.3b
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 3
W.3.3c
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 3
W.3.3d
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 3
W.4.3
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 4
W.4.3a
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 4
W.4.3b
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 4
W.4.3c
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 4
W.4.3d
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 4
W.4.3e
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 4
W.5.3
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 5
W.5.3a
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 5
W.5.3b
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 5
W.5.3c
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 5
W.5.3d
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 5
W.5.3e
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · Grade 5
Describe settings and characters
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · Key Stage 2