Year 2 · English · Literacy
Writing simple recounts
Writing about a real experience in time order using words such as 'first', 'next', 'then' and 'finally'.
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These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to UK year groups by age (Year 1 is the year a child turns 6 in England). They are not mapped to the National Curriculum in England or the curricula of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, so check them against your own plans.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Understand that a recount tells about something that really happened, in time order.
- Use time words such as 'first', 'next', 'then' and 'finally' to order events.
- Write a short recount that starts with who, where and when and ends with a feeling or comment.
Success looks like
- I can start my recount by saying who, where and when.
- I can write the events in the order they happened using time words.
- I can end with how I felt.
The big idea
A recount tells about something that really happened. It might be a trip to the beach, a birthday party or a visit to a farm. Because it has already happened, a recount is written in the past tense: we went, we played, we ate.
A recount has three parts:
- The beginning tells who was there, where it was and when it happened.
- The events are written in the order they happened, using time words such as first, next, then, after that and finally.
- The ending tells how the writer felt or what they thought.
Here is an example. 'On Saturday, I went to the beach with my family. First, we built a sandcastle. Next, we swam in the waves. Then, we ate sandwiches under an umbrella. Finally, we packed up and drove home. I had a great day.'
Before writing, talk through the events and draw a quick picture for each one in a planning box. Then write one sentence for each picture. Talking first makes writing much easier for young children.
Worked examples
Spotting the parts
In the beach recount, which sentence tells who, where and when?
- Look at the first sentence: 'On Saturday, I went to the beach with my family.'
- When? On Saturday. Where? The beach. Who? I and my family.
Answer: 'On Saturday, I went to the beach with my family.'
Ordering events
Put these in order with time words: ate lunch, got to the zoo, saw the lions.
- Think about what really happened first: we got to the zoo.
- Then we saw the lions, then we ate lunch.
- Add time words: 'First, we got to the zoo. Next, we saw the lions. Finally, we ate lunch.'
Answer: First, we got to the zoo. Next, we saw the lions. Finally, we ate lunch.
Changing to the past tense
Fix this sentence for a recount: 'We play on the swings.'
- A recount is about something that already happened.
- Change 'play' to the past tense by adding -ed: 'played'.
- 'We played on the swings.'
Answer: 'We played on the swings.'
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
A recount tells about…
something that really happened — A recount retells real events in the order they happened.
In the beach recount, what did the family do first?
built a sandcastle — 'First, we built a sandcastle.'
Which time word is used for the last event?
finally — 'Finally' tells the reader this is the last event.
Which sentence is written in the past tense?
We went to the zoo. — 'Went' shows it has already happened.
Which sentence is the best start for a recount?
On Sunday, I went to the farm with Grandpa. — It tells when (Sunday), where (the farm) and who (I and Grandpa).
Type the time word that starts the first event: '___, we built a sandcastle.'
First — 'First' tells the reader this happened first.
Change 'play' to the past tense: 'Yesterday we ___ in the park.'
played — Add -ed to 'play' to make 'played'.
In the beach recount, where did the family eat their sandwiches?
under an umbrella — 'Then, we ate sandwiches under an umbrella.'
Watch out for
- Starting every sentence with 'And then'. Offer a list of time words to choose from.
- Mixing present and past tense ('We go to the beach and swam'). Read the recount aloud and listen for verbs that sound wrong.
- Writing a list of things that happened without saying who, where and when. Use a planning box for the beginning.
Tips for parents
- Recount the day together at dinner time, using time words: 'First we… then we…'.
- Use photos from an outing as a plan. Your child can write one sentence for each photo.
- Praise one strength in each piece, such as clear time words, before suggesting one thing to fix.
Go further
- Keep a weekend diary with one short recount each week.
- Make a photo book of a family trip with a recount sentence under each picture.
- Write a recount as a postcard to a relative, telling them about a special day.
About 25 minutes
You'll need
- Paper folded into four boxes for planning
- Lined paper and a pencil
- Photos from a recent outing or family event (optional)
Key words
- recount
- Writing that tells about something that really happened, in the order it happened.
- event
- Something that happens.
- time words
- Words such as 'first', 'next', 'then' and 'finally' that show the order of events.
- past tense
- Verbs that show something has already happened, such as 'went', 'played' and 'ate'.
Still tricky?
For parents
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