KINGDOM 1
Personal essays A personal essay is a piece of writing that reveals your thoughts, feelings and ideas. Your personality comes through in a personal essay.
Features
Language
Read the following example of a personal essay. Notice how each paragraph is linked to the one before, but deals with a separate event within the main story.
A Day I Will Always Remember Heading
It was a sunny Friday morning in June and Dad came home early from work. He had several planks of wood and his toolbox in hand. I met him at the door and he had the biggest smile on his face. I asked him what he was so happy about and he motioned me to follow him to the end of the garden.
There is an old oak tree at the bottom of our garden. It has been there since before we moved into this house. It was always my go-to place during hide and seek, as the trunk of the tree was so wide that nobody could spot me behind it. I loved running my fi ngers over its rough bark and smelling the freshly cut grass as I crouched behind it, listening for my friends.
Dad told me that we were going to build a tree house in the oak tree. Looking back at that moment I was so excited and I knew there and then that this would be a day I would never forget.
Dad took care of all the dangerous tasks, such as sawing, drilling and hammering nails. I sanded down and painted the wood. My task made me feel important and grown up.
At six o’clock Mum called us in for dinner. I raced to eat as fast as I could, as I was dying to get back out and continue working. Dad told me to calm down and not rush my meal, but I was eager to get the most out of the day before it grew dark.
Eventually, Dad fi nished his dinner and we got back to work. The tree house was really taking form. There was a window and a door at the front and the fl oor was secured by two of the large branches that jutted out from the tree. We worked tirelessly into the evening and as the sun started to go down our tree house was complete.
Dad and I took a step back to admire the small wooden house nestled in the tree. It was as though the tree house had always been there. I was really proud of our handiwork. I could not wait until Saturday so I could have all of my friends over to explore our new base camp.
28 Refl ects on the memory
Arresting opening that grabs the attention of the readers
Descriptive setting that appeals to the senses
Refl ective language used as the writer looks back on the event
Reveals thoughts and feelings
Develops the scene further
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