English Composition

Writing about Personal Experience

Match the following according to your experience.1. a car accident It was frustrating.

2. a trip abroad It was embarrassing.

3. a job interview It was shocking.

4. a school event/festival It was amazing.

5. a time you succeeded It was exciting.

It was frightening.

It was exhausting.

It was depressing.

• Discuss an experience you have had. How did you feel?

Experience When Feelings

Won an Award Last year Really excited, nervous

Did something that you regretted

Lost something important

Had good luck

What experience was? What happened?

How did you feel? Describe your feelings.

My My Memorable Memorable Experience: Experience:

When and where I had the experience?

How I felt after experience? What I learned from the experience?

A question to introduce the topic

Time Expressions: Beginning

At first, In the beginning, One day

Time Expressions: Middle

After a while, Later, Then

Time Expressions: End

In the end, Finally

Beginning Your Composition

Your introduction should …get the reader’s interestmake a general commentguide the reader

You can use the following:Your senses: The plane was making strange noises.A question: Have you traveled abroad? Direct speech: Art is exhausting work.

Complete the OutlineTitle: I. Introduction

A. Question to Introduce _______________________________________________________________________

B. The Experience______________________________________________________________________C. Description of the experience and feelings______________________________________________________________________

II. BodyA. When and where I had the experience______________________________________________________________________B. What happenedBeginning:______________________________________________________________Middle: ________________________________________________________________End: ___________________________________________________________________

III. ConclusionA. How I felt and what I learned

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Giving Details: Place question marks where you need more information

When I was young, I had my first experience trying to earn money. During my vacation, my friend and I decided to open a store. We asked our parents to lend us some money to get started, and then we took the money to buy supplies. Then, we made sign to advertise our new store. Kids from our neighborhood came to the store. We began selling things. At the end of the vacation, we closed the store, and I used my money to buy something for myself.

Ideal Example Did you ever have a part time job when you were

young? When I was nine, I had my first experience earning money on my own during my summer vacation. My best friend and I decided to open a candy store, so we asked our parents to lend us money to get started. We were really excited. At the local market, we bought the cheapest candy that we could find. Then, we went home and put a table outside with sign, advertising our candy store. At first, no one came, but after a while, kids started coming from all over the neighborhood. We sold a lot of candy. By the end of the summer, we made a lot of money. With the money, I bought a new bike. I felt really proud of myself. Looking back, opening the candy store was a great experience.

Peer FeedbackIntroduction: (interesting) (ok) (boring)

The Body: I understand the main idea. (Yes/No)

The time expression helped me understand the story (Yes / No)

Essay’s Strong Points: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Suggestions for Improvement: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________