Narrative Writing Rubric


Reread your narrative. Which parts need improvement? Use this rubric to help you decide. Check the sentences that describe your personal narrative.


Rings the Bell!

The story starts with a surprising statement, a question, or a description.

I used dialogue and other details that highlight the five senses.

Every event is important to the story and is told in order.

I can hear my voice. My writing sounds like me.

The ending ties my story ideas together in a satisfying way.

There are very few mistakes.


Getting Stronger

The beginning needs more spark.

More details are needed to make this experience come alive.

Some sentences aren't important. More time clues are needed.

My voice could be stronger. It doesn't always sound like me.

The ending doesn't tie things together.

Mistakes make my story hard to follow in some places.


Try Harder

The beginning is dull.

Where are the details? It's hard to picture what happened.

Some events are unimportant or are told out of order.

I can't hear my voice at all.

The story just stops. There is no ending.

There are a lot of mistakes.