Do you know that people keep only 5% to 10% of material that consists only of simple information. However, they remember between 65% and 70% when it’s in narrative form.
Narration is a Latin word that means to tell and to know. It has the ability to naturally attract readers by explaining a personal thought, experience, or event in narrative form.
The use of narration makes it easy to explain any complex topic in simple words. For example, you need to explain photosynthesis to children, you can't just tell them directly about it. What you can do is, make a story and add the concepts of photosynthesis and this way children understand clearly.
Here are the important things I will discuss, such as:
- What are narrative paragraphs?
- Elements of narrative paragraph
- 5 steps of writing narrative paragraph, along with examples
- Additional narrative paragraph examples for a better understanding
So, let’s read this full guide and pour knowledge into narrative paragraphs.
What are narrative paragraphs?
The narrative paragraph is a type of paragraph that tells a story of events. Its main purpose is to engage the reader by providing a clear description related to characters and settings.
These paragraphs are best for sharing entertaining experiences or a moral lesson to describe stories.
A good story or narration helps you understand better things and feel more empathy. This happens because stories trigger chemicals in your brain and your writing triggers them to relate to it.
8 elements of a narrative paragraph
The narration consists of various elements that make it more interesting and full of information. The most common elements play a vital role, such as:
- Setting is where and when the story takes place.
- Characters are the people involved in the story.
- Plot is a structure where the actual story is happening.
- Conflict is what problem the characters face.
- The theme is the main idea of narrating a scene of your story.
- Point of view is telling the story in a more related and interconnected form.
- Add sensory information, like the use of clear words that present the scene in a more representable form.
- Check the dialogues or the conversations between characters that reveal the actual personalities.
Related information: How to Write Strong Paragraphs: Step by Step Guide
5 steps to writing narrative paragraphs more easily
There are many types of writing paragraphs that help to describe our thoughts and feelings as per the situation. Frequently used paragraph types include:
Narrative paragraph, compare and contrast paragraph, descriptive paragraph, expository paragraph, exemplification paragraph, and cause and effect paragraphs. To write a perfect paragraph, let’s have a look at five useful steps:
1. Choose a specific event to start a narrative paragraph
Firstly, decide the main body of the paragraph and finalize what you want to share in your writing. Then, start writing by narrating a clear and short sentence. You have a lot of options to write about childhood or any adventurous and thrilling experience.
Select one event in your life, start writing, and prefer to write in an engaging and captivating way.
2. Start with a clear topic sentence or main theme of the story
In the second step, your paragraph should start with a clear topic sentence. The first statement of your paragraph is the representation of your writing.
Select one tone of writing and pursue it till writing the paragraph. For example, select the formal tone and continue writing.
You can also use an AI paragraph generator to create narrative stories in formal form. You just have to click on a mode option and select formal, and then it automatically writes in that way.
3. Use descriptive details to add clarity
Thirdly, write a narrative paragraph sample with sensory details, like a clear vision to imagine, and specific details to make a picture in the reader’s mind.
Write a short paragraph that must contain descriptive details about the topic. The length of the paragraph matters a lot to attract the readers. Make sure to include details about what you saw, heard, felt, or thought during the event. It becomes more interesting when you get the clarity from short narrative paragraph examples.
4. Add the sequence of events properly for better narration
Organize your paragraph in chronological order and guide the reader through the sequence of events. Maintain the structure of the paragraph to make its context clear and meaningful.
Keep in touch to use transition words like "first," "then," "next," and "finally" to help the flow.
5. End your narrative paragraph sample with a strong conclusion
Wrap up your narrative paragraph with a strong conclusion by highlighting the themes. The conclusion may contain a revision of all the above discussion.
Make sure to point out the answers that are in the reader's mind. Don’t prefer to write long paragraphs to make it more meaningful.
Top 7 examples of narrative paragraph
A clear example of narrative paragraph helps you to understand the sample of narrative paragraph in a better way and here are the top 7 examples:
Example 1: Personal experience
A personal narrative paragraph allows writers to share a meaningful experience from their own lives. For example, in this sentence, “The smell of fresh coffee filled the cool morning air when I walked outside.”
The clarity of the fresh smell of coffee, the situation or cinematic view of cool morning air, and the physical touch of walking outside portray your personal experience.
By writing this way, your narration adds a feel to that moment. For a more detailed view, here is a complete version of this example that adds more detail to understand it better. For example:
“The smell of fresh coffee filled the cool morning air when I walked outside. I felt the wet grass beneath my bare feet. Birds chirped happily, greeting the sunrise. The sunlight shines through the trees. I felt thankful for nature's beauty and for being alive to see it.”
Example 2: Historical event
A historical narrative paragraph tells a story about something that happened in the past. E.g., in this sentence, “The air was tense as people gathered. They all wanted freedom.”
Here, the sense of anxiety, stress, or unease in the atmosphere is clearly seen. To write historical events while narrating a paragraph in a more detailed form, let’s have a look:
For example:
“The air was tense as people gathered. They all wanted freedom. They whispered, cried, and got louder. Ordinary people became heroes. They were brave and started a revolution. It showed how much people want to be free.”
Example 3: Fictional tale
Fictional stories create visionary and fascinating scenes. These stories arouse the emotions of the reader to make them feel the same way the characters are.
In fictional stories, write about the characters, events or scenes that look real or have felt the same way, as they are.
For example:
“In the old forest, under the green leaves, Aurora, a young adventurer, walked.” As I’ve said in these sentences, imagine that it is in an old, dark forest where the main character “Aurora” has lived and knows the place well.
Here, Aurora is an adventurer who footed on dry, crunchy leaves, which probably made a noise. This provides a sensory detail in the sentences. For more details about this fictional tale, read the following example:
“In the old forest, under the green leaves, Aurora, a young adventurer, walked. She stepped on the crunchy leaves. It was getting dark, and a scary howl echoed. It reminded her that danger was there. But Aurora didn't stop. She kept going, feeling scared and excited at the same time.”
Example 4: Cultural narrative
A cultural narrative paragraph allows writers to show traditions, beliefs, and practices that make societies. An example of narrative paragraph to understand it from the point of cultural narrative is:
The drums vibrated steadily through the village of Khewra, calling the people to gather under the ancient Banyan tree.”
Here, I discuss the culture of a village and its harvesting rituals. This creates a sweet and peaceful thought in the minds of the readers about their culture. I’m using a clear storytelling method to reveal the hidden meanings of other cultural customs.
As a result, readers can develop a greater appreciation for cultural variety. The following is a complete example of a cultural narrative.
“The drums vibrated steadily through the village of Khewra, calling the people to gather under the ancient banyan tree. The elders took their seats and talked about how their ancestors had traveled, faced challenges, and stayed connected to the land they loved.”
Example 5: Nature narrative
A nature narrative is a type of storytelling that focuses on the natural world. It takes readers into nature. The nature narratives involve personal experiences, observations, and reflections on nature.
For example:
“The clear lake showed the snowy mountaintops. The peaks were high and covered in snow. ” In these sentences, the lake is calm and reflective, mirroring the mountains above it.
The mountains are tall and have snowy peaks.
Furthermore, the clear lake showed the snowy mountaintops. The peaks were high and covered in snow. They stood tall in the blue sky. Their edges were sharp and cut through the clouds. Big pine trees stood tall around the lake. Their green tops moved in the wind. They whispered secrets to anyone who wanted to hear them.”
Example 6: Inspirational story
An inspirational story is a type of narrative that motivates the reader by adding an inspirational element. This narrative inspires them with others through the character's actions.
For example: “Selena felt unsure about herself as she looked at the big mountain. Strong winds hit her face.” In these sentences, the main character Selena is experiencing self-doubt related to the challenge she is facing.
The next sentence adds a sense of difficulty, suggesting that even the natural world is working against her.
Example 7: Humorous story
A funny or humorous story is a narrative that has the main purpose of making people laugh. Writers often exaggerate things, jokes, or incidents that make the narration more funnier for the audience.
The baldness in females and males is quite funny if they can’t dress properly. As for situational comedy, the example for creating humor is:
“When a girl is anxiously trying to make a hairstyle with only three hair strands.”
Let’s enjoy reading the full scene!
“Once there was a girl named Elsa who had three hair strands on her scalp. One day Elsa has to go on a picnic. When she was getting ready, she thought of making a hairstyle for a picnic out of three strands.
Her friend started making a braid in which she lost one strand. Then, the girl said to curl my hair, there she lost the other too. At last, the girl said to leave it; today I will open my hair as it is.
Additional Source: What are the 6 main types of paragraphs
Final words
Writing narrative paragraphs helps you to write about different scenarios. Whether they are real or not, like inspirational, fictional, humorous, or based on your personal experiences.
The addition of different characters, plots, and dramatic scenes adds more interest to it. By understanding this guide, you will efficiently write narrative paragraphs on your own.
The above-discussed types and examples of it also add more clarity. So, start writing narrative paragraphs now and see how much you improve yourself.
Start your storytelling journey today with our guidebook!
Frequently asked questions
What are the 5 parts of narrative writing?
The five parts of the narrative paragraph writing are the “introduction, characters, plot, setting, and conclusion” that ties it all together.
What is a good sentence to start a narrative?
Try to start with something that hooks the reader, like a surprising statement or a question that sparks curiosity.
What is the main focus of a narrative paragraph?
The main focus is to share a personal story or experience that feels real and relatable.
What is the main point of narrative writing?
The main point is to connect with the reader by telling a story that leaves them with something meaningful.
Additional sources
- 5 Steps to Improve Cause and Effect Paragraph Writing Skills
- 5 Steps to Write an Effective Persuasive Paragraph with Examples