Narrative essay checklist

1. Does the introduction set the scene for the story and provide sufficient background information?
2. Is the thesis stated in the introduction?
3. Is the thesis clear and sufficiently narrowed down?
4. Does the essay tell a story?
5. Did you tell the story in chronological order?
6. Does each body paragraph contain one event of the story?
7. Is the conclusion logical? Is it interesting?
8. Is the essay coherent?
9. Did you use varied sentence structure, paraphrase and linking words?

    Decisive moments in our lives awaited with full of fears are well-known for everyone of us. Leaving the kindergarten, learning to read and write, passing the final examinations in high school, and starting our first job are the examples of some of these memorable events which are stored in our mind for good. No doubt, these events mean a great challenge, but sometimes our anxiety grows over the necessary extent. My personal experience on the first day of my first job proved to be a good example for this.
    On the way to my new ‘second home’, namely the popular fast food restaurant called Dunkin Donuts, several alarming thoughts were rushing through my mind. First of all, at the age of 18 right after leaving high school, having been used to the school-desk, I feared I simply would not be able to stand on my feet for eight hours on end. The fact that I did not know anything about my colleagues only increased my embarrassment. All my fears attacked me as a stream of panic right before my arrival.
    I entered the shop with butterflies in my stomach. I arrived so early that I had a couple of minutes to look around which made me feel a bit relaxed. Hardly had I changed my clothes, my colleagues started to bombard me with an overflow of strict rules describing how to serve our guests. As I tried to memorise as much as I could, I totally forgot about the flying of time and realised that my working hours were over.
    Walking towards the dressing room, I felt an exhausted relief. My fatigue was overshadowed by the eagerness to master everything in the shortest possible time. Although I felt a bit uneasy among the girls I had only known for a few hours, all my fears evaporated. They were replaced by great expectations, and deep inside my soul I was a bit proud of myself.
    Events like this are simply inevitable in our lives. Sooner or later, we find ourselves in front of the dam of fears that we have to knock down, and afterwards we generally realise that our imagination had made this dam much bigger than it was in reality. Once a good friend of mine said that life would be dull without moments like this. I think she was right.

1. Is the introduction inviting?
2. Does the introduction introduce the topic?
3. Does the the introduction state the thesis?
4. Do you have any suggestions about the introduction?
5. What is the thesis for the essay? Write it here.
6. Is the thesis clear and sufficiently narrowed down?
7. Do you have any suggestions about the thesis?
8. Does the essay tell a story?
9. Does the writer tell the story in chronological order?
10. Does each body paragraph contain one event of the story?
11. Do you have any suggestions about the organisation of the body paragraphs?
12. Is the conclusion logical? Is it interesting?
13. Do you have any suggestions about the conclusion?
14. Is the essay coherent?
15. Does the writer use varied sentence structure, paraphrase and linking words?
16. Do you have any suggestions for improving coherence?
17. What is the best part of the essay?
18. What parts need more attention?

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