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English Quiz - Writing Recounts (Questions)

Recounts retell real events in time order. Practise first person, past tense, and vivid detail so readers understand what happened and why it mattered.

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Fascinating Fact:

Include thoughts and lessons learned. Example: I felt nervous at first, but the speech taught me to breathe slowly.

In 11 Plus English, a recount is a clear, chronological retelling of real events. Use first person, past tense, time connectives, and reflective endings to show what changed or was learned.

Key Terms

Recount: A personal retelling of something that really happened, written for an audience.
Chronological order: Arranging events in the order they occurred, using time words like first and afterwards.
Reflection: A brief comment on feelings, outcomes, or lessons learned after the event.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is a recount in 11 Plus English?

A recount is a structured retelling of real events. It uses first person, past tense, time connectives, and finishes with a brief reflection or conclusion.

Should a recount be in past tense or present tense?

Use past tense for events that already happened. Present tense is only used in rare narrative styles; for exams, past tense is safest.

How do I end a recount effectively?

End with a reflection that sums up feelings, results, or lessons learned. Keep it short and link back to the purpose of the recount.

Try These Related Quizzes

1.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	How to make apple crumble
[ ]	Ten top fishing tips
[ ]	What to look for when buying a second hand car
[ ]	A journey through Africa

2.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	How to assemble self-assemble furniture
[ ]	The best way to play golf
[ ]	The fall of the city of Constantinople
[ ]	Ten top recipes

3.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	How to cook fish
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Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	Buy the best PCs on the market
[ ]	How I conquered my fear of mice
[ ]	The Alsatian dog owner's guide
[ ]	How to deal with high blood pressure

5.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	Three years in a prisoner of war camp
[ ]	The best bathroom furniture in town
[ ]	How to build up your self-confidence
[ ]	The Mercedes Benz E Class range of cars

6.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	How to cook sweet potatoes
[ ]	The life and death of Napoleon Bonaparte
[ ]	Looking after horses
[ ]	Advanced driving tips

7.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	How I baked my first cake
[ ]	Twenty ways to improve your vocabulary
[ ]	Stamp collecting for beginners
[ ]	Ten top books for bedtime

8.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	A recipe
[ ]	A handbook
[ ]	A 'how to' book
[ ]	A book of battles

9.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	Ten years in the Foot Guards regiment
[ ]	Join the army and see the world
[ ]	The British Army is very professional
[ ]	Do you want to join the army?

10.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	Do it yourself painting and decorating
[ ]	Good sleeping habits
[ ]	How I became a lawyer
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English Quiz - Writing Recounts (Answers)

1.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	How to make apple crumble
[ ]	Ten top fishing tips
[ ]	What to look for when buying a second hand car
[x]	A journey through Africa

You can recount your adventures and experiences

2.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	How to assemble self-assemble furniture
[ ]	The best way to play golf
[x]	The fall of the city of Constantinople
[ ]	Ten top recipes

You could recount how the city fell (in 1453) and what happened to the inhabitants

3.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	How to cook fish
[x]	The discovery of Tutankhamun
[ ]	You are what you eat
[ ]	Home decorator tips

You could recount how Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt was discovered

4.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	Buy the best PCs on the market
[x]	How I conquered my fear of mice
[ ]	The Alsatian dog owner's guide
[ ]	How to deal with high blood pressure

You could recount your experiences and how you eventually got over your fear of mice - squeak! squeak!

5.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[x]	Three years in a prisoner of war camp
[ ]	The best bathroom furniture in town
[ ]	How to build up your self-confidence
[ ]	The Mercedes Benz E Class range of cars

You could recount your experiences and the difficulties you faced

6.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	How to cook sweet potatoes
[x]	The life and death of Napoleon Bonaparte
[ ]	Looking after horses
[ ]	Advanced driving tips

You could recount Napoleon Bonaparte's life and death: his achievements, his failures, how he lived his life and how he died

7.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[x]	How I baked my first cake
[ ]	Twenty ways to improve your vocabulary
[ ]	Stamp collecting for beginners
[ ]	Ten top books for bedtime

You could recount your experiences of baking your first cake

8.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	A recipe
[ ]	A handbook
[ ]	A 'how to' book
[x]	A book of battles

You could recount the battles: what happened in the battles, who won and who lost

9.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[x]	Ten years in the Foot Guards regiment
[ ]	Join the army and see the world
[ ]	The British Army is very professional
[ ]	Do you want to join the army?

You could recount your experiences of life in the Foot Guards

10.

Which one of the following topics could be written as a recount?

[ ]	Do it yourself painting and decorating
[ ]	Good sleeping habits
[x]	How I became a lawyer
[ ]	How to breed sheep

You could recount your experiences that led up to you becoming a lawyer