P2 Composition – Characterisation & Model Composition

Characterisation is a great writing technique to be used in every composition. It can come in the form of a single sentence or a whole paragraph. Perfect characters can be boring. A protagonist can evolve from the start to the end of the story.

For example, he or she can start off by being lazy and careless and end off by being diligent and meticulous.

How can lower primary students bring about simple characterisation in their compositions?

Here are 3 simple but effective ways.

1. Adjectives

In the model composition below, our student wrote that the protagonist, John, was a very timid boy at the start of the story. He also used other adjectives such as extremely shy, worried, depressed. To show that Peter had the opposite personality to John, our student chose adjectives such as friendly and outgoing.

Being extremely shy, he felt worried and depressed

2. Personal Thought

Using personal thought, the reader is able to understand that John’s worry was that he would not make any new friends due to his shyness on his first day in his new school.

Personal thought is also a great tool to develop the theme of the composition (making a new friend).

Will I be able to make a new friend today? he thought anxiously.

3. Conclusion

John then evolves in the story. He decides to be brave and confides his confusion and worry to Peter. In the end, because the protagonist decided to be brave, he makes a new friend. By showing how the protagonist has changed in the story is a good way to conclude.

At the end of the day, John felt happy and he enjoyed his first day at school. He was glad that he had been brave and had managed to make a friend.

I hope that you will use these 3 ways to develop your characters in your compositions. Below is the model of a lower primary composition done in our previous P2 class.

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P2 composition model on the theme of making a new friend

1. Introduction   

“Class, I would like you to meet John Tan,” Mr Tan announced to his class.

John Tan looked shyly at everyone as they greeted him. Two weeks ago, John’s parents moved to Singapore from Australia. It was his first day of school and he did not have any friends. Being extremely shy, he felt worried and depressed. Will I be able to make a new friend today? he thought anxiously.

2. Rising Action

              Mr Tan led John to his seat which was next to Peter, the class monitor. Peter who was a friendly and outgoing boy, smiled warmly at John.

“Welcome to the class!” Peter exclaimed.

John was too timid to smile back or say anything to him. He silently took his seat next to Peter.

At 10.30am, the shrill ring of the recess bell could be heard. Everyone dashed out of the classroom like a swarm of bees. John felt lost. He followed his class to the canteen but then stood rooted to the spot when he saw throngs of children running amok. It was so chaotic that John decided to run back to the classroom and hide there. Peter was walking along the corridor when he saw John sitting at his desk looking sad.

He approached John and asked, “What’s wrong, John?”

3. Falling Action

              John decided to be brave and confided in Peter, telling him about how confused he was at the canteen. Peter smiled and assured John that he would help him. Accompanying John to the canteen, Peter showed him around the different food stalls. Then, he helped him order his food. John felt relieved that he had found a friend to help him.

4. Conclusion

              The boys sat together and Peter asked John about Australia as he had never been there before. Both boys talked as they ate. When the bell rang, they walked back to the classroom. At the end of the day, John felt happy and he enjoyed his first day at school. He was glad that he had been brave and had managed to make a friend.