Writing: An Autobiography – Basic 6 English Lesson Note (Third Term)

What is an Autobiography?

An autobiography is the story of your own life written by yourself. It tells about your experiences, memories, and important events from your own perspective.

Structure of an Autobiography:

1. Introduction

• Your name, age, and basic information
• Where and when you were born
• Brief overview of who you are

2. Early Childhood

• First memories
• Family background
• Early experiences

3. School Life

• When you started school
• Favorite subjects and teachers
• Friends and school memories

4. Hobbies and Interests

• What you enjoy doing
• Special talents or skills
• Activities you participate in

5. Challenges and Achievements

• Difficulties you’ve overcome
• Awards or recognition received
• Lessons learned

6. Future Plans

• Your dreams and aspirations
• Career goals
• How you plan to achieve them

Sample Autobiography Beginning:

“My Journey So Far”

Hello! My name is Chidi Okechukwu, and I am twelve years old. I was born on September 8, 2012, in Enugu State, Nigeria. I am the second child in a family of three children, and I have one older sister and one younger brother.

I live with my parents in a beautiful house in Independence Layout, Enugu. My father works as a banker, and my mother is a nurse at the University Teaching Hospital. They are both very supportive and always encourage me to do my best in everything.

My earliest memory is from when I was about five years old. I remember my first day at kindergarten – I was so nervous that I held my mother’s hand tightly and didn’t want her to leave…

Exercise O – Plan Your Autobiography

Use this template to plan your autobiography:

Basic Information:

• Full name: _________________________________
• Age and birthday: _________________________________
• Place of birth: _________________________________
• Family members: _________________________________

Early Memories:

• First memory: _________________________________
• Childhood experience: _________________________________

School Life:

• First school: _________________________________
• Favorite teacher: _________________________________
• Best school memory: _________________________________

Hobbies/Interests:

• What you love doing: _________________________________
• Special talents: _________________________________

Achievements:

• Awards or prizes: _________________________________
• Things you’re proud of: _________________________________

Future Dreams:

• Career goal: _________________________________
• How you’ll achieve it: _________________________________

Writing Tips for Autobiography:

1. Write in first person (I, me, my)
2. Use past tense for things that happened
3. Be honest about your experiences
4. Include specific details that make it interesting
5. Show emotions – how events made you feel
6. Use intensifiers to make descriptions vivid
7. Organize chronologically (time order)
8. End with future hopes and dreams