A prose passage is a piece of text from a book that you recite from memory. Prose passages can be a super-fun way to perform a piece from your favourite book! You can find them yourself, or get help from a teacher. Here’s some things to look for when you’re trying to find a prose passage!
- Look for important moments
Think about what some important moments in the book are. Maybe the character won a big battle, or befriended someone new. Think about what some of your favourite moments are and find them in the book!
- Length
When you’re finding a prose-passage, it doesn’t have to be an exact copy from the book. You can cut out sentences or paragraphs to make it a better length for you to learn and perform.
- Photocopy your favourite passage from the book.
- Go through with a pen, and cross out all the lines and sentences that you don’t think are important for the passage to make sense
- Once you’ve done this, read it through to yourself, and to a friend or family member to make sure it makes sense. Ask others if they understand what is happening in the passage, or if there are any parts that confuse them. Add or remove sentences that may be confusing or hard for you to say
- Type up your piece (or ask a teacher or parent to). To make sure it’s the right length, ask a teacher for a template of how big it should look on a page, and how long it should be when you recite it. Length is different for every grade. Time yourself, to make sure it isn’t too long or short.
- Final Tips
- Avoid too much dialogue. Dialogue can be great in a piece for you to show off your character voices, but too much dialogue can be tricky and confusing. If you’re unsure, read it through! If it’s too hard for you to say, or someone listening gets confused between characters, try and find another passage.
- Build to a climax. Pieces are more effective and better for the audience to watch if they build up gradually. If you’re doing a big battle scene, for example, try and find a piece that starts before the fighting and builds to a big moment, rather than one that is action-packed the whole time. This makes it more interesting and enjoyable for the audience to watch, as there is variation and contrast between your emotions, so the action seems more dramatic. If you need help with this, ask a teacher or parent.