日記的正文是日記的主要部分，寫在星期和日期的正下方，可以頂格寫，也可以內縮3至5個字母的空間。由于記載的內容通常已經發生，謂語動詞多用一般過去時。但也可根據具體情況，用其它時態。如：記敘天氣、描寫景色，為了描寫生動，可以使用現在時，以表現當時的情景。再如文后發表感想或評論可用現在時態或將來時態。記日記力求簡單明了，有連貫性。若有文字提示，則應重視提示，把握要點。在句式上盡量使用簡單句，以防繁雜，造成語法、句型錯誤。
一、格式
日記常以第一人稱記下當天生活中的所見、所聞、所做或所想的事情。中、英文的日記三格式大致一樣。英語日記的書端是專門寫日記的日期、星期和天氣的。左上角是日期(年、月、日)、星期。右上角寫上當天的天氣情況，如：Sunny, Fine, Rainy, Windy, Snowy, Cloudy等。
1、日期表達有多種形式。年、月、日都寫時，通常以月、日、年為順序，月份可以縮寫，日和年用逗號隔開。例如： December 18, 2003 或者 Dec. 18, 2003
A) September 1, 2004或September 1st, 2004也可省略寫成Sept. 1, 2004或Sept. 1st, 2004;B)the 1st of September in 2004(月份不可以縮寫)
B)只有月、日
September 1或September 1st(月份可以縮寫)
C)只有年、月
September 2004或the September of 2004(月份不可以縮寫)
以上的1或1st都應讀作the first。
2.星期也可以省略不寫，可將其放在日期前或后，星期和日期之間不用標點，但要空一格，星期也可縮寫。如：
Saturday, October 22nd, 2004;October 22nd, 2004 Saturday
?3.天氣情況必不可少。天氣一般用一個形容詞如 :Sunny, Fine, Rainy, Snowy 等表示。寫在日期之后，用逗號隔開，位于日記的右上角。如： ??Saturday, March 4, 2004, Windy;1st January, 2004, Fine
二、日記的類型和訓練
日記分為記事型、議論型、描寫型和抒情型。建議大家在學習寫日記的過程中，可按以下步驟進行：
①將一天所經歷的主要事情和過程依次簡要地記下來，不附加任何感情色彩，這是最簡單的記日記的方法;
②閱讀別人的日記，并利用所學過的句型來表達個人在一天中觀察到的或感受到的事情。
三、日記的要求
日記的正文是日記的主要部分，寫在星期和日期的正下方，可以頂格寫，也可以內縮3至5個字母的空間。由于記載的內容通常已經發生，謂語動詞多用一般過去時。但也可根據具體情況，用其它時態。如：記敘天氣、描寫景色，為了描寫生動，可以使用現在時，以表現當時的情景。再如文后發表感想或評論可用現在時態或將來時態。記日記力求簡單明了，有連貫性。若有文字提示，則應重視提示，把握要點。在句式上盡量使用簡單句，以防繁雜，造成語法、句型錯誤。
【參考范例】
It was the first day of our winter holiday. All of us were very happy. Why? Because we have one months to do things we love to do. We are free. Although we have some homework. we can finish them in several days. And the rest time we can make good use of. My god! We have been very tired after hard studying. In winter holidays, I want to have full sleep and eat good food in order to replenish myself.Last but not least, I will have a good rest.
It was the second day of our winter holiday. I felt good. I felt I’m free. I had a lot of time to do things I like. My parents are in Beijing. So I live alone but I don’t feel lonely. But I didn’t do something special. I stayed at home and watched TV. Oh! I wrote an English daily composition. It was my homework. Today, I have slept for 14 hours. I thought I was very tired. It is time for dinner. I must go! I am very hungry.
It was the third day of our winter holiday. Today, there are many business in my mother’s company. So my mother told me to help my uncle who is the manager of my mother’s company. I sat in my mother’s office and help her answer the telephone. While I was free, I was writing my homework. Although I also have a lot of time to do my homework, I still do it. Because in my mother’s office, I had nothing to do. If I did nothing, I was wasting my time and my life. I can’t do the foolish thing. We should take good use of our time.