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Narrative Tenses A mini-lesson on narrative tenses for English writing learners.

What are Narrative Tenses? Narrative tenses are the language forms we use to tell a story. The perspective of the storyteller will determine which tenses are used. Stories can be told from the present and past perspective.

Telling a story from the present perspective we use these tenses:

For example...

We use these tenses when telling a story from the past perspective:

For example...

Present & Past Tenses on a Timeline

The most common Narrative Tenses: past simple past continuous present perfect past perfect past perfect continuous (The most common tense used in narrative is the past simple)

Past Simple =

verb+ed or irregular

---a completed action in the past---

Past Simple:

when do we use it? 1.Completed action in the past → “She ate a donut then drank her coffee” 2. habits in past - ‘used to’ - ‘would’ → “She used to eat donuts everyday” → “She would eat donuts and read her book every Saturday”

3. duration in past → “She lived above the donut shop for 8 years” 4. facts/generalizations in the past → “The donut shop was in an old building down by the river”

Past Continuous =

(was/were + verb+ing)

~~~an action in progress in the past~~~

Past Continuous:

when do we use it?

1. actions in progress → “She was eating a donut”

2. interrupted actions → “She was eating a donut when her phone rang”

3. simultaneous actions → “She was eating her donut and talking on the phone”

4. atmosphere & scenario details → “The sun was shining and the birds were singing, it was the perfect day for a donut”

Present Perfect =

have/has + past participle

→ an event in the past that is connected to present ←

Present Perfect:

when do we use it?

1. an event in the past with an -unknown/undefined/unimportant time period → “I’ve lived in South America and North America” 2. an event with an unfinished time → “I have eaten ten donuts today” (today is not finished, yet) 3. life experience → “I have been to China & I’ve been skydiving”

4. an event in the past with a present result → I’m sad because my boyfriend has just broken up with me”

Present Perfect in stories... ...is usually used at the end of a story to show a lesson learnt or an epiphany: → “Since then, she has always wanted to travel the world” → “After all that, I realised that I have always wanted to be a teacher”

Past Perfect =

had + past participle

← a past event connected to another event in the past ←

Past Perfect:

when do we use it?

1. to tell what happened before another event in the past → “I was fat because I had eaten too many donuts” Two events in past: First, I had eaten too many donuts Then, I was fat

Past Perfect Continuous=

had + been + verb+ing

~~ a continual action in the past that happened before another event in the past~~

Past Perfect Continuous:

when do we use it?

1. to show what was happening before something else happened in the past → “I had been eating donuts for years before my doctor told me they were not healthy” 2. Can also be used to explain the condition of people or things at a time of the main events in a story.

Let’s try it! Underline all the narrative tenses you can find in the story, then identify which tense they are: past simple, past continuous, present perfect, past perfect, or past perfect continuous.

Cinderella had been cleaning and feeling very depressed one morning when her stepsisters told her to make breakfast. Luckily, she had gone to fetch eggs and bread earlier that morning.Once she had finished cleaning she went into the kitchen and was boiling the eggs when suddenly someone knocked on the door. It was Prince Charming here to rescue her. From the moment she saw his handsome face she has been in love with him.

Check your answers! How many did you find? Cinderella had been cleaning (past perfect continuous) and feeling (past perfect continuous) very depressed one morning when her stepsisters told (past simple) her to make breakfast. Luckily, she had gone (past perfect) to fetch eggs and bread earlier that morning. Once she had finished cleaning (past perfect continuous) she went (past simple) into the kitchen and was boiling (past continuous) the eggs when suddenly someone knocked (past simple) on the door. It was (past simple) Prince Charming here to rescue her. From the moment she saw his handsome face she has been (present perfect) in love with him.

Now it’s your turn! 1. Write a short story using all of the narrative tenses you can 2. When you finish find a partner 3. exchange stories 4. underline all the narrative tenses 5. identify which tense they are

Good Job!!! Now you’re ready to write a story using narrative tenses!