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
Ive 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 & Ive been skydiving

4. an event in the past with a present result

Im 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.

Lets 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 its 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 youre ready to write a story using narrative tenses!