Narrative TensesNarrative TensesPrepared by Samantha Arias

What are narrative What are narrative tenses?tenses?

Narrative tenses are the tenses we use in a language to tell a story. They are all of the forms in past that a person can possibly use.

Simple PastSimple PastUse Form Affirmative Negative Interrogativ

e

One time past actions

Verb + edOrVerb in past form

I played soccer.I went shopping.

I didn’t play soccer.I didn’t go shopping.

Did you play soccer?Did you go shopping?

Remember that there are phrases and helpers in your sentence that can help you identify the simple past tense. They are called Key Words.

Key Words:

Last ago in 1990 yesterday

I woke up (1) at half past seven yesterday, I had a shower (2) and ate some breakfast (3). I left for work (4) at quarter past eight.

Past ContinuousPast ContinuousUse Form Affirmative Negative Interrogativ

e

An action that happens in the middle of another action

Something that someone did at a certain time in the past

Was/ were + verb + ing

I was playing soccer.I was going shopping.

I wasn’t playing soccer.I wasn’t going shopping.

Were you playing soccer?Were you going shopping?

When I saw her (1), she was wearing (2) a blue dress and was driving (2) a Mercedes. Key Words:

When while

Present Perfect SimplePresent Perfect SimpleUse Form Affirmative Negative Interrogativ

e

An action that happens in the past but connects to the present

An action that started in the past but continued up to the present

Have / has + verb in the past participle

I have played soccer.I have been shopping.

I haven’t played soccer.I haven’t been shopping.

Have you played soccer?Have you been shopping?

Key Words:

Already yet just still ever so far up to nowSince for recently

Present Perfect Present Perfect ContinuousContinuous

Use Form Affirmative Negative Interrogative

An action that happens in the past and puts emphasis on the duration of the action

An action that started in the past and may have continued to the present

Have / has + been + verb + ing

I have been playing soccer.I have been going shopping.

I haven’t been playing soccer.I haven’t been going shopping.

Have you been playing soccer?Have you been giong shopping?

Key Words:

All day the whole day Since for how long

Past Perfect SimplePast Perfect SimpleUse Form Affirmative Negative Interrogativ

e

An action that happens in the past before another past action

The past of the present perfect

Had + verb in the past participle

I had played soccer.I had been shopping.

I hadn’t played soccer.I hadn’t been shopping.

Had you played soccer?Had you been shopping?

I woke up (1) at half past seven yesterday. I had slept very badly (2) because there had been a power cut (3) during the night.

Key Words:

Already just never by the time

•

Past Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect Continuous

Use Form Affirmative Negative Interrogative

How long something was happening before another past action started

Had+ been + verb + ing

I had been playing soccer.I had been going shopping.

I hadn’t been playing soccer.I hadn’t been going shopping.

Had you been playing soccer?Had you been giong shopping?

He looked very tired (1), he had been working very hard (2) over the past three weeks.

Key Words:

How long Since for

PracticePracticePut the verb in brackets into the correct form in the gap AFTER the verb. Where no verb is given, put one of the following linking words into the gaps.While finally and although however as soon as but then before when

The Unlucky BurglarOne evening Paul (watch) ____________ the television ____________ (eat)____________ his supper ____________ the door suddenly (open) ____________ and a burglar (come) ____________ in. He (wear) ____________ a mask and (carry) ____________ a sack. ____________ doing anything else he (tie) ____________ Paul to the chair. ____________ he went upstairs to look for money. ____________ he (not find) ____________ any money he (find) ____________ a lot of jewelry, which he (put) ____________ into his sack. In his rush to get downstairs he (not see) ____________ the dog (lie) ____________ at the bottom of the stairs, and he (fall) ____________ over it, losing his glasses. ____________ the burglar (look for) ____________ them, Paul (try) ____________ to free himself. ____________ Paul (manage) ____________ to escape and he (phone) ____________ the police. ____________ the burglar (find) ____________ his glasses he (run) ____________ out of the house. ____________ unfortunately for him, the police (wait) ____________ for him at the end of the garden.

ExpansionExpansionPut the verb in brackets into the correct form. Where possible, use 'used to' and 'would'.

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens ____________ (born) in 1812 in Portsmouth. The family ____________ (move) to London in 1823. When he was twelve he ____________ (work) in a blacking factory. He worked by a window facing the street and passersby ____________ (pause) and watch him at work. Everyday he ____________ (trudge) through the London streets from Camden Town to Southwark. His family ____________ (be) very poor. His mother ____________ (hope) to open a small school. While she ____________ (try) to do this, her husband ____________ (send) to prison for being £40 in debt. When Charles ____________ (be) twenty-four, his first work, sketches by Boz, ____________ (publish). This ____________ (follow) by Pickwick Papers with which he ____________ (achieve) financial security and popularity. For the rest of his life, work simply ____________ (pour) from his pen. He ____________ (die) of a stroke in 1870.