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The Narrative Tenses – by Viv Quarry (www.vivquarry.com)

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arrative tenses are the grammatical structures that you use when telling a story, or talking about situations and activities which happened at a defined past time.

When narrating past events, DO NOT mix past and present tenses (avoid using the present perfect and present simple), as these will confuse the reader/listener about when things really happened.

Here are the most common narrative tenses and how they are used:

·  1. The Simple Past Tense.

The past simple is used:

·  a) to express a completed action at a definite time in the past. The separate events which occur in sequence in a narrative are expressed using this tense.

Eg.

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.

NOTE! The past simple is the most common tense after ‘When?’ in questions.

·  b) to express past habits.

I went to school in São Paulo until my family moved to Rio.

NOTE! Used to + verb is often used to express past habits and states that happened in the past, but do not happen now. Used to can not be used for actions which only occurred once.

Eg. I used to work for Petrobrás. (I don’t work for them now)

I didn’t use to like living in Ipanema. (I do like it now)

Where did you use to go for lunch? (You don’t go there now)

Would (+ adverb of frequency) + verb can be used to express past habits which do not happen now.

Eg. My grandfather would always read the newspaper at breakfast time. (He doesn’t do it now)

Using ‘would’ instead of ‘used to’ often gives an idea of nostalgia. However, if the adverb of frequency is stressed, it can give the idea that the habit was annoying.

Eg. My dog would never do what I wanted it to do!

homework:

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NOTE! ‘WOULD’ CAN NOT BE USED FOR PAST STATES!

Eg. I would live in São Paulo. IS WRONG!

·  2. The Past Continuous Tense.

As with all continuous tenses, the past continuous gives the idea of activity and duration.

The past continuous is used:

a) To describe the situation in which the events of the narrative occurred.

Eg.

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

b) to express an activity in progress at a time in the past.

Eg.

What were you doing (1) when I phoned you?

NOTE! The past continuous is the most common tense after ‘while’ in questions and statements.

The past continuous also expresses the idea of:

An interrupted activity

Eg. She was cooking dinner when the door bell rang. (She cooked dinner = she finished it)

An unfinished activity

Eg. I was reading a book yesterday. (I read a book… = I finished reading the whole book)

A repeated action

Eg. They were shooting at the enemy. (They shot…. = They fired the gun one time only)

A temporary situation

Eg. He was standing on the corner waiting for a bus. (It stood on the corner. = Permanent situation)

NOTE! The past continuous can also be used as ‘future in the past’. This will be explained later.

3. The Past Perfect Simple Tense.

The past perfect simple is used

a) to show that an action or situation happened BEFORE the events in the narrative described in the simple past.

Eg.

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.

NOTE! It is bad style to use too many verbs in the past perfect . As soon as it is clear that the events happened before the time that the narrative is set, use the simple past.

Eg. I woke up at half past seven yesterday. I had slept very badly because there’d been a power cut during the night. When the electricity went off, I was watching the Brazilian national team playing football against the USA.

NOTE! If the subject of two verbs is the same, you don’t have to repeat the ‘had’ auxiliary.

Eg. When I arrived, he’d finished his dinner and left the room.

·  b) Making a narrative more interesting to read.

It is generally seen as bad literary style to have too many verbs in the same tense. In English it is always best to avoid repetition where possible.

Look again at the example used to illustrate the simple past tense.

This same sentence could be improved for dramatic effect by using the past perfect simple.

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

CONJUNCTIONS (After, As soon as, Before, By the time, Once, till, When, Unless, Until)

With these conjunctions of time, the past perfect shows that the first action MUST BE COMPLETED before the second action begins, otherwise the past simple is used.

Eg. After….she finished, they left / she had finished, they left. (She had to finish first)

As soon as…we arrived she said “hello”. / I had done it, I sent it to her. (I had to do it first)

She wouldn’t sign the contract before…. seeing it / she had seen it. (She had to see it first)

They wouldn’t go unless….she came with them / they had seen it was safe.

(It was important to finish checking that it was safe before going)

For more information on conjunctions of time, see the worksheet called: When do I use the perfect tenses?.

·  4. The Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

a) The past perfect continuous is used for longer activities that were happening continuously up until a specified time in the past.

Eg.

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

As with the past continuous, the past perfect continuous can show the following:

Unfinished activity

Eg. He hadn’t heard the telephone ring because he’d been reading.

Repeated activity

Eg. I was tired. I’d been cutting wood all day.

With the past perfect simple, the focus is on the completed activity.

Eg. He’d read three reports that morning.

He’d cut a huge pile of wood.

Back to narrative tenses ex. 1

·  5. The Future in the Past.

The future in the past is used to look into the future from a point of time in the past. However, this “future” event still occurred at a time before the present time.

Eg.

I woke up (1) at half past seven yesterday. I was meeting my boss (2) at ten o’clock that morning, so I wouldn’t be able to have lunch (3) with Susan. I wasn’t going to get home (4) again until late that night.

Depending on the situation, the following tenses are used in the future in the past:

The past simple (a timetabled event) The past continuous (an arrangement)

Would (a prediction) Was going to (a plan)

Would be doing (an action at a specific time) Would have done (action completed before

a specified time)

For more information on these different situations, see the worksheet on the future tenses.

Back to narrative tenses ex. 2

Back to Grammar worksheets

 

Βενετοκλέων 37α – ΡΟΔΟΣ Τηλ.: 22410 22074, Fax: 22410 25800
E-mail: rodos@lalingua.gr http://lalinguanotes.wordpress.com http://www.lalingua.gr
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Class: SD1

Date: 7/10/2009

Teacher: Emmanouil Chrysis              Pupil: ………………………………………

ESL BLUE(s)

Troubleshooting interesting / interested, etc.

Here are some of the most common errors using adjectives ending in -ing and -ed.The correct form is given first:

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Correct Forms	Common Errors
There are few people, there’s no food and the music is lousy. This party is very boring.	This party is no fun at all. It’s very bored.
When the adjective ends in -ing, it means that the person or thing causes this particular effect. ·  Rules frustrate me. Rules are frustrating. ·  Snakes terrify me. They are such terrifying creatures.
Nobody is having fun at this party. Everyone is bored.	Nobody is having fun at this party. Everyone is boring.
When the adjective ends in -ed, it means that the person or thing experiences this particular effect. ·  Rules frustrate me. I am frustrated when I have to learn them. ·  Snakes terrify me. I’m always terrified when I see one.

 

Preposition Alert
Surely everybody is interested in computers?	Everybody is interested by computers?
Alert: There are no clear rules regarding what prepositions follow the adjectives ending in -ed. Learn by using them. Look at the following examples:  I am not satisfied with my grades. I must study more. I am bored with this quiz. I want to switch off the computer. I am irritated by his strange habits.

Adjectives Ending with -ed and -ing

Αρχή φόρμας

Sue: Hi, Jane. Have you had an (interest) day?

Τέλος φόρμας

Αρχή φόρμας

 

Jane: I’ve had a very (excite) day. It’s my birthday today.

Sue: I’m a little (confuse). I thought your birthday was next month.

Jane No, that’s my brother’s birthday. Mine is today.

Sue: Oh! Now I’m (embarrass). I didn’t get you a present.

Jane: That’s (disappoint). But it’s OK.

Sue: Now I’m (depress), too.

Hey, I’ve just had a (fascinate) idea.

Why don’t we go shopping and get you a present right now? That way we can get you something really (please).

Jane: What an (enchant) idea. Where shall we start?

Sue: What about right here?

Τέλος φόρμας

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Bill: Hi, Mark. You look (tire).

.

Mark: I am. I’m totally (exhaust)

.

Bill: Why? What have you been doing?

Mark: I’ve been getting my house ready for the painters to come tomorrow. Now they ring me to tell me, yet again, that they can’t come till next week. I’m getting very (annoy) with them..

Bill: That’s (disappoint).

I’ll bet that you’ll be (please) when it’s finished.

Mark: You’re not wrong! I’m starting to get very (bore) with all the delays.

It’s (distress).

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Bill: You must be so (frustrate). When do they think they will finish painting you house.

Mark: They say that it will take about two weeks to finish. But when they will start I don’t know.

Bill: Don’t be too (depress).

Just think of how (relieve) you’ll be when it’s finished.

Mark: That’s the (frighten) thing. I’m starting to believe that it will never be finished.

Bill: What a (shock) thought.

Never mind. One day soon you’ll wake up with the (relax) thought that it’s finished and you don’t have to worry about it anymore.

Mark: I hope you’re right.

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Amy: Have you heard the (suprise) news about Alice and Ted?

Cathy: You mean about their getting married. Yes, I have. I was absolutely (astonish) when I heard about it.

I thought it was the most (astound) thing I’d heard in a long time. They’re always fighting like cats and dogs.

Amy: I agree with you. I was pretty (shock) when I heard about it myself.

Cathy: Actually, I’m (relieve).

I was always (worry) that they would break up. Now I can relax.

Amy: What a (depress) idea.

But you’re right. That would be an (upset) thing to happen.

Cathy: Now we can all relax knowing that they will live a life of (content), (wed) bliss.

 

Amy: You’re so right. I just love weddings. They’re so (fascinate).

Copyright (C) 1998 Douglas Gilbert (dougal@ms15.hinet.net) 
This quiz is part of the HTML-Only Self-Study Quizzes which is part of Activities for ESL Students, a project by The Internet TESL Journal.

 

How to form questions in English – Exercise 3

Explanation: Questions

Αρχή φόρμας

Ask for the underlined part. Write the questions into the gaps. Example: The class plays football. _______________________ Answer: The class plays football. What does the class play?   1) She is opening a present. ? 2) The boys are hiding under Tom’s bed. ? 3) My sister prefers porridge for breakfast. ? 4) On Thursday Jack has German, History and Maths. ? 5) Yesterday Carol and Jane went to the swimming pool. ? 6) The plane is landing at the airport. ? 7) The telephone is ringing . ? Sarah has to stop because of a security check. ? 9) Andrew’s new mountain bike costs €1000. ? 10) At sunset Peter is walking along the beach . ?

Question tags – Complex Test

Explanations – Question tags

Exercises – Question tags

 

Your Test   Αρχή φόρμας A) Put in the correct question tags into the gaps. 1) The teacher was late for school, 2) Sue will be 14 next week, 3) Your friends enjoy swimming, B) Which sentence goes with the question tag? 1) aren’t they? 2) can’t he? 3) isn’t there? C) Which sentences are correct? 1) Which sentence is correct? The sun won’t shine tomorrow, will it? The sun won’t shine tomorrow, will she? The sun won’t shine tomorrow, won’t it? 2) Which sentence is correct? Pass me the salt, aren’t I? Pass me the salt, aren’t you? Pass me the salt, won’t you? 3) Which sentence is correct? Let’s go swimming, aren’t we? Let’s go swimming, isn’t it? Let’s go swimming, shall we? Τέλος φόρμας

Τέλος φόρμας

 

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