Narrative Tenses and

Linkers
Introduction

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Lead-in

What are some different ways we can

show we’re listening to a story?
Think about what you do when speaking
in your native language!

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Narrative Tenses
We use narrative tenses when talking about the past. We use them in telling
stories and describing past events, such as personal anecdotes.

There are four narrative tenses:

- past simple
- past continuous
- past perfect
- past perfect continuous

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Narrative Tenses: Past Simple and Past Continuous
Past Simple - actions that started and finished in the past:
David Bowie was born in 1947. He achieved great success in music and acting.

Past Continuous - background information and prolonged actions:

The phone was ringing. Maggie was feeling exhausted.

We use both tenses together when one action interrupts another:

The First Minister was announcing the new lockdown rules when my mum
walked in.

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Narrative Tenses: Past Simple and Past Perfect

Past Simple and Past Perfect

We use the past perfect with the past simple together to describe an action that
happened before another past action.
Kate suddenly realised that Daniel had lied to her earlier that morning.

Past Perfect Continuous – something that has been happening for a long time
before another past action:
Britain had been trying to negotiate a trade deal with the EU before they left.

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Check your understanding

What tenses are used for?

Interrupted actions

A sequence of finished actions

An action before an action in the past action.

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Linkers
We often use linking words or phrases to join two or more sentences or clauses.
This helps the narrative to flow in a more interesting and natural way. Some
linking phrases and words show a sequence of events or actions.
David Bowie never stopped making music. As the years went by, his songs were
loved by each new generation. In the end, he released some of his best work two
days before his death.
Other linking words and phrases that signal order of events are:
First of all …, Then …, Next …, Finally …, After that …, After several
months/days/hours/weeks …, By the time …, All of a sudden …

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Key point: Using the tenses
Past Simple: an event that started and finished in the past
Past Continuous: background information / a prolonged past action
Past Simple + Past Continuous: an interrupted past action
Past Simple and Past Perfect: an action that happened before another past
action
Past Perfect Continuous: a prolonged action that happened before another
past action

Grammar tip: Remember we can use expressions like ‘Really?’ or ‘Sounds great!’ to show we
are interested in and listening to a story.

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Grammar Checkout

Now try this! Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verb in
brackets. Write your answers in the chat.

1. Why did you change the channel? I ____ (watch) that show.
2. I told her not to drive because she ____ (drink) earlier that night.
3. When I reunited with my brother, I realised that he ____ (not
change) much despite the years.

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Grammar Checkout
Now try this! Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verb in
brackets. Write your answers in the chat.

1. Why did you change the channel? I was watching that show.
2. I told her not to drive because she had been drinking earlier that
night.
3. When I reunited with my brother, I realised that he hadn't changed
much despite the years.

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What’s next?

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