Narrative tenses

  • B1 · Intermediate
  • Grammar lesson
  • 60 min

The past simple, the past continuous and the past perfect working together in one story: It was raining, and I had already eaten, when a pizza guy knocked on my door. From a pizza at the wrong door that started a friendship to telling the story of how you met someone important.

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was shininggrabbedhad left

What's in the lesson

  1. 1Warm-up
  2. 2In this lesson
  3. 3Listen: Philippa's storyListening comprehension
  4. 4What does it mean?Grammar exercise
  5. 5Find the scene and the backstoryGrammar exercise
  6. 6Three tenses, one storyGrammar rule
  7. 7One moment, three meaningsGrammar exercise
  8. 8Which tense fits?Grammar exercise
  9. 9The wrong suitcaseGrammar exercise
  10. 10Questions for your teacherGrammar exercise
  11. 11Say it naturallySpeaking practice
  12. 12How we metSpeaking practice
  13. 13About youGrammar exercise
  14. 14Wrap-up

Homework

  1. 1Homework: the long driveGrammar exercise
  2. 2Homework: which tense?Grammar exercise
  3. 3Homework: build the sentencesGrammar exercise
  4. 4Homework: Timur's side of the storyDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

  1. How often do you order food to your home? What do you usually order?
  2. Have you ever gotten someone else's mail or package by mistake? What did you do?
  3. Do you like telling stories, or do you prefer listening to them?

Grammar rule

Three tenses, one story

Each tense has a job

TenseIts job in a storyExample
past continuous: was / were + -ingthe scene: what was going on around the eventsThe sun was shining, and Grandpa was fishing from the dock.
past simplethe events: what happened, in orderThen a duck grabbed his sandwich, and everyone laughed.
past perfect: had + past participlethe backstory: what had happened beforeHe had left it on the dock next to him.

How they work together

  • A scene, and an event in the middle of it: The band was playing when the fire alarm went off.
  • Two scenes at the same time: While the band was playing, the waiters were clearing the tables.
  • An event, and something already finished: When the guests arrived, Grandma had already made the salad. · By the time help came, the river had already risen.
  • Events one after another: She opened the box, looked inside and laughed.

One moment, three meanings

  • When Dad came home, we were baking a cake. (We were in the middle of it.)
  • When Dad came home, we baked a cake. (We started after he came.)
  • When Dad came home, we had baked a cake. (It was ready.)

Watch out

  • The past continuous is for the scene, not for every event: I was opening the door, and I was seeing a man. → I opened the door and saw a man.
  • Verbs like know, want and have (= own) stay simple: He didn't know anyone. (not wasn't knowing)
  • With before and after, the past simple is enough: We left before the rain started.

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← Unit 3The past perfect: had done