3. 1 NARRATIVE TENSES

Read the first paragraph of "Performance of a lifetime?" again

and underline examples of

the past simple

gathered, it was, was announced

the past perfect simple

had sold

the past continuous

was wearing

the past perfect continuous

had been looking,

Rule 1 Use the past simple for completed actions which give the main events in a story.

Many years ago a crowd gathered, it was a gorgeous spring evening

Rule 2 Use the past continuous for actions in progress at a particular time or when another (shorter) action happened. Also use it to set the scene of a story.

and everyone was wearing their finest clothes

Rule 3 Use the past perfect simple for completed actions that happened before the main events.

Tickets had sold out weeks before

Rule 4 Use the past perfect continuous for longer actions that started before other events and often continued up to them.

and opera fans had been looking forward to this epic moment ever

Look at the numbered verbs in both stories.

How each example fits one of the rules of narrative tenses.

began

main event in the story

had appeared

action that happened before the main events

was driving

to set the scene of the story

had been standing

action that happened before the main events

was shevering

when another action happened

he'd finished

action that happened before the main events

drove

one of the main events in the story

was paying

when another action happened

remembered

one of the main events of the story

had said

action that happened before the main events

Complete the story.

with the correct verbs in brackets

He (never see) such beautiful birds before.

He'd never seen such beautiful birds before.

He gave them to a man who (train) falcons for him for many years.

He gave them to a man who had been trainning falcons for him for many years.

A month later, the king (sit) on his balcony

A month later, the king was sitting on his balcony

when he (notice) one of the falcons in the sky,

when he noticed one of the falcons in the sky,

but he (not see) the other one.

but he didn't see the other one.

Deeply disappointed, he discovered that the falcon (sit) on the same branch since its arrival.

Deeply disappointed, he discovered that the falcon had been sitting on the same branch since its arrival

The king (call) healers and magicians

The king called healers and magicians

After he (try) everything

After he'd tried everything

eventually the king (realise) that he needed someone

eventually the king realised that he needed someone

The very next morning, the king was thrilled to see that the second falcon (fly) high in the sky alongside the first.

The very next morning, the king was thrilled to see that the second falcon was flying high in the sky alongside the first.

I simply (cut) the branch

I simply cut the branch

the branch where the bird (sit)

the branch where the bird was sitting.

What is the moral of this story? How could you apply the moral in your life?

Occam's razor is more commonly described as 'the simplest answer is most often correct,' although this is an oversimplification. The 'correct' interpretation is that entities should not be multiplied needlessly.

Complete the sentences

using the correct narrative tenses

She (forget) her key.

She'd forgotten her key.

She (rob) the house.

She was robbing the house.

She (paint) the downstairs floors all evening and they hadn't dried yet.

She'd been painting the downstairs floors all evening and they hadn't dried yet.

She (use) the door all her life and she wanted a change.

She'd been using the door all her life and she wanted a change.

Complete the news story by putting the verbs in brackets in the correct narrative tense.

Missing child found safe and sound

A search for a missing child in East Paterson (end) happly, last week after five-year-old Ricky Ross was found asleep in his own room.

A search for a missing child in East Paterson ended happily, last week after five-year-old Ricky Ross was found asleep in his own room.

Last Monday, Julie Ross, the boy's mother, (work) in the front garden

Last Monday, Julie Ross, the boy's mother, was working in the front garden

when she (hear) her son cry out.

when she heard her son cry out.

He (play) in the living room

He'd been playing in the living room

but when she (run) to the house,

but when she ran to the house,

she (see) that the back door was open and there was no sign of her son.

she saw that the back door was open and there was no sign of her son.

Neighbours (join) in the search

Neighbours joined in the search

and when they (search) in the forest behind the house,

and when they were searching in the forest behind the house,

they (find) a few pieces of children's clothing.

they found a few pieces of children's clothing.

There was initial panic but it was soon clear that the clothing (be) there for years and didn't belong to the boy.

There was initial panic but it was soon clear that the clothing had been there for years and didn't belong to the boy.

Ricky was eventually found by another child who (go) into the boy's room

Ricky was eventually found by another child who had gone/went into the boy's room

while the search (go) on

while the search was going on

because she (hear) a noise from the toy box.

because she'd heard a noise from the toy box.

When she (open) it, there was Ricky safe and sound -

When she opened it, there was Ricky safe and sound -

he (sleep) in the toy box the whole time, unaware of the panic he had caused.

he'd been sleeping in the toy box the whole time, unaware of the panic he had caused.