NORDINVERSITY
2nd Bac Grammar Reference

Grammar: Narrative Tenses

Use: A combination of past tenses used together to tell a story effectively.

Forms Used in Storytelling

  • Past Simple: Used for the main events of the story (the action that moves it forward).
  • Past Continuous: Used to describe the background scene or an ongoing action that was interrupted.
  • Past Perfect: Used to describe events that happened before the main story began.

Example:

"The sun was shining (Past Continuous - setting the scene) and I was walking (Past Continuous - ongoing action) to work when I suddenly saw (Past Simple - main event) an old friend. I hadn't seen (Past Perfect - event before the story) him for years. He told (Past Simple - main event) me he had been living (Past Perfect Continuous) in London."

Practice this module interactively

Launch this lesson in the Student Hub to complete adaptive questions, earn XP, and practice for exams.

Start Interactive Practice