Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Narrative Tenses
Narrative Tenses
story. Ex. She picked up the phone and asked for a taxi
Use the PAST CONTINUOUS to set the general scene/background of a story or to talk
about actions in progress at or around a particular point in a story, often interrupted by
another (short) action or event (past simple). Ex. He was talking to his girlfriend when
the waiter brought the bill.
Use the PAST PERFECT SIMPLE to talk about actions or situations completed before
another action in the story. The actions are often mentioned out of time sequence, and
the past perfect makes the order clear.
Use the PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS to talk about longer actions or situations which
started before and continued up to a point in the story. Ex. She had been studying all
the afternoon when she found out the exam was cancelled.
A. Complete the text below using the B. Choose the correct alternative.
appropriate narrative tenses. Then, say if these extracts come
One afternoon, Socrates _________ (stand) from a detective story (D), a folk
outside the gates of Athens when he __________ tale (F) or a biography (B).
(notice) a traveller who _________ (stare) him for
1. The old man fished/was fishing as usual
a long time. Socrates _________ (ask) the man
when he saw/was seeing something
why he _________ (come) to Athens. Im thinking
strange. .............
of moving to Athens, he said. What is like to live
2. In 1995, Ella was teaching/taught in Sudan
here? Socrates ________ (look) at him. First,
and became/had become well-
would you tell me what was it like in your city?
known. ...........
The man replied, Oh, it was awful.
3. I d known/d been knowing Javier for many
Everyone stabs you in the back and wants to make
years and when I read/was reading he
money from you. Frowning, Socrates _____ (tell)
was/had been in prison, I knew/was
him, Well, youll find the same things here. I
knowing there was a mistake. ...........
suggest you to go somewhere else.
4. The prince had been searching/was
searching in the forest for ten hours and
Socrates _____________ (stand) there a few hours
was beginning /had begun to lose
more when another man __________ (approach)
hope. ...........
him. This man too ________ (just arrive) in Athens
5. He noticed/was noticing that somebody
and ____________ (consider) moving to the city.
had left/had been living a briefcase. .........
He too asked Socrates, Can you tell me what is
6. Ella had been looking/had looked through
like to live here Socrates asked, First would you
old photos when she heard/was hearing a
tell me what was like to live in your previous home
knock on the door. ............
city? Where I come from the people work
7. We had driven/had been driving for 30 km
together and help each other, said the man.
when the engine suddenly stopped/had
Kindness is everywhere and you are never
stopped; somebody had taken/took the
treated with anything but respect. Well,
petrol out of the car. ...........
_________ (reply) Socrates, youll find the same
8. By that evening, children were/had been
thing here. Welcome to Athens.
exhausted because they were walking/had
been walking all day. ............