Read Liam's narrative. What is it about?

Choose the best

summary (a-c).

a shocking experience
a terrible hotiday

Narrative time expressions

a special occasion

Ole day lasl sunmer.

1] \'\re

al nine o'clock in ihe rnulning and gol on a

bus' \n'Ie arrived al abou'l l".n' IiTe ol.Lnd a gocldplace, [L,.ok
rne',"

1(r

in

We often start a narrative with a non-specific time

.
.

ago about a month or so ago

one day last summer one Sunday last year
To show how a situation changes with time, we use:
at first ..., (but) then ...
To tall< about an unexpected event, we use:

Suddenly, ...
We use these expressions to move the narrative

expression:

decrr1ed to spend a day b;r'rhe

sea'uvjllr' som.e rletlds. V/e iloii't hve ort ],he L'caS[,

Read the writing strategy about time expressions in a

narrative. Which expressions are in Liam's narrative?

t,o\'1ilr

'I'-shirls and sa1. ciown c:'r lhe san.d. Sltdti.lnly,

r,ve heard a lol of noise. \t'e stood up and looked alounci.
A fevl- people were shouling and r,ra\ring llea,r ihe eLLge
o ltte lra],er. Al first, I lhoughl there trlr"s a sharkl Bul
i1]en, I realised tha| sonebody had goi' i:IiO diicully in
ihe s,oa. ll'r'rro men l'veni inlo l,he i.rraler and ca,rried a girl
she was uTlc0nsLlruus.
oul. She wasn'l rnoving al,
pr-rt,
They
her dorivn on ilre sand and t,riecl lo uake her
up.iA er,r m]nu],es laler, an ambulan.ce arrjrred anc1
t"hl..e pai'amedics;umpeci oul. They starteci giving lhe
glr:i emlgenc"y t,|a],renl. JLls]' lhen ],he gif]'S molher
o1'' oLrr

a few weeks

forward in time:

all

alrrve,l. She lookeri shockeci and sca,red. Thcn the

91r1

sal up and looked around. Her nrolher rrras so relieved,

she broke dor'vn and siaried i:r'ying: In the end, lhe
paramedics lel and the gilL vrent' ot'tiit']r her molher.
She .,'vas fine. But, r"v.. a,11 elt a bil str'alge * espec]a]1y
r,,rhen we lnrete surimmlng in tlre seal Il r,,'.as a dr,y 1'1i
never forget,.

later

a few

minutes

later

after a

while

later on

To bring the narrative to an end, we use: in the end

Or to emphasise that a lot of time has passed,

...

we use:

finally

at last

ffiffi

Complete these phrasal verbs from Liam's

narrative in exercise 1. Then choose the correct meaning for
this context,.a-e.

1 get
2 tal<e
3 put
4 breal<
5go

ffi

a
b
c
d
e

become very upset

leave

place somebody or something on

the ground
remove (an item of clothing)
ente (a vehicle)

VOenSULARY BUILDER 2.3: PAfrE 328

ffi

Plan a narrative about an interesting experience, real or

invented. Use this paragraph plan to help you.
Paragraph 1: Set the scene. Where were you? When? Who
were you with?
Paragraph 2: Lead-up. What happened .iust before? What
did you see / thinl<?
Paragraph 3: Main event. What happened? How did you feel?
Paragraph 4: The ending. What happened in the end? How
did you feeI afterwards? How did people react?
Write a narrative using your plan from exercise 5. Write
220-250 words and try to include some time expressions.
Read Liam's paragraph plan. Decide where the paragraph
breal<s should be in his narrative.

Paragraph 1: Set the scene - we go to the beach.

Paragraph 2: Lead'up - shouting. Somebody in difficulty.
Paragraph 3: Main event - girl is rescued. Paramedics and
mother arrive.

Paragraph 4: The ending

but we feel strange.

- the girl and

her mother leave,

Have you:
used the plan from exercise 5?
used some narrative time expressions?
checked your grammar and spelling?

Unit

Looking

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