HOW TO WRITE A NARRATIVE

A.- PLAN
PARAGRAPH 1
         Where did the story take place?
         Explain how the story starts.
         Introduce the main characters.
PARAGRAPH 2
         Make a list of the main events in the order they
happened.
         What did the characters do?
         How did they feel?
PARAGRAPH 3
         What happened in the end?
         How did the characters feel?
B.- USEFUL LANGUAGE
NARRATIVE TENSES
We usually use past tenses when writing a narrative text:
 
PAST SIMPLE Two years ago Tom met a very attractive
woman.
 
PAST I was speaking to Mary when…
CONTINUOUS  
PAST I had just bought a present when…
PERFECT  
PRESENT I have never been back again…
PERFECT
 
USED TO We used to go there every year.
 
TIME EXPRESSIONS
PAST SIMPLE When (cuando)  

  Last year, etc.(el año pasado)  

Five years ago,…(hace cinco años)  

PAST CONTINUOUS While (mientras que)  

 
PRESENT PERFECT Already (ya)  

PAST PERFECT Ever (alguna vez)  

For(durante, desde hace)  

Just (acabar de)  

Never (nunca)  

Since(desde)  

Yet (todavía)  

LINKERS
ALTHOUGH(aunque)  
AND  
AS A RESULT(como  
resultado)
BUT(pero)  
CONSEQUENTLY He wanted it, consequently, he
(por consiguiente, bought it.
y entonces)
FOR THAT REASON  
(por esa razón)
HOWEVER(sin embargo)  
IN ORDER TO/THAT  
(para)
SO AS TO(para)  
SO(así que)  
SEQUENCING WORDS
  MEANING
After a while Después de un rato  
After that Después de eso  
Afterwards Después  
As soon as Tan pronto como  
First /firstly En primer lugar  
Last of all/ Finally Finalmente, por último  
Later (on) Más tarde  
Next A continuación  
The next day Al día siguiente  
Then Después  
In the end Al final  

ADVERBS USED TO DESCRIBE AN EVENT

You can make your narrative more interesting by using adverbs:
Amazingly Soprendentemente  
Fortunately Afortunadamente  
Incredibly Increíblemente  
Luckily Afortunadamente Luckily we arrived on time
to take the flight.
Suddenly De repente  
Unfortunatel Desafortunadamente  
y

ADJECTIVES USED TO DESCRIBE FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS

ADJECTIVES MEANING
Amazed Sorprendido, alucinado  
Angry Enfadado   
Anxious Preocupado  
Cold Frío  
Confused Confundido  
Delighted Encantado  
Dry Seco  
Excited Emocionado  
Exhausted Agotado  
Freezing Congelado  
Glad Contento
Guilty Culpable  
Grateful Agradecido
Happy Feliz  
Hot Acalorado  
Hungry Hambriento  
Lonely Solo  
Miserable Desdichado  
Pleased Encantado  
Proud Orgulloso  
Relieved Aliviado  
Sad Triste  
Scared Asustado  
Shocked Impactado  
Surprised Sorprendido  
Terrified Aterrorizado  
Tired Cansado  
Warm Tibio  
Worried Preocupado  
Wet Mojado