Narrative Tenses

Article excerpt · target grammar marked

In 1986, Elif Shafak was living in Ankara when she found a novel hidden behind a loose tile. The book had no cover. Someone had removed it deliberately.

Grammar Reference · Narrative Tenses

Past simple — main

The default tense for completed story events. She found the book in 1986. Sets the timeline.

Past perfect — before

Shows what happened earlier. Someone had removed the cover before she arrived.

Past continuous —

Sets the scene around a key event. She was living in Ankara when she made the discovery.

Common error

She has found it in 1986. ✗ → She found it in 1986. ✓ — use past simple with a specific past date.

01Exercise 1 — Form · Write the Correct Form

Narrative Tenses

1.The client three agencies before she finally approved our proposal.

2.He the folder when his phone rang and interrupted the meeting.

3.The board the risks before the campaign launched.

4.She her laptop, ... across the room, and ... out without a word.

5.By 2020, the company its headcount by forty percent.

6.The team on the restructuring plan when the CEO announced a new merger.

02Exercise 2 — Transform

rewrite with the new structure

1.She read the book. Before that, someone removed the cover.

2.The team worked on the plan. Then the CEO called a halt.

3.He signed the contract. Before that, he checked every clause.

4.She gave the presentation. At the same time, the board reviewed her slides.

03Exercise 3 — About You

in your notebook

Personalise: complete five sentences about yourself using the target grammar.

Narrative Tenses01classplan.ai