Time connectors for stories
| Connector | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One day / One morning… | Opening — sets the scene | One day, I was walking in the park… |
| First | First action | First, I made some coffee. |
| Then / Next | Continuation | Then I got dressed. |
| After that | Following action | After that, I left the house. |
| Suddenly / All of a sudden | Unexpected event | Suddenly, it started to rain! |
| While / When | Background + interruption | While I was running, I fell. |
| In the end / Finally | Conclusion | In the end, we all laughed. |
Story structure
| Part | Content | Tense |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Setting | When? Where? Who? Background description. | Past Continuous was + -ing |
| 2. Events | What happened? Sequence of actions. | Past Simple -ed / irregular |
| 3. Climax | The most important or surprising moment. | Past Simple often with "suddenly" |
| 4. Resolution | How did it end? Feeling or result. | Past Simple in the end / finally |
Example story
One afternoon, I was sitting in the garden reading a book. It was sunny and warm.
Suddenly, I heard a strange noise behind me. I turned around slowly.
Then I saw my dog with my sandwich in his mouth! He looked at me and ran away.
In the end, I laughed and made a new sandwich.
Suddenly, I heard a strange noise behind me. I turned around slowly.
Then I saw my dog with my sandwich in his mouth! He looked at me and ran away.
In the end, I laughed and made a new sandwich.
Mix tenses deliberately:
Past Continuous for the background scene → Past Simple for each event. This contrast is what makes narrative writing feel natural in English.
Exercises
Choose the best word to complete the story.
1. ___ morning, Maria was walking to school.
2. ___, she saw a cat in the road.
3. ___ the story, the cat found its owner.