The key idea
I can tell what happened in order, using past verbs, time words, and my feelings.
What is it for?
Learn to write about a trip, a party, or another past experience. Put events in order and finish with your feelings.
What you need to know
- Say when and where the event happened.
- Say who was with you.
- Describe what happened in the correct order.
- Use past simple verbs and time words.
- Finish with the result and your feelings.
1. Start with the basic details
First, tell the reader when and where it happened. Say who was with you. Use one or two short sentences.
- Use time words such as yesterday or last weekend.
- Name the place and the people.
- Use was or were to describe the situation.
Last weekend, I went to the beach with my family.
This sentence tells when, where, and who.
We were there on Saturday morning.
Use were for more than one person.
2. Tell the events in order
Next, say what happened. Put the events in the order they happened. Use time words to connect your ideas.
- Use first for the first event.
- Use then and after that for later events.
- Use later for something that happened after some time.
- Use in the end for the final event.
First, we walked along the beach.
This tells the reader about the first event.
Then, we ate lunch at a small café.
Then connects the next event.
In the end, we went home.
This tells the reader how the trip finished.
3. Use past simple verbs
Write about finished events with past simple verbs. Many verbs end in -ed. Some common verbs change their form.
- Regular verbs: walk becomes walked.
- Irregular verbs: go becomes went and see becomes saw.
- Use was with I, he, she, and it.
- Use were with you, we, and they.
- After didn't, use the base verb.
We visited a museum and watched a short film.
Visited and watched are regular past verbs.
I bought a sandwich and ate it outside.
Bought and ate are irregular past verbs.
We didn't take the bus.
After didn't, use take, not took.
4. Keep the same time and finish with feelings
Keep your story in the past. Do not change to the present when you describe events. Finish with the result and your feelings.
- Check that finished events use past verbs.
- Use the past simple for actions and events.
- Say how you felt at the end.
- Use words such as happy, tired, excited, or surprised.
We saw a beautiful garden and took many photos.
Both actions use the past simple.
I felt tired but very happy.
This sentence tells the reader how you felt.
5. Make a short plan first
Before writing, make a small timeline. Write the main events in order. This helps you remember what happened next.
- Write when, where, and who.
- List three or four main events.
- Add the ending and your feelings.
- Use your notes to write full sentences.
Saturday → park → picnic → football → home → happy
These short notes give you a clear writing plan.
First, we had a picnic. Then, we played football.
Turn your notes into sentences in order.
How to do it, step by step
- Say when and where it happened, and who was there.
- Describe the first event.
- Tell the next events in order.
- Explain how the experience ended.
- Say how you felt.
Formulas and key language
| Use it for | Example | Another example |
|---|---|---|
| Last weekend, I went to ___ . | Last weekend, I went to the zoo. | Last weekend, I went to a park. |
| I went with ___ . | I went with my sister. | I went with two friends. |
| First, we ___ . | First, we bought some food. | First, we visited the museum. |
| Then, I ___ . | Then, I saw a large bird. | Then, I ate a sandwich. |
| After that, we ___ . | After that, we played a game. | After that, we took some photos. |
| Later, I ___ . | Later, I bought a small gift. | Later, I met my cousin. |
| In the end, we ___ . | In the end, we went home. | In the end, we found the bus stop. |
| I felt ___ because ___ . | I felt happy because the day was fun. | I felt tired because we walked a lot. |
UK / US: Some words differ in British and American English. For example, British English often uses holiday, while American English often uses vacation.
Model text
A Day at the Lake
When, where, and who
Last Saturday, I went to a lake with my parents and my younger brother. We left home early because the weather was warm.
The opening tells when, where, who, and why they went.
What happened first
First, we walked near the water and saw some ducks. Then, we found a quiet place for our picnic. My mother made sandwiches, and my father bought cold drinks. After that, my brother and I played football. I fell on the grass, but I did not hurt myself.
These events follow the correct order. The verbs describe finished actions.
The end and feelings
Later, we took photos and watched the sunset. In the end, we packed our bags and went home. I was tired, but I felt very happy. It was a wonderful day with my family.
The ending tells what happened last and how the writer felt.
Common mistakes
✗ Yesterday, we go to the park.
✓ Yesterday, we went to the park.
Use went because the trip happened yesterday.
✗ I buyed a new hat.
✓ I bought a new hat.
Buy is irregular, so its past form is bought.
✗ We didn't saw the birds.
✓ We didn't see the birds.
After didn't, use the base verb see.
✗ First, we ate lunch. Yesterday, we played football.
✓ First, we ate lunch. Then, we played football.
Use then to show the next event in the story.
✗ We were at the lake. We see some ducks.
✓ We were at the lake. We saw some ducks.
Keep the story in the past. Use saw for a finished event.
✗ At the end, I feel happy.
✓ At the end, I felt happy.
Use felt to describe a feeling in the past.
Plan it, then check it
Plan
- Write when and where the event happened.
- Write who was with you.
- List three or four events in time order.
- Write how the event ended and how you felt.
Check
- Did I say when, where, and who?
- Did I use past simple verbs?
- Did I put the events in the correct order?
- Did I use time words to connect events?
- Did I finish with the ending and my feelings?
Practice
Complete the past verbs
Write the past simple form of the verb in brackets.
1.Last Sunday, we (go) to the zoo.
Go changes to went in the past simple.
2.We (walk) to the main gate.
Add -ed to walk to make walked.
3.My brother (see) a tall giraffe.
See changes to saw in the past simple.
4.We (eat) lunch near the lake.
Eat changes to ate in the past simple.
5.My mother (buy) some fruit.
Buy changes to bought in the past simple.
6.The weather (be) warm and sunny.
Use was with the singular subject weather.
7.We (play) near the trees.
Add -ed to play to make played.
8.We (have) a great day.
Have changes to had in the past simple.
Choose the correct form
Choose the best word for each sentence.
1.Yesterday, I ___ my cousin at the park.
Use met because the meeting happened yesterday.
2.Last weekend, we ___ a picnic.
Had is the past form of have.
3.___, we bought tickets. Then, we entered the museum.
First introduces the first event.
4.We didn't ___ the bus home.
After didn't, use the base verb take.
5.Two days ago, the children ___ very happy.
Use were with the plural subject children.
6.___, we packed our bags and went home.
In the end introduces the final event.
Put the words in order
Put the words in the correct order. Add capital letters and punctuation.
1.Put the words in order:
shoppingwewentyesterday
Start with the time word, then tell what happened.
2.Put the words in order:
weatelunchfirst
First shows that lunch was the first event.
3.Put the words in order:
asawdeerwe
Use saw to describe a finished event.
4.Put the words in order:
thebuswemissdidn't
Use didn't followed by the base verb miss.
5.Put the words in order:
Ifeltafterwardstired
Use felt to describe a past feeling.
Find and fix one mistake
Correct the one mistake in each sentence.
1.Last Friday, we visit the museum.
Use visited for an event that happened last Friday.
2.I goed to the beach with my aunt.
The past form of go is went.
3.We didn't bought any food.
After didn't, use the base verb buy.
4.My friends was at the party.
Use were with the plural subject friends.
5.Then, we eat dinner at home.
Use ate for a finished meal in the past.
6.In the end, I feel very happy.
Use felt because the experience happened in the past.
Now write
Your task
Write about a trip, a party, or a day out that you remember. You can write about a real event or make one up. Tell the events in order. Finish with your feelings.
Word bank
yesterdaylast weekendon Saturdayfirstthenafter thatlaterin the endvisitedwalkedsawateboughthappytired
Sentence starters
- Last weekend, I went to...
- I went with...
- First, we...
- Then, we...
- After that, I...
- In the end, I felt...