NARRATIVE TEXTS FOR EXPERTS

Narrative Text – Structure, Language & Practice

Introductions, developments, conclusions + translation practice with solutions

A. Use a good sentence to start

Elige una frase inicial potente para enganchar al lector.

• You won’t believe what happened to me on my way home yesterday.
• I still can’t forget what happened that cold winter morning.
• Everything changed the moment I opened that door.
• It all started on a day I thought would be completely normal.
• At first, I didn’t realise that this would be the most unforgettable day of my life.
• What began as an ordinary afternoon quickly turned into a real adventure.
• I never imagined that such a small decision would cause so many problems.
• Looking back now, I wish I had listened to my instincts that day.
• The strangest experience of my life happened when I least expected it.
• That was the day everything went wrong.

Tip: empieza con sorpresa, emoción o misterio.

B. Introduction (Beginning / Orientation)

Function: Introduces the characters, place, and time.

Example 1

WHEN Last Friday afternoon, WHO Tom WHAT was finishing his homework WHERE in the school library.
DETAILS Most of the students had already gone home, and the building was unusually quiet.
NARRATIVE INCIDENT As he packed his bag, he heard a strange noise coming from the corridor.

Example 2

One cold evening in December, I was walking home from school through the empty streets of my town. The sun had already set, and the streetlights flickered above me. I felt nervous because I had heard strange noises in that area before.

Example 3

On a rainy Monday morning in September, Sofia arrived early at her new school. The hallways were empty and silent, and she felt nervous as she looked for her classroom. It was her first day, and she didn’t know any of the other students yet. Suddenly, she heard a noise coming from a classroom.

Introducción = tiempo + lugar + personajes + situación inicial.

C. Development (Middle / Events)

Function: Describes the main events and problems.

Example 1

Tom froze and listened carefully. The noise came again, louder this time, like footsteps moving slowly toward the library door. His heart started beating faster, and he wondered if someone else was still in the building. He stood up quietly and walked toward the door to look outside. Suddenly, the noise stopped, and the corridor became completely silent. Tom hesitated, unsure if he should open the door or stay where he was.

Example 2

As I continued walking, I suddenly heard footsteps behind me. At first, I thought it was just my imagination, but the sound grew louder and closer. I turned around quickly, but no one was there. My hands began to shake, and I walked faster, trying to reach my house as soon as possible. Then, I heard a low whisper coming from the dark corner of the street, and I stopped, too afraid to move.

Example 3

Sofia stopped walking and looked toward the classroom door. The noise came again, like something falling on the floor. She felt scared but also curious, so she slowly walked closer. Her heart was beating fast as she reached the door and gently pushed it open. Inside, the lights were off, and she couldn’t see anyone clearly. Suddenly, a chair moved in the corner of the room, and Sofia gasped, not knowing who—or what—was there.

Desarrollo = tensión + problema + acciones + suspense.

D. Conclusion (Ending / Resolution)

Function: Explains how the story finishes.

Example 1

Taking a deep breath, Tom slowly opened the library door and looked into the corridor. To his surprise, he saw the school janitor picking up a box of books from the floor. The janitor smiled and explained that he had accidentally dropped them. Tom laughed in relief, realizing there was nothing to be afraid of. He left the library feeling calmer and a little embarrassed by his imagination.

Example 2

Summoning my courage, I slowly turned toward the dark corner and stepped closer. Suddenly, a small cat ran out from behind a trash bin and crossed the street. I sighed with relief and laughed at myself for being so frightened. I realized that the strange noises had not been dangerous after all. Feeling calmer and safer, I continued walking home, leaving my fear behind me.

Example 3

Sofia stood frozen for a moment until the classroom lights suddenly turned on. A girl stepped forward and smiled warmly at her. She explained that she had come early to prepare some materials for class. Sofia felt relieved and smiled back, happy to meet someone friendly on her first day. At that moment, she knew that her new school might not be so scary after all.

Conclusión = solución + emoción final + aprendizaje.

VERB TENSES USED IN NARRATIVE TEXTS

Past Simple: Used for completed actions.
• I walked to the park. / • She opened the door.

Past Continuous: Used for actions in progress in the past.
• I was walking in the street.

Past Perfect:
• I had phoned the emergency services. / • They had already found the dog.

Combination:
• I was walking in the park when I saw a dog.
• When I arrived home, I noticed someone had already been there.

USEFUL CONNECTORS

Time connectors:
• First • Then • After that • Suddenly • Finally

Sequence connectors:
• When • While • Before • After

GOOD MORE ADVANCED LANGUAGE YOU CAN USE

a) Modal perfect verbs:
I was very worried because I might have lost my phone in the park.

b) Third conditionals:
If I had seen the warning sign, I would not have entered the abandoned house.
If we had brought a map, we would not have got lost in the forest.

c) -ING and -ED clauses:
Feeling scared, I stopped moving.
Shocked by the noise, she ran away.
Realising the danger, we left immediately.

FINAL EXERCISE: Translate into English

Traduce las 12 frases al inglés. Pulsa el botón para ver la solución.

Introduction (Beginning / Orientation)

1. Una mañana fría de invierno, Marcos llegó temprano a la escuela.

One cold winter morning, Marcos arrived early at school.

2. El sábado por la tarde, Ana estaba sola en casa con su perro.

On Saturday afternoon, Ana was alone at home with her dog.

3. Hace muchos años, una niña vivía en un pequeño pueblo cerca del bosque.

Many years ago, a girl lived in a small village near the forest.

4. El lunes por la mañana, los estudiantes entraron al aula muy nerviosos.

On Monday morning, the students entered the classroom very nervous.

Development (Middle / Events)

5. De repente, escuchó un ruido extraño detrás de la puerta.

Suddenly, he/she heard a strange noise behind the door.

6. Empezó a caminar más rápido porque tenía miedo.

He/She started walking faster because he/she was afraid.

7. Abrió la ventana lentamente y miró hacia afuera.

He/She opened the window slowly and looked outside.

8. En ese momento, las luces se apagaron y todo quedó en silencio.

At that moment, the lights went out and everything went silent.

Conclusion (Ending / Resolution)

9. Al final, descubrió que no había nada peligroso.

In the end, he/she discovered there was nothing dangerous.

10. Se sintió aliviado y empezó a reír.

He/She felt relieved and started to laugh.

11. Desde ese día, nunca volvió a tener miedo.

From that day on, he/she was never afraid again.

12. Finalmente, todo terminó bien y regresó a casa tranquilo.

Finally, everything ended well and he/she returned home calm.

Puedes usar esta sección como actividad en clase o como tarea.