Narratives Tenses
Narrative tenses are verbal tenses that are frequently used to describe past events or actions such as: stories, anecdotes, experiences, etc.
There are four narrative tenses in English: past simple, past continuous, past perfect and past perfect continuous.
Past Simple
The "simple past" is used to talk about an action that occurred in the past and has already finished
Affirmative
Structure: Subject + verb (-d, -ed) + complement
Example: They played soccer in the park yesterday.
Negative
Structure: Subject + did not + verb in basic form + complement
Example: He didn't finish his English assignment
Interrogative
Structure: Did + subject + verb in basic form + complement
Example: Did he do his homework?
Past Continuos
The " past continuos" is used to talk about an action that was in progress in the past.
Affirmative
Structure: Subject + auxiliary verb (to be) + gerund verb (ing) + complement
Example: Your dog was playing with his toys when I arrived
Negative
Structure: Subject + auxiliary verb (to be) + not + gerund verb (ing) + complement
Example: I was not studying English at that time.
Interrogative
Structure: Auxiliary verb (to be) + subject + verb in gerund (ing) + complement + ?
Example: Were you eating candy when I entered the room?
Past Perfect
The "past perfect" is used to talk about an action that happened before another action in the past.
Affirmative
Structure: Subject + auxiliary had + past verb + complement
Example: I had met them before the meeting
Negative
Structure: Subject + auxiliary had + not + past tense verb + complement
Example: I had not said how long the video call will be
Interrogative
Structure: Auxiliary had + subject + past verb + complement?
Example: Had I gone to eat before lunch time?
Past Perfect Continuos
The past perfect continuous is used to refer to something we had been doing (in progress) when another action interrupted it.
Affirmative
Structure: Subject + auxiliary verb (had been) + verb –ing + complement
Example: I had been working here since I graduated.
Negative
Structure: Subject + had not been + verb –ing + complement
Example: I had not been traveling since the baby was born
Interrogative
Structure: Had + Subject + been + verb –ing + complement + ?
Example: Had I been studying Arts for a long time before the visit to the university?
