Narrative tenses

• English
• Secundair onderwijs

QUICK QUIZ: The narrative tenses

We talk about posteriority when there is/are...

1. one action after another
2. two actions at the same time
3. one action interrupting the other
4. one action before another

Posteriority

We use the past simple.

I HAD breakfast and then I WALKED to school.

We talk about simultaneity when there is/are...

1. one action after another
2. two actions at the same time
3. one action interrupting the other
4. one action before another

Simultaneity

We use the past continuous (+ the past simple).

- While I WAS WATCHING TV, my sister WAS COOKING.

- She WAS WALKING to school, when suddenly her friend SHOWED up.

We talk about anteriority when there is/are...

1. one action after another
2. two actions at the same time
3. one action interrupting the other
4. one action before another

Anteriority

We use the past simple and the past perfect.

- We HAD already LEARNED about fairy tales in a Dutch lesson when we WATCHED The Three Ravens. 

Read the sentence.
Does the sentence indicate posteriotity, simultaneity or anteriority?
"It WAS RAINING outside when Sam GOT out of bed and LOOKED out of the window. "

1. posteriority: one action after another
2. simultaneity: two actions at the same time
3. simultaneity: one action interrupting another
4. anteriority: one action before another

Read the sentence.
Does the sentence indicate posteriotity, simultaneity or anteriority?
"He APOLOGISED and LEFT the shop"

1. posteriority: one action after another
2. simultaneity: two actions at the same time
3. simultaneity: one action interrupting another
4. anteriority: one action before the other

Read the sentence.
Does the sentence indicate posteriotity, simultaneity or anteriority?
"He REALISED he HAD FORGOTTEN to take his wallet when he HAD LEFT the house

1. posteriority
2. simultaneity: two actions at the same time
3. simultaneity: one action interrupting another
4. anteriority

Read the sentence.
Does the sentence indicate posteriotity, simultaneity or anteriority?
"He WAS WALKING home when he SAW his mum drive past."

1. posteriority
2. simultaneity: two actions at the same time
3. simultaneity: one action interrupting another
4. anteriority

Read the sentence.
Does the sentence indicate posteriotity, simultaneity or anteriority?
"She SAW him and STOPPED the car to give him a ride home."

1. posteriority
2. simultaneity: two actions at the same time
3. simultaneity: one action interrupting another
4. anteriority

Read the sentence.
Does the sentence indicate posteriotity, simultaneity or anteriority?
"After he finished getting ready he CHECKED his phone and SAW that James HAD REPLIED."

1. posteriority
2. simultaneity: two actions at the same time
3. simultaneity: one action interrupting another
4. anteriority

Read the sentence.
Does the sentence indicate posteriotity, simultaneity or anteriority?
"They SAW that James HAD FOUND some other kids to play with."

1. posteriority
2. simultaneity: two actions at the same time
3. simultaneity: one action interrupting another
4. anteriority

Read the sentence.
Does the sentence indicate posteriotity, simultaneity or anteriority?
"While they WERE PLAYING football, it STOPPED raining."

1. posteriority
2. simultaneity: two actions at the same time
3. simultaneity: one action interrupting another
4. anteriority

STORY TIME

Pair up with someone.

Put the sentences in the correct order.

Read the story out loud.