Narrative Tenses ESL Worksheets, Activities and Games

In this engaging narrative tenses activity, students practice using narrative tenses to tell a story for other students to act out. In pairs, students begin by thinking of a title for their story and the name of the main character. The pairs then create their story by answering a set of questions in sentence form using the narrative tenses in brackets. When the pairs have finished, they take it in turns to read their story to another pair, with each student reading alternate sentences, while the other pair listens and acts out the story.

In this useful narrative tenses worksheet, students read fairy tale stories and complete them with the correct narrative tense verb forms. First, students read a summary of the fairy tale "Jack and the Beanstalk" and underline the correct narrative tense verb forms. Next, students read six statements about the story and indicate whether they are true or false. After that, students complete a story with verbs in brackets in their correct narrative tense. Students then say which fairy tale the story has been adapted from and what kind of story it is. As an extension, students rewrite a fairy tale of their own in a different genre.

Here is a fun set of narrative tense games to help students practice or review narrative tenses. First, students play a pelmanism game where they take it in turns to turn over one sentence beginning card and one ending card from each set. If the beginning and ending match to make a sentence, the student writes the verb in brackets on the ending card in the correct narrative tense, keeps the pair of cards and has another turn. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins. Next, students move on to play a miming game. Working alone, students use their own ideas to complete each sentence ending on a worksheet with a suitable narrative tense. Students then take it in turns to read out the beginning of each sentence to their partner and then mime the ending. Their partner has one minute to guess and say the correct ending. If they manage to do this, they score a point. The student with the most points at the end is the winner.

In this free narrative tenses worksheet, students learn four narrative tenses and how to use them to tell stories. Students start by reading a short story and choosing the correct forms of verbs to practice four narrative tenses. Students then match the four narrative tenses to their descriptions. Next, students use prompts to create sentences using the narrative tenses. In the last exercise, students complete the first part of a story using verbs in their correct form. Students then continue the story using the four narrative tenses and their own ideas. Finally, students read their stories to the class.

This imaginative story writing activity helps students practice narrative tenses. First, students match the forms of the verb 'live' with the narrative tenses. Next, students answer questions using the four narrative tenses. After that, students write a story using the outline detailed on the worksheet. Each student writes their name to indicate it's their story and then writes the first sentence of their story using the narrative tenses in brackets. When they have finished, they pass their paper to the group member on their right. The group members complete the second, third and fourth sentences in turn using the narrative tenses in brackets, passing the paper to the right after each sentence. In this way, each group member writes the first, second, third and fourth sentence of a different story. After the fourth sentence, each paper is returned to its owner, who writes the final sentence. Students then take it in turns to read their stories to the group and the group chooses the best one.