PREPARATION

A2 • Lesson 17

Simple Narratives

Vocabulary and reading to prepare for your lesson

Target Vocabulary

Click each word to see its meaning and an example.

Key Words

a narrative noun

A story or account of events.

"I will tell you a narrative about my day."

a sequence noun

An order of events; what comes first, next, and last.

"Tell the sequence of what happened."

first, next, finally adverbs

Words to show order in a narrative.

"First, I woke up. Next, I ate breakfast. Finally, I left."

a problem noun

A difficult situation or challenge.

"I had a problem with my car."

a solution noun

An answer or way to fix a problem.

"I found a solution to my problem."

to resolve verb

To fix or solve a problem.

"I resolved the situation quickly."

at the end phrase

At the conclusion; finally.

"At the end, everything was okay."

Speaking Chunks

First, I... Next, I... Finally, I... phrase

Structure a narrative with clear sequence.

"First, I got ready. Next, I left. Finally, I arrived."

I had a problem with... phrase

Introduce a problem in your narrative.

"I had a problem with my phone."

So I decided to... phrase

Show what you did about the problem.

"So I decided to ask for help."

The solution was... phrase

Explain how you fixed the problem.

"The solution was calling a repair person."

At the end, everything turned out... phrase

End your narrative with the outcome.

"At the end, everything turned out fine."

This happened in this order... phrase

Clarify the sequence of a narrative.

"This happened in this order: first, then, finally."

Reading: Telling Stories with a Clear Structure

A narrative is a story. A good narrative has a clear beginning, middle, and end. It shows the sequence of events. It is easy to follow and understand.

Use words like "first," "next," and "finally" to show order. You say "First, I woke up. Next, I had breakfast. Finally, I left." These words help your listener follow the story.

Many narratives have a problem. You describe what went wrong. Then you show how you fixed it. You use words like "So I decided to..." and "The solution was..." This makes the story more interesting.

Keep your narrative simple. Use short sentences. Use past simple tense. Don't add too much detail. Focus on the main events.

Good narratives are clear and organized. They help people understand what happened. Practice telling simple narratives with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

~230 words • A2 Level

Discussion Questions

Think about these questions before your lesson.

Keyword Speaking Practice

For each question above, write maximum 3 keywords — no sentences. Then practise speaking your answer out loud from just the keywords.

Q1: "Tell a simple story about your day."

Your 3 keywords: / /

Now say your answer out loud. Use "First... Next... Finally..." to connect your keywords.

Q2: "Tell about a problem you had and how you solved it."

Your 3 keywords: / /

Speak for 30 seconds. Let your brain build the sentences.

Q3: "What narrative words help you tell a story clearly?"

Your 3 keywords: / /

Say your answer out loud — don't just think it!

Remember: keywords only. Your brain does the rest. Mistakes are good — they mean you're practising speaking, not reading.

Start Lesson 17 →

Preparation time: ~15 minutes