How to tell a story( Past Events) in English? - Spoken English lesson

Summary

In this educational video, Niharika teaches the art of storytelling in English. She emphasizes the importance of anecdotes, which are short stories about personal experiences. The video covers how to structure a story with linking words like 'firstly,' 'then,' and 'finally.' It also discusses the use of past and present tenses for different effects. Niharika advises using descriptive words to make the story engaging and not to sound like a lecture, ensuring a captivating narrative.

Takeaways

• 📚 Anecdotes are short stories about personal experiences or incidents involving someone you know.
• 🗣️ Storytelling is useful in English for conveying past events in a conversational manner.
• 💡 Link your ideas by sequencing them to maintain a logical flow in your story.
• 📝 Keep stories short, simple, and grammatically correct for better understanding.
• 🔑 Start a story with phrases like 'firstly', 'first of all', or 'to start off with'.
• 🔄 Use 'then', 'after that', or 'next' to continue the narrative and link events.
• ⏸️ Introduce interruptions or new elements with 'suddenly' or 'unexpectedly' to add drama.
• 🏁 Conclude with 'finally', 'eventually', or 'in the end' to wrap up the story effectively.
• 🕰️ Use past tense for storytelling, present tense for jokes or to add dramatic effect.
• 📈 Past simple tense is used for sequential events, while past continuous provides background or ongoing actions.
• 🎨 Use descriptive and emotive words like 'amazing', 'fantastic', or 'terrifying' to make the story engaging.

Q & A

What is an anecdote?

An anecdote is a short story about something that happened to you or someone you know.

Why is telling a story or anecdote useful in English?

It helps to convey past events in words, making conversations more engaging and personal.

In what situations can you tell a story?

You can tell a story when discussing past events with friends, detailing past events like job interviews, parties, or trips.

What is important before beginning to tell a story?

It's important to link your ideas and sequence them, keeping the story short and grammatically simple.

What words can help you begin your story?

Words like 'firstly', 'first of all', 'to start off with', or phrases like 'that reminds me of' can help you begin a story.

How can you continue your story?

You can continue your story by using words like 'then', 'after that', or 'next' to link the events.

How can you add interruptions or new elements to your story?

You can add interruptions or new elements by using words like 'suddenly' or 'unexpectedly'.

What words can help you end your story?

Words like 'finally', 'eventually', or 'in the end' can help you conclude your story.

What tenses are commonly used to tell a story?

The past tense is commonly used, but the present tense can also be used for dramatic effect or when telling jokes.

When should you use the past continuous tense in a story?

You should use the past continuous tense when providing a background to a story or showing progress in the narrative.

How can you make your story more engaging rather than sounding like a lecture?

Use descriptive and emotive words like 'amazing', 'fantastic', 'terrifying', and 'petrifying', and consider exaggerating for effect.