How to Tell a Story in English - Using Past Tense

Summary

In this lesson, Gina from Oxford Online English teaches how to effectively tell a story in English. The video breaks down storytelling into key components: setting the scene, establishing a goal, creating tension, and resolving the story with a clear conclusion. It emphasizes the importance of structure over vocabulary, encouraging learners to focus on the flow of the story and emotional engagement. By offering examples, the lesson helps learners develop their storytelling skills, making them more engaging and effective communicators in English.

Takeaways

• 😀 Storytelling is essential for effective communication, especially when meeting new people, in job interviews, or speaking exams like IELTS.
• 😀 Becoming a better storyteller enhances your ability to convince and engage others.
• 😀 A strong story starts with clear background information—answering the who, when, where, and what of the situation.
• 😀 Adding details and focusing on interesting or unusual elements of the story helps to bring it to life and keeps the audience engaged.
• 😀 Every story needs a clear goal that the characters want to achieve, whether it’s simple or challenging.
• 😀 Tension is crucial in a story; without it, the story lacks interest. Tension is created by making the goal harder to achieve or adding challenges.
• 😀 Foreshadowing can build tension by hinting at problems or outcomes, keeping the audience curious about what happens next.
• 😀 To resolve the tension, the story should provide a satisfying conclusion, answering whether the goal was reached and explaining the outcome.
• 😀 A retrospective comment at the end of the story helps to provide closure and shows how the storyteller feels about the experience in hindsight.
• 😀 Good story structure is more important than vocabulary. Focusing on structure and emotion is key to telling great stories, even with basic English skills.
• 😀 Practicing storytelling with a clear structure—setting the scene, establishing a goal, adding tension, and resolving the story—will improve your communication skills.

Q & A

Why is storytelling important in English?

Storytelling is important in English because it helps make you a more convincing speaker, especially in situations like job interviews or speaking exams. People are attracted to good stories, and learning how to tell better stories makes you a more effective communicator.

What are the key components of a good story?

A good story needs two main components: a goal and tension. The goal is what the people in the story want to achieve, and the tension is the difficulty or challenge in reaching that goal.

How can you begin building a story?

To begin building a story, start with a clear background by answering basic 'wh-' questions (who, when, where, what). Then, add 1-2 more sentences to provide more background details but keep it simple and focused.

What role do background details play in a story?

Background details are important because they make the story feel real, but you need to strike a balance. Too many details can make the story drag, so focus on the most interesting or relevant details to keep the listener engaged.

What is the difference between a goal and tension in a story?

The goal is what the characters in the story are aiming to achieve, while tension refers to the obstacles or difficulties they face in reaching that goal. Without tension, the story would be too simple and boring.

Can you give an example of adding tension to a story?

An example of adding tension could be: 'I had to cross a mountain pass at 4,000 meters high, and the air was thin. After hours of hiking, a storm suddenly appeared, adding a dangerous challenge to my journey.' This introduces a problem that makes the outcome uncertain.

What is foreshadowing, and how does it add tension?

Foreshadowing is when you hint at something that will happen later in the story, creating a sense of anticipation. It adds tension by making the audience wonder what’s going to happen, increasing their interest and engagement.

Why is the end of a story important?

The end of a story is crucial because it resolves the tension and answers whether the characters reached their goal or not. Additionally, a retrospective comment can be added to reflect on the experience, which helps in concluding the story effectively.

What is a retrospective comment, and how is it used in storytelling?

A retrospective comment is a reflection made at the end of the story, where you express how you feel about the event now. It helps to provide closure and shows the listener how the storyteller views the experience in hindsight.

What are some other ways to enhance a story beyond structure?

Beyond structure, you can enhance a story by adding interesting details, descriptions, jokes, humor, and background on the personalities of the people in your story. These elements can bring the story to life and make it more engaging.