Make stories interesting with the past continuous - a Mini English Lesson

Summary

This Mini English Lesson teaches how to effectively use past continuous and past simple tenses to create engaging narratives. The lesson emphasizes setting the scene with past continuous to provide background information and using past simple to indicate changes in the foreground. Through a comparison of two story versions, learners see how the combination of these tenses enhances storytelling. Participants are encouraged to apply this technique by sharing their own key life events, fostering engagement and practical application of the lesson.

Takeaways

• 😀 Stories benefit from background and foreground elements.
• 😀 Use past continuous to set the scene in storytelling.
• 😀 Past simple introduces changes in the foreground.
• 😀 Background provides context such as time, place, and people.
• 😀 Foreground highlights key events or decisions.
• 😀 The structure of past continuous: subject + was/were + -ing form.
• 😀 The example of John illustrates the difference between past simple and past continuous.
• 😀 Setting the scene makes stories more engaging and clear.
• 😀 Encourage personal reflection by sharing a change in your life.
• 😀 Combining tenses enhances storytelling by clarifying sequences of events.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the Mini English Lesson?

The lesson focuses on using the past continuous and past simple tenses to tell engaging stories.

How does the lesson define the background and foreground in storytelling?

The background sets the scene (time, place, people), while the foreground introduces a change or key event.

What example is used to illustrate the difference between past simple and past continuous?

The story of John, who lived in London and wanted a change, is used to illustrate the differences.

What is the structure of the past continuous tense?

The structure is subject + was/were + -ing form.

Why is version two of John’s story considered better?

Version two combines past continuous and past simple, providing more context and clarity about the situation.

What key elements are revealed in the background of version two?

The background reveals John's age, his search for change, his living situation, and his feelings about life.

What change does the past simple tense introduce in the story?

The past simple introduces John's decision to leave London and move to the coast.

What activity is suggested for learners at the end of the lesson?

Learners are encouraged to reflect on a key event in their lives, using past continuous to set the scene and past simple for the change.

How can using both past continuous and past simple enhance storytelling?

Using both tenses creates a more dynamic and engaging narrative by providing context and highlighting significant changes.

What does the lesson imply about storytelling techniques?

The lesson implies that effective storytelling involves combining different tenses to create depth and clarity.