Telling past stories: using the past perfect for clear sequencing
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Think about these questions before reading. Share your ideas with a partner.
- Think about a time you were very surprised by something. What's the story behind it?
- Who is the best storyteller you know? What makes their stories so interesting to listen to?
- Describe a time when a plan went completely wrong. What happened to change things?
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A Close Call at the Station
Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.
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Answer these questions in your own words. Support your answers with evidence from the article.
01[REPLACE WITH A TOPIC-BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTION]
Sample answer[REPLACE WITH A SAMPLE ANSWER FOR THE NEW QUESTION]
02[REPLACE WITH A TOPIC-BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTION]
Sample answer[REPLACE WITH A SAMPLE ANSWER FOR THE NEW QUESTION]
03[REPLACE WITH A TOPIC-BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTION]
Sample answer[REPLACE WITH A SAMPLE ANSWER FOR THE NEW QUESTION]
04[REPLACE WITH A TOPIC-BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTION]
Sample answer[REPLACE WITH A SAMPLE ANSWER FOR THE NEW QUESTION]
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Grammar: Past perfect
Grammar
We use the past perfect tense (had + past participle) to talk about an action that happened before another action in the past. It's very useful for storytelling to make the sequence of events clear to the listener.
Examples
When I got to the cinema, the film had already started.
The film started first, then I arrived. The past perfect shows the earlier action.
He was disappointed because he had forgotten his friend's birthday.
First, he forgot the birthday. Second, he felt disappointed. The past perfect clarifies the reason for his feeling.
She told us she had never visited London before that trip.
We use 'had never' to talk about something that wasn't true at any time before a specific point in the past.
Key points
- Form: had + past participle (e.g., had seen, had left, had finished).
- Use it to show an action that happened before another past simple action.
- A common mistake is using it for a single past event. Use the past simple instead (e.g., 'I went home,' not 'I had gone home').
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Correct the sentences
Read the sentences below about telling stories and past events. Each one has a mistake.
Each sentence contains one error. Find and correct it.
01When I arrived at the station, the train already left.
Corrected version
When I arrived at the station, the train had already left.
02The ending of the story was very surprised.
Corrected version
The ending of the story was very surprised. surprising.
03He said he had never saw such a beautiful place before.
Corrected version
He said he had never saw seen such a beautiful place before.
04I was really dissapointed that I missed the party.
Corrected version
I was really dissapointed disappointed that I missed the party.
05By the time the police had arrived, the thief escaped.
Corrected version
By the time the police had arrived, the thief had escaped.
06She told me a great story about her trip on South America.
Corrected version
She told me a great story about her trip on to South America.
07Before I moved to London, I have never lived in a big city.
Corrected version
Before I moved to London, I have had never lived in a big city.
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Key vocabulary for telling stories
Vocabulary
These expressions will help you tell stories and describe past events more effectively.
Examples
To cut a long story short — to tell the main points of a story without giving all the details.
Usage note: This is a common phrase in informal speaking. Use it when you want to get to the conclusion of your story quickly.
Look back on — to think about something that happened in the past.
Usage note: We often use this with adverbs like 'fondly' or 'with regret'. For example: 'When I look back on my childhood, I have happy memories.'
Out of the blue — suddenly and unexpectedly.
Usage note: Use this to introduce a surprising event in your story. For example: 'We were having a quiet coffee when, out of the blue, my cousin from Australia walked in.'
It turned out that... — used to say what the final result of a situation was, especially if it was surprising.
Usage note: This is a great way to explain an unexpected outcome. For example: 'I was worried about the exam, but it turned out that it was easier than I had expected.'
In the end — finally, after a period of time or a series of events.
Usage note: Use this to talk about the final result of a situation. It's different from 'at the end', which means at the final point of something (e.g., 'at the end of the book').
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Key storytelling words
Learn some useful words for talking about stories.
Match each word with its correct definition.
Drag or click to match
Definitions
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Useful phrases: Recounting a funny or surprising travel story
Vocabulary
When you tell a story about a past trip, you need phrases to set the scene, build suspense, and share the outcome. Here are some natural phrases to make your travel stories more engaging for your listeners.
Examples
This one time, when I was in [place]... — a classic way to start a personal story.
Register: Informal. Use this with friends to signal you're about to tell an anecdote. For example: 'This one time, when I was in Thailand...'
So, there I was... — used to describe your situation right before the main action.
Register: Informal. This phrase is great for creating a bit of drama or humour in the middle of a story. For example: 'So, there I was, in the middle of the market with no money...'
The next thing I knew... — introduces a sudden or surprising event.
Register: Neutral. Use this to show that something happened quickly and unexpectedly, which builds suspense for the listener.
I couldn't believe it! — expresses your shock or surprise at the time.
Register: Neutral/Informal. This helps you share your emotional reaction to an event, making the story more personal and relatable.
The funny/strange thing was... — highlights a particularly interesting detail.
Register: Neutral/Informal. Use this to draw the listener's attention to a specific detail that makes your story unique or memorable.
Looking back, it was actually quite funny. — reflects on a past event from your current perspective.
Register: Neutral. A perfect way to conclude a story that was maybe stressful at the time but seems amusing now.
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Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.
Word bank
01We waited for the bus for over an hour in the rain, but it arrived and we were able to go home.
02Everything was quiet and peaceful in the park, and then, , a dog started barking loudly.
03When I got to the airport, I looked in my bag and that I had left my passport on the kitchen table.
04She couldn't remember his name at first, but then she meeting him at a party last year.
05We thought the restaurant would be terrible because it looked old, but it to be the best meal of our trip.
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A story from the past
Read the passage below, then answer the comprehension questions.
I often look back on the time I lost my favourite jacket. I had just bought it and had only worn it once. One Saturday, I went to the city with friends. When I got home, I realised the jacket was gone. I was sure I had left it on the bus. For weeks, I was so disappointed. Then, completely out of the blue, I got a call from a café I had visited that day. It turned out that I had taken the jacket off because it was warm inside and had forgotten it on the chair. To cut a long story short, they had kept it for me in their lost property box. In the end, I was incredibly relieved. It taught me to be a bit more careful with my things!
01Why was the writer particularly upset about losing the jacket?
Sample answerBecause he had just bought it and had only worn it one time.
02Where did the writer initially believe he had lost the jacket?
Sample answerHe believed he had left it on the bus.
03How did the writer find out where his jacket was?
Sample answerThe café he had visited called him unexpectedly.
04What can you infer about the writer's personality from the last sentence?
Sample answerHe might be a bit forgetful or careless sometimes.
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Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.
- In your culture, is it common for families to tell stories about the past? Share a short family story that you've heard many times, perhaps using 'to cut a long story short...'
- Some people believe it's important to look back on difficult past experiences to learn from them, while others think it's healthier to forget them. What is your opinion?
- Think about a time when something happened completely 'out of the blue' and changed your plans. What was the situation, and how did it turn out in the end?