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A Narrative Paragraph

A narrative paragraph is simply a story used to convey a message or lesson.


Paragraph Format
The introduction sets the scene for your story and includes a topic sentence that explains the
major purpose for telling the story.
The supporting sentences present the story in a logical manner.
The conclusion explains the importance of the story. This is where you remind the reader of the
purpose for telling the story.
Helpful hints

Include a lesson or purpose to keep the reader's interest.


Use the brainstorming sheet to develop your story fully. Organize the events of your story
logically so that the reader has a clear sense of beginning (setting the scene), middle
(story development), and end (resolution).
Be consistent with verb tenses and point of view. When you tell a story that has happened
in the past, maintain the past tense throughout. Also, if you start with a first person point
of view, maintain it throughout.
Carefully select the details that are needed to convey the story. If they do not support,
explain, or enhance your story, they are not necessary.

A narrative paragraph describes an event. We usually use the past continuous, the simple past, and
sometimes the past perfect to describe what happened, although the present tense is sometimes
used as if the action is taking place at the present time.
Using the Simple Past and Past Continuous Tenses
You can use the past continuous to describe something that was happening when another event
happened.
He was driving along the road when suddenly he saw a camel run out in front of him.
The two men were crossing the desert when they heard a loud bang.
The car was speeding down the deserted highway when the accident happened.
I was talking to my brother when the lights went out.
Using the Simple Past and Past Perfect Tenses
You can use the past perfect to describe something that happened before another thing in the past.
The driver had fallen asleep at the wheel and had driven straight into a tree when he
came upon the accident.
My wife had prepared dinner which we ate immediately.

This is a narrative told in the past tenses (simple, continuous, and perfect):
Mercury and the Woodman
(from Aesop's Fables)
A woodman was felling a tree on the bank of a river, when his ax, glancing off the trunk, flew
out of his hands and fell into the water. As he stood by the water's edge lamenting his loss,
Mercury appeared and asked him the reason for his grief; and on learning what had happened, out
of pity for his distress he dived into the river and, bringing up a golden ax, asked him if that was
the one he had lost. The woodman replied that it was not, and Mercury then dived a second time,
and, bringing up a silver ax, asked if that was his. "No, that is not mine either," said the
woodman. Once more Mercury dived into the river, and brought up the missing ax. The woodman
was overjoyed at recovering his property, and thanked his benefactor warmly; and the latter was
so pleased with his honesty that he made him a present of the other two axes. When the woodman
told the story to his companions, one of these was filled with envy of his good fortune and
determined to try his luck for himself. So he went and began to fell a tree at the edge of the river,
and presently contrived to let his ax drop into the water. Mercury appeared as before, and, on
learning that his ax had fallen in, he dived and brought up a golden ax, as he had done on the
previous occasion. Without waiting to be asked whether it was his or not the fellow cried, "That's
mine, that's mine," and stretched out his hand eagerly for the prize; but Mercury was so disgusted
at his dishonesty that he not only declined to give him the golden ax, but also refused to recover
for him the one he had let fall into the stream.
Honesty is the best policy.
This is a joke told in the present tenses (simple, continuous, and perfect):
A dog has walked into a bar, and, while he is jumping on a stool, asks the bartender, "Hey, buddy,
how about a free drink for a talking dog?" The bartender says, "Sure, the toilet is just down the
hall."
Ideas for a Narrative Paragraph
An accident or positive event that changed your life
Your first day at school, college, or a new job
The decision you regret most
Your first serious date
A significant family event
A memorable vacation
A historical event that impressed you
The day you moved
An event that seemed bad but turned out to be good
A heroic sports moment
How you dealt with a difficult situation
A prejudice that involved you
A "eureka" moment: you suddenly understood how something works
How you helped someone else and what you learned
Your most frustrating moment
How you handled an emergency situation
How you broke up with your love
A narrow escape
A moment when you did something that took a lot of courage
A time when you chose to go your own way and did not follow the crowd
How you stood up for your beliefs
The day you rebelled against a decision concerning you

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