How to Tell a Story in English - Using Past Tense

Key Concepts

• Storytelling structure: Background, Goal, Tension, Resolution, Retrospective Comment
• WH- questions: Who, When, Where, What (for setting the scene)
• Goal: What the person/people in the story want
• Tension: Difficulties or problems that make the goal challenging to reach
• Foreshadowing: Hinting at future events to create tension
• Resolution: Explaining what happened in the end
• Retrospective comment: Reflecting on the story from the present

1. Setting the Scene: Background Information

• Main Point: Start with basic background information using "WH-" questions (who, when, where, what) to provide context.
• Details: Add 1-2 sentences to give more details, focusing on the most important elements of the story.
• Example:
  • Opening sentence: "It was summer, and I went with some friends to a beach in Crimea which you could only get to by boat."
  • Additional details: "People had been going there for years, and there were benches and tables, places to camp, fire places and so on. It was kind of a hippy place, with everyone walking around naked and doing whatever they felt like."
• Balance: Provide enough detail to make the story feel real, but get to the point quickly to maintain audience interest.

2. Establishing a Goal

• Main Point: Every story needs a goal – something the person or people in the story want to achieve.
• Importance: Without a goal, there is no story.
• Examples:
  • "On the last day, we had to catch a train in the evening." (Goal: Catch the train)
  • "To reach Issyk-Kul lake, which was the end of my journey, I had to cross a mountain pass, almost 4,000m high." (Goal: Cross the mountain pass to reach the lake)
• Scale: The goal can be big or small, simple or difficult.

3. Adding Tension

• Main Point: Tension is created by making the goal difficult to reach.
• Importance: Tension keeps the audience engaged and wondering what will happen next.
• How to Create Tension:
  • Add problems or difficulties that get in the way of achieving the goal.
  • Use foreshadowing to hint at future problems.
• Examples:
  • Mountain pass story: "It was so hard, because the air is thin up there and I was carrying a very heavy pack... and then a storm boiled over the ridge and landed right on my head. There was lightning all around me, even below me!"
  • Flatmate prank story: "I said bye to my flatmates, and told them not to do anything to my room. 'Don’t worry, we won’t. Have a good weekend,' they said. I knew they were going to do something..." (Foreshadowing)

4. Finishing the Story: Resolution and Retrospective Comment

• Main Point: Resolve the tension by explaining what happened in the end and whether the goal was reached.
• Resolution: Explain how the problems were overcome (or not).
• Retrospective Comment: Add a comment reflecting on the story from the present.
• Examples:
  • Crimea beach story: "We loaded our stuff onto a kayak and swam almost a kilometre around the cliffs... We made it to land, and after several hours of hitchhiking and walking, we caught our train. It was stressful at the time, but looking back now it makes a good story!"
  • Mountain pass story: "I forgot how tired I was and ran down the slopes to get to safety... I made it over the pass, but it was a very frightening experience."
  • Flatmate prank story: "They made my room into a jungle! ... It took me three hours to clean up, and also I have hay fever... For my flatmates, that just made it funnier…"
• Purpose of Retrospective Comment:
  • Provides closure.
  • Signals to the listener that the story is finished.

5. Additional Tips for Storytelling

• Details and Descriptions: Add interesting details and descriptions to make the story more lifelike.
• Humor: Use jokes and humor to improve the story.
• Character Development: Provide background on the people and their personalities to bring them to life.
• Structure is Key: Structure is more important than vocabulary.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The video emphasizes that effective storytelling relies on a clear structure: setting the scene with background information, establishing a goal, creating tension through challenges, and resolving the tension with a clear ending, often accompanied by a retrospective comment. While details, humor, and character development enhance a story, a solid structure is fundamental. The video encourages viewers to focus on mastering this structure to become more convincing and engaging English speakers, regardless of their vocabulary level.