Telling Stories About Past Events in Your Life.

This lesson takes you deeper into B1 by teaching you how to tell clear stories about your past. You read and listen to short anecdotes about holidays, school days and surprising events, and you notice how speakers move step by step through a story using time expressions like yesterday, last year or when I was a child. You practise using regular and common irregular past forms to describe what happened, where, who was involved and how you felt. Activities help you order events logically using words such as first, then, after that and finally. You also record or write a short story from your own life, for example a travel experience or a special celebration. By the end, you can share a simple narrative about a past event so that listeners or readers can follow it easily.

1. Listening to a holiday story.

In this first part of the lesson, you are going to listen to a short holiday story. Imagine you are on the first day of an English course in Brighton. You are talking to your new classmate, Alex, in the break, and he decides to tell you about his last visit to the city. Your job is not to understand every word. Instead, focus on the main ideas. Where did he go? What happened? How did he feel in the end? While you listen, pay special attention to time expressions such as last year, yesterday and in the evening, and to past verbs like went, lost or found. These words help you understand when things happened and in what order. After the listening, you will write two or three short sentences to answer a few questions about Alex’s story. Do not worry about perfect grammar now. Just try to tell me the key information as clearly as you can, using simple past forms if possible.

Warm up: stories about the past.

We often tell small stories about the past in real life. For example:

• a holiday that was amazing or terrible
• a funny problem on a trip
• a special day at school

In this lesson you will learn to tell these stories more clearly so other people can follow and enjoy them.

In the audio for this block, you will hear your new classmate Alex talk about a trip to Brighton. While you listen, do not try to understand every word. Instead, focus on three questions:

1. Where did Alex go and who did he go with?
2. What problem did he have?
3. How did the story end and how did he feel?

Useful holiday and time words.

Before you listen, look at some useful words and phrases. You do not need to memorise everything now, but notice how they feel.

• Holiday verbs: travel, arrive, stay, visit, lose, find, forget
• Places: hotel, station, beach, restaurant, reception
• Time expressions in the past: last year, last summer, yesterday, two years ago, in the evening, on the first day, the next morning, finally

Time expressions like last year I went to ... or yesterday I got up early help your listener know when things happened. In Alex’s story you will hear several of these.

Listening task.

You will now listen to Alex’s story. After the listening, you will write 2–3 sentences in your own words to answer the three questions above. Use simple past verbs if you can, for example:

• He went to Brighton with ...
• He lost his ...
• In the end he felt ...

Do not worry if your spelling is not perfect. The important thing is to show that you understood the main events.

Practice & Feedback

First, play the listening carefully at least one time, and if you need, listen again. Do not take notes during the first listening, just imagine you are really talking to Alex. On the second listening you can make a few quick notes, for example names, places and times.

Then write 2–3 complete sentences to answer these questions about Alex’s story:

1. Where did Alex go and who did he travel with?
2. What problem did he have on the trip?
3. How did the story finish and how did he feel in the end?

Write your answers as one short paragraph. Use simple past verbs where you can, such as went, lost, found, was or stayed, and try to include at least one time expression like last year or in the evening.

2. Noticing past verbs and time expressions.

Now that you have heard Alex’s story, we are going to slow down and look more closely at the language inside it. This is how you move from just understanding a story to being able to tell a similar story yourself. In particular, we will focus on two things: time expressions, such as last summer, two years ago or when I was a child, and past simple verb forms like stayed, visited, went or lost. These small words carry a lot of meaning, because they tell your listener when something happened and show that the event is finished. On the screen you will see the written version of Alex’s holiday story. Read it carefully and try to see it as a map of the weekend. Then you will have a short task: you will write down all the time expressions you can find, and you will also choose five past simple verbs from the text. This is a noticing activity. By doing it, you start to build your own bank of useful story language that you can reuse later when you talk about your past experiences.

Reading Alex’s story.

In this block you will read the story you heard in the last activity. Reading it will help you notice useful patterns, especially time expressions and past verbs.

When we talk about finished events, we normally use the past simple. For example:

• Last year I went to Italy.
• Yesterday I got up early.
• We stayed in a small hotel.

We also use clear time expressions to show when things happened:

• last summer, last weekend, two years ago
• on Friday evening, in the afternoon, later, in the end

In Alex’s story, these words help us follow the trip step by step.

Regular and irregular past verbs.

Some past simple verbs are regular. They normally end in -ed:

• stay → stayed
• visit → visited
• arrive → arrived

Other verbs are irregular, so they change their form in different ways:

• go → went
• have → had
• lose → lost
• find → found

You saw several of these in the listening.

Your noticing task.

Read the text in the activity section slowly from beginning to end. Then:

1. Write all the time expressions you can find (for example last summer, on Saturday morning).
2. Choose and write five past simple verbs from the story. Try to include at least two regular verbs and two irregular verbs.

This will help you notice the building blocks of a good past story, so later you can tell your own anecdote more confidently.

Practice & Feedback

Read the story in the box carefully, line by line. Do not rush. As you read, pay attention to when things happened and what actions Alex did.

Your task has two parts:

1. First, type all the time expressions that you can find in the text. Write them as you see them, for example: last summer, on Friday evening, later, in the end.
2. Second, choose five verbs in the past simple from the text and write them as a list. Try to include at least two regular verbs with -ed and two irregular verbs like went or lost.

Write your answer in one box, but clearly separate the two parts, for example with a line that says Time expressions: and another that says Past verbs:. Do not worry if you miss one or two items; this is practice.

3. Putting events in order with sequencing words.

You have now seen how Alex uses past verbs and time expressions. The next step is to organise events so that your listener can follow your story easily. To do this, we use sequencing words such as first, then, after that, later, suddenly and finally. These small words are like road signs that guide someone through your story from beginning to end. In this block, you will look at a short version of another part of Alex’s weekend and you will see the sentences in the wrong order. Your job is to put them into a logical order and then join them together into one short paragraph, using sequencing phrases to connect the ideas. This is excellent practice for your final task later, when you will tell your own story. As you work, try to imagine the film in your head. What happens first? What must happen before something else? This will help you choose the correct order and the best linking words.

Why sequencing matters.

A good story is not just a list of past sentences. Your listener needs to know what happened first, what happened next and how the story finished. Sequencing words help you do this clearly.

Look at these common sequencing expressions:

• First, at the beginning
• Then, next, after that
• Later, in the evening, the next day
• Suddenly, all of a sudden
• Finally, in the end

You already saw some of these in Alex’s holiday story:

• First we arrived at the hotel.
• Then we went to the beach.
• After that we visited the pier.
• In the end I felt very lucky.

A jumbled mini story.

Here is a short story about Alex’s journey home from Brighton, but the sentences are in the wrong order:

A. He felt tired but happy, and he slept on the train.

B. Later they caught the train back to London.

C. First Alex and his cousin had breakfast in the hotel.

D. Finally they arrived home in Spain late at night.

E. After that they walked to the station and bought their tickets.

If you read them like this, it is difficult to see the trip in your mind.

Your sequencing task.

Your job is to:

1. Decide the best order for the sentences so the story makes sense.
2. Write one short paragraph that tells the story in order, using at least three sequencing expressions, for example: First, Then, After that, Later, Finally.

You do not need to copy the letters A, B, C, D, E in your answer. Just write your own paragraph in clear past simple, as if you are the storyteller.

Practice & Feedback

Read the five sentences about Alex’s journey home again. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine the day. What happens first in the morning? What must happen before they get on the train? What is the last thing that happens?

Now write one paragraph of 4–6 sentences that tells the complete story in a logical order. Use at least three sequencing words, such as First, Then, After that, Later, Finally, In the end.

Use the information from the jumbled sentences, but you can change small things like he to they if it sounds better. Try to keep your verbs in the past simple. For example: They had breakfast, They walked, They bought tickets, They caught the train, They arrived home.

Do not worry about being very creative here. This is a structure exercise to help you practise moving step by step through a simple story.

4. Telling a mini weekend story in chat.

So far, our stories have been in the form of short paragraphs, like in a book. But in real life, we often tell small stories in messages or chats. A friend might ask, How was your weekend? or Did you have a good holiday? and you reply with two or three short messages that describe what happened. In this block, you will see a short chat between you and a friend about last weekend. Notice how the person uses time expressions and sequencing words even in very informal writing. Then you will write your own mini weekend story as if you are chatting to a friend. Remember, a good mini story still has a beginning, middle and end. At the beginning, say when and maybe where. In the middle, say two or three key actions. At the end, say how you felt or how the situation finished. Try to reuse useful chunks such as last weekend I went to, first we, then we and in the end. This will prepare you for the final, longer story later in the lesson.

Stories in chat messages.

We do not only tell stories in long texts. We also tell them in short messages. Look at this example chat between you and your friend Sam about last weekend:

Sam: Hey! How was your weekend?

You: It was great, thanks. On Saturday morning I met some friends in town.

Sam: Nice! What did you do?

You: First we had coffee near the station, then we went to the cinema. After that we walked in the park.

Sam: Sounds fun. How did it finish?

You: In the evening I had dinner with my family. In the end I was really tired but happy.

Even in this informal chat, you can see:

• Past verbs: met, had, went, walked.
• Time expressions: on Saturday morning, in the evening.
• Sequencing words: first, then, after that, in the end.

Feelings at the end of a story.

It is very natural to say how you felt at the end of a small story. Common phrases are:

• I was really tired.
• We were very excited.
• I felt a bit nervous.
• In the end I was very happy.

These make your story more personal.

Your mini weekend story.

In the activity you will write a short chat reply to a friend who asks you about your last weekend. You will write it in 3–5 short messages, as if you are typing on your phone. Try to:

• start with a general answer like It was great or It was okay;
• mention 2–3 things you did, using past simple;
• finish with one sentence about how you felt in the end.

Practice & Feedback

Imagine your friend Sam sends you this message: Hey! How was your weekend?

Reply in 3–5 short chat messages, each on a new line, as if you are using WhatsApp or another app. For example, your first message could be something like It was good, thanks and then you can explain.

Try to:

• use at least three past simple verbs (went, visited, watched, had, met, stayed etc.);
• include two time expressions, such as yesterday, on Saturday afternoon, last weekend, on Sunday morning;
• use at least one sequencing word, for example first, then, after that, in the end;
• add one feeling at the end, for example I was really tired but happy.

You can describe your real weekend or invent one. Keep your language friendly and informal, like a real chat with a friend.

5. Retelling Alex’s Brighton story.

You have listened to Alex, studied his language and practised a short story about your own weekend in chat form. Now we will do an important bridge activity: retelling someone else’s story in your own words. This is a powerful step, because you do not need to invent new ideas, but you can focus on using clear English and good story structure. In this block, you will see simple notes about Alex’s Brighton weekend. Your task is to turn those notes into a complete paragraph, as if you are telling the story to a new classmate who has never heard it before. Try to include time expressions like last summer, on Saturday morning, later and in the end, and sequencing words such as first, then and after that. Also, remember to mention Alex’s feelings when he thought he had lost his passport and how he felt at the end. Do not worry if your version is not exactly the same as the original. That is normal. The aim is to tell a clear, simple story using past forms from beginning to end.

From notes to a full story.

Good storytellers can take a few notes and turn them into a clear, interesting paragraph. This is a useful skill for speaking and writing, and it will help you prepare for your final personal anecdote.

Here are some notes about Alex’s Brighton weekend:

• last summer, long weekend in Brighton
• with his cousin
• arrived Friday evening, checked in at small hotel
• Saturday morning: walked to the beach, took photos
• visited the pier, had fish and chips
• afternoon: café near the sea, passport and wallet on the table
• went back to hotel, passport not in bag, very scared
• ran back to café, staff found passport and wallet
• nothing missing
• in the end, very lucky, enjoyed weekend

Building the paragraph.

To turn these notes into a real story, you need to:

1. Add time expressions to show when things happened, for example last summer, on Friday evening, on Saturday morning, in the afternoon, later, in the end.
2. Use sequencing words to guide the listener: First, Then, After that, Later, Finally or In the end.
3. Put the verbs in the past simple: went, arrived, walked, had, put, ran, found, enjoyed.
4. Include Alex’s feelings, for example: He was really scared, He felt very lucky.

Your retelling task.

In the activity you will write one paragraph of about 100–130 words. Imagine you start like this:

> Last summer my classmate Alex went to Brighton for a long weekend with his cousin.

Then continue the story in your own words, using the notes and the ideas from earlier blocks. Try to keep the order of events clear, like a small film in your reader’s mind.

Practice & Feedback

Use the notes about Alex’s trip in the resource box to help you. Do not copy full sentences from earlier blocks; instead, build the story yourself.

Write one paragraph of about 100–130 words retelling Alex’s Brighton story. Start with a clear opening sentence, for example:

Last summer my classmate Alex went to Brighton for a long weekend with his cousin.

Then:

• move through the weekend step by step using sequencing words (First, Then, After that, Later, In the end);
• use several time expressions (on Friday evening, on Saturday morning, in the afternoon);
• keep your verbs in the past simple (went, stayed, walked, lost, found, enjoyed);
• add feelings when he loses and then finds the passport.

Do not worry if your paragraph is not perfect. Focus on making the story clear and complete from beginning to end.

6. Writing your own past event story.

You are now ready for the final step of this lesson: telling your own story about a past event. This is your small performance task. You can choose a real memory or invent one, but it should be something that happened on one particular day or during a short period, like a weekend or a holiday. Think of ideas such as a special birthday, a school trip, a travel problem, a concert, an exam day, or a surprising meeting with someone. Your reader should be able to see the story like a short film: where you were, who was with you, what happened step by step, and how you felt. In a moment you will see a simple checklist to guide you. Use everything you have practised: time expressions like yesterday and two years ago, sequencing words like first, then and finally, clear past verbs, and feelings at the end. Take your time, maybe plan for one minute, and then write a paragraph of about 130 to 180 words. This is your chance to show that you can tell a clear, complete story in English.

Your final anecdote.

This is the moment to put everything together and write a short story about a past event in your life (or an invented one if you prefer). It should be one clear event, not your whole life.

Possible ideas:

• a special birthday or celebration
• a school or university trip
• a travel problem or lost item
• an important exam day
• a surprising or funny accident

A simple model.

Read this short example:

> Two years ago I went to London with my best friend for a weekend. First we visited the British Museum and saw many interesting things. Then we walked along the river and took a lot of photos. In the evening we tried to go back to our hotel, but we got on the wrong bus. After that we were completely lost in a quiet street. We asked a woman for help and luckily she showed us the correct bus stop. In the end we arrived at the hotel very late. We were tired but we really enjoyed the adventure.

Notice the time expression Two years ago, the sequencing words First, Then, In the evening, After that, In the end, the clear past verbs, and the feelings at the end.

Checklist for your story.

Before you write, look at this checklist and try to include all the points:

• I say when and where the story happened.
• I say who was there.
• I use time expressions like yesterday, last year, when I was a child, two years ago.
• I use sequencing words like first, then, after that, later, finally or in the end.
• I use past simple verbs to describe what happened.
• I say how I felt at one or two points in the story.

You will now write your own story using this checklist.

Practice & Feedback

Choose one past event that you remember well. It can be true or invented, but keep it simple enough to describe in English. Think for one minute about these questions:

• When and where did it happen?
• Who was with you?
• What happened first, then, after that and finally?
• How did you feel during the event and at the end?

Now write one paragraph of about 130–180 words telling the story. Use:

• at least three time expressions (last year, yesterday evening, two years ago, when I was a child etc.);
• at least three sequencing words (first, then, after that, later, finally, in the end);
• clear past simple verbs to describe the actions;
• a sentence about your feelings at the end, such as In the end I was very happy or I felt a bit disappointed.

Write as if you are telling the story to a friendly classmate who does not know you well but is interested in your life.