Could these be appropiate explanations for the narrative tenses?

[learning54]

Could you proofread these explanations for the narrative tenses? (1)

Hi teachers,
Could these be appropiate explanations for the narrative tenses?
The simple past can also be used to narrate past habits, facts, preferences, and schedules. It expresses completed actions at a definite time in the past. In other words, we use the simple past to narrate the principal events of the story.​

The simple present can sometimes be used for some narration of the past, to make a story more interesting, more emphatic, and more vivid, like it is occurring now.

Thanks in advance.

 

[learning54]

Re: Could you proofread these explanations for the narrative tenses?

Hi,
Could somebody help me with it?

L54

 

[White Hat]

Re: Could you proofread these explanations for the narrative tenses?

"The simple past can also be used to narrate past habits, facts, preferences, and schedules. It expresses completed actions at a definite time in the past. In other words, we use the simple past to narrate the principal events of the story.The simple present can sometimes be used for some narration of the past, to make a story more interesting, more emphatic, and more vivid, like it is occurring now."

It's true. If you take a look at the way movie plots are conveyed these days (wikipedia.org), you'll notice they do use the present simple tense practically all the time.
Personally, when students and I reach the point in our lessons when he or she has to narrate the story encapsulated into a dialogue from the viewpoint of one of the characters, I want them to do it in the present indefinite tense. That way I get them to use 3rd person singular verbs to make sure they don't forget to add the -s to the stem of the verb.

Basically, you use the past indefinite tense when you want to tell someone about something that happened with you or someone you know or a piece of news. Again, this is different from narrating the plot of a movie somewhere online in an official manner.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[learning54]

Re: Could you proofread these explanations for the narrative tenses?

Hi Bennevis,
Thank you so much for your help. It's worth mentioning that your 2 cents are of a great value, as all the replies I get from this Forum.

Personally, when students and I reach the point in our lessons when he or she has to narrate the story encapsulated into a dialogue from the viewpoint of one of the characters, I want them to do it in the present indefinite tense. That way I get them to use 3rd person singular verbs to make sure they don't forget to add the -s to the stem of the verb. I do it for exactly the same reason! ;-)



Best,
L54