Academia Teach: Useful Language Skills: Telling a story in English.
Useful Language for Telling a Story in English
Telling a good story in English is not just about grammar. It’s about guiding the listener through what happened, step by step, in a clear and engaging way. Good storytellers help the listener understand when the story happened, where it took place, what went wrong, and how they felt.
In this article, we’ll look at useful language you can use to structure your stories naturally and confidently.
1. Opening a Story
The opening prepares the listener and signals that a story is about to begin. It also creates curiosity.
Common expressions include:
So, this happened last week…
You won’t believe what happened to me…
I was on my way to… when something unexpected happened.
These openings are often followed by background information, not the main action yet.
Example:
You won’t believe what happened to me. I was on my way home after work when something really strange happened.
2. Setting the Scene
Before the problem appears, we usually describe the situation. This helps the listener imagine the moment.
You can talk about:
Time and place: It was late at night / early in the morning / raining / super crowded…
Feelings: I was feeling tired / stressed / excited…
Example:
It was late at night, and the streets were almost empty. I was feeling exhausted after a long day.
This stage often uses past continuous because it describes background actions or states.
3. Introducing the Problem
This is the turning point of the story — when something unexpected happens.
Common expressions:
Suddenly…
Out of nowhere / out of the blue…
The weirdest thing happened…
These phrases signal that the calm situation is about to change.
Example:
Out of the blue, I heard someone calling my name.
4. Adding Details with Connectors
To make your story easy to follow, use connectors to show the order of events.
Useful connectors:
At first…
Then…
After that…
In the end…
These help the listener track what happened and in what order.
Example:
At first, I thought it was a joke. Then I realized something was wrong. In the end, everything turned out fine.
5. Describing Feelings and Reactions
Stories are more interesting when we describe how we reacted emotionally.
Useful expressions:
I panicked.
I couldn’t stop laughing.
I felt relieved.
Example:
When I realized what was happening, I panicked. But a few minutes later, I couldn’t stop laughing.
Final Tip
A good story flows naturally from context → problem → reaction → ending. Using this language helps you sound more confident, clearer, and more engaging — especially in conversations, presentations, or exams like IELTS.
Practice telling short stories using these expressions, and focus on clarity, not perfection.
Practice: What might have happened?
Deduct the situations in the speaking prompts
¿Necesitas que un profe te explique este contenido?
Contáctanos
¿Quieres aprender inglés conmigo?
Comentarios