Elevating Your Narrative Skills: Mastering Talking about Past Events in English

In this article, I want to help English learners master the art of effectively using various tenses when discussing past events. We will explore a number of examples to demonstrate how to seamlessly construct narratives without encountering stumbling blocks.Just look at the different tenses as complementary building blocks that, when assembled correctly, form a cohesive whole! Proficiency in discussing past events fluently will empower ESL learners to excel in both business English and everyday communication.

Simple Past: The Simple Past tense helps with talking about chronological past events.

Example: Last year, I attended a high-profile business conference in Chicago. I networked with industry leaders and expanded my knowledge base.

Past Progressive: This tense is essential for describing ongoing actions or events that were in progress at a particular point in the past.

Example: While I was participating in the workshop, my colleagues were actively engaging in discussions on global market trends.

Past Perfect Simple: The Past Perfect Simple helps establish a context that occurred before another past event.

Example: By the time I joined the company, my predecessor had already laid the groundwork for our international expansion.

Past Perfect Progressive: This tense emphasizes the continuous nature of actions leading up to a specific past event, crucial in conveying the depth of certain experiences.

Example: She felt confident during the negotiations because she had been diligently preparing for months.

Was/Were Going to Do Something: This is useful for expressing planned actions that were altered or postponed, a common scenario in business settings.

Example: I was going to present our proposal at the meeting, but a sudden client emergency forced me to reschedule.

Was/Were About To: This structure signifies intentions or actions that were on the verge of happening but were interrupted.

Example: I was about to submit the report when my supervisor requested some last-minute changes.

Would: "Would" can be employed to describe habitual actions in the past.

Example: During my time in the US, I would regularly attend networking events to expand my professional circle.

Would Have Done: This structure is instrumental in conveying hypothetical scenarios in the past and exploring alternative outcomes.

Example: If I had received the proposal earlier, I would have reviewed it thoroughly before the meeting.

Was/Were Supposed To: This construction underlines obligations or expectations in the past, essential for navigating business etiquette and cultural norms.

Example: I was supposed to lead the project, but due to unforeseen circumstances, a colleague stepped in.

Crafting a Story Using Various Past Tenses:

Last year, I attended a high-profile business conference in Chicago. While I was networking with industry leaders and expanding my knowledge base, my colleague called. He was inviting me to join a panel discussion he had organized for the following day. I was going to present our proposal at the meeting, but a sudden client emergency forced me to reschedule. As I was about to submit the revised proposal, my manager requested additional changes. Fortunately, my experience in the US meant I would often have to adapt to such last-minute adjustments, and this time, it was no different. I was supposed to lead the presentation, but due to unforeseen circumstances, a colleague took over.

In this example, we can observe how seamlessly integrated past tenses enhance the storytelling experience, providing a comprehensive and nuanced narrative.

For ESL learners seeking to excel in Business English and US culture, mastering these past tenses is instrumental. It not only boosts your storytelling abilities but also enables you to express the intricacies of past experiences with clarity and precision. By incorporating these past tenses into your English training, you will feel empowered to navigate everyday life and the workplace adeptly, one compelling narrative at a time.

If you're interested in discovering how I work with my English coaching clients and experience my unique blend of teaching and coaching that focuses on personal growth and personalized support, don't hesitate to reach out to me at office@lingualinkdc.net. I'm here to help you every step of the way! Feel free to send me a message anytime—I'm always eager to assist you on your language learning journey.