Narrative Writing
AdvancedTell a story in three parts — beginning (who/where/when), middle (problem), end (solution and feelings) — all in the past tense.
- Narrative structure: opening who/where/when → middle problem → ending solution + feelings
- Set the scene with tension: Suddenly, I heard a soft cry behind a parked car.
- Add sense details: soft cry, brown fur, one white ear — they paint the picture
文體小知識：Show the story, don't just tell it.
§Text Passage
1The Lost Puppy
2It was a hot Saturday afternoon, and I was walking home from the library with two heavy books in my bag. The sun was bright, and the streets were quiet. Suddenly, I heard a soft cry behind a parked car. A small puppy was sitting there, shaking and alone. It had brown fur, one white ear and no collar. 'Where is your owner?' I asked gently. The puppy only looked at me and cried again.
3The puppy looked at me with big sad eyes, so I gave it some water from my bottle. It drank quickly and wagged its tail. I asked the security guard to watch it while I searched the streets nearby. I knocked on doors, asked two shopkeepers and checked the noticeboard at the estate, but nobody knew the puppy. Half an hour later, a young woman ran towards us with a red collar in her hand. 'Coco! I have looked for you everywhere!' she shouted happily.
4The puppy jumped into her arms, and my heart felt warm. The owner thanked me three times and promised to buy Coco a new name tag. I walked home under the orange evening sky, tired but happy. That day I learned that small kindness can bring big happiness.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
The Lost Puppy
走失的小狗
It was a hot Saturday afternoon, and I was walking home from the library with two heavy books in my bag.
那天是炎熱的星期六下午，我背著兩本厚書由圖書館走回家。
The sun was bright, and the streets were quiet.
陽光很猛烈，街上很安靜。
Suddenly, I heard a soft cry behind a parked car.
突然之間，我聽到一架停在路邊的車後面傳來微弱的叫聲。
A small puppy was sitting there, shaking and alone.
原來有一隻小狗坐在那裡，全身發抖，孤零零的。
It had brown fur, one white ear and no collar.
牠有棕色的毛、一隻白耳朵，沒有戴頸圈。
'Where is your owner?' I asked gently.
我低聲問：「你的主人在哪裡？」
The puppy only looked at me and cried again.
隻小狗只是望著我，又再叫了起來。
The puppy looked at me with big sad eyes, so I gave it some water from my bottle.
隻小狗用一對可憐的大眼睛望著我，所以我倒了些水給牠喝。
It drank quickly and wagged its tail.
牠很快喝完，還搖了搖尾巴。
I asked the security guard to watch it while I searched the streets nearby.
我請保安叔叔幫忙看著牠，自己就去附近的街道找一找。
I knocked on doors, asked two shopkeepers and checked the noticeboard at the estate, but nobody knew the puppy.
我敲過門、問過兩個店主，又看過屋苑的告示板，但都沒有人認得那隻狗。
Half an hour later, a young woman ran towards us with a red collar in her hand.
半小時之後，有位年輕女士手裡拿著紅色頸圈跑過來。
'Coco! I have looked for you everywhere!' she shouted happily.
她開心地大叫：「Coco！我到處都找過你了！」
The puppy jumped into her arms, and my heart felt warm.
隻小狗跳入她懷抱，我心裡暖暖的。
The owner thanked me three times and promised to buy Coco a new name tag.
狗主多謝了我三次，還說要買一個新名牌給 Coco。
I walked home under the orange evening sky, tired but happy.
我在橙紅色的黃昏天空下走回家，累但開心。
That day I learned that small kindness can bring big happiness.
那天我學會了，小小的善舉可以帶來大大的快樂。
1Summary 重點摘要
Tell a story in three parts — beginning (who/where/when), middle (problem), end (solution and feelings) — all in the past tense.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Tell a story.
Story events.
People in story.
Time and place.
Start story.
Problem/event.
How it ends.
People talk.
3Step by step Steps
- BeginningGive who, where and when in the first paragraph: It was a hot Saturday afternoon… walking home from the library with two heavy books.
- MiddleThe problem plus what you did: asked the security guard, knocked on doors, checked the noticeboard — three actions make the plot full.
- EndingSolve the problem, then close with emotion: The puppy jumped into her arms, and my heart felt warm… tired but happy.
- The sudden turnSuddenly switches the story on: Suddenly, I heard a soft cry behind a parked car. A puppy sitting there, shaking and alone, is the problem.
- Show, don't tellAdd senses so readers see it: a soft cry (sound), brown fur and one white ear (sight). Never just 'a dog'.
- Lively dialogueDirect speech brings characters alive: 'Where is your owner?' I asked gently. 'Coco! I have looked for you everywhere!' she shouted happily.
- Ending thoughtFinish with the lesson: That day I learned that small kindness can bring big happiness — the standard narrative close, all in the past tense.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Task: write a story called A Lost Puppy using the beginning-middle-ending structure (past tense all the way).
- Step 1: Opening with who / where / when — Last Saturday afternoon, I was walking home from the library.
- Step 2: Middle brings the problem — I heard a soft cry behind a parked car. A small puppy was sitting there, shaking and alone.
- Step 3: Write your actions in time order — I gave it some water… I asked the security guard to watch it.
- Step 4: Ending with solution + feelings — The owner thanked me again and again. I was tired but happy.
- Step 5: Keep the past tense throughout; add one line of dialogue and a feeling to bring it alive.
- Answer: Last Saturday afternoon, I was walking home from the library when I heard a soft cry behind a parked car. A small puppy with brown fur and one white ear was sitting there, shaking and alone. I gave it some water from my bottle and asked the security guard to watch it while I searched the streets nearby. Half an hour later, a young woman ran towards us, shouting, 'Coco! I have looked for you everywhere!' The puppy jumped into her arms, and she thanked me again and again. I walked home under the orange evening sky, tired but happy, because small kindness can bring big happiness.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What is a narrative?
Q2What is plot?
Q3What is setting?
Q4What is dialogue?
Q5Where is the problem?
8Recap Recap
- Narrative structure: opening who/where/when → middle problem → ending solution + feelings
- Set the scene with tension: Suddenly, I heard a soft cry behind a parked car.
- Add sense details: soft cry, brown fur, one white ear — they paint the picture
- Dialogue brings a story alive: 'Coco! I have looked for you everywhere!'
- Keep the past tense; end with one reflective line: small kindness can bring big happiness