| When I needed some fresh material for working in the | | | | she munched on some pretzels. She soon gobbled up |
| past tense with my EFL, English as a Foreign | | | | all the pretzels in the small bowl placed on the table. |
| Language, students in Barcelona, Spain I opted to | | | | Later, we nibbled on a slice of decorated cheesecake |
| create a short story. This three-paragraph narrative I | | | | as we talked. I wanted some coffee with my dessert. |
| wrote using only the past tense of regular verbs | | | | Doris preferred to drink iced tea. After the salted |
| served not only for reading, but for grammar practice, | | | | pretzels, Doris needed to drink some water. The |
| spelling and pronunciation practice as well. For even | | | | waiter finally handed me the bill and I offered him a tip. |
| more diversity and mileage, I later added | | | | We tipped him 15% of the totaled charges. He thanked |
| comprehension questions and a verb chart for added | | | | us and smiled as we exited the restaurant. (40 verbs) |
| practice activities. | | | | Outside the now closed restaurant, we strolled along |
| It has worked quite well for me. To adjust for shorter | | | | the cobble-stoned street, stopped and laughed when |
| practice time or other lesson planning constraints use | | | | we spotted a trained puppy that jumped and played |
| only one paragraph for your activities and practice. It | | | | with its owner. We then relaxed and watched the |
| was considerably more difficult than I'd imagined to | | | | sunset from a padded park bench as the boats in the |
| write such a highly-focused, structured piece but it | | | | harbor rocked, pitched and bobbed on the water. Next, |
| continually serves to aid students even in its "artificial" | | | | we watched a romantic movie at a new cinema that |
| language form. Writing it also flexed my creative | | | | interested us. The aged couple in the movie argued |
| writing muscles. Here's the narrative text: | | | | and chased each other as they sailed down an |
| OUR ENCHANTED ANNIVERSARY EVENING | | | | unnamed river that tumbled and surged through rapids |
| It happened to be our anniversary when we traveled | | | | which boiled around jagged rocks. Frequently they |
| to Barcelona, so my wife Doris and I planned a special | | | | were trapped and scared. When the colorized movie |
| evening out. I purchased a beautiful bouquet of red | | | | ended the two discovered that they really loved each |
| roses that smelled wonderful and a black pearl | | | | other. Finally, at the disco, we danced, swayed to the |
| necklace that sparkled in the moonlight. I beamed as I | | | | music and hugged each other often. Whenever I |
| presented them to Doris. She pinned a rose to her | | | | kissed Doris she blushed and giggled. Both of us |
| sequined lapel. Her auburn hair shimmered in the | | | | enjoyed our enchanted evening out together. We hope |
| sunset's bronzed glow. I called a checkered taxi and | | | | you liked our story. (41 verbs) |
| we passed many highlighted sights before we arrived | | | | Try using this narrative, |
| in front of the restaurant. The waiter seated us as | | | | past-tense-of-regular-verbs-only text, wholly or in part |
| soon as we walked into the neon-signed restaurant. I | | | | to help your EFL or ESL, English as a Second |
| noticed a secluded table. (22 verbs) | | | | Language, students with this all-important grammatical |
| We positioned ourselves near an opened window and | | | | context. You can bold face or underline the targeted |
| prepared to eat. My wife Doris looked at the | | | | verb forms or remove them to create a |
| selections listed on the menu and decided to have an | | | | "fill-in-the-blanks exercise. Add addition reading, writing |
| appetizer. I picked the mushroom soup. A few minutes | | | | or pronunciation-based activities for getting even more |
| later the waiter returned. "What would you like to | | | | usefulness form this narrative. Your results may be |
| have?", he asked. Doris ordered some steamed | | | | even better than mine. |
| shrimp and broiled trout. I requested a tossed Cesar | | | | If you haven't read "Six Quick Tricks for Learning a |
| salad with a grilled steak and a baked potato. While | | | | Language", or another to the point piece entitled |
| we dined, we chatted and sipped a glass of white | | | | "Learning a Language: 6 Effective Ways to Use the |
| wine. Doris wolfed down her food but I savored the | | | | Internet", drop me an e-mail request at: and I'll send you |
| meal and chewed my steak slowly. When she finished, | | | | a copy by return e-mail. |