Telling a Short Story
Link past sentences naturally.
Use linking words to tell a short past story clearly: first, then, after that, finally.
Look & say · Step 1
5 minGet ready
What's a funny thing that happened to you?
Why is order important in a story?
Name 2 linking words you know.
Words to learn · Step 2
8 minNew words today
first
The first event
"First, I woke up."
then
Next event
"Then I had a shower."
after that
Following on
"After that, I left home."
finally
Last event
"Finally, I went to sleep."
next
The next step
"Next, we visited the museum."
and
Adds info
"I ate and drank a lot."
but
Contrast
"I was tired but happy."
because
Reason
"I was late because of traffic."
suddenly
Something happens fast
"Suddenly, it started to rain."
in the end
At the very end (result)
"In the end, we found the hotel."
luckily
Fortunately
"Luckily, I had an umbrella."
unfortunately
Sadly
"Unfortunately, we missed the bus."
Activate · Personalise · Recycle
Use these words now
Make each sentence true for you. Say it aloud to a partner.
because
"For me, because is …"
Finish the sentence with your own idea.
but
"For me, but is …"
Finish the sentence with your own idea.
next
"For me, next is …"
Finish the sentence with your own idea.
You'll meet these words again in Reading, Listening, Speaking and Homework.
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Sounds & saying · Step 3
5 minPausing between events
Make a short PAUSE after each linker. This makes your story easier to follow. 'First, … Then, … After that, …'
- • First, I got up.
- • Then, I had coffee.
- • After that, I went to work.
- • Finally, I came home.
Language focus · Step 4
10 minLinking past events
Quick rule
Linking past events
Use linkers to put events in ORDER: first / then / after that / next / finally.
- Use 'because' for a reason and 'but' for a contrast.
First, I got up at 7.
Then I had breakfast.
After that, I went to work.
Finally, I came home and slept.
I was tired because I worked a lot.
Question 1.___ , I had breakfast.
Question 2.I was happy ___ I won.
Question 3.I went out, ___ I came home early.
Question 4.___ , I went to bed.
Rebuild each line, spot the natural chunks, then practise responding aloud.
Quick check 1.'Because' gives…
Quick check 2.'Finally' is used…
Reading · Step 5
7 minA funny day
Last Saturday I had a funny day. 😅 First, I got up late and missed the bus. Then I decided to walk to the café. 🚶 After 10 minutes, suddenly it started to rain! 🌧️ Luckily, I had an umbrella in my bag. ☂️ I arrived at the café, but it was closed because of a problem with the electricity. ⚡ I was hungry and tired. Finally, I went to a different café, ordered a huge breakfast 🍳 and met an old friend by accident. In the end, my bad day became a great day!
Question 1.Why did the writer miss the bus?
Question 2.What was lucky?
Question 3.Why was the first café closed?
Q1.The writer had a perfect plan.
Q2.The day finished well.
Listening · Step 6
10 minHoliday story
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Nina
How was your trip?
Leo
Crazy! First, our flight was 3 hours late.
Nina
Oh no!
Leo
Then, when we arrived, the hotel lost our reservation.
Nina
Really?
Leo
After that, they gave us a free upgrade to a big suite with a pool view!
Nina
Wow, lucky!
Leo
In the end, it was the best holiday ever.
Question 1.What happened with the flight?
Question 2.What did the hotel do?
Question 3.How did it end?
Practice · Step 7
8 minChoose the word
Question 1.___ , I got up.
Question 2.I was happy ___ I passed the test.
Question 3.It rained, ___ we had an umbrella.
Question 4.___ , we went home.
Q1.Start of a story = ___ , I…
Q2.End of a story = ___ , I…
Survival English · Step 8
4 minWriting — short story
Task
Write a 6–8 sentence story about a funny or strange day. Use at least 4 linkers.
Strategy
Plan 3–4 events. Use 'First / Then / After that / Finally'. Add 1 surprise with 'Suddenly' or 'Luckily'.
Example
Last week I had a strange day. First, I got up early. Then I went to the gym. Suddenly, my phone fell in a glass of water! Luckily, it worked again later. In the end, the day was OK.
Writing · Step 9
5 minWrite a little
Your task
Write a short story (8 sentences) about a memorable day. Use at least 5 linkers and 5 irregular past verbs.
Show model answer
Last summer I had a great day. First, I went to the beach with my friends. Then we had ice cream. After that, we played volleyball. Suddenly, it started to rain. Luckily, we found a small café. We had pizza and laughed a lot. In the end, it was a perfect day.
Speaking · Step 10
12 minTalk together
Pairs: tell your partner a short story (1 minute). Then your partner asks 2 follow-up questions ('Why?', 'What happened next?').
Useful phrases
- • First,…
- • Then / After that,…
- • Suddenly,…
- • Luckily / Unfortunately,…
- • In the end / Finally,…
- AWhat happened first?
- B_______________
- AAnd then?
- B_______________
- AHow did it end?
- B_______________
Homework · Step 11
Take-homePractice at home
Write a short story (8 sentences) with 5 linkers.
Tell your story out loud and record it.
Learn 10 linking words.
Recap · Step 12
3 minWhat you learned
- 🔗 You can use linkers to order events.
- 📖 You can tell a clear short story.
- ✍️ You can write a 6–8 sentence narrative.
- 🎭 You can add 'suddenly' and 'luckily' for drama.