The Uses of Past and Present Tense When Telling a Story

What if I am telling a story in the first person? You would still be sharing a story that happened before you appeared in front of the audience. You can vary the story's pace by saying, and I said to her, "Is that my favorite sweater you are wearing?" and then return to the past tense. It is always effective, whether or not we are telling or writing, to include dialogue. It breaks up the rhythm and adds color to the story. The trick is to remember our role at the time - are we the teller or a character in the story?

By now, I am beginning to sound like your English teacher, so I will close by saying, "Watch those tenses. They can make a big difference in your storytelling!"

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