How to write connected sentences that tell a short story

Short answer: A short story in three to five connected sentences tells when and where it happened, what happened in order, and how it ended. Use time words such as first, then and finally, and keep all the sentences in the past: Yesterday I went to the park. First I played football. Then it rained, so I went home.

▶ Start this topic

🎯 I can tell a short story in order.

At a glance

How to write it

1. Start with when and where: Yesterday I went to...
2. Tell two or three events in order with first, then and next.
3. Finish with how it ended.
4. Check that every verb is in the past tense.

A model text

Yesterday I went to the park.

First I played football with my friends. Then it began to rain.

So we ran home, and I had a cup of hot tea.

• The beginning gives time and place.
• The events are in order, with first and then.
• The ending says how it finished.

Common mistakes

• Yesterday I go to the park. → Yesterday I went to the park.
  A story about the past needs past tense verbs.
• Then I played. First I arrived. → First I arrived. Then I played.
  Events must be in the order they happened.
• It rained so I go home. → It rained, so I went home.
  Past tense, and a comma before so.

A story and a report

A story tells events in order. A report gives facts about a topic.

Check yourself

1. Which word starts the first event?
   Show the answer

   first It starts the order.

2. Which tense do you use?
   Show the answer

   The past tense. The story already happened.

3. What does the ending say?
   Show the answer

   How it finished. It closes the story.

Rule cards that help

• A or An?: Before one thing, say a or an. Choose by the first sound.
• A or The?: Say a the first time. Say the when we both know which one.
• Subject + Verb: A sentence needs someone or something (the subject) and a verb: Birds fly.
• Verbs can have an object: Some verbs can have an object: the person or thing that gets the action.
• he, she, it, we, they + is / are: A pronoun takes the place of a name. Use is with he, she and it. Use are with we, you and they.
• have and has: Use have with I, you, we and they. Use has with he, she and it.
• my, your, his, her and me, him, them: my, your, his, her, our and their go before a noun. me, him, her, us and them go after an action word.
• at 7, on Monday, in May: time words: Say when with at (a clock time), on (a day) and in (a month or part of the day).
• Past: was and were: was and were tell about the past. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they.
• Past simple: regular -ed: To talk about the past, most action words add -ed. It is the same for every person.
• Past simple: irregular verbs and did: Some action words have a special past form. After did or didn't, use the plain action word.
• Telling a story: first, then, next, finally: Order words put the steps of a story in order. Keep the whole story in the past.

Sounds that help

• Pronouncing -ed: Past -ed endings in stories
• Rhythm & Chunking: Tell a story in chunks
• Telling Short Stories: Telling short stories

Questions

How long should the story be?

Three to five sentences at this level.

Which words show the order?

First, then, next, after that and finally.

Where can I read more?

See the article on narrative paragraphs and on telling a story with order words.

Part of 📄 Paragraphs that flow (stone 3 of the Learning Path). See also the English writing guide. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.

Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.

Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30

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