B1 Lesson 1: Writing a Simple Story with a Clear Beginning, Middle, and End
Welcome to B1 Narrative Writing! You have already practiced writing about past events. At this level, we will learn how to organize your ideas into a proper story structure1.
All good stories have three parts: a Beginning, a Middle, and an End. This structure makes the story easy to follow and understand.
The Three Parts of a Simple Story
Think of a story like a short journey. The beginning is the preparation, the middle is the journey itself, and the end is your arrival and reflection.
1. The Beginning (Set the Scene)
The first one or two sentences should introduce the story. They should answer the questions:
- Who? (the characters)
- Where? (the place)
- When? (the time)
2. The Middle (The Action)
This is the main part of the story. It describes the key events2 in chronological order3 (the order that they happened). Use time words like First, Then, Next, and After that.
3. The End (The Result)
The last sentence should conclude the story. It tells the final outcome or how the characters felt about the experience.
Deconstructing a Story
Let's look at a complete story and identify its three parts.
(Beginning) → Last weekend, my friend Dara and I decided to take a day trip to Kep.
(Middle) → First, we rented a moto in Kampot and drove along the beautiful coastline. Then, we visited the famous crab market and walked on the beach. After that, we found a small restaurant and ate some delicious fresh crab with Kampot pepper.
(End) → Finally, we drove back home in the evening. We were tired, but we felt very happy and relaxed after our wonderful trip.
✍️ B1 Story Checklist
- ✔️ Beginning: Does my story start by telling the reader who, where, and when?
- ✔️ Middle: Are the main events in a logical, chronological order?
- ✔️ End: Does my last sentence explain the final result or a feeling?
- ✔️ Grammar: Have I used past tense verbs correctly?
🧠 Practice Quiz: What Part of the Story Is It?
Read each sentence and decide if it belongs in the Beginning, Middle, or End of a story.
1. Three years ago, my family moved from Battambang to Phnom Penh.
Answer: Beginning (It introduces who, when, and where).
2. Next, we climbed the steps to see the amazing view from the top of the temple.
Answer: Middle (It describes a specific action in a sequence).
3. I felt very proud of my accomplishment.
Answer: End (It describes a final feeling or result).
📝 Homework: Write Your Own Story
Get your notebook and pen. Your task is to write a short story (one paragraph) about a past event. Make sure it has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Choose ONE topic below:
- A memorable birthday you had.
- A time you tried a new food for the first time.
- A trip you took to another province.
Use the B1 Story Checklist to plan and check your work.
Vocabulary Glossary
- Structure (story): (Noun) - រចនាសម្ព័ន្ធរឿង - The way the different parts of a story are arranged. ↩
- Event: (Noun) - ព្រឹត្តិការណ៍ - A thing that happens, especially something important or unusual. ↩
- Chronological Order: (Noun Phrase) - លំដាប់តាមកាលប្បវត្តិ - The arrangement of events in the order that they happened in time. ↩
- Narrative: (Noun) - និទាន - A story or a description of a series of events.
- Outcome / Result: (Noun) - លទ្ធផល - The final result of a series of events.