Writing: Narrative Writing (Simple) (A2) - Lesson 2: Using Basic Time Words (e.g., first, then)

A2 Lesson 2: Using Basic Time Words (e.g., first, then, finally)

In our last lesson, we learned to use past tense verbs to tell a story. Today, we will learn how to make our stories clearer and better organized using time words¹.

These words, also called sequencers, help the reader understand the order² of events³ in your narrative.

Your Toolkit of Time Words

Here are some of the most common and useful time words to build a story.

• To start the story: Yesterday, Last night, On Saturday, This morning...
• For the first event: First,
• For the next event(s): Then, Next, After that,
• For the last event: Finally,

Important Comma Rule!

When you start a sentence with a time word like First, Then, or Finally, you must put a comma (,) after it.

Correct ✅: First, I brushed my teeth.

Incorrect ❌: First I brushed my teeth.

See the Difference

Look at how time words make the story much clearer and easier to follow.

Before (A simple list):

I went to the market. I bought vegetables. I paid the seller. I went home.

After (A clear story):

This morning, I went to the market. First, I bought vegetables. Next, I paid the seller. Finally, I went home.

✍️ Better Story Checklist

• ✔️ Does my story use past tense verbs correctly?
• ✔️ Did I use time words (like First, Then, Finally) to show the order?
• ✔️ Did I put a comma after my time words at the start of a sentence?
• ✔️ Did I check my capitalization and final punctuation?

🧠 Practice Quiz: Put the Story in Order

These three sentences tell a story about making coffee. Put them in the correct, logical⁴ order.

1. Then, I added some sugar and milk.
2. Finally, I drank the delicious coffee.
3. First, I poured hot water into a cup.

---

Correct Order: C, A, B

(First, you pour the water. Then, you add sugar. Finally, you drink it.)

📝 Homework: Tell a Short Story

Get your notebook and pen. Rewrite the short story below, but add the time words from the box to make it better. Remember to use commas correctly!

First,     Then,     Finally,

Story to improve:

Last night, I cooked dinner. I washed the vegetables. I cooked the rice. I ate my delicious meal.

---

Example Answer:

Last night, I cooked dinner. First, I washed the vegetables. Then, I cooked the rice. Finally, I ate my delicious meal.

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Time Word / Sequencer: (Noun) - ពាក្យប្រាប់លំដាប់ពេលវេលា - A word that helps show the order of events in a story. ↩
2. Order / Sequence: (Noun) - លំដាប់ - The way things are arranged in relation to each other. ↩
3. Event: (Noun) - ព្រឹត្តិការណ៍ - A thing that happens, especially something important. ↩
4. Logical: (Adjective) - មានហេតុផល - Reasonable and based on good judgment; making sense. ↩
5. Narrative: (Noun) - និទាន - A story or a description of a series of events.