Recounting a past experience in English : complete course

ByVocaVerb
Recounting a past experience in English [B1] — VocaVerb

What Does It Mean to Talk About the Past in English?

When you tell a past experience in English, you describe something that happened to you at a specific moment in time. You explain what occurred, how you felt, and what the result was. This is a very common and important communication skill in everyday English.

Think about moments when you need to share a memory, describe a trip, or talk about a challenge you faced. Knowing how to do this clearly and with nuance makes a big difference in how natural your English sounds.

Simple Examples to Get Started

  • ‘Last summer, I visited Paris for the first time. It was amazing.’
  • ‘I tried sushi once, but I didn’t really enjoy it.’
  • ‘When I was a child, I used to play football every weekend.’
  • ‘Yesterday, I had a difficult conversation with my boss.’

These sentences all describe past experiences. Notice how they use different verb forms and time expressions. Let’s look at this more closely.

The Key Elements of Telling a Past Experience in English

Telling a past experience well involves several important components. You need the right verb tenses, useful time expressions, and the right vocabulary to express your feelings and reactions.

1. Choosing the Right Verb Tense

The most common tenses used to talk about past experiences are the simple past and the present perfect. Each one has a specific use.

Tense When to use it Example
Simple Past Specific moment in the past ‘I went to Japan in 2019.’
Present Perfect Experience without a specific time ‘I have visited Japan.’
Past Continuous Action in progress in the past ‘I was living in London when it happened.’

2. Using Time Expressions

Time expressions help your listener understand when something happened. Here are some very useful ones:

  • Yesterday — ‘Yesterday, I had a great meeting.’
  • Last year / last week — ‘Last year, I changed jobs.’
  • When I was young — ‘When I was young, I loved reading.’
  • A few years ago — ‘A few years ago, I moved to a new city.’
  • At that time — ‘At that time, I didn’t speak any English.’

3. Expressing Feelings and Reactions

To make your story more natural and nuanced, describe how you felt during the experience. Use adjectives and verbs of emotion.

  • ‘I felt nervous before the interview.’
  • ‘I was surprised by how friendly everyone was.’
  • ‘I really enjoyed the food.’
  • ‘I didn’t expect it to be so difficult.’

Why Telling a Past Experience in English Matters

Being able to talk about your past is one of the most useful everyday skills in English. Here is why it matters so much:

  • It helps you connect with people. Sharing a story creates a human connection. People remember you better when you tell a personal experience.
  • It is used in almost every situation. Job interviews, casual conversations, travel, presentations — past experiences come up everywhere.
  • It shows your language level. Using the right tenses and expressing nuance shows that your English is getting stronger and more natural.
  • It builds your confidence. When you can tell a full story in English, you feel more comfortable speaking in general.

Comparison with Other Languages

Many learners make mistakes when talking about the past in English because their language works differently. Here is a helpful comparison:

Point French Spanish English
Two main past tenses Passé composé / Imparfait Pretérito indefinido / Imperfecto Simple Past / Past Continuous
General experience (no date) Passé composé is often used Pretérito indefinido is used Present Perfect is preferred
Example ‘J’ai visité Rome.’ ‘He visitado Roma.’ ‘I have visited Rome.’

A common mistake for French and Spanish speakers is to use the simple past for general experiences. In English, ‘I visited Rome’ and ‘I have visited Rome’ mean different things. The first suggests a specific moment, the second is a general life experience.

A Full Example

Here is a short paragraph that combines everything we have seen. Read it carefully and notice the verb tenses, time expressions, and emotional vocabulary:

‘A few years ago, I decided to travel alone for the first time. I was a little scared at the beginning because I didn’t know anyone. I flew to Portugal and spent two weeks there. I visited many small villages and tried the local food every day. At first, I felt lonely, but after a few days I started to meet other travellers. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I have never felt so free.’

  • Verb tenses used: simple past, past continuous, present perfect
  • Time expressions used: ‘a few years ago’, ‘at the beginning’, ‘after a few days’
  • Emotions expressed: scared, lonely, free

Key Points to Remember

  • Use the simple past for actions at a specific moment in the past.
  • Use the present perfect for general life experiences without a specific date.
  • Time expressions like ‘yesterday’, ‘last year’, or ‘a few years ago’ add clarity to your story.
  • Include your feelings and reactions to make your story more engaging and natural.
  • Practice by writing or speaking about a real experience from your own life.

Sources

  • Swan, M. (2005). Practical English Usage. Oxford University Press.
  • Celce-Murcia, M., and Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The Grammar Book: An ESL/EFL Teacher’s Course. Heinle and Heinle.
  • Council of Europe (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Cambridge University Press.

To practise what you learned in this lesson:

Practice exercises · Crossword puzzle

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