Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregorĪs readers, we are that the narrator knows lots of information about past events that they will be feeding to us throughout the book. There is often a sense of familiarity and reassurance in knowing that the events have already happened, and the outcome has been decided, which is part of the reason why past tense is popular with readers. The missing girl’s name was Rebecca Shaw. There were questions that weren’t being asked. It was cold and there was little conversation. They gathered at the car park in the hour before dawn and waited to be told what to do. This can often help the writer and reader feel more in control as the events taking place are already resolved.Ī great example of past tense is in Reservoir 13, by Jon McGregor, which opens with: In short, the narrator is looking back to the past, commenting on events that have already taken place. It harps back to the old and comforting ‘once upon a time’, that makes us want to settle down and listen to the story unfold in its ‘told’ form. It is popular in many contemporary novels and traditionally has been seen a lot in the historical and fantasy genre. Past tense is the most traditional and familiar form of writing and is a form of tense that we can recognise in many of the books that we read. I will take each one in turn, beginning with the one most commonly used in writing past tense. So, sit back, untense yourself and read on!įirst, let’s consider what the main tenses are. Hopefully, by the end of this guide you will have a clearer idea about how to write in each tense and will have a better idea of which would work best for you. We will also explore the advantages and disadvantages of writing in each tense and consider some writing examples that demonstrate their use well. In this guide we will dig deeper into the main tenses and explore past, present and even future tense to discover how these they can be used to the greatest effect. I guess it’s fair to say that tense in writing can make the most experienced writer tense! Therefore, its vital that we understand the benefits of each tense and try to use them to our best advantage. Although it seems like such a simple decision, it can be so easy to get in a muddle with tenses and confuse both yourself and the reader. Getting the tense right is key to ensuring that your text flows smoothly and that your reader can engage with your writing. Knowing which tense to write in can be one of the earliest stumbling blocks that a writer can face.
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