GRADE 8 English TOURISM:DOMESTIC – LISTENING AND SPEAKING:ORAL NARRATIVES Notes
LISTENING AND SPEAKING: ORAL NARRATIVES — TOURISM (DOMESTIC)
Subject: English (Grammar focus) • Level: Age 13 • Kenyan context
- Use correct past tenses to tell a short story about a domestic trip.
- Use sequence markers and linking words for clear oral narration.
- Report what someone said using reported speech.
- Use adjectives and adverbs to describe places and actions clearly.
- Form questions to ask and listen during interviews or conversations about trips.
Key grammar points for oral narratives
1. Past simple (main story tense)
Use past simple for finished actions: what happened on the trip.
Examples:
- We visited Maasai Mara last July.
- My family went to Diani Beach during the school holidays.
2. Past continuous (background actions)
Use past continuous to describe longer actions in progress at a time in the past.
Examples:
- While we were driving, we saw a herd of elephants.
- It was raining when we arrived at Lake Nakuru.
3. Past perfect (earlier past)
Use past perfect to show an action that happened before another past action.
Example: We had booked the campsite before the rains started.
4. Sequence markers and time words
Use words to order events and help listeners follow the story.
Example: First we packed our bags, then we left early in the morning.
5. Reported speech (telling what others said)
Change direct speech to reported speech when you tell someone what another person said.
Examples:
- Direct: "We will arrive at noon," said Mum. → Reported: Mum said that they would arrive at noon.
- Direct: "I loved the safari," he said. → Reported: He said that he had loved the safari.
6. Questions and short answers (for interviews)
Form clear past questions to ask about a trip.
- Where did you go?
- Who did you travel with?
- Did you see any wild animals?
7. Adjectives and adverbs (describing places and actions)
Use adjectives to describe places (beautiful, crowded) and adverbs to describe actions (slowly, carefully).
- The view from Mount Kenya was breathtaking (adjective).
- We carefully watched the lions from the vehicle (adverb).
8. Linking words for cause and result
Explain reasons during a story using because, so, therefore.
Short example oral narrative (grammar highlighted)
Narrator: Last December, my family visited Amboseli. We left Nairobi early in the morning. While we were driving, we saw Mount Kilimanjaro above the clouds. We arrived at the camp and had lunch. In the afternoon, we saw elephants near a waterhole. The guide said that the elephants had been coming to that spot for years. Finally, we returned home tired but happy.
- Past simple: left, arrived, had, saw, returned.
- Past continuous: were driving (background action).
- Past perfect in reported speech: had been coming.
- Sequence markers: first (implied), while, finally.
Practice activities (speak & listen)
-
Fill and speak: Change the verbs in brackets to the correct past tense and read the sentence aloud.
- We (go) __________ to Lake Naivasha last weekend.
- While we (walk) __________ along the shore, we (see) __________ many birds.
- Our guide (say) __________, "This is a good place for hippos." → Reported: The guide said that it ________ a good place for hippos.
-
Order the story: Put these sentences in order using sequence markers and then tell the story aloud.
- We left at dawn.
- We packed our bags.
- We enjoyed a boat ride on the lake.
- We reached the campsite and slept early.
-
Report what was said: Convert to reported speech and practice saying both versions.
- Direct: "I love this beach," said Asha. → Reported: __________________________.
- Direct: "We will leave at dawn," the guide said. → Reported: __________________.
- We went to Lake Naivasha last weekend. While we were walking along the shore, we saw many birds. The guide said that it was a good place for hippos.
- Suggested order: We packed our bags → We left at dawn → We reached the campsite and slept early → We enjoyed a boat ride on the lake.
- Reported speech: Asha said that she loved that beach. / The guide said that they would leave at dawn.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing past simple and present simple: say "We visited," not "We visit" when talking about a past trip.
- Wrong tense in reported speech: change "I am tired" → "He said he was tired" (not "he said he is tired").
- Using too many long sentences when speaking — pause and use sequence markers to help listeners follow.
- Use past tenses correctly (past simple, past continuous, past perfect if needed).
- Use sequence words (first, then, later, finally).
- Describe places with one or two good adjectives.
- Report what people said correctly (change tense and pronouns).
- Ask short questions when you interview someone about their trip.
Tip: Practice telling a short 1–2 minute story about a Kenyan place (e.g., Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Diani) using the grammar above. Record yourself and check the tenses and sequence words.