About the narrative

A narrative is a story. When we write or tell stories, we create a narrative by describing a series of connected events.

Narratives help readers understand what’s happening, who the characters are and what the story is about.

Story structure and the three-act model

Most narratives follow a predictable structure. This makes it easier for writers to build a story that makes sense and keeps readers interested.

One common structure is the three-act structure:

Act 1: Introduction (or Setup)

This is where the story begins. The author introduces the main characters and the world they live in.

Act 2: Confrontation

A problem or challenge appears. The story builds tension — a villain arrives, someone goes missing or an adventure begins. This is where the action rises and the reader wants to keep reading.

Act 3: Resolution

The story reaches its climax — the big moment when the problem is solved. The hero might defeat the villain, solve a mystery or rescue someone. Then the story wraps up and returns to normal.

Longer stories can contain many acts in which new problems begin as others are solved. And sometimes the resolution is not always a happy one.

Point of view in storytelling

The point of view is the perspective from which the story is told. It affects how readers understand the events, thoughts and feelings in the story.

First-person narrative

In first-person stories, the narrator is a character in the story — usually the main one. They use words like:

• I said
• The dog ran to me
• We waited

Readers hear the thoughts and feelings of this character. But they don’t always know what other characters are thinking until the main character finds out.

Third-person narrative

In third-person stories, the narrator is not part of the story. They use words like:

• She said
• He went
• They arrived

This narrator knows everything that’s happening. They can describe different characters' thoughts and events that happen off-screen. They might even hint at surprises coming up.

Alternating-person narrative

Some stories switch between different points of view. A chapter might be told by one character, then the next chapter by another, or by a third-person narrator. This helps tell the story from different perspectives.

Learning activities