This document provides guidance on using verb tenses to tell new and old stories in English. For new stories, the introduction should use the third column (present perfect) and details can be questions using the first column with "did" or answers using the first column with "didn't" for negatives and the second column for positives. For old stories, the introduction uses the second column, questions use the first column with "did", and negatives use the first column with "didn't". Examples are provided to illustrate the use of verb tenses in different parts of the stories.

1. ENGLISH 3 AND 4 STRUCTURES
NEW STORIES AND OLD STORIES
NEW STORIES AND OLD STORIES
Why do you need to know the three columns in Murphy Appendix 1, p.293? (knowing)
Because you want to tell new stories and old stories. (doing)
I would like to tell a new story
I first learn the three columns by heart.
1 2 3
buy bought have/has bought
I will try and tell the new story in this way :
1 2 Introduction of a new story
Kate : I have bought a new car.
Details
John : Did you buy a Toyota?
Kate : No, I didn’t buy a Toyota.
John : What make did you buy?
Kate : I bought a Volvo.
I (Kate) start with column 3 for the introduction of my new story. I use two verbs. The first verb is always
‘has’ or ‘have’.
Then someone (John) may need more details. He starts asking questions. He uses the first column and puts
‘did’ in front.
Then I (Kate) answer either in a negative way or in a positive way.
When the answer is negative I (Kate) use the first column and put ‘didn’t’ in front.
When the answer is positive I (Kate) use the second column.
Summary
1. Introduction of a new story
Have + third column
2. Details
2.1 Question : did +column 1 (exception : Was it ok? Were they ok?)
2.2 Negative answer : didn’t + column 1 (exception : It wasn’t ok. They weren’t ok.)
2.3 Positive answer : column 2
Another summary
Introduction 3
Details 1 2
?
-
+

2. ENGLISH 3 AND 4 STRUCTURES
NEW STORIES AND OLD STORIES
I would like to tell an old story
I first learn the three columns by heart although I am only going to use the first two columns.
1 2 3
buy bought have/has bought
I will try and tell the old story in this way :
1 2 3
Kate : I bought my first car when I
was 20.
John : Did you buy it with your own
money?
Kate : No, I didn’t buy it with my
own money.
Kate : My parents bought it for me.
Summary
1 Positive sentence : column 2
2 Question : did +column 1 (exception : Was it ok? Were they ok?)
3 Negative sentence : didn’t + column 1 (exception : It wasn’t ok. They weren’t ok.)
Another summary
Positive sentence 2
Question did + 1
Negative sentence didn’t + 1