Narrative Writing Tense Worksheets: Mastering Verb Tense for Stronger Stories

As teachers, we’re all familiar with the experience of reading student narratives in which the tense constantly shifts between past and present, with a bit of future tense thrown in for good measure! Verb tense is one of those tricky areas in narrative writing that can quietly trip students up without them realizing it. That’s where explicit teaching of tense in narrative writing comes into play!

These narrative writing worksheets focus on past tense as a key feature of storytelling, helping students understand not just how to use it, but why it matters. The resource includes two distinct but related activities:

• Text Analysis Activity – This component of the resource includes a narrative text called The Hidden Cabin with comprehension questions that guide students to notice how past tense is used in the text and the effect this tense has on creating meaning.
• Text Comparison Activity – This component of the resources includes two versions of the same called The Stormy Night: one written in past tense and one in present tense. This activity also includes questions to guide students in analyzing how tense use in each text impacts tone, clarity and purpose. 

This resource downloads as a black-and-white PDF or editable Google Slides file. The download also includes an answer key to make grading the worksheets fast and easy. 

Read on to learn more about why understanding tense use in narrative writing is so important for our students.

Narrative Writing Tense: Why It Matters

Helping students grasp verb tense isn’t just about grammar – it’s also about building confident, purposeful storytellers who successfully sustain meaning from the first sentence to the very last. 

These worksheets on narrative writing support students in developing this essential skill by focusing on:

• Clarity and Consistency in Writing – Students often jump between tenses without noticing, especially when ideas come quickly. Understanding past tense helps them keep their writing clear and easy to follow.
• Understanding Reader Expectations – Most narratives are written in past tense, and recognizing this convention helps students write in a way that feels familiar and coherent to the audience.
• Developing Editing Skills – When students learn to identify tense shifts, they become more effective editors. They also begin to see how tense affects tone, clarity and purpose in writing.

Download These Narrative Writing Tense Worksheets

Ready to get your hands on this resource? Use the Download button above to access your preferred version. (Note: You will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides template on your personal drive before accessing it.)

As this resource contains answers, you may wish to print one copy only, then remove the answer sheet before making further copies.

Print the worksheets for immediate classroom use (double-sided, if you can!) or save time at the photocopier by projecting them onto a digital screen.

This resource was created by Kaylyn Chupp, a teacher in Florida and a Teach Starter collaborator.

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