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Cat desk Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

Tense in story telling

Hi there, when someone asks me to describe a character from a story or explain the story briefly, should I use "past tense" or "present tense"

Here's the the character of a novel (written by Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay) from which I have been asked a question:

  • Prafulla is married but is shunned by her wealthy father-in-law, Haraballabh, because of a spat between him and her father on the day of her wedding. By custom prevalent at that time, a girl, once married, could not be divorced or remarried. Heartbroken at the fate of his only child, her father died after a few years, leaving the family in penury.

  • Prafulla takes the drastic step to flee in the middle of the night to find the house of her in-laws whom she has never known, without any money, with knowledge of only the name of the village and name of her father-in-law.


Here is the question that was asked in the exam "Who is Prafulla? Describe her character briefly." Should I answer in past tense or present tense?


  • Prafulla is the main character of the novel Devi Chaudhurani. She lives/lived in a small village of Bengal. She is idolized in the novel as an Inspiration to women in Bengal that time. Prafulla is/was shunned by Haraballabh, Her father-in-law. This made/make her father feel heart broken and depressed which leads/led him to death. This made/makes Prafulla more stronger than ever. By the character of Prafulla the author described/describes a hard and successful life of a woman.

      • I think both tenses are correct but not sure. Could you please explain? Can I use both tenses?

        

      Top answer

      cat desk I think both tenses are correct Yes. That's right. CJ

      — CalifJim

      • cat desk I think both tenses are correct Yes.
      • That's right.
      • CJ
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      3 Answers
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      cat deskI think both tenses are correct

      Yes. That's right.

      CJ

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      That is not really the present tense, exactly. It is the historic present or narrative present. It is useful for what you are doing, partly because it keeps the tenses straight within the story you are reporting on.

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      If you want to tell the story as if you were there, use the present tense.
      If you want to tell a story from the present time point of view, use the past tense.

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