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Writing About a Past Event: My Last Trip

A2 · Writing Lab · about 25 minutes

Learn→See an Example→Analyze→Practice→Write→Check→Improve→Rewrite
🎯 Objective. Tell the story of a past trip or event in order, using past-simple verbs and time linkers like “first”, “after that”, and “in the end”.

1 · Learn

Past-event writing is a story, and stories run on two engines: past-simple verbs (went, saw, ate, stayed) and time linkers that carry the reader forward (first, then, after that, later, in the end).

Keep the order of events straight and give the story a shape: how it started, two or three things that happened, and how it ended — including one problem or surprise, because a trip where nothing goes wrong is hard to remember and harder to read about.

2 · See an Example

A Weekend in Seattle

Last month, I traveled to Seattle with my sister. We took the train on Friday morning, and we arrived at noon. First, we walked around the old market and ate fresh fish by the water.

After that, it started to rain hard, so we ran into a small café and drank hot chocolate. In the end, the sun came out again, and we watched a beautiful sunset from the tower. It was a short trip, but a perfect one.

3 · Analyze the Example

Useful Vocabulary

travel — to go to a place, usually far away

We traveled by train.

arrive — to reach a place

We arrived at noon.

fresh — new, natural, recently made or caught

We ate fresh fish.

in the end — finally, after everything

In the end, we had a great day.

sunset — the time when the sun goes down, and the colors it makes

We watched the sunset.

Useful Expressions

Common Mistakes

✗ We go to Seattle and we see the market. It was nice.

✓ We went to Seattle and we saw the market. It was nice.

The whole story is past — keep every verb in the past simple.

✗ We arrived and then we eat dinner and slept.

✓ We arrived, and then we ate dinner and slept.

One verb in the present (eat) breaks the story's time. Check each verb.

✗ First we visited the museum. First we had lunch. First we went home.

✓ First we visited the museum. After that, we had lunch. Finally, we went home.

“First” works once. Use after that / then / finally for the next steps.

4 · Guided Practice

  1. Put in order with linkers: We went home. / We visited the zoo. / We took the bus to the city.

    See a model answer

    First, we took the bus to the city. After that, we visited the zoo. In the end, we went home.

  2. Fix the verb: “Yesterday, I walk to the beach and swim in the sea.”

    See a model answer

    Yesterday, I walked to the beach and swam in the sea.

  3. Write the closing verdict for a rainy but fun trip.

    See a model answer

    Example: “It rained all day, but in the end, it was the funniest trip of our summer.”

5 · Write — Your Task

✍️ Write about a real trip or a special day: when and where, how it started, two or three things that happened (include one small problem or surprise), and how it ended.

Goal: 2 paragraphs, 9–11 sentences · Length: 100–140 words

  • Set the time anchor in the first line (Last summer…, On my birthday…).
  • Use first / after that / in the end to move the story.
  • Check every verb — the whole story lives in the past.
✍️ Writing Studio0 words
Sentences: 0Tap an expression to insert it:
Last week / month, I …First, we …After that, …In the end, …It was a … trip / day because …

6 · Check — Self-Check

Work through your checklist honestly, then run the Self-Check. It counts words and sentences and spots mechanical points — it does not grade your English. You are the editor.

Read a model answer for the task

Last Saturday, my friends and I drove to the mountains for a picnic. We left early, and the road was empty and quiet. First, we walked to a small lake and ate sandwiches under the trees.

After that, dark clouds came, and it rained for ten minutes. We laughed and waited under one big umbrella. In the end, the sun returned, and we saw a rainbow over the lake. We drove home tired and happy.

7 · Improve & Rewrite

Weak version — rewrite it in your notebook first, then compare:

I go to Chicago last week. I see my friend and we eat pizza. It is good. Then we go home.

See an improved version

Last week, I went to Chicago to visit my friend. First, we walked around the center and took photos by the river. After that, we ate a huge pizza at a little restaurant. In the end, we sat in a café and talked until midnight. It was a short visit, but I didn't want it to finish.

Quick Quiz

Keep going

📘 Grammar deep-dive: Past Simple: Finished Time🌱 Vocabulary Builder: the A2 Travel Transport set

← Previous lesson · A2 — all lessons · Next: Future Plans and Goals →

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