Tell a turning-point story
Develop stories and turning points through a focused speaking itinerary.
Speaking task
Record a 90–120 second story for a friend about a journey that changed your plan. You may use a real event or invent one. Say where you meant to go, set the scene, explain a problem such as a missed connection, and show an earlier action with the trapassato prossimo. Tell at least three completed events in order and end with what changed for you. Your friend must be able to name the turning point, not only the travel problem.
- Fortunatamente, avevo portato il telefono e ho chiamato un taxi.· Fortunately, I had brought my phone and called a taxi.
- Che cosa è successo ieri?· What happened yesterday?
- Stavo andando alla stazione quando mi sono accorto di aver lasciato il biglietto a casa.· I was going to the station when I realised I had left the ticket at home.
- E poi che cosa hai fatto?· And what did you do then?
Performance and self-check
Plan five points: original plan, earlier preparation, problem, response, result. Speak once with keywords, then listen to your recording. Mark one imperfetto background, one trapassato event that happened earlier, and three passato prossimo events. Repeat with fewer notes and check that the cause of the change is clear.
- Sono tornato indietro, ma il treno era già partito.· I went back, but the train had already left.
- Stavo per…· I was about to…
- Quando sono arrivato, Marta era già partita.· When I arrived, Marta had already left.
- Pioveva, ma abbiamo deciso di uscire.· It was raining, but we decided to go out.