Picture Narration in depth: six pictures, one story
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| relieved | relieved |
Six pictures, one minute
- In Picture Narration you see six pictures and tell the story. You get one minute to prepare and one minute to speak.
- The scorers listen for a complete, connected story with detail, clear speech and good grammar. Six separate descriptions are not a story.
How much time do you have in Picture Narration?
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One minute to prepare and one minute to record.
How many pictures do you see in the Picture Narration task?
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The task shows six pictures that tell one story.
This lesson's story: the kite
- 1 Leo and his grandfather make a kite at home. 2 They fly it in the park. 3 A strong wind blows it into a tall tree.
- 4 Leo looks sad; a girl with a long stick walks over. 5 Together they get the kite down, but it is torn. 6 The next weekend, all three fly the repaired kite.
Put the kite story in order.
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Problem in the middle, ending in picture 6.
Which picture shows the problem in the kite story?
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The wind blows the kite into the tree; everything after that solves it.
Use the minute to prepare: one keyword per picture
- Write one or two words for each picture: make – fly – wind/tree – sad, girl – down, torn – next weekend.
- Then decide the problem (picture 3) and the ending (picture 6). Every good story turns on its problem.
- Don't write sentences in the minute. Six keywords and a plan for the problem and ending are enough.
What is the best way to use the minute to prepare?
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Full sentences take too long; keywords keep the whole story in view.
You should write full sentences during the one-minute preparation.
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Keywords are faster; you speak the sentences.
Past tenses tell the story
- Use the past simple for the events, one after another: they made, they flew, the wind blew.
- Use the past continuous for the background: While they were flying the kite, the wind suddenly got stronger.
- Irregular verbs: make → made, fly → flew, blow → blew, tear → torn. Practise these before the test.
One Saturday, Leo and his grandfather ___ a red kite. (make)
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Past simple of make is made.
They ___ it in the park all afternoon. (fly)
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Past simple of fly is flew.
___ they were flying the kite, the wind suddenly got stronger.
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"While" + past continuous gives the background for a sudden event.
Match each verb form to its job in a story.
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Events in past simple; background in past continuous.
Link the pictures
- Use time words between pictures: one Saturday, then, while, suddenly, a few minutes later, in the end, the next weekend.
- Use reason words inside them: so, because, but. The kite was stuck, so Leo felt very upset.
Story or list?
Tell the story with past simple, past continuous and linking words
The kite was stuck in the tree, ___ Leo felt very upset.
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"So" introduces the result.
Which are good time links between pictures? Choose all that apply.
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"In picture four" describes the test, not the story.
Add feelings and small details
- Give each person a feeling: proud, excited, worried, upset, relieved 松了一口气的, grateful.
- Add one small detail per picture: a red kite with a long tail; a tree as tall as a house. Detail lifts a score.
Match each moment to a feeling word.
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A feeling for each person makes the story come alive.
Which sentence adds a useful detail?
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Colour and shape are small details that lift the story.
Listen to a model story
- One Saturday, Leo and his grandfather made a red kite with a long tail. They were very proud of it, so they took it to the park.
- While they were flying it, the wind suddenly got much stronger and blew the kite into a tall tree…
In the model story, why did Leo and his grandfather take the kite to the park?
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"They were very proud of it, so they took it to the park."
Fill the minute, but don't rush
- About eight to twelve sentences fill one minute at a calm speed. Two sentences per picture is a good target.
- If you finish early, add a feeling or detail to the ending. If time runs out, say the ending first: a story needs one.
About how many sentences fill one minute at a calm speed?
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About two sentences per picture.
If you are running out of time, say the ending quickly so the story is complete.
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A story without an ending is incomplete.
Common mistakes
- "In picture one…, in picture two…": listing the pictures instead of telling a story.
- Switching between present and past (they made… then the wind blows…).
- Spending 40 seconds on picture 1 and never reaching the ending.
Which opening is best?
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Names, past tense and a time phrase start a real story.
Which sentence keeps the tenses consistent?
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Both verbs in the past simple.
Recap
- Prepare: one keyword per picture, plus the problem and the ending.
- Speak: past simple for events, past continuous for background, time and reason links.
- Add a feeling and one detail per picture; always reach the ending.
Prepare for one minute, then tell the kite story in one minute. Pictures: 1 make a kite · 2 fly it in the park · 3 wind blows it into a tree · 4 Leo is sad, a girl with a stick comes · 5 they get it down, it is torn · 6 next weekend all three fly the repaired kite.
Complete, connected, detailed: the three things the scorers listen for in this task.
Official sources
- Picture Narration format (six pictures, one minute to prepare, one minute to speak) and the score descriptors checked on 15 November 2026 in the TOEFL Junior Test Taker Handbook (ETS, PDF).
- The kite story is original practice material.