Home › Glossary › Letter N

narrative present

Concept
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A stylistic choice to tell a story in the present tense rather than past, making it feel immediate

Detailed Definition
Narrative present describes storytelling that unfolds entirely in the present tense, giving the impression of events happening in real time. In poetry, it can lend urgency and intimacy, drawing readers into the immediacy of the moment, and is often used to heighten engagement in dramatic scenes.
Example
Example in poetry:
Story told entirely in present tense like “I walk the field, I breathe the smoke, the battle surrounds me”; Dramatic monologues in constant present tense; Modern verse narratives written in cinematic immediacy; Exercises contrasting narrative present with historical past
Additional Notes
Telling a story in present tense within narrative poetry; builds immediacy and draws readers into unfolding action; contrasts with past-tense narration.
Also Known As
Present-tense storytelling Immediacy frame Narrative now Dramatic present Fictive present
Skip to main content