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A1 Movers picture story: how to tell a story from pictures

A1-A2A1 Movers40 questionsUpdated

A1 Movers gives children a set of pictures and asks them to say what happens. The language needed is simple, but the skill is not: children must work out the order, notice the change between pictures and link the sentences together. This page practises exactly that.

What this task tests

  • Working out the order of events from a set of pictures.
  • Describing each picture in one or two clear sentences.
  • Linking words that hold a story together: then, next, after that, finally.
  • Naming the characters and keeping the same names throughout.
  • Noticing what has changed between one picture and the next.
  • Choosing a sensible verb for each action in the story.
  • Saying where and when the story happens.
  • Keeping to one tense for the whole story.
  • Ending the story rather than stopping in the middle.
  • Speaking for thirty seconds or so without drying up.

How to do it

  1. Step 1:

    Look at all the pictures first

    Children start talking about picture one before they know where the story goes. Thirty seconds of silent looking pays for itself.

  2. Step 2:

    Name the people

    Give every character a name in the first sentence. It makes every later sentence easier to say.

  3. Step 3:

    One or two sentences per picture

    A sentence about who and what, and one about where or why. More than that and the story loses its shape.

  4. Step 4:

    Teach four linking words

    Then, next, after that, finally. Four is enough, and a story with them sounds far better than one without.

  5. Step 5:

    Spot the difference between frames

    Ask what is different from the last picture. The change is usually the event, and the event is the sentence.

  6. Step 6:

    Choose one tense and stay in it

    The present is easiest for Movers children. Whichever you pick, do not let the story drift between tenses mid-way.

  7. Step 7:

    Practise the first sentence

    A strong opening line, learned as a frame, removes most of the nerves: This is a boy called Sam. He is at the beach.

  8. Step 8:

    Use a timer

    Thirty or forty seconds. Children then learn to keep going rather than stopping after picture two.

  9. Step 9:

    Record and replay

    Hearing themselves is the fastest feedback there is, and children usually spot their own missing words.

  10. Step 10:

    Retell the same story twice

    The second telling is always better and shows the child that improvement is possible, which is worth more than a new story.

Mistakes that cost marks

  • Not thisBoy. Ball. Dog.

    ThisA boy is playing with a ball. Then a dog takes it.

    Children list nouns instead of making sentences. Insist on a verb in every utterance.

  • Not thisHe play football and then he run.

    ThisHe is playing football and then he runs away.

    Tense slips between frames. Pick one tense before starting.

  • Not thisThe boy... the boy... the other boy...

    ThisSam... then Sam... then his friend Tom...

    Without names the story becomes impossible to follow. Name the characters in sentence one.

  • Not thisStopping after two pictures

    ThisFinishing all the pictures

    Children run out of ideas rather than language. Practise the four linking words as a route through the set.

  • Not thisAnd, and, and

    ThisThen, next, after that

    One connector for everything makes a flat story. Four alternatives are easy to learn and immediately noticeable.

  • Not thisDescribing the colour of everything

    ThisDescribing what happens

    Children fall back on what they can say. Redirect with one question: what happens next?

Language this task keeps reusing

first
The word for the beginning of a story.
then
After that; the commonest story link.
next
The following thing that happens.
after that
Another way to say then.
finally
The word for the last thing that happens.
suddenly
Very quickly and without warning.
happy
Feeling good; useful for endings.
sad
Feeling unhappy.
surprised
Feeling something you did not expect.
find
To see something you were looking for.
lose
To not be able to find something.
drop
To let something fall.
help
To do something useful for somebody.
at the end
A phrase for the last picture.

Practice: telling a story from pictures

40 original questions. The first 10 are open to everyone. Answers are checked in your browser and never sent to us, so you can share this page with a class as it is.

1Complete the sentence.

First the boy kicks the ball. the dog runs after it.
Which word is best for the last picture of a story?

3Complete the sentence.

This is a girl Mia. She is at the park.
Right or wrong?
  • A good story has a beginning and an end.
  • It is a good idea to stop after two pictures.
  • Linking words help the listener follow the story.
3 to go

5Complete the sentence.

The boy drops his ice cream and he feels very .
Before you speak, what should you do first?

7Complete the sentence.

After , the children go home for dinner.

8Start a story about a lost cat. Say the first sentence.

Which sentence is a story sentence, not just a list?

10Complete the sentence.

The dog takes the sandwich and the boy is very .

Keep going

30 more questions on this page

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Frequently asked questions

Does the child have to use the past tense?

Not at Movers. A clear story in the present is perfectly acceptable, and it is easier to keep consistent. Save the past narrative for Flyers.

What if the child misreads the story?

A sensible story that fits the pictures is what counts. An unusual interpretation is fine as long as it is told clearly and follows the frames in order.

How do I build up to a full story?

Start with two pictures, then three, then the full set. Children who can link two frames can usually link five; those who start with five often freeze.

My child describes instead of narrating. How do I redirect?

Ask what happens next rather than what can you see. The question shapes the answer more than any instruction will.

Should I give the child the words in advance?

Give a small bank of verbs before the first attempt, then take it away for the second. Support first, independence second.

How can I make this fun at home?

Use a comic strip with the speech bubbles covered, or four photos from a family day out. Familiar pictures produce far more language than unfamiliar ones.