narrate

/nəˈreɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈnæreɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈner-ˌāt ˈna-ˌrat, na-ˈrāt/ (ame, mw)

narrate — verb

  • narratepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • narrateshe / she / it
  • narratedpast simple
  • narrating-ing form

1. to speak or write the words that form a story, giving a clear account of events

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to speak or write the words that form a story, giving a clear account of events so that a listener or reader can follow what happens

例句

At the city museum, the tour guide narrated the history of each Ming-dynasty vase while visitors gathered around.

The wildlife documentary was narrated by Ingrid, a scientist whose calm voice made the hunting scenes feel less frightening.

passive: be narrated by [person] — common for films and documentaries

同義詞
  • tell

    more common in everyday conversation; less formal than 'narrate'

  • recount

    more formal; emphasises giving a detailed account of past events

  • relate

    formal or literary tone; used especially for personal experiences

文法句型

narrate + noun phrase (story/tale/sequence of events)

be narrated + by + agent (passive construction)

用法筆記

The passive construction ('the film is narrated by…') is very common, especially for documentaries, audiobooks, and guided tours. When used transitively, the object is typically a story, a sequence of events, or the content of a film or programme.

常見錯誤

❌He narrated me a story before bedtime.
✅He told me a story before bedtime.' or 'He narrated a story to me before bedtime.
💡'narrate' does not take an indirect object without 'to'.
❌She narrated the colours of the sunset beautifully.
✅She described the colours of the sunset beautifully.
💡'narrate' is used for stories or sequences of events, not for describing static scenes or objects.