narrative
narrative — noun
1. A spoken or written account in which a person tells about a series of related ev
A spoken or written account in which a person tells about a series of related events, forming the story of something such as a novel, film, or personal experience.
The book follows the narrative of a boy travelling across Japan to find his mother.
tell/follow a narrative
Priya wrote a gripping narrative about her grandmother's escape from the war.
The film's narrative moves between past and present, showing how the two timelines connect.
A strong narrative keeps readers interested from the first page to the last.
文法句型
the + narrative + of + [topic]
a + narrative + about + [topic]
用法筆記
More formal and literary than the everyday word 'story'. Common in book reviews, film criticism, and academic writing about literature.
常見錯誤
2. The specific viewpoint from which someone describes and interprets events, shape
The specific viewpoint from which someone describes and interprets events, shaped by a particular set of beliefs, values, or political aims.
The media's narrative about the election was challenged by independent fact-checkers.
media/political narrative
Each side in the debate presented its own narrative of what caused the crisis.
The company tried to change the narrative after the product recall.
Scientists argue that the dominant narrative about climate change needs to shift.
- perspective
focuses on individual viewpoint rather than a constructed story
- interpretation
stresses the analytical process of making sense of events
- framing
highlights how information is selectively presented to shape understanding
文法句型
the + adjective + narrative
possessive + narrative
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (A STORY): this sense refers to how events are framed and interpreted, not the events themselves. Frequently appears with modifiers such as 'dominant', 'alternative', 'competing', or 'official'. Common in political and media discourse.
常見錯誤
narrative — adjective
1. Relating to the form or style of a story, in which events are presented in a seq
Relating to the form or style of a story, in which events are presented in a sequence — used to describe writing, film, poetry, or speech that follows a storytelling structure.
The novel uses a narrative structure that jumps between different characters' viewpoints.
narrative structure (common collocation)
Children often learn best through narrative forms like folk tales and fables.
The documentary combines interviews with a narrative voice-over to guide the viewer.
Ravi's narrative poem told the story of his village's fight against the flood.
- storytelling
can be used as an adjective modifier ('storytelling tradition'); broader and less technical
- chronological
emphasises time order rather than the presence of a story
- non-narrative
describes writing or film that does not follow a story structure
文法句型
narrative + noun
用法筆記
Always placed before the noun it modifies — never used predicatively (*'This story is narrative'). Common collocations include 'narrative structure', 'narrative voice', 'narrative form', and 'narrative poem'.