写英语故事时态问题

题目

写英语故事时态问题
在写英语故事的时一般要用过去时态
但请问陈述一件事实时是否要用一般现在时?
比如：This story happened in a farm which is(was) not far away from downtown.
Tony and Lily are(were) friends,they have(had) known each other for a long time.
以上面句子为例,如何选用时态?

答案

写故事英文中可以用两种时态,一般现在时和过去时,但是要注意整个故事的时态要前后一致,如你给的例句的第一个句子就可以有如下两种：
This story happened in a farm which was not far away from downtown.
This story happens in a farm which is not far away from downtown.
这两种都是叙事体的正确时态,但是要保持全文一致,不要随意切换时态,除非有特殊情况,如故事中本身就存在时间跳跃.