- [countable] a description of events synonym story
- a gripping narrative of their journey up the Amazon
- a collection of personal narratives
- She has woven a strong personal narrative filled with lively anecdotes.
- a historical narrative of the United States
- The film lacks a coherent, compelling narrative.
Collocations LiteratureLiteratureBeing a writer- write/publish literature/poetry/fiction/a book/a story/a poem/a novel/a review/an autobiography
- become a writer/novelist/playwright
- find/have a publisher/an agent
- have a new book out
- edit/revise/proofread a book/text/manuscript
- dedicate a book/poem to…
- construct/create/weave/weave something into a complex narrative
- advance/drive the plot
- introduce/present the protagonist/a character
- describe/depict/portray a character (as…)/(somebody as) a hero/villain
- create an exciting/a tense atmosphere
- build/heighten the suspense/tension
- evoke/capture the pathos of the situation
- convey emotion/an idea/an impression/a sense of…
- engage the reader
- seize/capture/grip the (reader’s) imagination
- arouse/elicit emotion/sympathy (in the reader)
- lack imagination/emotion/structure/rhythm
- use/employ language/imagery/humour/(US English) humor/an image/a symbol/a metaphor/a device
- use/adopt/develop a style/technique
- be rich in/be full of symbolism
- evoke images of…/a sense of…/a feeling of…
- create/achieve an effect
- maintain/lighten the tone
- introduce/develop an idea/a theme
- inspire a novel/a poet/somebody’s work/somebody’s imagination
- read an author/somebody’s work/fiction/poetry/a text/a poem/a novel/a chapter/a passage
- review a book/a novel/somebody’s work
- give something/get/have/receive a good/bad review
- be hailed (as)/be recognized as a masterpiece
- quote a(n) phrase/line/stanza/passage/author
- provoke/spark discussion/criticism
- study/interpret/understand a text/passage
- translate somebody’s work/a text/a passage/a novel/a poem
Extra ExamplesTopics Literature and writingb1- the grand narratives of history
- events in the narrative
- People have always tried to create narratives through stories and painting.
- Wong's character is a key part of the narrative.
- The movie has a very traditional linear narrative.
- It's difficult to construct a narrative out of a series of fast-moving events.
- The book includes a collection of personal narratives from elderly Kikuyu women and men.
- The author interrupts her narrative to tell us that the idea for the book had not been well received.
- The author weaves into this narrative many entertaining historical facts.
- This book offers no coherent narrative of the American Civil War.
- the dominant narrative of the Cold War
- We need to think differently about the standard historical narrative of the United States.
- This poetry emulates the slave narrative, a nineteenth century literary form.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- popular
- compelling
- coherent
- …
- construct
- create
- develop
- …
- be based on something
- form
- style
- technique
- …
- in a/the narrative
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- [uncountable] the part of a novel that tells the story, rather than the dialogue
- The novel contains too much dialogue and not enough narrative.
- The book is written in the style of first-person narrative.
- interruptions to the narrative flow
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- popular
- compelling
- coherent
- …
- construct
- create
- develop
- …
- be based on something
- form
- style
- technique
- …
- in a/the narrative
- [countable, uncountable] a way of explaining events to illustrate a set of aims or values
- a new narrative about economic globalization
- How do we construct a new narrative about economic globalization?
- Politicians create narrative from scant facts on a daily basis.
Word Originlate Middle English (as an adjective): from French narratif, -ive, from late Latin narrativus ‘telling a story’, from the verb narrare (from gnarus ‘knowing’).
Check pronunciation:
narrative