Narrative Writing Vocabulary

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb to indicate a sudden or unexpected event

preposition shows the relationship between 'all' and 'sudden', indicating that the sudden event involves everything mentioned

• All of a sudden, the stock market crashed, causing panic among investors.
• I was just sitting there minding my own business when all of a sudden, she showed up out of nowhere.
• I was chilling at the park when all of a sudden, my ex walked by with their new boo.
• The peaceful atmosphere was shattered when, all of a sudden, a loud explosion echoed through the valley.

adverb used to indicate that a particular point in a narrative or argument has been passed or to suggest that the speaker is returning to a previous topic

preposition used to indicate a particular point in an argument or statement

• At any rate, the committee decided to proceed with the project as planned.
• At any rate, we're still going to the concert tonight no matter what.
• I don't care what happens, at any rate, I'm outta here.
• The storm was approaching quickly, but at any rate, we had to keep moving forward.

noun meanwhile can also be used as a noun to refer to the intervening time

adverb meanwhile is an adverb that indicates something is happening at the same time as something else

conjunction meanwhile can function as a conjunction to connect two events happening simultaneously

• Meanwhile, the company's profits continued to rise steadily.
• Meanwhile, I'll be finishing up this report for the meeting.
• Meanwhile, I was just chilling with my friends.
• Meanwhile, the seeds of doubt were beginning to sprout in her mind.

noun a second or further telling or detailed account of something that has already been recounted

verb tell someone about something; give an account of an event or experience

• The witness was asked to recount the events leading up to the accident.
• She recounted the whole story to me over coffee.
• I can't believe he recounted the whole thing to the boss!
• As the old man sat by the fireplace, he began to recount the tales of his youth.

adverb referring to a time following an event or action

• The meeting concluded promptly, and afterward, everyone dispersed to their respective offices.
• We grabbed a quick bite to eat, and afterward, we went to see a movie.
• We partied until the early hours of the morning, and afterward, we crashed at my place.
• She poured her heart out to him, and afterward, she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.