Narrative Tenses B2

Identify the tense used in the first sentence. Explain why that tense is used.

"There wasn't room for both of us to lie down so we were sitting crouched together "
Why can't the first verb be put in a continuous tense? And why is it possible for the second to be continuous?

"Then the moon slid away from the clouds and [...] it was suddenly clear as day"
What effect does the past simple have in this little fragment? (2 correct)

• It changes the pace of the action, making it faster.

• It changes the pace of the action, making it slower.

• It expresses consecutive actions in order. (This happened, then this happened, and then this happened)

• It allows us to mix up the order of the actions without losing their order (like having action 3, then 1, then 2.)

"And I think I was the first to see it."

Why does the narrator suddenly use a present tense?

" I was looking at the big mound below the den, and thinking how the moonlight made it look like a theatre "

What does the past continuous do here?

• It slows down the narrative, so we can visualise patiently the environment.

• It speeds up the action, allowing a lot to happen in very few words.

"...when I caught sight of a movement"

• This past simple tense is used to suddenly break off the slow exploration of the scenery and pick up the pace with some action.

• The past simple is used because the verb is stative, so a continuous tense can't be used.

• The past simple is used, because this action follows a previous one also in past simple.

"I touched bella's arm and she let out a little breath of , yes, she'd seen it too."
What tenses are used here, and why is the last one different?