An author communicates "when" things happen in a narrative by using tenses. DIfferent tenses have the power to engage the reader in various ways. The past tense clearly explains that something has already happened, allowing the narrative to draw conclusions from these events. Using the present tense stimulates the reader into wondering what will happen, adding suspense to the narrative. For example, "I feel there is something around the corner, but something stops me from looking." Since narrative is commentary, tenses are one of the most important structures to explain things.
Description is built into the narrative to add color and intrigue within the story for the reader. It is not as simple as simply adding a few adjectives. Rather the structure of description includes "showing" the readers a situation so they can draw their own conclusions. For example, Orwell writes, "his trunk reaching skyward like a tree," about an elephant. He could have written "the elephant had a really long trunk," but by using a simile, Orwell paints a more dynamic picture.
Narrative writing can be simple retelling a story from the beginning to end, exactly as it happened, such as a police report. In this case, the pattern is a chronological series of events. However, different patterns can be used to create alternative angles, perspectives and excitement. For example, movement between past, present and future events can occur. Also, quotes can be cited within the text to add an additional dimension to the narrative.
Everyday structural features of writing also appear in narrative. Paragraphs, hyphens, brackets, commas and full stops are all used by the author to create narrative that actually makes sense. The construction of narrative can add dramatic effect to the writing. For instance, if a single sentence is set within a paragraph of its own, then it emphasizes the point. If the phrase was, "The next day, it was clear things were never going to be the same again," then it would be obvious to the reader something significant is about to happen.