Anecdote Language

1 . Introducing the anecdote :
? " Let me ____________________ you a funny / interesting story that ____________________ to me . . . "
? " I have a great ____________________ I'd like to share with you . . . "
? " Here's a little incident that happened a ____________________ ago . . . "
? " I've got a ____________________ experience I want to tell you about . . . "

2 . Setting the scene :
? " It all ____________________ when . . . "
? " I was in ( place ) with ( person / people ) . . . "
? " One day , ____________________ I ____________________ ( activity ) , . . . "
? " Back in ( year / season ) , ____________________ ( event / situation ) , . . . "

3 . Describing people :
? " There was ____________________ ( adjective ) person I encountered . . . "
? " I ____________________ a really ( adjective ) character . . . "
? " I ____________________ ____________________ the most ( adjective ) individual . . . "
? " I was ____________________ my ( adjective ) friend / coworker . . . "

4 . Expressing surprise or amazement :
? " You won't ____________________ what happened next . . . "
? " To my ____________________ , . . . "
? " I was completely taken ____________________ when . . . "
? " It was ____________________ unbelievable . . . "

5 . Adding suspense or anticipation :
? " ____________________ did I ____________________ that . . . "
? " What I ____________________ expect was . . . "
? " And then something extraordinary ____________________ . . . "
? " And that's when things ____________________ an unexpected turn . . . "

6 . Building up the climax :
? " The funniest / most surprising ____________________ is . . . "
? " And here ____________________ the best / wildest bit . . . "
? " And then , out of ____________________ , . . . "
? " You can't ____________________ how it unfolded . . . "

7 . Concluding the anecdote :
? " ____________________ my little story . "
? " And that's how the whole incident ____________________ out . "
? " And that's the end of my ____________________ . "
? " So , that's my ____________________ anecdote for you . "