Telling stories · Talking
next thing I knew
sudden next event
Used to introduce what happened suddenly after the previous event.
This vs that
Next thing I knew, I was on the wrong train.
After that, I took the bus home.
Hear it in real life
How did you end up at the other end of town?
I was following the signs and, next thing I knew, I was completely lost.
I sat down for a minute and, next thing I knew, it was midnight.
Which sounds natural?
Psst — which one would you actually say?
This lively storytelling chunk makes a sudden change of situation sound natural.
The mistake everyone makes
Not: Next thing I knew that the bus had gone.
Say: Next thing I knew, the bus had gone.
The expression usually introduces the next event directly, without “that.”
Say it together
Whole chunks natives use with it.
next thing I knew, ___
Next thing I knew, everyone was dancing.
Next thing I knew, I had agreed to organise the whole event.
Phrases to borrow
More for talking about telling stories.
Before I knew it
Before I knew it, everyone was dancing in the kitchen.
I ended up ___
I ended up staying at my sister's for the weekend.
Telling stories words
Talking · Telling stories: the words around “next thing I knew”.
More connectionsMore telling stories words6
More telling stories words
Your turn: say it out loud
Next thing I knew, I was standing outside.
Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.
next thing I knew
sudden next event
“I sat down for a minute and, next thing I knew, it was midnight.”
heytardy