First, make sure you understand the story clearly. Then, start from the most interesting part or the beginning. You can add some of your own feelings or comments when retelling it. For example, if it's a funny story, you can laugh a bit while telling it to make it more engaging.
You can take mental notes as you listen. Focus on the important parts like who did what and when. Repeat the story in your head right after your friend tells it.
Once, me and my friend decided to go camping. We found a beautiful spot near a lake. We set up our tent and then went fishing. I caught a really big fish, but my friend was better at making a fire. We cooked the fish over the fire and told spooky stories at night. It was an amazing adventure.
One of the saddest stories my mom told me was about a stray dog she used to see on her way to work. It was always alone and looking for food. One day, it got hit by a car and no one stopped to help. It just died there on the roadside. It made me realize how cruel the world can be sometimes.
If your friend had an adventure, it could be that she went hiking in a remote mountain. She might have lost her way for a while but then found a beautiful hidden waterfall. The water was crystal clear and the surrounding scenery was breathtaking. She took some time to soak in the beauty and then found her way back to the main trail with the help of some friendly hikers.
Here are some ways. Make sure you understand the story completely. Start from the beginning and build up the suspense if there was any. When you talk about the characters, give more details about their appearance and personalities. For instance, if there was a hero, say what made him heroic. Use different tones for different parts of the story, like a low voice for the spooky parts and a high - pitched voice for the exciting parts. This will bring the story to life when you retell it.
One time, my best friend and I got lost in a big city while on a shopping spree. We had been so distracted by all the stores and shiny things that we didn't pay attention to where we were going. Instead of panicking, we started laughing. We used our phones to find our way back, but not before stopping at a little café we discovered during our 'lost adventure'. We sat there, sipping coffee, and realized that getting lost together was actually a really fun experience that brought us closer.
One way to tell your story is chronologically. Start from your birth, talk about your childhood, your school days, and then move on to your adulthood. This gives a clear timeline of your life.