Helpful Tips for English!Poppin’ PunctuationPunctuation is very important. It shows where your sentences begin and end and tells the reader how they should be read.

Super SentencesTo make your writing interesting, you will need to use a range

Super Simple

A simple sentence is one idea; it makes senses by itself.

of sentence structures including simple, compound and complex. These superheroes will guide you through forming these different types of sentences and more!

Name of clause

Description of the clause An example

Embedded clause

This is put within a simple sentence and adds extra information to the noun.

Mighty Complex, who was dressed in red, flew to the

rescue.Adverbial

phraseThe adverbial phrase adds

when, where, why or how to the simple sentence.

In the laboratory, Dr Evil made his plans to rule the

world!Subordinating

clauseThe subordinating clause needs

the main clause (simple sentence) to make sense.

Mighty Complex lives in Wyberton which is in

Lincolnshire.Writer’s ToolkitUse these cards to help you make your writing more interesting and exciting for the reader. They will explain the meaning of the language feature and also give you examples of how to use them.

Dressed in his bright red superhero costume,

Dash sprinted across the land.

Use adjectives to describe a

Adjectives

Super Simple

A simple sentence is one idea; it makes senses by itself.

Miss Compound

A compound sentence has at least two simple sentences joined by a connective.

Dr Evil was ready to press the button, but Miss Compound was determined to stop

him!

Mighty Complex

A complex sentence is a simple sentence extended by a clause which doesn’t make sense by itself. There are

different types of subordinating clauses which are shown in the table below.

Use adjectives to describe a

Hovering, the moon is a spaceship peering patiently down on

Earth.

Staring angrily, Shere Khan’s teeth were

sharp knives pointing to the sky.

Energetically, Dash sprinted across the

land like a supersonic jet.

Use proper nouns in your writing to be specific about the name of a person, animal or place.-----------------------

Writer’s tip:Always use a capital letter at the start of a name.

Proper Nouns

The moon glistened in the night sky.

The tiger stared into the distance as he

waited for his prey.

From afar, the volcano peered down on Dash as he sprinted along.

Use verbs to describe the actions

of a character or thing.

-----------------------Writer’s tip: Try using a thesaurus/synonym circles to find really powerful verbs.

Verbs

adverbverb

Staring angrily, his teeth were sharp

knives pointing to the

Energetically, Dash sprinted across the land like a supersonic

jet. Use adverbs in your writing to describe

the verbs.-----------------------

Writer’s tip:

Adverbs

The moon glistened in the night sky

meanwhile people in the village slept.

The tiger stared into the distance, but he

could see no one!

First Dash ran to the ship!

Use connectives to order your ideas or

join two ideas together.

-----------------------Writer’s tip: Vary the placement of your connectives to vary the structure of your writing.

Connectives

Hovering like a spaceship, the

moon peered down on Earth.

His teeth were like sharp knives

pointing to the sky.

Dash sprinted across the land as

fast as a supersonic jet.

Use a simile in your writing to

compare one thing with another.

-----------------------Writer’s tip:

A simile includes the phrase ’like a…’ or ‘as a…’

Similes

Staring angrily, his teeth were sharp

knives pointing to the

Use adverbs in your writing to describe

the verbs.-----------------------

Writer’s tip:

Peering patiently, the moon hovered above the planet.

His terrible teeth were like towers

pointing to the sky.

Dash sprinted spectacularly across the land like a space-

rocket.Use alliteration to help the sounds of

words link the sentence together -----------------------

Writer’s tip: Use alliteration carefully – too often and it can lose it’s effect!

Alliteration

Hovering, the moon is a spaceship peering down on

Earth.

His teeth were sharp knives

pointing to the sky.

Dash was a supersonic jet

sprinting across the land

Use a metaphor in your writing to say

one thing is another.

-----------------------Writer’s tip: A metaphor often includes the phrase ‘is a…’ or ‘was a…’ Make sure the metaphor fits with the description, e.g. a spaceship may also hover over Earth!

Metaphors

Dancing slowly with the clouds, the moon

hovered over the Earth.

The teeth stood to attention as he waited patiently for his prey.

From afar, the volcano looked down on Dash

as he raced along.

Use personification to give a non-

human subject, e.g. the moon, human characteristics.

-----------------------

Writer’s tip: Use human actions (verbs) to help you.

Personification

Above the land, the moon rested

peacefully in the sky.

Shere Khan stood in front of the forest.

Dash sprinted over the land like a supersonic jet.

Use prepositions to show the

relationship of one object to another.-----------------------

Writer’s tip:Use prepositions to clarify where objects or people are in your sentences.

Prepositions

“I will find you!” roared the tiger as

they ran away.

Dash sprinted in order to get back on his

ship.

Use pronouns to replace proper

nouns in sentences. -----------------------

Pronouns: I, you, he, she,

Pronouns

Text Type Tips!Before you begin writing, use these cards to help you remember the features of the genre.

“I will find you!” roared the tiger as

they ran away.

Use pronouns to replace proper

nouns in sentences. -----------------------

Pronouns: I, you, he, she,

Report Features

*Describes what things are like (or were like)* Use the present tense

(except historical reports)* Include ‘general’ nouns

(not particular people, animals, things)* Use third person

* Include factual descriptions* Use technical words and phrases

* They are often formal and use impersonal language

Recount Features

*Retells events in time order* Use the past tense

* Use named people, places and things* Use the first or third person

* Include time connectives* Use powerful verbs* Include quotations

Persuasion Features• Makes a case for a particular point of view

• Use the present tense• Logical connectives (however, because,

as a result of, consequently)• Connectives showing the move from one point to another (first of all, then, secondly, next, finally)

• Use emotive language (strong adjectives that create emotions)

• Include rhetorical question – Are we expected to…?• Turn opinion into truth – The fact is… The real truth is…

•

Types of reports

Information leaflet magazine article

tourist guide book catalogue

encyclopaedia entry topic-based

project

Types of recounts

Letter biography

diary write up of a trip

or event newspaper

article

Types of persuasion

advertisement travel brochure

book blurb poster or flier

letters pamphlet from pressure group

catalogue

Top Tips!

Spelling is easy once you know how. Use these tips to help you.

1. If the sound is ay, use ei: neighbour, weigh.In most other words, use ie: believe, relieve.

Instructional Writing Features

• Tell you how to do or make something in time order• Use simple clear language

• Include imperative (bossy) verbs – put, press ir• Usually use the second person • Include necessary detail only

• Use numbers and/or time connectives• Include diagrams to help the reader

Types of instructions

Technical manual posters or signs

recipe science

experiment instructions on

packaging DIY book

Types of explanations

Encyclopaedia entry

parts of a non-fiction book

technical manual write-up of a

science experiment

Explanation Text Features

* Explains how or why something happens* Use the present tense

(except historical explanations)* Include causal language e.g. If…then,

this causes… because of…* Use sequential connectives

e.g. firstly, following this, finally * Formal language e.g. ‘place’ rather than ‘put’

* Use technical vocabulary that links to the subject that the explanation is about.

Types of stories

Fairy tales myths and

legends stories set in the future

stories with flashbacks

stories from different cultures

stories with historical settings

Story Writing Features

* Include a beginning; build up, problem, resolution and ending*Describe the setting and the characters

*Use short sentences to build up the tension of the problem

*Include speech between characters*Use exciting language

(adverbs, similes, personification)

2. When the prefixes dis, mis, or over are added to a word, the spelling of the original word remains the same:dissatisfy, misspell, overreach.

3. When the suffixes – ness or –ly are added to word, the spelling of the word remains the same: meanness, finally.

4. If a word ends in y, change the y to i before adding the suffix: heaviness, readiness.

5. When a word ends in e, drop the final e before a suffix beginning with a vowel: caring, writing.When the word does not end in e, simply add the suffix: studying.Keep the final e before a suffix beginning with a consonant: careful, careless.There are some exceptions: argument, abridgement, acknowledgment.

6. Double the final consonant when adding a suffix to words of one syllable ending with a consonant: clap/ clapped,shop/ shopped.

7. Double the final consonant when the accent falls on the last syllable of a word ending with a consonant: control/controlling.

8. Supersede, exceed, proceed, and succeed. All other words end in – cede.

9. To form plurals: If the word ends with a consonant plus y, change the y to i and add es: baby/ babies, city/ cities.

10. When words ending in double l are used as prefixes or suffixes, drop and l: all/almost, full/skillful.