Aiming for Levels 4 to 6, Lesson 14 Smart English: Survival Animal survival (part one)

Aiming for Levels 4 to 6, Lesson 14

Smart English: Survival

Animal survival

(part one)

Smart English: Survival – Animal survival (part one)

Learning objective:

To understand how to vary sentence structure for effect (WAF5)

Learning outcome:

To rewrite a paragraph, using a variety of sentence structures to engage the reader

Success criteria:AF Level 4 / All students can … Level 5 / Most students can

…Level 6 / Some students can …

WAF5 Sometimes vary length, structure or subject of sentences

Vary sentence length, structure and subject for clarity and emphasis

Alternate between simple and complex sentences for purpose and effect




Activity: Look at the verbs below and think about the kind of scene they could describe. Then choose four of them and write a paragraph that uses the verbs you have chosen. Try to make your paragraph as exciting as possible.

pulled

lunge

sink

splashed

THRASHINGTHRASHING

flickeredcrashing



The writer creates a sense of tension and shock in this extract by

varying the sentence structure and length …

An independent clause that expresses a complete idea. A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb. For example:

The lights on the ship flickered.



A complex sentence contains at least one main,

independent clause and a subordinate clause. For example:

Although the waves were thrashing against me, I managed to sink myself into the lifeboat.

Sentence types

Simple

Complex


The elements allowed me to go on living. The lifeboat did not

sink. Richard Parker kept out of sight. The sharks prowled but

did not lunge. The waves splashed me but did not pull me off.

I watched the ship as it disappeared with much

burbling and belching. Lights flickered and went out. I looked

about for my family, for survivors, for another lifeboat, for

anything that might bring me hope. There was nothing. Only

rain, marauding waves of black ocean and the flotsam of tragedy.

The darkness melted away from the sky. The rain

stopped.

SimpleComplex

Key




Activity: Rewrite the paragraph below, using a variety of simple and complex

sentences for effect.

I could smell the boy and I was hungry and I also felt seasick from the rocking boat and I wanted to jump in the water, but I felt if I jumped in the water there would be no land. I remembered the cage tipping and I fell out and then I jumped through the air and landed in a smaller boat and then there was rocking and I started to feel sick. I could feel the power of my body creeping away from me and there was a smell of death in the air and I wanted to eat.

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Aiming for Levels 4 to 6, Lesson 14 Smart English: Survival Animal survival (part one)