TiP ToP

Time: You should start a new paragraph when the time changes e.g. Later that day

Place: You should start a new paragraph when the place changes

Topic: You should start a new paragraph when the topic changes

Person: You should start a new paragraph when a new person is introduced or there is a change of perspective

A new paragraph should be used when you change Time, Place, Topic or Person. There is no set length for a paragraph either. A short paragraph, sometimes just a line long, can be ideal and grab your attentionTopic sentencesThese are used to introduce the topic of the paragraph but do not necessarily have to be the first sentence.

E.g. ‘The first problem is getting the tree to stand up straight’

‘With the tree happily vertical you may be thinking that your problems are over. Wrong! You now have to become a master of applied physics in order to get the lights to work.’

Para

gra

ph

s

Homophones: words that sound similar but are spelt differently

Here is a list of common homophone confusions:

• There (place or statement) Their (belonging to them) They’re (they are)• Your (belonging to you) You’re (you are)• Where (place) Were (past tense of be) We’re (we are)• Too (in addition – too much) Two (2) To (direction or position)• Hour (60 minutes) Our (belonging to us) Are (present tense of be)• New (not old) Knew (prior knowledge) / Know (knowledge) No (opposite to

yes) Now (at this time)• Whether (indicates alternatives)/ Weather (sun/rain)• Allowed (have permission) Aloud (spoken to be heard) • Hear (listen) here (place) / write (words on paper) right (as opposed to wrong)• Except (an exclusion) accept (to take) • Hole ( a cavity or space) whole (complete)• Quite (better than average) Quiet (not loud)• Which ( used to identify something) witch ( female who practises magic)• Throw ( to send an item through the air) Threw (past tense of throw) Through

(from end to end )

Hom

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Also it is important you pick up on – Should have or should’ve (not should of) / could have or could’ve (not could of)

Practise OR Practice? License OR Licence? Affect/Effect

emember

ffect

erb

ffect

oun

Fact 1: Verbs are ‘action’ or ‘being’ words Eg I ran /I am.

Fact 2: Nouns are naming words. If you can say a/an or the in front of the word it will generally be a noun.

Fact 3: In English spelling we use an S if the word is a verb and a C if the word is a noun.

e.g. The choir practises on Tuesdays. (An Action so the verb form is used.)

The practice of plagiarism is not to be encouraged.

(You are naming a thing and so need the noun form).So…Advise OR

Advice?

Nou

n/V

erb

co

nfu

sion

When do you use a comma?

A comma separates parts of a sentence and shows when information is added. A comma is used to show when a subordinate clause is added – this is a section of a sentence that doesn’t make sense on it’s own.

1) Robert is an able student, who has the potential to do very who has the potential to do very well. well.

2) Comma slicing is a common mistake, which happens which happens because students don’t identify the topic change.because students don’t identify the topic change.

3) The performance of the team was pleasing, though a though a substitution could be made in goal next time. substitution could be made in goal next time.

4)4) Given the addition of the extra students,Given the addition of the extra students, the behaviour of the class is surprisingly good.

The most obvious mistake with students The most obvious mistake with students using commasusing commas

Comma SplicingComma Splicing – using a comma instead of a full stop.

For example:For example:Monday was exhausting, the students were lively and my lessons

were tiring, , lesson three in particular was hard and I wanted it to end. Com

mas

– Th

e m

ain

u

se

Com

mas

– O

ther

use

s

Semi-colons

Semi-colons can be used in a list. For example:To ensure she would be noticed, she wore: a bright red hat; a smart, tailored suit; high heeled shoes; and she carried a blue, velvet hand bag.

Notice that a colon is needed to introduce a list

Semi-colons can be used to separate two sentences that are related. For example: The students waited patiently to begin their exam; they were all taking it very seriously as they waited for the exam’s officer to instruct them to start.

Colons are used to precede an explanation or an example of what has gone before. For example:

John thought it was his mother’s fault: she should have tied up and found his missing homework.

Semi-colons can be used to separate clauses in a sentence. For example:

The expedition may be on or off; it all depends on the weather.

Colons can be used to show a quotation of more than seven words. Fewer than seven and a comma should be used. For example:

The mum shouted: “Will you lot get down from that tree before you kill yourselves?”

Colo

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Colons

2. Apostrophes – for contractions

1. Apostrophes – for possession

Use apostrophes after nouns to show ownership.

Dog’s collar – The dog owns his collar.

Lady’s basket – The lady owns her bket.

Miss Noble’s book – Miss Noble owns her book.

If there is one or more owner we add to the plural.

Boys’ balls – All the boys own the balls.

Dragons’ cave – All dragons own the cave.

Children’s school – All the children ‘own’ the school.

If the noun ends in a ‘s’ just put the apostrophe.

James’ hat.

Class’ books

Companies’ employees

Apostrophes can also be used to join two words together. They replace one or more letters of the second word. See the other exceptions to the rule below.

I’m = I am Exceptions

There’s = There is Don’t = Do not

I’d = I would Mustn’t = Must not

We’d = We would Shouldn’t = Should not

They’ve = They have Couldn’t = Could not

We’re = We are Haven’t = Have not

Ap

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hes

Is the final “Y” preceded by a vowel?

Yes

e.g. MONKEY

No

e.g. TRY

Add an “S”

Your word becomes monkeys

Change the “y” to an “i”

Add “es”

Your word becomes tries

Adding an e to some words changes the vowel sound e.g. ‘cap’ and ‘cape’. If we were to make ‘cap’ the past tense, we would add another consonant to prevent this change of sound – ‘capped’

When adding a prefix or suffix to words ending in ‘LL’, you have to drop an ‘L’ e.g. ALL + MOST becomes ALMOST, CARE + FULL becomes CAREFUL

“ei” when it sounds like an “A” – vein, neighbour, weigh

“ei” not preceded by a “C” – seize, weird, their

Sp

elli

ng

st

rate

gie

s

The man walked.

Noun: name of a person, place, object

What makes up a basic simple sentence?

A simple sentence has a subject (noun), which is the main focus e.g. man

A simple sentence also has a verb e.g. walked

When checking a student’s work for missing capital letters and full stops remember: a simple sentence has one idea and must contain the above to make sense.

Sim

ple

S

en

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ce

The man walked down the road

Main Clause

.

The subject (noun), which is the main focus, is man

What makes up a compound sentence?

It is made up of two main ideas, usually joined by a connective (conjunction).

went into the shop.

.

and

he

The verb (action) is walked

Com

pou

nd

S

en

ten

ce

A subordinate clause also has a subject and a verb e.g. he and had

What makes up a complex sentence?

Any sentence that is not simple or compound is a complex sentence. The strict definition is: “A sentence with at least one independent main clause and one dependent clause”. However, there are many different types! Here are a few examples.

although he had a bike

The Dependent or Subordinate Clause….

Subordinate Clause

It is different because it is introduced by a subordinating connective e.g. although, because, if , when, until, unless….

It is incomplete and therefore does not make sense on its own

This also means it cannot start with a capital letter and end with a full stop

Com

ple

x S

en

ten

ce

he man walked down the road.

Main Clause

A subordinate clause also has a subject and a main verb e.g. he and had

he had a bike

Adding a Dependent or Subordinate Clause…. to a simple sentence = a complex sentence

Subordinate ClauseIt is different

because it is introduced by a subordinating connective e.g. although, because, if , when, until, unless….

It is incomplete and therefore does not make sense on its own

This also means it cannot start with a capital letter and end with a full stop

Although

although

T,If you know where the clauses are separated then you can check for missing commas!

Com

ple

x S

en

ten

ce What makes up a complex sentence?

To summarise…Simple sentences have one idea, including the main focus (subject noun) and a verb

(action,

emotion…) e.g.

Compound Sentences have two ideas joined by a conjunction/connective (but, however..) e.g.

Complex Sentences have a single main idea with one or more parts (usually clauses) of extra

information. These can go at the beginning, middle or end of the sentence e.g.

The man walked down the road. Miss Noble shouted.

The man walked down the road and he went into the shop. Miss Noble shouted because she was tired.

The man, who was hungry, went into the supermarket. Despite being late for work, the man went into the supermarket.

Sen

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Str

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