Week 2 Lesson 1

Making edits and

improvements.

Say your sentence

When you are composing a sentence, you need to say it out loud and listen to yourself to make sure you are saying what you think you are saying.

The rules for saying a sentence orally and writing a sentence are the same. The sentence needs to have a subject, a verb and must express a complete

thought.

Common errors

When composing and saying our sentence, we need to listen carefully to avoid some of these common errors:

• repetition• missing words

• using the wrong word• incorrect word order

Often, by saying our sentence out loud, we can hear our mistake. When you notice this, correct it and then say the sentence again.

Practise game

Working with your adult or your siblings, say a sentence to them including a

deliberate mistake.

See if they can spot the mistake and correct it.

Then swap roles.

Challenge: re-write the paragraph, making the amendments which you

found.

Now, re-read your writing from last lesson. Identify any mistakes and correct them.

Then, spot any words you could improve.

What is an adjective and a noun?

Modifying a noun

Often, you can make nouns more interesting by adding adjectives.

Your turn:

wizard

tree

scorpion

forest

book

machine

Which adjectives could improve these nouns?

gloomy

magical

quirky

Well-chosen adjectivesIt is important to use the best or most suited description you can

think of. Which words in these sentences could be more interesting? Can you suggest better ones?

The nice pie was covered with flaky pastry.

Isaac Newton was a clever scientist, who discovered gravity.

An elephant is a big mammal.

The nice pie was covered with flaky pastry.

Isaac Newton was a clever scientist, who discovered gravity.

An elephant is a big mammal.

delicious

brilliant

gigantic

Adjectives should add meaning

Of course, you need to choose the right word to describe what you mean. Don’t add words that do not help the reader.

Which of these nouns have useful adjectives and which don’t?

glass window vicious dog

round wheel hot fire

Can you think of better adjectives?

Expanded noun phrasesSometimes, we may add more detail to noun phrases and they become

expanded noun phrases.

Your turn:

clown

pig

castle

bright red ladybird

miserable, stormy night

playful, energetic puppy

Read the text again and write down all of the adjectives you can find. Could you improve any of

them?

List as many adjectives to describe this picture. Think about what you can see, hear, smell.

After a tiresome hike through the cave, George suddenly spotted a glimmer of turquoise. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief. They made

it. Quickening their pace, the gang made their way over the crumbling rocks. They couldn’t believe what they saw…

Using the paragraph above as a starting point, describe what the gang saw. Remember to use the adjectives you used from the previous slide.

Lesson 2

Can you remember what a fronted adverbial is?

Read the next few slides to remind yourself!

Adverbial phrases

Fronted adverbials are adverbial words or phrases

used at the beginning of the sentence, which describe the action (verb) that follows. It

can describe where, when or how.

Fronted adverbials

You can use fronted adverbials to add extra detail such as:

• time (After lunch, …)• frequency (Every half hour, …) • manner (As quick as a flash, …)• possibility (Almost certainly, …)• place (At the end of the street, … )

After lunch, the Post Office always has a long

queue.

Using fronted adverbials

Let’s take this simple sentence: Hadil was going to win the talent competition.

Pick a fronted adverbial to add some extra detail to this sentence.

On Tuesday,In the wooden chest,

Without a doubt, Almost unbelievably,

Without a doubt, Hadil was going to win the talent competition.

Almost unbelievably, Hadil was going to win the talent competition.

Have you noticed the comma?

When using a fronted adverbial in your sentence, always add a comma after the fronted adverbial.

Once a year, all of year 3 get to visit the local bakery.

Slowly and gently, the vet picked up the injured hedgehog.

Writing your own

Complete these sentences by adding a fronted adverbial.

1. _____________________ , they ran through the cave.

2. _____________________ , the gang held their breath.

3. _____________________ , they found some ancient fossils.

4. _____________________ , Julian walked along the beach.

Read through the text again and write down any interesting fronted adverbials you can find!

Use these images to write as many fronted adverbials about

the characters. How do they act?

Some examples:

Without a second thought, the gang ran towards the boat.

As they waited for Anne and George, Dick and Julian tapped their feet impatiently.

Challenge: go back and include a fronted adverbial into your story from yesterday.

Lesson 3

Speech - a reminder

A conversation

What is being said?

How do you know?

What time did you arrive?

I got here just before noon.

Goodness me, that is late!

Karl

Meena

Hamish

Speech bubbles have been used to show what is being

said.

Inverted commas “ ”

Our writing would begin to look very messy if we had to draw a speech bubble every time someone spoke.

We can turn this conversation into a written text by using inverted commas.

“What time did you arrive?” asked Karl.

Inverted commas “ ”

“What time did you arrive?” asked Karl.

Did you notice that the inverted commas are placed on either side of the words that are spoken?

Inverted commas mark the beginning and end of direct speech.

A conversation

Which words are actually spoken by these people? How do you know?

“What time did you arrive?” asked Karl.

“I got here just before noon,” replied Meena.

“Goodness me, that is late!” exclaimed Hamish.

Practise

Which words are spoken in the sentences below?

“I can see land ahead,” stated Nisha.

“We are still being chased by pirates!” yelled Simon.

“Can we get to island before they catch us?” questioned Nisha.

Punctuation for direct speech

What other punctuation marks are used apart from the inverted commas?

“What time did you arrive?” asked Karl.

“I got here just before noon,” replied Meena.

“Goodness me, that is late!” exclaimed Hamish.

Punctuation for direct speech

Direct speech needs inverted commas and a relevant punctuation mark.

• If the speech is a question, use a question mark.• If the speech is something said with strong emotion, use an

exclamation mark.• For all other speech, the break between the spoken and the non-

spoken words is indicated by a comma.

Rules for writing speech

Let’s put all this together. There are 5 steps that you need to follow to punctuate simple direct speech. They are:

1. Identify or decide what is being spoken.2. Open the inverted commas and start speech with a capital letter.3. Write what the character actually says.4. Write the appropriate punctuation and close the inverted

commas.5. Write who said the words and how they said it, finishing with a

full stop.

Read through the text again and identify the speech. Has the author used the rules for writing speech?

Practise

Insert the inverted commas into the sentences below. Remember, inverted commas mark the beginning and end of direct speech.

You look tired, said Julian.

Is that my lunchbox? asked Anne.

Practise

Now you have a go on your own. Write the speech in the speech bubbles using inverted commas.

Julian

Dick

Anne

Which way to the boat Anne?

This island is beautiful.

I have found the treasure!

Challenge: Can you use a

different word for ‘said’ when writing

your speech?

How did you do?

“Which way to the boat Anne?” asked Julian.

“I have found the treasure!” yelled Dick.

“This island is beautiful,” declared Anne.

Practise

Each sentence below has a mistake. Can you find it and then rewrite the speech accurately?

“I can’t wait for our adventure, said George.”

“who would like a sandwich?” Julian asked.

“If we follow this trail, we should be there by sunset,” Explained Anne.

How did you do?

“I can’t wait for our adventure,” said George.”

“Wwho would like a sandwich?” Julian asked.

“If we follow this trail, we should be there by sunset,” Eexplained Anne.

Review

Things to remember:

• All spoken words are inside the inverted commas.• All non-spoken words are outside the inverted commas.• All speech starts with a capital letter.• The ‘said’ verb (e.g. asked, shouted, explained) never has a capital

letter.• The break between the speech and the non-spoken part will be either

a comma, a question mark or an exclamation mark.• Always add who is speaking and finish the sentence with a full stop.Challenge: Now re-read the short story you have been writing about the cave. Include

speech to give extra details about the characters. Remember to follow the rules!

Lesson 4

Can you remember what a relative clause is and why they are used?

What is a relative clause?

A relative clause gives us extra information about the noun in the main clause.

These three girls, who have practiced very hard, won the dance recital.

relative clause

It tells us more about the girls.

Relative clausesA relative clause acts like an adjective by modifying (adding extra

information) nouns and pronouns. They will start with a relative pronoun: who, whom, which and that or with

a relative adverb: where, when and why.

Australia is an enormous country, which has poisonous snakes.

I don’t like the pizza that has anchovies on top.

Sven, who is from Sweden, won the triathlon last year.

Next summer, I am going to visit China, where my brother works.

Position of a relative clause

Did you notice the position of the relative clauses? They can follow after the main clause:

Australia is an enormous country, which has poisonous snakes.

or They can be embedded (in the middle of) the main clause. These are sometimes referred to as embedded relative clauses:

Sven, who is from Sweden, won the triathlon last year.

PractiseUnderline the relative clause and circle the relative pronoun or relative

adverb.

Formula One racing, which many of us enjoy, can be dangerous.

I have a cousin whose dog is very yappy.

He was a man that could find good in everyone.

2012 was the year when the Olympics came to London.

PractiseUnderline the relative clause and circle the relative pronoun or relative

adverb.

Formula One racing, which many of us enjoy, can be dangerous.

I have a cousin whose dog is very yappy.

He was a man that could find good in everyone.

2012 was the year when the Olympics came to London.

Read through the text again and identify the relative clauses. Why has the author used them?

Checking his synchronised watch, Julian, whose palms were beginning to sweat, waited for the second hand to reach o’clock.

The author has used this relative clause to add more detail about how Julian is feeling. If his hands are sweating, this shows that he could be

worried or anxious.

Write as many relative clauses to describe the gang. You could look at their appearance, their clothes or their feelings.

You can draw a picture of one of the characters and label them.

Write as many relative clauses to describe this setting. e.g. Anne stared up at the glorious ceiling of the cave, which was covered in green moss.

Lesson 5

Using this picture, write a short story about a Famous Five adventure. You can include all of your work from this week to write an effective piece of writing. Think about what

the purpose of your story is, to excite? To frighten? To explain?

Remember to check your work for capitals, punctuation and to see if it makes sense.