DENOTATION/CONNOTATION EXERCISE

I. For each pair of words and a phrase, list the one that is positive in the “Positive Connotation” (P)
category, the one that is negative in the “Negative Connotation”(N) category, and the phrase that is a
more neutral definition for both words in the "Denotation" (D) column.

1. gaze_____, look steadily_____, stare_____

2. fragrance_____, odor_____, a smell sensed by the olfactory nerve_____
3. brainwash_____, persuade_____, influence one way or another_____
4. delayed_____, not on time_____, tardy_____
5. somewhat interested_____, nosy_____, curious_____
6. lazily_____, without haste_____, leisurely_____
7. ask of someone_____, demand_____, request_____
8. gathering_____, a large group_____, mob_____
9. slim_____, skinny_____, less than average build_____
10. discuss with others_____, debate_____, argue_____
11. observe_____, watch_____, spy_____
12. a young age_____, youthful_____, immature_____
13. not having a care_____, irresponsible_____, carefree_____
14. unique_____, not commonly found_____, strange_____
15. find_____, detect_____, snoop_____

Positive Connotation Denotation Negative Connotation

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
 DENOTATION/CONNOTATION EXERCISE KEY

I. For each pair of words and a phrase, list the one that is positive in the “Positive Connotation”
category, the one that is negative in the “Negative Connotation” category, and the phrase that is a more
neutral definition for both words in the "Denotation" column.

Positive Connotation Denotation Negative Connotation

1. gaze look steadily stare

2. fragrance a smell sensed by the olfactory nerve odor

3. persuade influence one way or another brainwash

4. delayed not on time tardy

5. curious somewhat interested nosy

6. leisurely without haste lazily

7. request ask of someone demand

8. gathering a large group mob

9. slim less than average build skinny

10. debate discuss with others argue

11. observe watch spy

12. youthful a young age immature

13. carefree not having a care irresponsible

14. unique not commonly found strange

15. detect find snoop

 Name: ________________________________
Inferences Worksheet 1
Directions: Read each passage and then respond to the questions. Each question will ask you to make
a logical inference based on textual details. Explain your answer by referencing the text.

Every day after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the front porch. Alice would have
a fit if the boots made it so far as the welcome mat. He then took off his dusty overalls and threw them
into a plastic garbage bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied to the porch railing for him every
morning. On his way in the house, he dropped the garbage bag off at the washing machine and went
straight up the stairs to the shower as he was instructed. He would eat dinner with her after he was
“presentable,” as Alice had often said.

1. What type of job does Paul do? ____________________________________________________

How do you know this?

2. Describe Alice: ___________________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your description?

3. What relationship do Paul and Alice have? _____________________________________________

Why do you feel this way?

Crack! Thunder struck and rain poured. Max stared blankly out the window, trying to contain his
emotions that raged like the weather. He was beginning to lose it. Dropping the kite from his hand,
Max broke out into full sobs. His mother comforted him, “There, there, Max. We’ll just find
something else to do.” She began to unpack the picnic basket that was on the counter and offered him
a sandwich. Max snapped, “I don’t wanna sand-mich!” A flash from the sky lit up the living room.
Boom! Mom sighed.

4. Why is Max upset? ________________________________________________________________

How do you know this?

5. What was Mom planning on doing today? ______________________________________________

What in the text supports your description?
“Tommy!” Mom called out as she walked in the front door. “Tommy,” she continued shouting, “I
sure could use some help with these groceries. There was still no reply. Mom walked into the kitchen
to put the grocery bags down on the counter when she noticed shattered glass from the picture window
all over the living room floor and a baseball not far from there. “I’m going to kill you, Tommy!” Mom
yelled to herself as she realized that Tommy’s shoes were gone.

6. What happened to the window? ______________________________________________________

How do you know this?

7. Why did Tommy leave? ____________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your description?

Today was a special day in Ms. Smith’s class. Some of the children were walking around the room,
some of them were standing in small groups, and some of them were at their desks, putting finishing
touches on cardboard mailboxes. After coloring a cool flame on the side of his racecar mailbox,
Johnny hopped off his chair, strutted over to Veronica’s desk, and dropped a small white envelope into
her princess castle mailbox. Veronica blushed and played with her hair. While this was happening,
Bartleby was frantically trying to put a small white envelope into everyone’s mailbox. After giving
one to Ms. Smith, Bartleby pulled out a medium-sized red envelope from his pocket. He blushed and
tried to put it in Veronica’s mailbox, but it wouldn’t quite fit. Bartleby struggled with it for a few
seconds and then ran off with the envelope. Veronica rolled her eyes and popped her gum.

8. Why is today a special day? _________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your idea?

9. Which boy does Veronica like? ______________________________________________________

What in the text supports your idea?

10. Why did Bartleby run? ____________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your idea?

 Name: ______________________________
Inferences Worksheet 3
Directions: Read each passage and then respond to the questions. Each question will ask you to make a logical
inference based on textual details. Explain your answer by referencing the text.

Ryan was looking forward to sleeping over at his friend Robert's house. Though they had been
classmates for a while, the two had only recently become good friends. Ryan packed up his sleeping
bag, a pillow, and a few of his favorite toys and games, and then his mom dropped him off at Robert's.
Robert met Ryan on the porch and the two did their secret handshake and started playing right away.
First they played pirates in Robert's tree fort. Next they played ninjas in the driveway. Then it started
getting dark and they went inside of Robert's house. As soon as they walked in the house, Ryan's eyes
starting getting red and itchy. He saw a big orange cat sitting on the couch. Then he started sneezing
uncontrollably. "I'm sorry, Robert. It's been a lot of fun, but I have to call my mom."

1. Why do Ryan's eyes get red and itchy when he walks into Robert's house? ______________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

How do you know this?

2. Why does Ryan want to call his mother? _________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

How do you know this?

"William, don't forget your towel!" Mom shouted as she applied sunblock on the baby. William threw
the folding chairs in the back of the minivan and shouted through the garage door, "OK Mom!" He then
ran up and grabbed his towel. "Georgie!" William shouted. There was no response. Mom packed the
baby up into the car seat. "William, can you help me with his umbrella?" William ran down the stairs,
almost tripping over a chew toy, and then he helped his mother load the large umbrella in the minivan.
"Mom, I can't find Georgie," William said. His mother shrugged and replied, "That's OK, William. He
probably shouldn't come with us anyway."

3. Where are Mom and William going? ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

How do you know this?

4. Who is Georgie? ___________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

How do you know this?

As the teacher brought the class back from the washroom, he noticed that Alvin and Elijah were nowhere to
be seen. He asked the class, "Has anyone seen Alvin or Elijah?" Most of the students confirmed that they had
not seen them, except for Rodney, who remained silent while tapping his foot on the floor anxiously. The
teacher noticed this. "Rodney, do you happen to know where your best buddies Alvin and Elijah went?"
Rodney looked away and said, "Nah, I haven't seen them." The teacher notified the office of the missing
students. An announcement was made over the PA system and a few minutes later, Alvin and Elijah returned
to class. Both of them were very sweaty and Elijah was carrying a basketball. "Sorry we took so long. We
had to use the bathroom," said Elijah. "Yeah," chimed in Alvin, "it took longer than we thought."

5. What were Alvin and Elijah doing while they were gone? __________________________________

How do you know this?

6. Why was Rodney acting so strangely? _________________________________________________

How do you know this?

7. Will the teacher believe Alvin and Elijah's story?_________________________________________

How do you know this?

Tony walked out of the shopping mall with his arms full of bags and the sun shining on him. As he
approached his car, he started awkwardly feeling around his pockets with his arm full of bags. He did not
find what he was looking for so he transferred the bags on one arm to the other arm, which already had bags.
Tony had a lot of bags on one arm. He still couldn't find what he was looking for. Now he dropped the bags
and plunged both hands desperately into all of the pockets on his jeans. With a look of despair, Tony ran to
his car. He tried to open the door, but it was locked. Then he saw something on the passenger seat of the car.
He stopped looking and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

8. Why does Tony get so frantic? _______________________________________________________

How do you know this?

9. What does Tony see on the passenger seat?______________________________________________

How do you know this?

10. Why is Tony getting on the phone? ___________________________________________________

How do you know this?

.
“Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” - Anton Chekhov

If you want to engage the reader’s heart, mind, and imagination, show with vivid details that generate
the emotions you want to express. Rather than classify and list all the emotions that you feel, use specific
details that give the reader a reason to feel those emotions.
(http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/showing/#specific)

Telling Showing
I was nervous. My palms were sweaty. I popped my knuckles. I
looked in my backpack three times for no reason.
My leg kept shaking, and I turned my head to look
at the clock every few seconds.

She was angry. “She kicked open the screen door, letting it slam
against the wall as she dashed outside. Down the
steps and into the yard she flew. Grabbing the first
rock in her path, she hurled it back toward the
house. It crashed through the living room window
with an explosion of shattered glass.” (Marion
Dane Bauer, What’s Your Story)

My sister is talented. My sister competes in weightlifting

championships, sings lead vocals in a rock band,
and speaks five languages.

I like many different sports, but I would have to He’s drenched in sweat, his knuckles are white,
say that ping-pong is my favorite sport. he’s on the other side of the ping-pong table, and
I’m about to bring him down.
(http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/showing/)

How to “Show,” not “Tell”

1. Use descriptive details. (Think about your five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch.)
2. Use action. (Strong verbs!)
3. Use dialogue and character thoughts.

(Turn Page Over)

 Practice Turning “Telling” into “Showing”
Using the tips on the previous page, add more description to turn these “telling” statements into
“showing” statements.

1. Jessica dresses unusually.

2. The movie was boring.

3. My room needed cleaning.

4. Alex was forgetful.

5. The roller coaster ride was scary.

6. Gabriel’s cooking was not great.

(examples from “Show, Don’t Tell,” http://www.suzanne-williams.com/show.htm)

Examples of Effective “Showing”

Read these examples of descriptions that create images and generate emotions in the reader.
What are the main ideas, emotions, and impressions that you get from these descriptions?

“Whenever puppies in the pet store window distracted me from our walk, Fido flattened his
scruffy ears, growling. But he always forgave me. As his sight faded, the smell of fresh air and
the feel of grass would make him try to caper. Eventually, at the sound of my voice, his tail
thumped weakly on the ground. This morning, I filled his water bowl all the way to the top–just
the way he likes it–before I remembered.”

“When the recess bell rang, I grabbed my chess set and dashed to freedom, eager to win the daily
tournament of outcasts. I didn’t look, but I knew Lucinda was watching. I could feel her curly
locks swaying as her head tracked me. Of course, I tripped in the doorway. Tennis shoes and
sandals stepped around me as I scrambled after pawns and bishops. And there was Lucinda,
waiting for me to notice her. She smiled, lifted her shiny patent-leather shoe, and slowly,
carefully ground her heel right on the head of my white queen.”
(examples from Jerz’s Literacy Weblog, http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/showing/)
 Spellings…I need to know some of these: Punctuation Reminders:
Writing Mat Working towards Year 6
accommodate correspond hindrance recognise Capital letters for
A sentences, initials and
accompany criticise individual recommend Keep It Neat!
proper nouns. Use a mixture of
according curiosity interfere relevant . Full stops Write in a neat, legible style. simple, compound
Exclamation marks for and multi-clause
achieve definite interrupt restaurant ! exclamations or surprise. Important Links! sentences.
aggressive desperate language rhyme Question marks
? Link your sentences and Use a thesaurus
amateur determined leisure rhythm paragraphs using adverbials: to up-level your
Apostrophes for possession
‘
ancient develop lightning sacrifice
and missing letters. Time vocabulary choices.
Commas in lists, and to Subsequently, Later that day,
apparent dictionary marvellous secretary , mark parenthesis, fronted
adverbials and clauses. Finally, It’s All Relative!
appreciate embarrass mischievous shoulder
Inverted commas for speech Place Use a relative pronoun
attached environment muscle sincere “” (Don’t forget the commas to add a relative clause.
too!). Deep inside the forest, Below
available equip(-ped) necessary sincerely the sea, who, which, where,
when, whose, that
average equipment neighbour soldier Frequency
Splendid Subordination! Queen Elizabeth II,
awkward especially nuisance stomach Occasionally, Often, who reigned for over 70
Use these conjunctions in varied
places in your multi-clause Contrast/ Cause years, had four children.
bargain exaggerate occupy sufficient
sentences:
On the other hand, In contrast, Hedgehogs eat
bruise excellent occur suggest if because as garden snails, which
As a result, Consequently,
before after until is important within
category existence opportunity symbol
unless since when Manner/ Behaviour the food chain.
committee explanation parliament system The stench was so
Can you use a subordinate Breathing heavily, Waiting
communicate familiar physical temperature clause in different places in anxiously, Without warning, putrid that it made
your sentences? Suspecting the worst, her eyes water.
community foreign prejudice thorough
They had ventured
competition forty privilege twelfth deep into the forest
where they began
conscience frequently profession variety Modal Verbs to feel uneasy.
conscious government programme vegetable Use modal verbs to describe how likely something is to happen.

controversy guarantee pronunciation vehicle It might rain today

You will not (won’t) get any dinner!
convenience harass queue yacht
 Important Links! Be a Punctuation Professional:
Writing Mat Spellings… I need to know many of these:
accommodate correspond hindrance recognise
Link your sentences and Capital letters for Expected Year 6 accompany criticise individual recommend
paragraphs using adverbials: A sentences, initials and
proper nouns. according curiosity interfere relevant
Time
. Full stops achieve definite interrupt restaurant
Subsequently, Later that Exclamation marks for Perfect Parenthesis! aggressive desperate language rhyme
day, ! exclamations or surprise. Use brackets, commas or dashes to amateur determined leisure rhythm
Place ? Question marks punctuate extra information and asides: ancient develop lightning sacrifice

Deep inside the forest, Below The tomb of Tutankhamen (the Ancient apparent dictionary marvellous secretary
Apostrophes for possession
the sea, ‘ and missing letters.
Egyptian pharaoh) was discovered by
appreciate embarrass mischievous shoulder
Howard Carter.
Frequency Commas in lists, and attached environment muscle sincere
, sentences.
The advancing alien, who was speaking a
Martian language, looked dangerous. available equip(-ped) necessary sincerely
Occasionally, Often,
Inverted commas for speech average equipment neighbour soldier
The daffodils – my favourite sign of spring
Contrast/ Cause “” (Don’t forget the commas
– swayed gently in the woodland breeze. awkward especially nuisance stomach
too!).
On the other hand, In bargain exaggerate occupy sufficient
contrast, bruise excellent occur suggest
Active and Passive
As a result, Consequently, Use a thesaurus to look for more category existence opportunity symbol
Use active and passive sentences
Manner/ Behaviour appropriately: ambitious synonyms. Why use committee explanation parliament system
‘frightened’ when you could use... communicate familiar physical temperature
Breathing heavily, Waiting Active: In front of millions of
anxiously, Without warning, screaming fans, the star striker startled alarmed apprehensive community foreign prejudice thorough
missed a vital penalty.
Or ‘show’ a character’s feelings: competition forty privilege twelfth
Passive: In front of millions of conscience frequently profession variety
Creating Cohesion Top his breathing quickened
screaming fans, a vital penalty conscious government programme vegetable
Tip: Not only can you was missed by the star striker.
use pronouns like he, her heart raced controversy guarantee pronunciation vehicle

she, it or they instead sweat trickled gasping for air convenience harass queue yacht
of repeating a name or Modal Verbs
names but how about Splendid Subordination!
Modal verbs describe how
other names or titles too? likely it is that something will
Check for: Use these conjunctions in varied places in your
Here’s some examples: the happen. multi-clause sentences:
• consistent tense • paragraphs with
teacher, she, Mrs Smith, and person cohesive links if because as
You should not (shouldn’t) go
the lovely woman or the before after until
to school today. • subject/verb • genre features
lady with the long hair. agreement unless since when
I could have a coffee with you. • layout devices
 Writing Mat Check for:
Splendid Subordination! Be a Punctuation Professional!
Use semi colons, colons and dashes to mark independent clauses:
Use these conjunctions
Greater Depth Year 6 • consistent tense
in varied places in your It felt like forever- the longest six weeks holiday of all time.
and person
multi-clause sentences: Jack’s eyes slowly opened; there was no one to be seen.
Spellings… I need to know all of these:
• subject/verb if because as They all knew his secret: he was a specialist secret agent.
accommodate correspond hindrance recognise
agreement
accompany criticise individual recommend before after until
• paragraphs with
Important Links!
according curiosity interfere relevant unless since when
cohesive links Link your sentences and paragraphs using time, place,
achieve definite interrupt restaurant frequency, contrast/cause and manner adverbials, e.g.
aggressive desperate language rhyme • genre features Use a thesaurus to look for
Later that day, Deep inside the forest, Occasionally, On the
more ambitious synonyms.
amateur determined leisure rhythm other hand, Consequently, Waiting anxiously,
• layout devices Why use ‘frightened’ when
ancient develop lightning sacrifice you could use...
• pronouns/ nouns
apparent dictionary marvellous secretary startled alarmed
for cohesion
apprehensive
Managing Formality!
appreciate embarrass mischievous shoulder
Where appropriate, can you switch between levels of formality
attached environment muscle sincere Or ‘show’ a character’s
Active and Passive from formal to informal?
available equip(-ped) necessary sincerely
feelings:
Use active and passive sentence independent clauses
average equipment neighbour soldier his breathing quickened
passive sentences structures marked with semi-
her heart raced precise, formal
awkward especially nuisance stomach appropriately: sweat trickled colons or colons
word choices
bargain exaggerate occupy sufficient Active: In front of gasping for air
bruise excellent occur suggest millions of screaming A survey has been published this week, which says almost
fans, the star striker 50% of the UK population believe that there is other intelligent
category existence opportunity symbol Perfect Parenthesis!
missed a vital penalty. life out there within the universe; in fact, it is a mainstream
committee explanation parliament system Use brackets, commas or viewpoint shared across most of the western world. So, what
Passive: In front of dashes to punctuate extra do you think? Martians, aliens, little green men – or whatever
communicate familiar physical temperature
millions of screaming information and asides: you want to call them – after years of searching, have yet to be
community foreign prejudice thorough fans, a vital penalty found anywhere in the universe. Does that mean they ever will,
was missed by the star The tomb of Tutankhamen
competition forty privilege twelfth who knows?
striker. (the Ancient Egyptian question tags
conscience frequently profession variety pharaoh) was discovered colloquialisms,
refer directly to
conscious government programme vegetable by Howard Carter. slang or less
Create a Mood! the reader
controversy guarantee pronunciation vehicle The advancing alien, formal language
Where appropriate, in
who was speaking a
convenience harass queue yacht formal writing, use the
Martian language, looked
subjunctive mood: Modal Verbs
dangerous.
Punctuation Reminders: If I were The Queen, ... Use modal verbs to describe the possibility of something
The daffodils – my happening.
A . ! ? ‘ , “ ” ( ) ... : ; - Were there to be favourite sign of spring
We ought to go and see Granny today.
a change in my – swayed gently in the
Use a full range of punctuation. circumstances... woodland breeze. You shall not (shan’t) go to the ball.
Know Your Grammar
Active voice: Auxiliary verb: Finite verb Modify/Modifier
A form of verb in which the subject is Modal verbs with be, have and do, e.g. Adam Every sentence (usually) has at least one verb A word or phrase that makes meaning more
performing the action, e.g. The student was doing his homework in his room. that is either past or present tense. These verbs specific, e.g, The vegan restaurant won an
completed the assessment. are finite, e.g. The cat escaped over the fence. award.

Clause:
Adjective: A group of words including a subject and a Fronted Morphology
An adjective describes something and is used verb. You can have both dependent and A word or phrase that is placed before the verb A word’s internal make-up – its root words/
before a noun to modify it or after a verb to independent clauses, in a sentence. When we do this with adverbs, we prefixes/suffixes.
complement it, e.g. The delectable cake. e.g. When it was raining this morning I still had call them fronted adverbials, e.g. Everywhere
to walk to school. dependent clause independent clause she looked, there was mess.
Noun
Adverb: Naming words that can be used after
An adverb can modify a verb, an adjective, Cohesion Homonym determiners. There are many types of noun,
another adverb or whole clause. Often, but not When it is clear how a text fits together. Two words that look and sound the same but e.g. The garden.
always, end in –ly, e.g. He unexpectedly jumped have different meanings, e.g. bark (The sound a
up. dog makes/ the outer layer of a tree).
Compound Noun phrase
When two or more words are joined to create A phrase with a noun as its head, e.g. The
Adverbial: a new meaning, e.g. ice cream, brother-in-law, Infinitive friendly dog wanted to be stroked.
A word or phrase, which is used like an adverb snowball. The basic form of the verb, used as the ‘head’
to modify a verb or clause. Usually describes word in the dictionary, e.g. To run, to sing, to
Object
when, where, why or how something is done, jump.
e.g. The aeroplane landed in the middle of the Conjunction Usually, a noun/pronoun/ noun phrase that
Links two words or phrases. Can either comes straight after the verb, e.g. The student
night.
be subordinating (e.g. because, although, Inflection wrote the assignment.
therefore) or coordinating (e.g. and, so, but). Adding –ed to walk or change child to children –
Antonym: this produces an inflection of the word.
Passive Sentence
Two words with opposite meanings, e.g. light/
dark Determiner This is where the subject undergoes the action
Specifies a noun as known or unknown. It goes Intransitive verb of the verb, e.g. The assignment was written by
before the modifier. Examples of determiners Does not need an object to complete its the student.
Apostrophe: are articles and possessives, e.g. My parents meaning, e.g. It happened yesterday (only
To indicate possession or omission, e.g. Sonia’s are very strict. requires the verb to make sense).
Past tense
bag/ It’s a week until my birthday.
Verb form used to talk about something, which
Ellipsis Main clause has already happened, e.g. The rain poured
Article: Omission of a word or phrases that might be A sentence has at least one main clause that down.
The most common form of determiner; can expected, e.g. During lunch time, we played can stand alone, e.g. Despite the bad weather,
either be definite or indefinite, e.g. The chair football…and then went back to class. they still went for a walk.
Possessive
(definite)/ A house (indefinite)
This can be a noun with an apostrophe or a
Etymology Modal verbs possessive pronoun, e.g. Her book/ Emma’s
A word’s history and origins. Used to change the meaning of other verbs, e.g. birthday gift.
We might be able to go on holiday this year.
1 of 2
Prefix Stress
Added at the beginning of a word to create a A syllable pronounced more forcefully than its
new one, e.g. Unhappy. surrounding syllables.

Preposition Subject
Describes location/position/relations of time, The person or thing that is being discussed,
e.g. in, at, before, above, inside. described or dealt with, e.g. The manager spoke
to the customer.

Progressive
The progressive verb is used to describe events Subordinate clause
in progress. Combines the participle with a form A clause subordinate to another part of the
of the verb, e.g. I was running. sentence, e.g. After the storm, there was a lot
of damage.

Pronoun
Used in place of the noun, e.g. You need to be Suffix
home by 9pm. Added to the end of a word to create a new
word. Cannot stand-alone, e.g. preventable.

Received pronunciation
A regionally neutral accent used by a minority Syllable
of speakers in England. Usually used in A ‘beat’ in a word.
dictionaries.

Synonym
Register Two or more words with similar meanings, e.g.
Different varieties of the same language used angry/ infuriated
for different purposes.

Transitive verb
Relative clause Needs at least one object in the sentence to
A type of subordinate clause that modifies the complete its meaning, e.g. The student asked if
noun, e.g. They caught the person who stole he could borrow a pen.
the money.

Verb
Root word Action words that have a tense, e.g. Run, think,
A word, which can stand alone without a prefix dance, sit.
or suffix. They often have other words in their
‘family’.
Word class
Every word belongs to a word class, which helps
Standard English us to understand how that word can be used,
The form of English used worldwide in both e.g. verb, noun, adjective, adverb.
speech and writing.
2 of 2
Features of Non-Fiction Text Types
Broadsheet News Article Tabloid News Article Magazine Article Formal Letter
• Written in third person • Written in third person • Written in first or third person • Written in first person
• Headline • Catchy headline • Headline • Your address top right
• Subheading • Subheading • Subheadings (often throughout) • Their name, job title and
• Picture and caption • Picture and caption • Language and style tailored address top left
• Who, what, when, where, why • Who, what, when, where, why to audience • Date top right
in first three paragraphs in first three paragraphs • Picture and caption • Begins “Dear…,”
• Quotations included • Quotations included • Inset boxes used • Ends “Yours sincerely,” or
• Sizeable paragraphs • Short paragraphs “Yours faithfully,”
• Formal language • Formal language but some • Formal language
slang and puns used • Sizeable paragraphs

Opinion Column Diary Entry / Blog Autobiography Review

• Written in first person • Written in first person • Written in first person • Written in first person
• Headline • Date • Often an extract from a • Title
• Subheading • Sometimes prefaced “Dear Diary” larger work • Details of what is being
• Personal anecdotes included • Personal anecdotes included • Use of anecdote reviewed, including names
• Rhetorical language included • Language reflects writer - • Uses past tense of actors/authors etc.
• Sizeable paragraphs usually informal • Personal style • Opinion explained in detail
• Formal but personal language • Sizeable paragraphs • Informal language • Star rating given

Report Speech Leaflet Informal Letter / Email

• Written in third person • Written in first person • Written in third person • Written in first person
• Title • Begins with formal greeting • Title • Begins with informal greeting
• Subheadings throughout • Sizeable paragraphs • Subheadings throughout • Ends with informal sign-off
• Formal language • Rhetorical devices • Inset boxes • Informal language, adapted
• Facts, figures and statistics used • Language adapted to audience • Images and captions to audience
• Clear, factual conclusion • Memorable sign-off • Often includes a “call to action” • Paragraphs lengths vary
Giving Your Opinion
Introducing Your Developing Your Admitting Counter Countering Conclusion
Argument Argument Arguments

I think that… Furthermore, … Although it is true However, … In summary, …

that…
I strongly believe In addition to… Nevertheless, … To conclude, …
that… Admittedly, …
Moreover, … Even so, … Finally, …
It is obvious that… While some people
Likewise, … may think that… Whereas… All this taken into
It is clear that… account, …
Firstly, … Unfortunately, it may Nonetheless, …
My position is that… be the case that… In conclusion, …
Again, … Despite…
It is undeniable that… I acknowledge that… For these reasons, …
Next, … But…
The fact is that… I can understand All in all, …
The most compelling In fact, …
I ask to you to reason is that… that… In short, …
consider… Conversely, …
Without doubt, … I appreciate that… Ultimately, …
In my opinion, … It is unfortunately
true that…

I concede that…
Features of Non-Fiction Text Types
Broadsheet News Article Tabloid News Article Magazine Article Formal Letter
• Written in third person • Written in third person • Written in first or third person • Written in first person
• Headline • Catchy headline • Headline • Your address top right
• Subheading • Subheading • Subheadings (often throughout) • Their name, job title
• Picture and caption • Picture and caption • Language and style tailored and address top left
• Who, what, when, where, why • Who, what, when, where, why to audience • Date top right
in first three paragraphs in first three paragraphs • Picture and caption • Begins “Dear…,”
• Quotations included • Quotations included • Inset boxes used • Ends “Yours sincerely,” or
• Sizeable paragraphs • Short paragraphs “Yours faithfully,”
• Formal language • Formal language but some • Formal language
slang and puns used • Sizeable paragraphs

Opinion Column Diary Entry / Blog Autobiography Review

• Written in first person • Written in first person • Written in first person • Written in first person
• Headline • Date • Often an extract from a • Title
• Subheading • Sometimes prefaced “Dear Diary” larger work • Details of what is being
• Personal anecdotes included • Personal anecdotes included • Use of anecdote reviewed, including names
• Rhetorical language included • Language reflects writer - • Uses past tense of actors/authors etc.
• Sizeable paragraphs usually informal • Personal style • Opinion explained in detail
• Formal but personal language • Sizeable paragraphs • Informal language • Star rating given

Report Speech Leaflet Informal Letter / Email

• Written in third person • Written in first person • Written in third person • Written in first person
• Title • Begins with formal greeting • Title • Begins with informal greeting
• Subheadings throughout • Sizeable paragraphs • Subheadings throughout • Ends with informal sign-off
• Formal language • Rhetorical devices • Inset boxes • Informal language, adapted
• Facts, figures and statistics used • Language adapted to audience • Images and captions to audience
• Clear, factual conclusion • Memorable sign-off • Often includes a “call to action” • Paragraphs lengths vary
English Language: Top Tips for Structuring Narrative Writing

How to Start Improve Your Verbs

Launch straight into the story by
opening with direct speech.
Opening Paragraph Avoid walking and talking!

gliding shouting
Focus on descriptions of the main stalking booming
character. What do they look like? Narrative Hooks
What does this tell us about their Used to open a story and immediately draw the reader in. shuffling whispering
personality? Use dialogue: Ask the reader a question:
Amazing words
Describe the setting – see, sound, ‘Don’t even go there... Have you ever wished the
Try and use some!
smell, hear and taste. you’ll regret it!’ The threat ground would open up and
hung in the air. swallow you whole? I have. tension nervous
Create a sense of atmosphere.
or or anxiety eerie silence
Nervous? Exciting? Calm?
‘But muuuuuum! Everyone Did you ever expect Christmas stench exposed
Use a puzzling, unusual opening is going!’ day to turn out to be the worst
sentence or phrase. fatigued
Introduce something day of the year? I know I
intriguing: certainly didn’t.
Sentence starters How to Improve
Well, I’d never seen Describe strange behaviour of
You may want to use some of these. Instead of starting sentences with ‘I’,
anything like this before. one of the characters:
put one of the words below in front
A chill ran down my trembling spine… Shuffling in his seat and of the ‘I’ to make it more descriptive
Use a dramatic exclamation
The smell of… (help!) or dramatic event: squirming in an awkward and engaging:

The sound of the ... rang in my ears… manner, he looked up at me

The door slammed and quickly suddenly
with fear in his eyes.
The tall, dark… the glass panel gave a calmly happily
or
shudder before shattering
‘I’m not ready for this…’ This was totally out of character nervously independently
into a million shards of
‘Just breathe deeply…’ shimmering glass. for him... and that frightened me. Can you think of any others?

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 English Language: Top Tips for Structuring Narrative Writing

How to Start
Make the characters do something. Build Up Sentence starters
Suddenly, it happened.
How to Start
Introduce a problem.
Use detail based on sense impressions That was the moment. Use ‘empty’ words, e.g. someone, to
- what can be seen, heard, smelled, How to Improve create suspense.
Bang!
touched or tasted. Check every ‘there’,
‘their’ and ‘they’re’. With a sick thud, I Use short sentences to be dramatic.
Base settings on known places, plus realised what I had done!
some invented detail. Check every ‘was’ Strengthen nouns and verbs rather
and ‘were’ . The next moments were than using adjectives and adverbs.
Use real or invented names to bring in slow motion.
places alive - to help to make the Check every capital Employ suspenseful words such as
setting more real and more believable. suddenly, without warning.
Dilemma
letter and full stop.
Creae atmosphere, e.g. what is hidden, Once you’ve checked Draw the reader in by asking a
what is dangerous, what looks unusual, them all, underline question.
what is out of place. them so your teacher
Occasionally break the sentence
Use the weather, time of day and knows they’ve been
rule by using a fragment to
season as well as place. checked!
How to Improve emphasise a point, e.g. Silence.
Lull the reader into false sense of Highlight any ambitious
security that all is well.
Synonyms Vary sentence openings by using:
vocab you have used.
Instead of using
• an adverb, e.g. Carefully;
unexciting vocabulary, Up-level your words:
Sentence starters
select vocabulary that choose a more ambitious, • a prepositional phrase, e.g.
It was just a normal day in summer…
is precise, interesting powerful word! At the end of the street;
It was one cold, dark night… and descriptive.
petrified • a subordinate clause, e.g.
I’d always been the sort of person who… Although she was tired, Vanya…
walked strolled terrified
It all started as you would expect… I felt Swinging his stick in the air, he…

scared traumatised
talked shouted
“Come on, Sarah!” I heard the familiar alarmed
call of my friend from behind me… looked glanced frightened

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 English Language: Top Tips for Structuring Narrative Writing

Reaction How to Improve

Check to see if you’re able to add the following to your work:
alliteration a repetition of the same letter or a repetition of sounds within a text
How to Start e.g. slippery, slimy snakes
Build on many of the techniques already
adverb (‘ly’) starting a sentence with an ‘-ly’ word
used in the earlier part of the story.
sentence starter e.g. Silently…, Carefully…
Vary sentence structure by using longer adjective sentence starting a sentence with a describing word
sentences to get a rhythm going to describe starter e.g. Cold and alone, the boy...
the increasing tension as events unfold.
verb opener starting a sentence with a ‘doing’ or ‘action’
Use alliteration and short sentences to e.g. Running quickly, the boy...
portray sounds within the action.
simile a comparison using ‘like’ or ‘as’
Use metaphor and simile to help paint e.g. The dog was a fast as a rocket. The cat was fluffy like a cloud.
the scene and describe the feelings of the adverb an ’ly’ word that tells us how an action is done
characters. e.g. The boy worked silently.
Introduce further complications using vivid verb a more interesting and specific ‘doing word’, sometimes ending in ‘ing’
connecting words and phrases such as e.g. The boy stumbled. The cat ambled along the wall.
unfortunately… and what he hadn’t adjective a describing word
noticed was… e.g. The little, fluffy cat...
group of 3 use of three words to add detail
Sentence starters e.g. The small, noisy and fluffy cat’, The car struggled, roared and spluttered
How was I going to solve this? onomatopoeia a word which imitates a noise or an action
Reluctantly, I… e.g. Bang! Pop!
Looking around me, I… rhetorical question a question that involves the reader and doesn't need answering
e.g. Have you ever...?
My face felt hot and tingly as I…
personal pronouns using words to refer to people
Over by the… e.g. I, you, we, our

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 English Language: Top Tips for Structuring Narrative Writing

Resolving the Dilemma

Allowing help to arrive in an unexpected form, Ending
e.g. It was at that moment that…
Making the character(s) do something unexpected.
Story Mountain
Allowing the character some extra effort to
overcome the problem.
Only resolving a part of the dilemma so the Dilemma
characters learn a lesson for the future.

Engaging Endings Build Up Reaction

Use dialogue Show how a character has changed

‘I told you it was a mistake!’ After that, he always made sure Opening Ending
Ask the reader a question he double-checked to make sure it
didn’t happen again.
What would you have done?
Make a mysterious remark Ending back at the beginning

So, then, I knew what I had to do. Returning to the start of the story,
or even using some of the same
That was the day everything words or sentences to show that
changed. the story has followed a full circle.

Provide a moral/instruction with the ending

So, if you find yourself in the same situation as me, don’t do what I
did or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.
or
Make sure you always tell the truth.

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Creative Writing AO5 and AO6 Checkpoint Challenge
Instructions

For this task, you will need two dice.

Roll both dice and match up both numbers to the grid below.
Read and act on the direction in the grid to check, up-level and develop your writing.

1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Use three ‘wow’ words Write two sentences of Start your sentence Add a short, snappy Add the sense of smell. Proofread your work
in a sentence. different lengths. with a ‘ly’ word. sentence. to check your capital
letters.
2 Proofread your work to Add the sense of sound. Add a simile using Use a one sentence Add a feeling or Start your sentence
check your full stops. ‘like’. paragraph. emotion. with an ‘ing’ opener.

3 Write a one-word Proofread your work Add the sense of touch. End your sentence with Select one word from Zoom in on a small
sentence. to check your commas. a rhetorical question. your work to ‘up-level’. detail to describe.

4 Add the sense of taste. Start your sentence Add a simile using ‘as’. Write a one-word Start your sentence Select one word from
with an ‘ly’ word. sentence. with an ‘ing’ opener. your work to ‘up-level’.

5 Add a short, snappy Add a feeling or Select one word from Proofread your work Use a one sentence Add a simile
sentence. emotion. your work to ‘up-level’. to check your capital paragraph.
(It is ‘like’…)
letters.
6 Write two sentences of End your sentence with Add the sense of smell. Use three ‘wow’ words Add the sense of sound. Proofread your work to
different lengths. a rhetorical question. in a sentence. check your full stops.

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 happy next
overjoyed pleased
pretty first of all
enjoyable terrific after a short time
eager after that
pleasant tremendous following
fantastic finally
stunning cheerful suddenly
gleeful just then
lively lovely after a while
jolly before long
captivated ecstatic a little later
superb meanwhile
content thrilled
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sad said
heartbroken whispered
bewildered alone called sounded
glum mentioned
grumpy sorrowful cried chattered
dreadful yelled
bitter distressed exclaimed chuckled
awful bellowed
cheerless bored wailed giggled
angry stated
horrible gloomy announced groaned
ignored moaned
empty hurting chanted grumbled
terrible joked
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 big/small went
huge immense ran stomped
mini fled
colossal tall limited wandered stamped
narrow dashed
weighty massive minute crept searched
teeny crawled
great vast little strolled skipped
measly leapt
enormous gigantic short rushed scurried
compact approached
towering tiny baby jumped hobbled
dinky limped
mammoth miniature departed danced
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very saw
unbelievably caught sight of recognised
extremely enormously
seriously looked at observed
massively highly
outstandingly glimpsed sighted
deeply super
most glanced at spotted
greatly unusually
truly eyed found
vastly hugely
especially noticed discovered

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