Write

On

KS3
Writing
Intervention
Welcome
This booklet is divided into sections that you can work on in class or try
at home. As you make your way through, there are different types of
tasks to try:

Thinking Point
You don’t need to write anything down for these questions. You can just
think about them or talk them over with a partner or small group.

Quickfire Question
These questions need a short written answer. This should be very brief
and it doesn’t have to be in full sentences.

Give It a Go
This is a task for you to complete related to the topic you have been
learning about. Follow the instructions to see what you need to do.

Be the Teacher!
These tasks are your opportunity to use your new knowledge to correct
an example.

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Contents
Introduction: Why is Writing So Important? …………............……………… 4
Section One: Capital Letters .…....................................…………………..….. 5
Section Two: Punctuation ………………………………....................……..…….. 9
Section Three: Word Classes .………………………………….........……………. 27
Section Four: Homophones ..….…………..........…………………………………. 47
Section Five: Synonyms ..………………..….................................…………….. 50
Section Six: Sentence Types .…………………….......…………………..………… 54
Section Seven: Tense ..…………………………..............…………..……………… 61
Section Eight: Paragraphs ..……………………................………….……………. 65
Section Nine: Creative Writing ..…...…………………………………….…………. 69
Section Ten: Non-Fiction ..…...……………………………….........…….…………. 73

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Feedback
As you work your way through the tasks in this booklet, you’ll receive
feedback on what went well and what could be improved. Use the table
below to record this, so you know what you need to work on.

Section Date Feedback

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

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Introduction Why Is Writing so Important?

Thinking Point
Think about all the different ways you have used writing in the last 24
hours. How have you used writing and why?

We write so that we can communicate in different ways. Writing means

we can do things like send messages, share information, leave notes
and show our learning.

Our writing can help us with things like making a to-do list, learning in
lessons or passing information on to someone else.

Writing can also be used for pleasure, like writing stories or a diary.

We need writing in our everyday lives and we need to know how to

follow the rules of writing so that we can communicate effectively.

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Section One: Capital Letters
Success Criteria: To understand how to use capital letters accurately.

Why Do We Use Capital Letters?

Thinking Point
What would writing be like if it didn’t have any capital letters in it?

Using capital letters helps us understand things, such as: where new
sentences start; which words are names of people or places; and which
words are important in a sentence or text.

Rules for Using Capital Letters

• There should always be a capital letter at the start of a sentence.

• Capital letters are used for proper nouns, such as the name of a
person or a place.

• Titles of books, games, songs, magazine articles etc. must begin

with a capital letter to show they are the name of the item.

• When we are referring to ourselves, the personal pronoun ‘I’ should

always be a capital letter.

• Titles of people should always begin with a capital letter, e.g. Her
Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge.

Key Term
proper noun
A name used for a person, place or organisation.
e.g. Sarah, London, Google.

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Quickfire Questions
Using the rules listed on the previous page, answer the following
questions, making sure you are using capital letters accurately.

What is your name?

What is your favourite game?

Name a supermarket.

What is the name of your teacher?

Name your favourite song.

What day is it today?

Top Tip
Don’t forget you need capital letters for things like the days of the
week and months of the year!

Give It a Go
Using the rules on the previous page, rewrite the following sentences,
making sure you are using capital letters accurately.

george walked into morris’s shop to buy some milk.

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one of my favourite teachers is miss khan.

i live on church street.

my friend lisa and i went to magaluf last year. it was amazing.

Be the Teacher
Read the text below. Using two different coloured pens, tick where a
capital letter has been used correctly in one colour and circle where
a capital letter has been used incorrectly or is missing with the other
coloured pen.

last year, we went on a school trip to adventure castle. It was

brilliant. I sat with my friend Tom on the coach and we shared
some sweets. I hadn’t been to Adventure castle before then and I
really wanted to go on the ride ‘Storm’ because I had heard that it
was really fast and fun. it definitely was! Tom and i went on there
and it felt incredible – it is like you are actually flying through the
air. We went on five times!

True or False
Give It a Go
Read the statements below and decide if you think they are true or false.

Capital letters are always needed at the start of a sentence. true/false

All nouns need a capital letter at the start.  true/false

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Names of people and places need a capital letter at the start. true/false

When you use the personal pronoun ‘I’,

it should always be a capital letter. true/false

Capital letters are used correctly in the example below:

My birthday is on the 21st of december. true/false

Star Learning
Bullet point four things you have found out about capital letters in this
section.

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Section Two: Punctuation
Success Criteria: To understand how to use capital letters accurately.

Why Do We Need Punctuation?

Thinking Point
Look at the example below. What would be the issues if there was no
punctuation at all? What problems might we face?

You might think that you don’t need to use punctuation like
commas full stops and question marks in your writing but you
would be wrong it makes your writing quite confusing and it is
harder to understand what is going on when you are writing you
should follow the rules of punctuation so that you can be an
effective communicator.

Using punctuation helps to organise writing and make it easier to

understand. If punctuation wasn’t used, we wouldn’t know where one
sentence started or one ended, and it would be really confusing.

There are lots of different types of punctuation that we need to use in

our writing to be able to communicate effectively. In this section, we will
be looking at the following punctuation:
• full stops;
• commas;
• question marks;
• exclamation marks;
• speech marks.

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Full Stops
Full stops should always be found at the end of a sentence. They show
that the point that was being made has ended and that you are about to
move on to further explanations or a related point. The full stop should
be placed on the line next to the final letter in the sentence.

Examples:

London is the capital of England.

We always work hard in this lesson.

Although I love Christmas, summer is my favourite time of year.

Top Tip
You must make sure that you do not use a comma instead of a full stop
at the end of a sentence. This is called comma splicing.

Quickfire Questions
Read the sentences below. Can you add capital letters and full stops
where they are needed?

• the man looked around the wasteland it was completely silent

• the car sped up and its wheels squealed as it went round the corner
it was frightening something was obviously happening

• school has always been a place to get away my family is huge and
every morning it is chaos at least at school there is a routine for me

• last year, we went to the seaside for the day when the weather was
good it was a brilliant day the sun was shining and the waves were
lapping on to the sand I felt truly happy

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Give It a Go
Rewrite the paragraph below so that it includes correct use of full stops
and capital letters.

The noise grew louder as he approached the crowd people were

screaming from the seats overhead while people were chanting
he covered his ears it was an unholy sound suddenly the crowd
began to move he was terrified

Be the Teacher
Read the text below. Using two different coloured pens, tick where a full
stop has been used correctly in one colour and circle where a full stop
has been used incorrectly or is missing with the other coloured pen.

Slowly, Jenna walked over to her friend. She was nervous after the
fall-out but it was time to sort this out she smiled hopefully.

“How are you?” she asked

“What would you care?” Fatima snapped angrily. “The last time I
saw you, you made that perfectly clear.”

Jenna sighed inwardly this was going to be harder than she thought

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Star Learning
Bullet point four things you have found out about full stops in
this section.

Commas
Using commas correctly is really important to making sure our work
makes sense. Without them, our work can be confusing and the sense
of our sentences can be lost.

Thinking Point
Look at the examples below. What issues can happen if you don’t use
commas accurately?

Let’s eat Grandma! The panda eats I like cooking my

Let’s eat, Grandma! shoots and leaves. family and animals.
The panda eats, I like cooking, my
shoots and leaves. family and animals.

Top Tip
Make sure you always double-check your comma use in your work to
make sure it makes sense!

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Rules for Using Commas
A comma can be used to separate items in a list or a succession
of actions.
We add commas between items or actions in a list to show that there is
more than one item.
e.g. He opened the drawer, took a deep breath and picked up
the knife.

A comma can be used to separate the subordinate clause (the extra

bit of information) in a complex sentence.
Complex sentences contain an extra bit of information. We need a
comma after this information to show it is not essential to the main
sentence.
e.g. Whilst the boy waited outside, the girl made her way into
the building.
Although the man was upset, he walked away from his son.

A comma can be used after a sentence opener.

When we open a sentence with a verb opener, an adverb opener or
other type of opener like a connective, we need to use a comma.
e.g. Without warning, the lady exploded into tears of frustration.
Slowly, the sun’s rays began to warm her.

A comma can be used to separate a series of adjectives.

When we are adding description to a sentence, we need to separate the
describing words with commas.
e.g. It was cold, dark, dismal and desolate.

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Quickfire Questions
Add commas to the sentences below to separate the extra bit of
information from the main sentence.
1. Dan’s room was a mess which was very unusual for him.

2. The dog was excited to go to the park but his owner said it was
too muddy.

3. Mai bought some ice cubes but they had melted by the time she
got home.

4. Renata had decided she wanted to get fit although she wasn’t sure
how she would do it.

5. While Aisha watched a clip on her phone her friend waited patiently.

Give It a Go
Use a comma and a joining word (such as but, although, while or
because) to join up these pairs of sentences.

The girl looked at the photograph. A tear crept down her cheek.

The footballer was nervous. He knew this was his big chance.

Jackson had brought his friend with him. He hadn’t known him long.

The teacher was nervous for her class. She knew they would do well.

The girl was excited to go to the seaside. The sun was not out. 

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Give It a Go
Rewrite the paragraph so that it includes correct use of commas.

The concert was about to begin. Excitedly Lucas and Riley pushed
their way through the busy bustling and noisy crowd. Without
warning the lights on the stage exploded in bright strobing
colours as the band started to play. Leaning over towards Riley
Lucas shouted “This is brilliant!” but his voice was drowned out
by screaming fans the roar of an electric guitar and the heavy
beat of drums.

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Be the Teacher
Read the text below. Using two different coloured pens, tick where a
comma has been used correctly in one colour and circle where a comma
has been used incorrectly or is missing with the other coloured pen.

Before reaching into his bag the man glanced around. His hand
hunted through the screwdriver, hammer and crowbar until his
fingers brushed against the black leather of the gloves he needed.
He didn’t want to leave any fingerprints. Carefully he pulled the
gloves on to his hands. Like spiders, his hands crept along the
huge white French windows until they reached the door handle. He
peered through the glass into the large shadowy sitting room and
took a deep breath.

Star Learning
Bullet point four things you have found out about commas in this section.

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Question Marks
Question marks are used in writing to show when a question has been
asked or information is needed. They replace full stops at the end of a
sentence. You need to use a capital letter after a question mark.

Thinking Point
Think back over your day. How many questions have you asked
already today?

Quickfire Questions
Are the sentences below questions or not? Add a question mark next to
the questions and a full stop next to the statements.

1. How are you today

2. It is a lovely day

3. Where did you go last night

4. Who did you visit at the weekend

5. The dog is incredibly fluffy

6. Maths is your favourite subject

Give It a Go
Add one of the following words to the sentences below to construct
your own questions: how, can, what, where, when, who, why, what
or are. Don’t forget to add question marks at the end too!
1. is your favourite kind of music

2. did you get your coat

3. did you get to the swimming pool

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 4. is your favourite footballer
5. you feeling OK
6. does your grandma live

Be the Teacher
Read the text below. Using two different coloured pens, highlight where
a question mark has been used correctly in one colour and underline
where a question mark has been used incorrectly or is missing with the
other coloured pen.

The concert was about to start. Have you ever been to a live
concert? The atmosphere is incredible. My friend Kendrick and I
had arranged to meet our friend Andre there.

“Can you see him!” Kendrick shouted over to me.

“No. Can you?” I bellowed back. The music was drowning out our
voices.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Where have you been.”

Andre was grinning and holding a plastic cup of lemonade. “Have
you met Calvin before?” he asked, pointing to another boy who was
lingering behind him.

“I don’t think so. How are you?” I asked, with a smile.

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Star Learning
Bullet point three things you have found out about question marks in
this section.

Exclamation Marks
Exclamation marks are used in writing to show a strong emotion like
anger or excitement. They should be used in creative writing or informal
writing. They replace full stops at the end of a sentence. You need to use
a capital letter after a exclamation mark.

Thinking Point
Why do you think it is important to be able to show strong emotions in
your writing?

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Rules for Using Exclamation Marks
Exclamation marks can be used to show a strong emotion like
excitement or anger.
e.g. I cannot wait for my holiday!
I think it is absolutely disgusting!

An exclamation mark can be used to show something is surprising.

e.g. After that, she just turned round and went home!

An exclamation mark can be used to emphasise something.

e.g. This is going to be the best party the world has ever seen!

Key Term
emphasise
To draw attention to something or make it very obvious or clear.

Top Tip
Try to avoid using exclamation marks in formal writing. In creative writing,
they should be used sparingly for effect. Only use more than one if you
really need to!

Quickfire Questions
Which of the statements below could have an exclamation mark at
the end? Add an exclamation mark to the sentences you think should
have one.

1. Christmas was absolutely out of this world.

2. I am writing to you about the recent parking issues in the town

centre, which are extremely worrying.

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 3. “I didn’t know where you were,” Mum exploded, her eyes red.

4. The bus is getting ready to leave.

5. You won’t believe what was in front of me: the necklace I had been
looking for all day.

6. The hotel review was very positive and we would visit again.

Give It a Go
Rewrite the sentences below, adding an exclamation mark where
appropriate.

“You lied” shouted Charlotte to her friend.

“A trip to Disney would be a dream come true” the woman beamed.

“Aiden” his dad shouted. He never listened.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“I’m in shock” Abdul gasped.

Be the Teacher
Read the text on the following page. Using two different coloured
pens, highlight where an exclamation mark has been used correctly in
one colour and underline where an exclamation mark has been used
incorrectly or is missing with the other coloured pen.

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 “Come back here now,” the voice echoed around the room as
my mum shouted. Her eyes were glaring at me and her cheeks
were red.

“What!” I muttered, looking at my feet.

“I’m shocked, Libby,” my mum said, her hand on her hip. She shook
her head, speechless with fury. “This is your grandma’s birthday
party – you can’t miss it!”

My mind was in chaos. Of course I wanted to go to my grandma’s

birthday party, but my new friend, Lisa, had just invited me to her
birthday party too and I really wanted to go. Everyone was going to
be there!!!!

Star Learning
Bullet point two things you have found out about exclamation marks in
this section.

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Speech Marks
Speech marks are used in writing to show that someone is speaking. We
call this ‘dialogue’. The speech marks can be found at the beginning and
end of anything that is spoken in a text.

Thinking Point
Why do you think we need to be able to show which bits have been
spoken in a narrative and which bits are the narrator’s words?

Rules for Using Speech Marks

When you write conversation, there are certain rules you must follow:
For each different speaker you begin a new line.
e.g. “Claire, how are you?” Amanda asked.
“I’m really good,” she smiled happily. “How are you?”

You must use inverted commas to show the words actually spoken.
It doesn’t matter if you use one or two inverted commas, as long as you
use the same style all the way through.
e.g. “Not so good,” Amanda replied. “My spider escaped again.”
or ‘Not so good,’ Amanda replied. ‘My spider escaped again.’
The first word spoken always has a capital letter.
e.g. “Oh no!” exclaimed Claire. “What are you going to do?”
“Don’t worry,” smiled Amanda. “She always turns up.”

There must always be a final punctuation mark (a comma, full

stop, exclamation mark or question mark) before you close your
inverted commas.

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e.g. “But it’s loose in your house!” shrieked Claire.
“She’s harmless,” said Amanda coolly. “She’ll come back when
she’s hungry.”

The word after the inverted commas – provided you haven’t used
a full stop before them – always has a small letter (unless it’s
a name).
e.g. “I don’t know how you can be so casual about this,” Claire muttered,
looking pale.
“Oh, look!” beamed Amanda. “She was in my handbag
all along!”

Quickfire Questions
Read the statements below and add any speech marks that are missing:

1. “Good morning! How can I help you? the phone operator asked.

2. Stop, the policeman shouted, in the name of the law!

3. The bride smiled and said I’m ready!”

Give It a Go
Rewrite the following dialogue so that it follows the rules from above:
Come over here my dad said no I don’t want to you need to come here
now my dad said loudly.

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Think about an argument you have had in the past, perhaps with a
parent or a friend. Write the dialogue for the argument, using speech
marks accurately.

Be the Teacher
Read the text below. Using two different coloured pens, highlight where
speech marks have been used correctly in one colour and underline
where speech marks have been used incorrectly or are missing with the
other coloured pen.

“Charlie, I don’t want to do this! My voice sounded weak and wobbly,

but I didn’t care. The derelict house was frightening in the moonlight.
Come on! Don’t be a wuss! Charlie said, shaking her head at me and
rolling her eyes.
“I’m not! It’s just…” I swallowed hard and glanced at the house again.
“You’ll be fine!”
Our friend, Miroslav, squeezed my shoulder encouragingly and then
stepped forward into the open doorway.
“OK,” I answered, my voice high and squeaky like a mouse.

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Star Learning
Bullet point four things you have found out about speech marks in this
section.

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Section Three: Word Classes
Success Criteria: To understand the difference between word classes
and how they add to your work.

Word Classes
Thinking Point
Look at the example below. What are the different types of words we
find in writing?

The train pulled into the station and ground to a halt. There was a moment
of silence before its doors beeped loudly and opened with a whoosh and
a sliding motion. Immediately, hundreds of passengers poured from
the doors, swarming over the platform like tiny insects as they hurried
towards the exit.

Quickfire Question
Writing is made up of different word classes. These are categories
which tell us the function a word plays in a sentence. The names of
some word classes are below; can you find a definition for each one?
noun: 

pronoun: 

adjective: 

verb: 

adverb: 

preposition: 

connective: 

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Nouns
A noun is a word for an object, a place, a person or a state/idea.

Quickfire Question
Can you give some examples of each of these different types of noun?
There is an example for each to start you off.
Object:
table, 

Place:
Manchester, 

Person:
neighbour, 

State/idea:
happiness, 

Give It a Go
Can you describe your classroom, using as many nouns as possible?
Write at least three sentences.


Now, underline all the nouns you have used.

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Be the Teacher
A student has written this list of nouns. Are they all correct?
Give the nouns a tick; anything that’s not a noun needs a cross.
Can you spot any other errors on the list?

elephant Leona birmingham happiness

desk flower mug shop

sad telephone blue old

computer peace picture mrs taylor

glass teacher Big ben river

Belgium rajesh ugly truth

Star Learning
How do you spot a noun in a piece of writing? Write a list:

Pronouns
A pronoun is a word which can be used instead of a noun, such as I, me,
you, him, her or they. Using a pronoun means we don’t have to keep
using the noun again and again.

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Quickfire Question
Can you remember what a noun is?

Give It a Go
Write a short passage about your favourite song, film or game, using at
least five of the following pronouns.

he she it they them you yours

mine her his hers ours us they

me I himself herself ourselves that themselves

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Be the Teacher
Can you mark this passage written by a student, making some
suggestions about where they could swap nouns for pronouns?

The boat lurched from side to side. Holly grabbed the boat’s sides
and tried not to be sick. Holly felt Holly’s stomach clench as a
massive wave rocked the boat again. The wind whipped Holly’s
hair and even though Holly had closed Holly’s eyes, Holly could
still feel the salt stinging Holly’s eyes. Paul leaned towards Holly
and offered Holly a tissue. Holly took the tissue from Paul and
turned away, hoping Paul would not see as Holly was sick over the
side of the boat.

Star Learning
What is the function of a pronoun in a piece of writing?

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Adjectives
An adjective is a word that describes a noun, such as old, new, ugly,
beautiful, purple or wrinkled. They can add colour to our writing –
they help to make it interesting!

Quickfire Question
Can you make a list of ten adjectives? Make them as exciting and
powerful as possible!

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

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Give It a Go
Most adjectives have three forms, called the positive, the comparative
and the superlative, so that they can be used to compare. For example:

Positive: light Comparative: lighter Superlative: lightest

Usually, we just add –er and –est to change the adjective, but some
adjectives do not follow this rule. For example:

Positive: unusual

Comparative: unusualer

Superlative: unusualest

Positive: unusual

Comparative: more unusual

Superlative: most unusual

Positive: bad

Comparative: badder

Superlative: baddest

Positive: bad

Comparative: worse

Superlative: worst

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Top Tip
If you’re not sure what form the comparative and superlatives of an
adjective should take, check a dictionary.

Can you find the comparative and superlative forms for these adjectives?

Positive Comparative Superlative

small

good

happy

awful

angry

Be the Teacher
Can you identify where comparative adjectives need changing and what
they need to be changed to?

The latest Space Fight film is the goodest one they have
made so far. The special effects are amazing and the story is
excitinger than the last film. The acting is excellent and even
the music is good. It is the most best instalment.

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Star Learning
What have you learned about adjectives in this lesson? Make a list.

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Verbs
A verb is an action word: it describes something happening or what
someone is doing. Verbs have an infinitive form (starting with to) and
then change according to who is doing the action. e.g.

To run To be

I run I am

You run You are

He/she runs He/she is

They run They are

Top Tip
We can change the tense of a verb to indicate when something happens.
e.g. I run to the shops (happening now); I ran to the shops (happened
in the past).

Quickfire Question
How many different verbs can you think of to describe ways people
move? There are a couple of examples to get you going.

run, walk, 

Thinking Point
Read the passage below. What do the verbs tell you about how Izzy
is feeling?

Izzy slouched in her seat, huddled in her coat. She stared at the floor and
sighed. When the teacher asked her a question, she shrugged.

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Give It a Go
Verbs can tell us a lot about how people do something. Write three
sentences describing your journey to school this morning. Choose your
verbs carefully to give the reader a hint about how you were feeling.

Be the Teacher
Look at the student’s work below. Can you suggest any changes to their
verbs to improve their writing?

Paul walked to the bus stop with Lena. They sitted in the shelter
and talk. ‘I have forgot my bus pass,’ he said to Lena. He stood
up and go home.

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Star Learning
List three things you have learned about verbs:

38
Adverbs
Adverbs give us extra information about verbs and adjectives.
e.g. He ran quickly.
The coat was very dirty.

Quickfire Question
How many adverbs can you think of to describe the verb walk?

I walked... 

Give It a Go
Can you rewrite this passage, inserting lots of adverbs?

The man stopped. He bent down. He picked up a five pound note.

‘Look what I have found!’ he said. He put the money in his pocket
and walked to the shop.

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Be the Teacher
Look at this list of adverbs written by a student. Have they got them
all right? Give the adverbs a tick and cross out anything which is not
an adverb.

fast strong quickly angry smoothly

suddenly inside really fat very

upstairs yesterday man truly now

Star Learning
List two things you have learned about adverbs in this section:

40
Prepositions
A preposition shows the position of a noun in relation to the rest of
the sentence.
e.g. I sat on the bed.
He put the biscuit in the box.
She looked under the mat.

Top Tip
Some prepositions can be made up of more than one word.
e.g. next to, on top.

Quickfire Question
Can you underline all the prepositions in this passage?

I arrived at the station and walked to the ticket office beside the
clock. ‘I’d like a ticket to Edinburgh,’ I explained through the window.
‘I need to arrive on Sunday at 3pm.’

The man looked at me over his glasses and scratched his head under
his flat cap. He punched some numbers into the machine next to
him. A ticket rolled out of the printer and into his outstretched hand.

Give It a Go
Can you write three sentences, using as many different prepositions
as possible?

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Now, can you underline all the prepositions you have used?

Be the Teacher
Look at this list of prepositions written by a student. Have they got them
all right? Cross out anything which is not a preposition.

in out on under

through hiding beside after

without between over quickly

next to whispered with by

Star Learning
What have you learned about prepositions in this section?

42
Connectives
A connective joins phrases together. Sometimes, connectives can
be used to link parts of a sentence; sometimes, they can link
sentences themselves.
e.g. He looked at the book and he gasped.
She wore sunglasses, although it was dull outside.
He missed the bus. As a result, he was ten minutes late.

Top Tip
Some connectives can be more than one word.

Quickfire Question
Can you underline all the connectives in this passage?

I walked to the door and opened it. There was no-one there, so I
pushed the door closed. Just then, I noticed a huge parcel on the
mat. It was addressed to Meena. I wanted to open it, but I knew
I shouldn’t as it wasn’t addressed to me. On the other hand, I
reasoned, it might be important. Meena might need me to open it.

Give It a Go
Can you write three sentences, using at least three of the following
connectives?

and but so although

on the other
nevertheless besides however
hand

also or because after all

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Now, can you underline all the connectives you have used?

Be the Teacher
Read this piece written by a student. How could they upgrade their
work by using connectives? Make changes to what they have written to
improve their writing.

Dave went into the classroom. He saw the other students

throwing paper. He didn’t say anything. He sat at his desk. The
door opened and Mr Stephens marched in. He looked furious.
Dave sighed. He realised it was going to be a long lesson.

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Star Learning
How many connectives can you list below?

Word Classes Final Task

In the piece of writing on the next page, can you highlight all the different
types of word class you have learned about? Use the key to help you.

noun: red

pronoun: orange

adjective: yellow

verb: green

adverb: blue

preposition: purple

connective: pink

45 Write On
There was a deafening crash and the walls of the building started

to shake. Terrified, Aliyah scrambled under her bed and watched

as books and ornaments went plummeting from her shelves to the

floor below. Pieces of plaster rained down in front of her like a dusty

thunderstorm. She wanted to run and find her parents, but she

was scared that if she moved she would be crushed. Her heart beat

wildly in her chest, and her breathing came out in ragged gasps. All

she could do was hide under her bed until the earthquake subsided.

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Section Four: Homophones
Success Criteria: To recognise common homophones and select the
correct one.

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different
meanings and spellings. Lots of the common words we use every day
have the same sounds but different spellings and it is important we get
them right so our writing is accurate and makes sense.

Thinking Point
Look at the signs below. Can you spot the homophone errors? Circle
them in the picture.

Owners must keep Private Customer

Notice: Parking Only. All
there dogs under
know parking others will be toad.
control at all times

Employees must
wash there hands Mistakes are proof
Dear Crossing
before returning your trying
to work

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Quickfire Questions
Circle the correct homophone in the sentences below.

1. The men took they’re / their / there dog for a walk.

2. Your / You’re the funniest person I no / know!

3. Can you see / sea my point?

4. They’re / Their / There doing they’re / their / there best.

5. I always right / write neatly.

Give It a Go
Using a selection of colours, can you match the homophones in the grid?

their sea write to

right steel buy your

who’s there steal break

you’re bye whose too

brake two see they’re

Be the Teacher
Read the text below. Using a highlighter, highlight any homophones
that have been used incorrectly in the texts below.

Last knight, we went to the see side where my grandma and

grandad live. There house is bye the see and they’re really happy
there. I always right a postcard to my best friend when we stay
there. It is a lovely brake for us and we like too go to the arcades
while we are their.

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Star Learning
Bullet point three things you have found out about homophones in
this section.

49 Write On
Section Five: Synonyms
Success Criteria: To know how to use alternative words to make my
work more interesting and exciting.

What Are Synonyms?

Thinking Point
What can you say about the words below? Are they interesting or
exciting? Can you think of any other words that mean the same thing,
but are more ambitious words?

said walked bad to

went nice

Key Term
synonym
A word or phrase that has the same meaning as another word or phrase.

Synonyms are words that have the same meaning as another word, but
they can be more descriptive or attention-grabbing. By using different
words in our work, we can make our writing more interesting and
exciting for our reader. We can describe in much more detailed ways
and show feelings and personality through our choices too.

Said is Dead!

For example, lots of people use the word ‘said’ in their work. It tells us
that somebody spoke, but it doesn’t tell us much else. We don’t know
how that person is feeling, what they might be thinking or how they did
it. To make the sentence or work more exciting, you could replace the
word ‘said’ with something else, like ‘bellowed’, ‘whispered’ or ‘muttered’.

50
Quickfire Question
Look at the words in the middle of the swirl. Can you write some
alternative synonyms for the word said?

exclaimed
stated

Top Tip
Use a thesaurus to help you find other words that have the same
meaning!

51 Write On
Give It a Go
Look at the grid below. Can you match up the synonyms across the
columns by colouring in the matching word?

nice stumbled jogged kind snorted

walked blubbered giggled sniffled exquisite

cried lovely whimpered shuffled wept

laughed sniggered pleasant chuckled stepped

Read the example below. Rewrite the paragraph below, changing the
words in bold to something more exciting.

“You are grounded!” my dad said. I was sad. I walked out of the room
quickly. “I mean it this time!” he said.

52
Be the Teacher
Read the text below. Using two different coloured pens, highlight where
an exciting word choice has been used in one colour and circle the
boring word choices in the other colour.

I went to the shop. It was a beautiful, fresh day. As I walked through

the door, I saw one of my friends shopping with her mum. She was
wearing a vibrant blue top that was really eye-catching.

“Hi Sarah!” I called cheerfully, swinging the basket in my hand. “How

are you?”

“I’m good,” my friend said. She smiled back at me.

Star Learning
Bullet point four things you have found out about synonyms in
this section.

53 Write On
Section Six: Sentence Types
Success Criteria: To accurately identify and write different types
of sentences.

Thinking Point
What do we mean by type of sentence? Can you tell the difference
between the three sentences below?

I was hungry.

I was hungry and I felt cold.

I was hungry, because I hadn’t had any breakfast, and I felt cold.

Simple Sentences
A simple sentence is a sentence that stands alone and makes full and
complete sense. They are used to convey one idea or fact.

Quickfire Question
Write about what you had for breakfast this morning, using only simple
sentences. You must use at least three!

Top Tip
To be complete, a sentence must always have a subject (what it is
about) and a verb. This unit of a sentence is called a clause.

54
Give It a Go
Highlight all the simple sentences in this extract.

Furious, Lisa pushed forward and grabbed the paper. She felt sick.
There, staring out at her in huge letters, was her name. Her picture
was beside it. She could not believe it. It was like some terrible
nightmare, only she knew she was awake.

Be the Teacher
A student has made a list of simple sentences. Which ones have they
got right? Tick the ones that are correct – can you make changes to the
ones which are wrong?

I like chocolate and strawberry ice-cream.

I am going to Paris in the morning.

The telephone rang loudly, making her jump.

Grumpily, the goat chewed the grass.

She ran to the door and flung it open.

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Star Learning
Write what you have learned about simple sentences in this section.

56
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence is two simple sentences joined together by a
connective such as and, but or so.

Quickfire Question
Can you write a compound sentence about what you did last night?

Top Tip
In a compound sentence, both of the clauses would make sense on
their own.

Give It a Go
Highlight all the compound sentences in this extract.

The lion roared and shook his mane. The crowd gasped, their eyes
wide as they waited to see what he would do next. He stalked
forward, but stopped at the mouth of the cave. He looked around.
Then, with a swish of his tail, he turned and retreated into the
darkness. Everyone sighed and turned away.

Be the Teacher
A student has written this piece of work which is full of simple sentences.
Can you rewrite it for them, using connectives to join some of the
sentences together into compound sentences?

57 Write On
 I went to the park. I played football. I scored three goals. George
scored four. It started raining. I had forgotten my coat. I went
back home.

Star Learning
Write what you have learned about compound sentences in this section.

58
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence has a main clause, plus some extra information
that would not make sense on its own.

Thinking Point
Which of these sentences has extra information that wouldn’t make
sense as a separate sentence?

The dog, which was brown, barked loudly.

He ran to the station, because he was late.

I like peas but I can’t stand green beans.

Top Tip
We call the extra information in a complex sentence the subordinate
clause.

Give It a Go
Highlight all the complex sentences in this extract.

Quietly, she pulled the door closed behind her. She only had
thirty seconds to find the key and get out of the room. She gazed
around her. On the mantelpiece, an ornate clock ticked loudly. The
floorboards creaked under her feet as she crept forward. She had
so little time.

Be the Teacher
A student has written this piece of work which is full of simple sentences.
Can you rewrite it for them, using compound and complex sentences to
give it some variety?

59 Write On
 His heart was racing. He dived into the room on his left. He shut
the door behind him. He held his breath. He heard his pursuers run
past. They hadn’t found him. He breathed a sigh of relief. He felt his
pulse start to slow. He started to smile.

Star Learning
Write what you have learned about complex sentences in this section.

60
Section Seven: Tenses
Success Criteria: To recognise different tenses and be able to correct
incorrect tense use.

When you are writing, the tense that you write in shows if the event you
are writing about has already happened, is happening at that time or is
going to happen in the future.

Past Tense
Something that has already happened.
e.g. It was hot.

Present Tense
Something that is happening right then.
e.g. It is hot.

Future Tense
Something that is going to happen.
e.g. It will be hot.

Quickfire Question
Can you write the present and future tense for the following past
tense example?
Past Tense: The man was singing.

Present Tense: 

Future Tense: 
Top Tip
Most of the writing you will do will be in past tense.

61 Write On
Give It a Go
Complete the grid to include the correct examples of past, present and
future tense.

In the final row, can you write your own examples for all three?

Past Tense Present Tense Future Tense

He went to the
game.

I cried. I will cry.

I am frightened.

She will jump.

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Be the Teacher
A student has written this piece of work which has different tenses in it.
Can you rewrite it for them so that it is consistently in the past tense?

Last year, we are going to Bridlington for the day. It is a hot day
so we bought ice lollies to eat. The sea will be smashing against
the rocks and the birds will be flying above our heads. It is a
beautiful place.

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Star Learning
Write what you have learned about tenses in this section.

64
Section Eight: Paragraphs
Success Criteria: To know how and when to use paragraphs in
your writing.

Paragraphs are made up of a number of sentences and are used

to organise a text into relevant sections. In creative writing, they can
also be used to create tension and to emphasise certain information
for effect.

Thinking Point
Look at the text below. Which do you think would be easiest to read
and why?

paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph

paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph

paragraph paragraph paragraph

paragraph paragraph paragraph
paragraph paragraph paragraph
paragraph paragraph paragraph
paragraph paragraph paragraph
paragraph paragraph paragraph
paragraph paragraph paragraph

paragraph paragraph paragraph

paragraph paragraph paragraph
paragraph paragraph paragraph
paragraph paragraph paragraph
paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph
paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph

paragraph paragraph paragraph

65 Write On
Quickfire Question
When might you start a new paragraph? Tick the answers that you think
are correct.
• To start a new topic.
• To make the work look pretty.
• When someone new is speaking in dialogue.
• So that all the paragraphs are the same size and length.
• To highlight some important information in a text.

Top Tip
Make your paragraphs Tip Top!

You should start a new paragraph whenever you change one of the
following things:

To is for TOPIC

Ti is for TIME Tip Top P is for PERSON

P is for PLACE

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Give It a Go
Look at the text below. Mark in where a new paragraph should be
added. Remember that a new paragraph should begin when any of the
following applies:
• there is a change of time;
• there is a change of topic;
• there is a change of place;
• there is a change of person.

We left school at 8 in the morning to get to Adventure Castle for 9.

While we were on the coach, the teachers told us what behaviour
was expected of us during the day and what time we would be
leaving. When we finally arrived at Adventure Castle, we were
allowed to go on the rides straight away. The first stop was the log
flume. It was huge and when the boats got to the bottom, there was
a big splash and everyone in the boat got soaked! Next, we went
to the haunted house. It was really dark inside and there were lots
of strange, ghostly noises. The girls started screaming hysterically.
Consequently, the teachers decided it was time to find somewhere
for lunch! A few hours later, we queued up for the roller coaster. It
was fantastic and had three loops. This was the highlight of my day
because you zoomed so fast it felt like you were on a rocket. We got
back to school late because we had got caught in traffic. We were
all tired but happy. “This was my favourite school trip ever!” said my
friend Ezra. “Mine too!” I agreed. It really had been a fantastic day.

67 Write On
Star Learning
Write what you have learned about paragraphs in this section.

68
Section Nine: Creative Writing
Success Criteria: To understand how to build description using effective
language choices.

Creative writing is all about building an image in the reader’s mind.

You can do this by using lots of different descriptive techniques and
strategies, such as:
• exciting adjectives;
• vivid verbs;
• adventurous adverbs;
• similes;
• sensory description (where you focus on the five senses).

Thinking Point
Which of the sentences below is the best and why?

Lovingly, th
e
elderly cou
ple
were clutch
ing
were each other
The couple ’s hands
nds as they str
holding ha olled
lked through th
as they wa e lush
e park. green park
through th .

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Quickfire Question
Using four different colours, highlight the adjective, verb, noun and
adverb in the following sentence.

The lonely girl wailed sorrowfully.

Can you add another adjective to the sentence to make it more

descriptive and detailed?

Give It a Go
Look at the image below. Add vocabulary to the grid to describe
the scene.

70
 Adjectives

Adverbs

Verbs

Simile

Be the Teacher
Look at the example on the following page. Using three different
colours, identify:
• any amazing adjectives this student has used;
• any vivid verbs;
• any adventurous adverbs.

Can you add three extra descriptive words in to the answer, either by
up-levelling an existing word or adding one in?

71 Write On
 The large trees loomed above me, their shadows long and black
over the white of the snow-covered forest floor. Like soldiers,
they stood tall and straight. The snow had settled gently on their
branches, highlighting the slender arms of the trees. On the forest
floor, the uneven surface of twigs and fallen leaves were hidden in
snow that lay like a blanket. Cold, icy wind swirled around me as
fingers of sunlight reached through the branches and brightly lit
up my face like a spotlight.

Star Learning
Write what you have learned about creative writing in this section.

72
Section Ten: Non-Fiction
Success Criteria: To understand the differences between formal and
informal writing and to write a piece of formal non-fiction.

In this section, we will be focusing on non-fiction writing. Non-fiction

is something which is real and factual. How many types of non-fiction
texts can you name?

Thinking Point
You have received invitations to two parties. They both have different
dress codes. What will you wear to each one? Draw your outfits in the
boxes below.

Henry’s Party Katja’s Party

Dress code: please wear Dress code: please wear
formal dress. informal dress.

73 Write On
Quickfire Question
When writing, we need to choose a formal or an informal style,
depending on our audience. Read the examples below. Are they formal
or informal? How do you know?

Formal or
Sentence How do you know?
informal?

Hi m8. Do u wanna
come over tonite?

The mayor predicts

there will be a 47%
rise in donations
this year.

To use this
appliance, you
must first of all
read the instruction
booklet thoroughly.

Whatever. It’s not

even like I want to
go to this stupid
party anyway.

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Give It a Go
Now, can you suggest whether a formal or informal style would be
appropriate for the following texts?

Text Formal or informal?

A letter to your gran

A job application

A newspaper article

Instructions for a new board

game

An email to your friend

A school report

A recipe for rich beef sausages

A speech for a school assembly

Be the Teacher
Read this student’s work. Do you think they have managed to get a
suitable formal tone in their writing? Circle any words or phrases you
think should be changed and write in your own suggestions.

I think the council’s plan to get rid of the sports pitch is a disgrace.

I love playing footie there with my mates, and I know loads of other people
use it for games and stuff.

They are having a laugh if they think people will be pleased about this.

75 Write On
Star Learning
You’re now going to try writing your own piece of formal non-fiction.
You will need to:
• include facts and figures;
• keep your writing formal by using suitable language;
• use the rules and techniques you have learnt about in this booklet
for capital letters, punctuation, word classes, synonyms, sentence
types and tenses.
Write a review for the school newsletter of a sporting match, play, or
other event.


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78