e.g. Later that day
Topic: You should start a new
paragraph when the topic changes
TiP ToP
Place: You should start a new
paragraph when the place
changes
Person: You should start a new
paragraph when a new person is
introduced or there is a change
of perspective
A new paragraph should be used when you change Time, Place, Topic or
Person. There is no set length for a paragraph either. A short paragraph,
sometimes just a line long, can be ideal and grab your attention
Paragraphs
Time: You should start a new
paragraph when the time changes
Topic sentences
These are used to introduce the topic of the paragraph but do not
necessarily have to be the first sentence.
E.g. ‘The first problem is getting the tree to stand up straight’
‘With the tree happily vertical you may be thinking that your problems are
over. Wrong! You now have to become a master of applied physics in
order to get the lights to work.’
Here is a list of common homophone confusions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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There (place or statement) Their (belonging to them) They’re (they are)
Your (belonging to you) You’re (you are)
Where (place) Were (past tense of be) We’re (we are)
Too (in addition – too much) Two (2) To (direction or position)
Hour (60 minutes) Our (belonging to us) Are (present tense of be)
New (not old) Knew (prior knowledge) / Know (knowledge) No (opposite to yes) Now (at
this time)
Whether (indicates alternatives)/ Weather (sun/rain)
Allowed (have permission) Aloud (spoken to be heard)
Hear (listen) here (place) / write (words on paper) right (as opposed to wrong)
Except (an exclusion) accept (to take)
Hole ( a cavity or space) whole (complete)
Quite (better than average) Quiet (not loud)
Which ( used to identify something) witch ( female who practises magic)
Throw ( to send an item through the air) Threw (past tense of throw) Through (from
end to end )
Homophones
Homophones: words that sound similar but are spelt
differently
Also it is important you pick up on –
Should have or should’ve (not should of) / could have or could’ve (not could of)
Fact 1: Verbs are ‘action’ or ‘being’
words Eg I ran /I am.
emember
Fact 2: Nouns are naming words. If you
can say a/an or the in front of the
word it will generally be a noun.
ffect
Fact 3: In English spelling we use an S
if the word is a verb and a C if the
word is a noun.
erb
e.g. The choir practises on Tuesdays.
(An Action so the verb form is used.)
ffect
The practice of plagiarism is not to be
encouraged.
oun
(You are naming a thing and so need the
noun form).
Noun/Verb confusion
Practise OR Practice? License OR Licence?
Affect/Effect
So…Advise OR Advice?
A comma separates parts of a sentence and shows when information
is added. A comma is used to show when a subordinate clause is
added – this is a section of a sentence that doesn’t make sense on
it’s own.
1)
2)
3)
4)
Robert is an able student, who has the potential to do very well.
Comma slicing is a common mistake, which happens because
students don’t identify the topic change.
The performance of the team was pleasing, though a substitution
could be made in goal next time.
Given the addition of the extra students, the behaviour of the
class is surprisingly good.
The most obvious mistake with students using
commas
Comma Splicing – using a comma instead of a full stop.
For example:
Monday was exhausting, the students were lively and my lessons were
tiring
,
lesson three in particular was hard and I wanted it to end.
Commas – The main use
When do you use a comma?
Commas – Other uses
Semi-colons can be used to separate two
sentences that are related. For example:
The students waited patiently to begin
their exam; they were all taking it very
seriously as they waited for the exam’s
officer to instruct them to start.
Semi-colons
Notice that a colon is
needed to introduce a
list
Colons can be used to show a
quotation of more than seven
words. Fewer than seven and a
comma should be used. For
example:
The mum shouted: “Will you
lot get down from that tree
before you kill yourselves?”
Colons
Colons are used to precede an
explanation or an example of what
has gone before. For example:
John thought it was his mother’s
fault: she should have tied up and
found his missing homework.
Semi-colons can be
used to separate
clauses in a
sentence. For
example:
The expedition may
be on or off; it all
depends on the
weather.
Colons and semicolons
Semi-colons can be used
in a list. For example:
To ensure she would be
noticed, she wore: a
bright red hat; a
smart, tailored suit;
high heeled shoes; and
she carried a blue,
velvet hand bag.
Use apostrophes after nouns to show
ownership.
If there is one or more owner we add to the
plural.
Dog’s collar – The dog owns his collar.
Boys’ balls – All the boys own the balls.
Lady’s basket – The lady owns her bket.
Dragons’ cave – All dragons own the cave.
Miss Noble’s book – Miss Noble owns her book.
Children’s school – All the children ‘own’ the school.
If the noun ends in a ‘s’ just put the apostrophe.
James’ hat.
Class’ books
Companies’ employees
2. Apostrophes – for contractions
Apostrophes can also be used to join two words together. They replace one or
more letters of the second word. See the other exceptions to the rule below.
I’m = I am
Exceptions
There’s = There is
Don’t = Do not
I’d = I would
Mustn’t = Must not
We’d = We would
Shouldn’t = Should not
They’ve = They have
Couldn’t = Could not
We’re = We are
Haven’t = Have not
Apostrophes
1. Apostrophes – for possession
Yes
No
e.g. MONKEY
e.g. TRY
Add an “S”
Your word becomes monkeys
Change the “y” to an “i”
Add “es”
Your word becomes tries
Adding an e to some words changes the vowel
sound e.g. ‘cap’ and ‘cape’. If we were to make ‘cap’
the past tense, we would add another consonant to
prevent this change of sound – ‘capped’
When adding a prefix or suffix to words ending in ‘LL’, you
have to drop an ‘L’ e.g. ALL + MOST becomes ALMOST,
CARE + FULL becomes CAREFUL
“ei” when it sounds like an “A” – vein, neighbour, weigh
“ei” not preceded by a “C” – seize, weird, their
Spelling strategies
Is the final “Y” preceded by a vowel?
Noun: name of a
person, place,
object
A simple
sentence has a
subject (noun),
which is the
main focus e.g.
man
A simple
sentence also
has a verb e.g.
walked
The man walked.
When checking a student’s work for missing capital
letters and full stops remember: a simple sentence
has one idea and must contain the above to make
sense.
Simple Sentence
What makes up a basic simple sentence?
It is made up of two main ideas, usually joined by a
connective (conjunction).
The verb (action) is
walked
The man walked down the road. and
The subject
(noun),
which is
the main
focus, is
man
Main Clause
he went into the shop.
.
Compound Sentence
What makes up a compound sentence?
Any sentence that is not simple or compound is a complex sentence. The
strict definition is: “A sentence with at least one independent main clause
and one dependent clause”. However, there are many different types! Here
are a few examples.
The Dependent or Subordinate Clause….
A subordinate
clause also has a
subject and a
verb e.g. he and
had
It is different
because it is
introduced by a
subordinating
connective e.g.
although, because,
if , when, until,
unless….
Subordinate Clause
although he had a bike
It is incomplete
and therefore
does not make
sense on its own
This also means it
cannot start with
a capital letter
and end with a
full stop
Complex Sentence
What makes up a complex sentence?
Adding a Dependent or Subordinate Clause…. to a simple
sentence = a complex sentence
Main Clause
Although
,
A subordinate
clause also has a
subject and a
main verb e.g. he
and had
It is different
because it is
introduced by a
subordinating
connective e.g.
although, because,
if , when, until,
unless….
The man walked down the road.
If you know where the
clauses are separated then
you can check for missing
commas!
Subordinate Clause
although
he had a bike
This also means
it cannot start
with a capital
letter and end
with a full stop
It is incomplete
and therefore
does not make
sense on its own
Complex Sentence
What makes up a complex sentence?
Simple sentences have one idea, including the main focus (subject noun) and a verb (action,
emotion…) e.g.
The man walked down the road. Miss Noble shouted.
Compound Sentences have two ideas joined by a conjunction/connective (but, however..) e.g.
The man walked down the road and he went into the shop. Miss Noble
shouted because she was tired.
Complex Sentences have a single main idea with one or more parts (usually clauses) of extra
information. These can go at the beginning, middle or end of the sentence e.g.
The man, who was hungry, went into the supermarket.
Despite being late for work, the man went into the supermarket.
Sentence Structure
To summarise…