From the introduction to the new English PoS
Pupils should be taught to control their speaking and writing
consciously and to use Standard English. They should be
taught to use the elements of spelling, grammar, punctuation
and ‘language about language’ listed....This is not intended
to constrain or restrict teachers’ creativity, but simply to
provide the structure on which they can construct exciting
lessons.
Throughout the programmes of study, teachers should teach
pupils the vocabulary they need to discuss their reading,
writing and spoken language. It is important that pupils learn
the correct grammatical terms in English and that these
terms are integrated within teaching.
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Grammar...
• is language
• is clarity and precision
• is description and creativity
• is empowering
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Concept of a Sentence
Physical Punctuation
Sentence maker
Retelling…
• One sentence at a time
• One word at a time
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Where? When? How?
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Which?
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Compound sentences
The child smiled. The teacher grinned.
and but or
so for nor yet
“co-ordination”
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Subordination:
Main clause
plus
when, if, that, because
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Subordination:
Main clause
plus
time, place and cause
with conjunctions, adverbs or prepositions
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“Drop-ins”
The wolf huffed and puffed at the door.
The wolf,--------------, huffed and puffed at
the door.
“who” or “which”
New NC:
Relative clauses, and relative pronouns
(who, that, which, whose, why, where)
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More drop-ins
The wolf, pale and thin with hunger, huffed and
puffed at the door.
The wolf, snarling with hunger and anger, huffed
and puffed at the door.
The wolf, shocked by the lack of response,
huffed and puffed at the door.
The wolf, suddenly aware of the gravity of the
situation, huffed and puffed at the door.
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Precision, clarity and impact
The man walked along the road.
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Grammatical Terminology
Suddenly, the inspector leapt across the classroom.
Last week, a small child grinned with glee.
As the alarm clock trilled, the teacher smiled because it
was Monday again.
The PC, which had seen better days, crashed again.
Now it is time to begin.
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Why...
• ...shouldn’t we call an adjective a
“describing word”?
• ...shouldn’t we call an adverb an “L-Y
word”?
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Analytic Grammar
DOES NOT IMPROVE WRITING
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Compositional Grammar
DOES
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A Head Teacher smiled.
Is that the right article? Or even determiner?
Is the verb precise enough?
Use a prepositional phrase to introduce the
object of the sentence.
Add an adverbial phrase to say when this
happened.
Add a relative clause to bring in some useful
information about the HT.
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The car shook.
Is that the right article? Or even determiner?
Is the verb precise enough?
Use a prepositional phrase to introduce the
object of the sentence.
Add an adverbial phrase to say when this
happened.
Add a relative clause to bring in some useful
information about the car.
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Standard English Grammar
…is the grammatical form required in very
nearly all writing.
It does not involve accent.
The teaching and learning of Standard
English is a priority, in order that children can
use it when and where necessary.
If necessary, treat it as another language.
Without Standard English, children’s chances
and options in life are greatly reduced.
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Phrase
“A group of words that act as one unit”
e.g. the dog, the big dog, that dog over there
noun phrase: a big dog; my last holiday
adjectival phrase: as old as you; really hungry
adverbial phrase: five minutes ago; very slowly
prepositional phrase: in a hurry; along the lane;
under the stairs
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Clause
“A group of words that expresses an event or a situation”
– usually containing a subject & verb
e.g. she was thirsty (situation); she drank some water
(event)
phrase: a big dog; clause: a big dog chased me
It was raining. (one clause)
It was raining and we were cold. (two main clauses
linked by “and”)
It was raining when we went out. (main clause and a
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subordinate clause)
Clause – main and subordinate
A main clause is complete on its own and can
form a complete sentence (e.g. it was raining).
A subordinate clause is part of the main clause
and cannot exist on its own (e.g. when we
went out).
You’ll hurt yourself if you’re not careful.
Although it was cold, the weather was pleasant
enough.
Where are the biscuits that I bought this morning?
John, who was very angry, began shouting.
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Clause – please note:
Most clauses require subject and verb
BUT
Some subordinate clauses don’t – for example,
where the verb “be” can be inferred.
e.g.
The weather, although rather cold, was pleasant
enough. (although it was rather cold)
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. (when you are
in Rome)
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Conjunctions
Used to link clauses within sentences:
It was raining but it wasn’t cold. (Coordinating
conjunction)
We won’t go out if the weather’s bad. (Subordinating
conjunction)
Coordinating conjunctions join two clauses of equal
grammatical status. (and, or, but, so,)
Subordinating conjunctions go at the beginning of a
subordinate clause. (when, while, before, after,
since, until, if, because, although, that)
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Conjunctions
Coordinating between items of equal status:
Alarmed but safe
Chocolate or vanilla
She laughed and he cried.
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Conjunctions
Subordinating between items of unequal status:
When the girl comes in from play, she may tell
you that she loves maths after all.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When (subordinating conjunction)
the girl comes in from play, (subordinate clause)
she may tell you (main clause)
that (subordinating conjunction)
she loves maths after all. (subordinate clause)
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“Connectives”
Informal term
Word or phrase that links clauses or sentences.
Connectives can be
Conjunctions (e.g. but, when, because)
or
Connecting adverbs (e.g. however, then,
therefore)
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Some connecting adverbs
Addition – also, furthermore, moreover
Opposition – however, nevertheless, on the
other hand
Reinforcing – besides (preposition & adverb), anyway,
after all
Explaining – for example, in other words, that
is to say
Listing – first (ordinal number used as adverb), first of all, finally
Indicating result – therefore, consequently, as
a result
Indicating time – just then, meanwhile, later27
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What is an adverb?
A one-word adverbial:
•
•
•
•
How: simply, fast
When: now, still, immediately, already
Where: here, there, somewhere, away
Intensifying: very sweet; rather exciting;
fairly slowly
• Likelihood: definitely, seldom, often, never
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What is an adverbial?
• A single word (an adverb), or
• A prepositional phrase: in addition, as fast
as lightning, or
• An adverb phrase: too fast for me, very
cleverly, or
• A noun phrase: last week, several times a
day
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Building sentences
Expanding noun phrases
She sat on the chair.
She sat on the armchair.
She sat on the old, brown armchair.
She sat on the old, brown armchair in the
corner of the study.
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Building sentences
Expanding noun phrases – Your turn
She walked towards the car.
1. Picture the scene!
2. (Improve the noun)
3. One or two adjectives before the noun
4. Where is the thing? in the/ over the/
beyond the/ under the …(etc)
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Building sentences
Adverbial phrases:
How? When? Where?
The mouse ran.
The dormouse fled.
The dormouse fled in panic.
At the stroke of midnight, the dormouse fled in
panic.
At the stroke of midnight, the dormouse fled out of
the kitchen in panic.
At the stroke of midnight, the dormouse fled out of
the kitchen in panic.
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Building sentences
Adverbial phrases: Your turn!
The dog barked.
1. Picture the scene
2. (Improve the noun and verb if possible)
3. How/ When/ Where? - Choose two, but start
your sentence with one of them!
Try to use a phrase or clause rather than individual words:
“immediately” could become “all of a sudden”; “deafeningly” could
become “loud enough to make the windows shake”
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Verb Tenses
SIMPLE
CONTINUOUS
PERFECT
PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
PAST
I walked
I was walking
I had walked
I had been walking
PRESENT
I walk
I am walking
I have walked
I have been walking
FUTURE
I shall walk
I shall be walking
I shall have walked
I shall have been
walking
Sentence functions
Statement
It was a lovely day.
Question
Was it a lovely day?
Exclamation
What a lovely day!
Command
Make it a lovely day.
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Commas are for Meaning
She went to the shops and bought chocolate
oranges butter biscuits and a coconut.
I hate that Mary!
She strode off her face glowing red.
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 Comma Splicing 
If you can use a full stop, you can’t use a
comma.
- or Don’t substitute a full stop for a comma.
(But you might use a comma with a connective)
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Apostrophes
Contraction: do it physically
Refer to “contractions”: don’t, we’d, should’ve…
Ownership:
Create labels everywhere: Class 6’s scissors;
Mrs Smith’s books; Mr Jones’ chair; The
caretaker’s office; the children’s doorway…
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Speech Punctuation
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Parenthesis
•
•
•
•
An afterthought, or additional information
The sentence still works if you take it out
Brackets, dashes and commas
How do you choose between them?
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Parenthesis
How do you choose between them?
He came, at long last, to the mountain of
doom.
The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus, to
use its scientific name) is 25 metres in
length.
She says – as you’d expect – that she’d
already told you about the party.
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Colon Vs Semi colon
:
;
Introduce a list
Separate two main clauses in
a sentence, particularly
Introduce a
where they are closely
following example
related:
Before a second
I liked the book; it was a
clause that
pleasure to read.
expands/
illustrates the first: Separate items in a list if the
items are longer phrases:
He was very cold:
I need large, juicy tomatoes; half a
the temperature
pound of butter; a kilo of fresh
was below
pasta; and a jar of fresh olives
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freezing
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Colon Vs Semi colon
The Tyrannosaur was one of the largest
predators of the Cretaceous era: a full-grown
male would weigh more than a bull African
elephant.
The Tyrannosaur was one of the largest
predators of the Cretaceous era; it is
amazing to think that it is quite closely related
to a chicken.
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Passive
The object becomes the subject:
The child popped the balloon.
The balloon was popped by the child.
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Passive
The object becomes the subject:
The child popped the balloon.
The balloon was popped.
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Passive
The object becomes the subject:
The child popped the balloon.
The balloon was popped.
Hide the “do-er”:
I lost my reading diary.
My reading diary was lost by me.
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Passive
The object becomes the subject:
The child popped the balloon.
The balloon was popped.
Hide the “do-er”:
I lost my reading diary.
My reading diary was lost.
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Subjunctive verb form
desire, necessity, uncertainty
All the players are excellent.
He required that all the players be excellent.
I insist that Mr Gove writes to me to explain.
I insist that Mr Gove write to me to explain.
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Play with the new skill
Apply in Speech – model, share,
independent
Apply in Writing – model, share,
independent
Written grammatical exercises just don’t seem to work
(especially not for the children who really need the help)
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