Instructions
Purpose: To explain how things are done.
Level
Sentence, Structures and Punctuation
1c
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Year 1
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1b
1a
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2c
Year 2
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2a
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3c
Year 3
2b
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Wollescote Primary School
To use a capital letter for personal
pronoun “I” and for the start of a
sentence.
To begin using full stops to
demarcate sentences
Write or draw simple instructions or
labels in sentence like structures for
classroom use. Writing may be
abbreviated or disjointed.
Use of first or second person, e.g
you, I in simple sentence structure.
Some use of imperatives.
Write in the present tense
Simple connectives used to indicate
order, e.g. first, next.
Demarcate sentences in writing,
ending a sentence with a full stop.
Write in clear sentences to give
instruction using capital letters and
full stops accurately.
Commas may be used to separate
items in a list
Use commas to separate items in a
list.
Use imperatives accurately in
instructional writing on most
occasions.
Text, Structures and
Organisation
Composition and Effect
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Handwriting
Use recognisable letters, words
or phrases to write instructions.
Writing may have to be
dedicated by child or teacher to
be understood.
To write a recognisable set of
instructions or points for chosen
procedure e.g. simple words and
phrases, mainly in the
appropriate order.
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Use a title to show purpose.
Use correctly sequence steps in
a list format
Uses numbers or bullet points to
indicate steps.
Uses labelled diagrams as
appropriate to support a set of
instructions.
Write in an impersonal style.
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Write a set of instructions
recognising the importance of
correct sequence.
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Forms most upper and lower
case letters.
Writing is legible, letters
are usually correctly formed
and orientated.
Generally, upper and lower
case letters not mixed
within a word.
Most letters correctly
formed and orientated in a
controlled printed style.
Evidence of the ability to
join letters, although this
may detract from the
overall regularity of the
handwriting.
Handwriting is neat and
usually regular in size.
Ascenders and descender
usually distinguished.
Level
Sentence, Structures and Punctuation
3b
Year 4
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3a
4c
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To use commas to mark grammatical
boundaries within sentences on most
occasions.
Use commas, connectives and full stops to
join and separate clauses on most
occasions.
To use language of commands, e.g.
imperative verbs
Use commas to mark phrases and clauses
accurately on most occasions.
Text, Structures and Organisation
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Year 5
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4b
Composition and Effect
To create a plan to organise a set
of instructions.
To begin to use a range of devices
to improve the cohesion of written
texts, e.g. linking phrases,
subheadings and numbering.
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Use a range of connectives to link
clauses within sentences and to link
sentences in longer texts.
Select appropriate headings for
stages of procedure, e.g.
Goal/Aims; What you need;
Equipment, etc.
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Year6
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Use more sophisticated punctuation marks:
colon, parenthetic, commas, dashes or
brackets.
Guides reader accurately by use of adverb
or adjectives, e.g. slowly unwind, carefully
cut.
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Selects and uses an appropriate
instruction framework for
different contexts.
Use connective words and phrases
to link paragraphs, e.g. first, next,
aster ten minutes.
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5c
Wollescote Primary School
Handwriting
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4a
Write a single statement saying what is
to be achieved.
Make a list showing what is needed
Can write stages in a chronological order.
Writing is beginning to show a sense of
purpose and audience.
Writes an opening statement using
appropriate words and phrases to state
goal.
Uses some diagrams or illustrations to
support text.
Sentences created to give instruction
clearly.
States goal, using words and phrases
appropriate to the context and form.
Writes an explicit instruction for
sequence of steps required completing
the task.
Includes information on ‘how,’ ‘where,’
and ‘when’ each step is to be completed.
Shows a sense of purpose and audience in
the writing of instructions.
Uses diagrams, photographs, illustrations
to elaborate and support text where
appropriate.
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Evidence of fluency and the ability to join
letters.
Handwriting is legible and shows some
features of regularity in size and spacing.
Overall the script is disjointed and uneven.
Overall handwriting is regular with some
flair and movement.
Letters and words usually appropriate in
size and position but there is some
variation.
Handwriting is consistent and fluent with
letters and words appropriately placed.
Handwriting maintains a personal style to
engage the reader.