Education Bradford
Whole School Curriculum Target Area
Improving writing through a focus on sentence construction
Rationale:
Sentence construction and the ability to create and manipulate sentences to inform and entertain the reader is an essential
aspect of writing. Developing security with a growing range of grammatical conventions will build pupils’ confidence as writers
and once these skills become more automatic, children will be able to concentrate more on developing the content and structure
of texts. Oral constructions of language are an important building block to support writing and teachers should plan for a rich
variety of speaking and listening activities through which children can begin to appreciate what we mean when we ask ‘Does it
sound right?’ Where vocabulary development is a priority, this will also be enhanced through extending the complexity of
sentences using time connectives, description, adverbial phrases and so on. Learning to use punctuation in conjunction with
sentence building will help children to understand the way in which punctuation affects meaning for the reader.
It will be essential that teachers continue to support children to move from oral to written texts through the teaching sequence
for writing and targeted guided writing. In addition, there should be planned opportunities for guided talk. Teachers should
identify both in literacy planning and planning for other curricular areas, where there will be teaching and learning opportunities
to support the attainment of these targets.
School:
Term:
Curricular Target Exemplification of teaching and learning
Area: Writing - Sentence Structure and Punctuation
Foundation Stage
FS: Age expected Target
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Write their own names and other things such as labels and
captions
To begin to form simple sentences – sometimes using
punctuation
Child Speak
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Example questions to support planning, teaching and
assessment
I can write my own name
I can write labels (and captions)
I know what a sentence is
I am starting to write (a) sentence(s)
Exemplification
N.B.
See target grid for approaches in each of the six areas of learning & the
EYFS document
Guidance for the practitioner
Can the children: tell you what they want by using words or gestures
 talk to the teacher and to friends using words, phrases & gestures
 join in - using words - in rhymes & stories
 say what has happened (in a story)
 say a simple sentence
 copy their names
 write some letters from their names
 write their names
 segment and write words
 say and count the words in a caption/sentence
 say and write the words in a caption/sentence
 show what a full stop looks like
 find a full stop in their / teacher’s writing
 show that a full stop means the end of a sentence
 write a sentence independently with finger spaces and a full stop?
Figure 1: Identifying learning focuses to support the whole-school curricular target
School identifies priorities
from data analysis and
self-evaluation.
Curricular focuses are
translated into year group
targets based on agerelated expectations.
Practitioners Identify relevant
ELGs and sections from the
Areas of Learning and
Development (EYFS document)
that support teacher-led and
child-initiated activities that
develop learning to support the
FS target and the whole school
focus.
Whole school focus:
Improving writing through a
focus on sentence
construction
Layered year group targets (Y2):
I can compose sentences and write
compound sentences with correctly
placed capitals and full stops.
Foundation Stage target(s):
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I can write my own name
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I can write labels (and captions)
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I know what a sentence is
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I am starting to write (a) sentence(s)
School maps curricular target
focuses across the year.
Curricular targets are
linked into the
planning, teaching and
assessment cycle.
Ensure conditions for learning
support the FS target and whole
school focus. Identify relevant
ELGs and sections from the
Areas of Learning and
Development (EYFS
document) that contribute to
learning that leads to the FS
target and whole school focus.
The Public Service Agreement (PSA) target focuses on communication, language & literacy (CLL) & personal, social & emotional development (PSED) because they have a
big impact on learning & life chances. Delivery of the whole Foundation Stage curriculum remains equally important & must not be compromised. All areas of learning are of
equal importance & all are interdependent for children’s learning.
Communication, Language & Literacy
Development (PSA target area)
Personal, social & emotional development
PSRN (Problem-solving, Reasoning &
(PSA target area)
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Talk to the children about family and
friends and why they are important.
Give children opportunities both to speak
and to listen, ensuring that the needs of
children learning English as an additional
language are met.
Encourage children to explore and talk
about what they are learning – valuing
their ideas and ways of doing things
Encourage children to share their
feelings and talk about why they respond
to experiences in particular ways
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Share books, rhymes with repetitive phrases and
CDs of stories and encourage children to join in /
allow these resources to go home
Books in home language to share with bi-lingual
support or parents
Songs and rhymes in home language to
encourage joining in
Thinking time built into planning for children to
decide what they want to say
Opportunities to talk about and Role Play familiar
stories
Collaborative tasks where children have to talk
to each other while working through the task
Meaningful Sp & List activities – e.g. explain to
others
Opportunities to write their name for a purpose –
e.g. sign up for an activity
Oral rehearsal of sentences to a partner/puppet
Modelled sentences in basic and enhanced
provision – The sand is wet/dry/cold.
Adults to model correct sentence structure for
children at non-verbal communication stage
Activities involving physically making sentences,
ordering words and adding a full stop
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Physical Development (PD)
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Use talk to describe how they are moving,
adults to model sentences – ‘cross-area’
Modelled language when using malleable
materials and tactile experiences eg finger
paint, cornflour
Snack area – modelled sentences e.g.
‘Today we are eating…..’
Make a book about things I can do with
modelled sentences. For example ‘I can
ride a bike.’
Book in the snack areas with sentences ‘I
like…’ – for the children to complete
Role play stories, for example ‘going on a
bear hunt’ to combine talk and movement
Whole body action rhymes e.g. ‘Head
shoulders knees and toes’
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Numeracy)
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Use mathematical language in their play
Adults to create situations to model
appropriate language
Create opportunities for children to work
together, to discuss mathematical play
and problems
Give children opportunities to talk about
what they are doing
Join in and sing mathematical songs and
rhymes
Knowledge & understanding of the world
(KUW)
Creative Development (CD)
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Be aware of children’s interests
Provide opportunities for children to use
and be taught new vocabulary
Encourage children to express their
ideas and respond using words and
gestures
Provide opportunities for children to
discuss what they can do and what they
have been doing
Provide opportunities for children to work
together and discuss
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Introduce vocabulary to enable children
to talk about observations and ask
questions
Encourage and respond to children’s
interests and extend these through
questions, discussions and further
investigations
Give opportunities to record findings by
drawing, writing, making a model or
photographs
Encourage children’s evaluations and
provide opportunities to speculate on the
reasons why things happen/ed or how
things work/ed
EAL Pupils (FS)
Some children are bilingual from birth and some will be acquiring English as an additional language. As with their first
language, this needs to be learnt in a context, through practical meaningful experiences and interaction with others.
Children may spend a long time listening before they speak English, and will often be able to understand much of what
they hear, particularly where communication through gesture, sign, facial expression and using visual support is
encouraged.
The learning environment needs to:
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build on children’s experiences of language at home and in the wider community by providing a range of
opportunities to use their home language , so that their developing use of English and other languages support
one another;
 provide a range of opportunities for children to engage in speaking and listening activities supported by
peers/adults
 provide bilingual support in particular to extend vocabulary and support children’s developing understanding;
 provide a literate environment across provision (books fiction and non-fiction, notices, labels, speech bubbles,
tools for mark making), that recognises children’s home languages as well as English;
 provide opportunities for children to hear their home languages as well as English e.g. video, audio tapes
adult interaction that will support and extend children’s language development across the provision through a range of
strategies such as modelling, reflecting, commentating, reading, and questioning
Curricular Target Exemplification of teaching and learning
Area: Writing - Sentence Structure and Punctuation
Year 1
Child speak steps
to success
I can segment and write
words
I can say a simple sentence
I can say and count the
words in a sentence
I know what a full stop looks
like
Compose and begin to write
simple sentences
independently, to
communicate meaning and
begin to use full stops and
capital letters.
I can find a full stop in my
writing / my teacher’s writing
I can recognise that a full
stop means the end of a
sentence
I can say and write captions
and labels
I can say and write a simple
sentence
I can read my sentence
back to someone else
I can say and write more
than one sentence
I can say and write more
than one sentence and put
in capital letters and full
stops to help the reader
Example questions to support planning, teaching
and assessment
Target
EAL pupils
There are many aspects of grammar
at sentence level that are likely to
present particular challenges for
children learning with English as an
additional language (EAL). Be aware
that most bilingual pupils in schools
in this country speak a first language
which does not use articles as
determiners in the same way as the
English language requires. There is
no equivalent of the word ‘the’ before
a noun as in Englis . Be very explicit
when modelling spoken sentences
and written simple sentence level use
of articles and determiners. Many
South Asian languages do not use
Can you write…?(choose word)
Can you say a sentence about a ….? (choose word)
How many words are in your sentence?
Can you show me a full stop in this sentence? Why is the full stop there? Where
would you put a full stop on this sentence?
Can you make a caption/label for this….? (object, picture)
Can you write a sentence about…?
Can you write two sentences about… and show where the full stop and capitals
would go?
Does your writing make sense? How do you know? Can your friend read your
writing? Can your Mum and dad read your writing?
Can you read your writing to me?
Can you find me a connective in this sentence? Can you choose a connective to
use to join these two sentences? Can you write me a sentence with a connective?
Exemplification of teaching and learning
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Oral and written retelling of stories. Encourage emergent writing.
Oral and written captions for pictures and labels for objects, freeze frames.
Poems with string rhythms and rhymes.
Paired oral work to hear how sentences sound
Interactive displays showing how sentences are written.
Opportunities to explore and apply writing within role play and play-based
activities. Writing linked to personal experience where possible.
Access to a wide range of writing implements and papers.
Use texts which don’t have sentences which always finish with a full stop at the
end of a line. Cut up long sentence strips and paste onto portrait size paper.
Model use of more than one sentence to reinforce full stops.
Use physical punctuation ( hand movements)
Use traffic light punctuation (green for caps/ red for full stops)
Use of Letters and Sounds and Developing Early Writing
Orally rehearse and check sentences with a partner before writing.
Teacher demonstrating using capitals and full stops, and leaving spaces
I can independently re-read
what I have written to check
that it makes sense
upper and lower case in writing..
Many South Asian languages do not
use upper and lower case in writing..
Extension:
I can use simple
conjunctions ( for example
‘and, but, or, so, because’
depending on purpose and
text type))
EAL learners learn language best in
context: they learn it best in
meaningful contexts. To teach use of
determiners label classroom objects
throughout the classroom.
Allow children to use first language if
able to and understand the concept
of a sentence in first lanaguage.
Be aware of need to hear and
articulate new sounds and words. Be
explicit about verbs/nouns, plurals,
use of prepositions-personal
pronouns.
Be aware of incorrect use of tensesmodel and reinforce through oral
activities. Act out and use images to
support learning.
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between words.
Check for sense and meaning in a sentence.
Human sentence activities to jumble and reorder sentences.
Use dry wipe boards to practice sentences in pairs as part of shared writing.
Use the shared writing process to demonstrate, scribe and support
composition of sentences. Teacher models thinking aloud to compose and
check a sentence before writing.
Demonstrate how to use phonic knowledge to write simple regular words and
make phonetically plausible attempts at more complex words.
Note sentences in reading. Note starting and finishing points and use of
capitals and full stops.
In reading, find conjunctions and explore how they work in sentences.
Model joining two simple sentences with simple conjunctions.
Human sentences activity, with simple sentences on sentence strips and cards
with conjunctions to experiment and find the right connective.
Orally completing sentences to follow a conjunction. For example ‘ I opened
my bag and …’ ‘I opened my bag but …’ etc
Rainbow sentences – see Developing Early Writing. Write each new sentence
in a different colour, encouraging children to note sentence demarcation and
extend number of sentences written.
Curricular Target Exemplification of teaching and learning
Area: Writing - Sentence Structure and Punctuation
Year 2
Child speak
steps to success
I can say and write simple
sentences with capitals and
full stops
I can re-read and check my
own writing
Compose sentences and write
compound sentences with
correctly placed capitals and
fullstops.
I can write simple sentences
which are questions and
finish them with a question
mark
I can make compound
sentences by joining two
simple sentences with ‘and,
but, or, so, because’.
Can you write a sentence with a capital letter and a full stop?
Can you write more than one sentence with capitals and full stops?
Does your writing make sense?
Can you turn this sentence into a question? Do you know how to write a
question mark? Can you show me where the question mark would go?
Can you find any conjunctions / connectives in our shared reading? Could
you use any of them to join these two sentences together?
Could you choose an adverbial to improve this sentence?
Can you choose a good adjective to describe this character / this place
etc?
Can you show me where you have written two adjectives together to
describe a person or place? Did you put a comma in between the two
adjectives? What do the adjectives mean? Can you think of another
adjective that means the same thing?
Can you show me any speech marks in this story?
EAL Pupils
I use the right verb tense
I can use conjunctions to
say longer sentences when
I am talking about ideas with
a partner.
Example questions to support planning,
teaching and assessment
Target
EAL learners nee to understand the
concept of a sentence in first language.
Many South Asian languages do not use
upper and lower case in writing..
I can write sentences with
more interesting words and
phrases to tell when
something is happening
(time connectives or
adverbial phrases)
As for year One and be aware that verbs in
most South Asian languages are placed at
the end of sentences. Provide sentences
for pupils to cut up into separate words
and ask them to re-arrange them in word
order, sentence level moving from simple
to compound sentences.
I can include adjectives and
separate a list of adjectives
with commas
EAL learners need to learn that
prepositions signal a wide range of
meanings. Prepositions occur in different
Exemplification of teaching and learning
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Collect connectives in shared and guided reading.
Oral activities to extend and vary sentences using connectives.
Use of simple time connectives in instructional text.
Highlight connectives in shared text and display on working wall.
Speaking and listening activities to allow time for children to practise
using extended sentences.
Model how to use time connectives orally to connect each part of a
story map.
Experiment with using different connectives to link sentences to find
which ones work best. Get up and go activities using sentence strips.
IWB activities to construct compound sentences.
Enhancing simple sentences with adverbial phrases and/or
connectives to tell ‘when’ (e.g. Early one morning, later, one day, next,
when etc)
Use Letters and Sounds and Developing Early Writing including the
I can write sentences with
more interesting words to
say how and where
something is happening
I can speak in role as a
character
I can write what a character
says
places or orders in community languages.
An EAL learner will often omit prepositions
or use them incorrectly. Developing
experience in using prepositions in oral
contexts prepares children for using them
in writing eg use barrier games also see
Units 1,2,3 in Year 2 within the EAL Guided
Writing Materials for practical activities to
support use and application of this aspect
of grammar.
I can use exclamation marks Pupils learning with EAL will need
when my character says
considerable practice to embed the use of
something loudly
past tense verbs. Because many
frequently used verbs in English tend to be
I can write what my
irregular e.g. make/made, catch/caught,
characters say and use
see/saw, come/came, pupils with EAL are
speech marks to show when more likely to make errors both orally and
the characters speak
in their writing. See Year2 Unit 2 on
‘Present and Past Verbs’ – Activity 1.
I can write about a character
in third person or about
myself in first person
I can say when a sentence
is written in the past or
present tense.
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additional units.
Reinforce using capitals and full stops, and leaving spaces between
words. Practice using other punctuation such as question marks.
Find conjunctions when reading and note how they are used e.g. after,
meanwhile, during, before, then, next, after a while.
Use cloze activities, human sentences; ‘construct’ (G for W) activities
etc to identify appropriate conjunctions.
Play games such as connectives noughts and crosses to practice using
the conjunctions orally.
Improve texts by joining simple sentences with conjunctions.
Curricular Target Exemplification of teaching and learning
Area: Writing - Sentence Structure and Punctuation
Year 3
Child speak
steps to success
I can choose to write simple
and compound sentences
and use full stops, capitals,
question marks
I can read and check my
own writing for capitals and
full stops and to be sure it
makes sense
Target
Compose sentences using
adjectives, verbs and nouns for
precision, clarity and impact and use
commas to separate items in a list.
I can choose different ways
to say when or why
something is happening
using connectives
I can make my writing
interesting by using
adjectives to describe
places, things and people.
I use a comma to separate
a list of adjectives
I can write what my
characters say and use
speech marks and
EAL pupils
Example questions to support planning,
teaching and assessment
Can you write a question? Can you show me anywhere that you have
written a question?
Can you show me where you have used a connective to join two
ideas in a sentence?
Can you tell me another connective that means the same as….?
Which words have you used to describe your character? Can you
think of any other words that mean the same thing?
Which words could you use to describe this (picture prompt)
character?
Do those words describe the way the character looks or the way the
character feels or behaves?
Can you point to the words that are being spoken by the character?
Can you change the dialogue to change the character’s mood?
Can you show me an exclamation mark in this text? Why do you think
the writer put the exclamation mark there?
Can you find any exciting verbs in this text? How do these verbs
make the text more interesting for the reader?
Can you change the verb in this sentence to make it more interesting
for the reader?
Can you tell me why this sentence doesn’t make sense? Can you tell
your partner how to improve their sentence?
Reread you writing – can you find any places where you need to add
a capital letter / full stop?
Can you show me a sentence that you have improved… what did you
change to improve it? Why do you think it is better now?
Exemplification of teaching and learning
exclamation marks to show
meaning
I can use adverbials to say
where something is
happening
I can use adverbials to say
when something is
happening
I can choose good verbs to
make my writing interesting
for the reader and give clear
information
I can choose the right verb
tense for a piece of writing
I can recognise and spell
tricky past tense verbs
I can improve my own
sentences to say exactly
what I mean to the reader
As for Year 2 but also EAL pupils need to
understand and apply the conventions
governing the order of adjectives when
describing nouns see Y3 Unit 4 on ‘Adjectives’
in EAL Guided Writing Materials.
As for previous years pay particular attention to
the teaching of prepositions. Prepositions can
be used in different ways and will have different
meanings in different contexts.
Word order in children’s first language is
different to that in English. Prepositions in first
language will occur in different places or
perhaps not at all. Many EAL learners will often
either omit prepositions or use them incorrectly
see Y3 Unit 5 on prepositions – Activity 1 in
EAL Guided Writing Materials.
Be aware of need to not only teach vocabulary,
but structures and functions of language. What
language functions/structures do you need in
order to be able to justify/compare?
‘I think the bulb would light up if…..’ The
language of different writing forms – not just
the vocabulary….how do you phrase a
question?
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Intensity lines to show the differences between
vocabulary with similar main meaning but finer
distinctions e.g. quiet and louder ways of
talking; range of vocabulary that means ‘good’
or ‘bad’.
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Again work on use of tenses and plurals.
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Pronouns can be difficult. In the South Asian
languages spoken by EB pupils, the first
language uses pronouns which demonstrate
whether a person or thing is present or absent
(this, that) in the positions where we use
personal pronouns which show gender(he, she,
her, him). Errors such as ‘Adam and her sister
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Capital letters and full stops should be used accurately in all
writing.
Exclamation marks could be used to create a mood or to show
how someone is talking.
Display examples of sentences with correct punctuation on the
working wall.
Opportunities to edit and improve writing through guided writing.
Use physical punctuation ( hand movements)
Use traffic light punctuation (green for caps/ red for full stops)
Intensity lines of adjectives.
Adjectives as labels for visual images.
Oral work using different voices and linking this with use of
speech bubbles and demonstration of how to punctuate dialogue.
Posing questions about an image or illustration in a picture book.
Stop when writing at regular intervals to go back and check.
Vary openings of sentences to avoid repetition. e.g. by using time
connectives, experimenting with noun phrases -The little old man,
who…
Use shared writing to demonstrate, scribe and support
composition.
In reading, identify different types of sentence construction and
use them as models for own writing.
Link work on verbs to sentence openings, for example change
The man walked down the road. to Walking down the road, the
man saw a frightening sight.
Develop work on speech marks to include a focus on how the
speech is presented, e.g. Compare “What are we going to do
now?” mumbled Jennifer. with Jennifer mumbled, “What are we
going to do now?”
Link with work on paragraphs by suggesting that pupils begin
each paragraph with a different sentence construction.
Play ‘human sentences’ with parts of a sentence on cards to be
re-ordered. Check that the sentences still makes sense. Use as
models for writing sentences.
Revise work on conjunctions, noting how these are used at the
start of sentences to link ideas, e.g. Since the noise outside was
so loud, the boy stayed trembling inside the shed.
Experiment with placing adjectives at the beginning of sentences
e.g. tired, old and shaggy, the dog slept in the shade of a tree.
Spelling investigations linked to verb endings and adjectives ( see
went to the park.’ May occur in writing and
orally – model correct use in English.
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KS2 Spelling Bank)
Build lists of speech verbs and explore meanings. Develop
intensity lines by ranking verbs along a continuum e.g. happiest to
saddest ways of saying something; loudest to quietest ways of
saying something etc.
Act out speaking in different ways to explore fine distinctions of
meaning e.g. what is the difference between muttering and
mumbling? When would we mutter / mumble?
Curricular Target Exemplification of teaching and learning
Area: Writing - Sentence Structure and Punctuation
Year 4
Child speak
steps to success
I can write ‘how’ something
is being done
I can put the ’how adverbial’
in different places in my
sentence
I can write ‘when’ something
has happened
I can experiment with
moving the ‘when adverbial’
to different places in the
sentence
Target
Clarify meaning and point of view by
developing sentences using
adverbial phrases for how, where and
when.
I can write ‘where’
something has happened
I can experiment with
moving the ‘where
adverbial’ to different parts
of the sentence
I can use a comma after an
adverbial at the beginning of
a sentence
I can use a comma with an
adverbial in other parts of
the sentence to help the
reader
EAL pupils
Example questions to support planning,
teaching and assessment
Have you used a powerful verb in your writing today? What does it
mean? What other words have a similar meaning? Why did you
choose this word?
Can you show me where you would find adverbials on our working
wall?
Could you improve this sentence by saying where / when / how the
action is taking place?
You said the character was (leaving the room) … can you think about
how he/she was (leaving)? Can you add a word or a phrase to tell the
reader more about how the action was happening?
Can you find the adverbial in this sentence?
You have used this phrase to say when the action is happening… can
you think of another phrase that would mean the same thing?
Can you show me the adverbial in your sentence? Where else in the
sentence could you put that adverbial?
You have used an adverbial to start this sentence… where could a
comma go? Read your sentence to me – where did you pause? Read
your sentence to your partner – where do you think a comma could
go?
Do any of these words have an apostrophe? When do we use
apostrophes? Why is there an apostrophe in this word?
Show me where you have used an apostrophe to show that
something belongs to someone.
What kind of reader were you thinking about when you wrote this
text? Why might they want to read it? (for fun? Information? etc)
What have you done to make the text interesting for the reader?
Can you find a sentence in your partners writing which shows what
the writer is thinking/feeling?
Exemplification of teaching and learning
I can use an apostrophe to
show when something
belongs to someone
I can compose the right
sentence to suit the reader
and the type of text.
I use the correct verb tense
Pupils with EAL tend to provide less
information through the use of adverbials than
native English speakers. They need to develop
the use of adverbials to add detail in writing
about place, time and frequency, manner etc.
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EAL learners also tend to place adverbials more
at the end of the sentencse than other learners.
Developing the mobility of adverbials will
support pupils in developing a more varied
range of sentence structures in their writing.
SeeY4 Unit 8 on ‘Adverbs’ Activities 1,2 and 4 in
EAL Guided Writing materials.
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Be aware of facts such as, in Punjabi, to make
a word like ‘good’ more interesting or powerful
you would add ‘than all’ before it. In English we
would change the word to ‘great’, ‘fantastic’,
‘splendid’ for example.
EAL children can tend to stay with ‘safe’
vocabulary. They need lots of modelling to
explore different uses of language.
Comparative language can be difficult.
e.g...’She can run faster than the dog’.
Figurative language can be problematic..e.g. ‘
raining cats and dogs’ ‘as stiff as a board’ ‘mad
with excitement’
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A phrase can function as a noun, an adjective or an adverb e.g.
A noun phrase
a big dog, my last holiday
An adjectival phrase (she’s not) as old as you, (I’m) really
hungry
An adverbial phrase five minutes ago, really slowly, under the
stairs
Make links with text types used in shared reading, such as stories,
plays, reports and instructions, to note sentence structure
common to each.
Collect different types of sentences and use as models for own
writing.
In G for W Unit 22, focus on the use of powerful verbs to enhance
meaning in text. Model how to maintain a sense of meaning
through consistency in choices of powerful verbs e.g. all chosen to
build a consistent picture of how a character, moves, speaks,
walks, looks etc
G for W Unit 30 – Verb endings
In G for W Unit 23, focus on the way in which ‘how’ adverbs are
used to enhance meaning. Experiment with using them in different
places in a sentence, e.g. Angrily, the girl slammed the door or
The girl slammed the door angrily. The girl angrily slammed the
door. Discuss the effect of placing the adverbs in different
positions in the sentence.
Build on this work with a further focus on adverbial phrases e.g. to
tell where, when, or why. Link with work on commas e.g. Early in
the morning, the children crept from the house. Hoping to find
something useful inside, the boy levered open the door of the old
shed.
Begin with very simple sentences and challenge pupils to make
them more interesting by adding information through use of
adjectives and adverbials.
Play human sentences to experiment with re-ordering the parts of
a sentence.
‘Perform’ sentences to listen to the rhythms of language in
different sentence constructions. Physical punctuation linked to
performing sentences.
Curricular Target Exemplification of teaching and learning
Area: Writing - Sentence Structure and Punctuation
Year 5
Child speak
steps to success
I can choose adverbial
phrases to make my
sentences more interesting
I can use commas
accurately with adverbial
phrases
Target
Adapt sentence construction to
different text types, purposes and
readers and use accurate
punctuation
I can use a range of
punctuation accurately
including speech marks and
apostrophes
I can vary the order of
phrases in my sentences to
make the meaning clearer
I can write sentences with
the right word choices for a
range of different texts
I can choose appropriate
connectives, adjectives,
nouns and adverbials to
match the text type
I use the right verb tenses
throughout my writing
I can use a range of
different sentence types in
my writing, including simple
and complex sentences
Possible extension: I can
EAL pupils
Example questions to support planning, teaching
and assessment
Could you join two ideas to make one complex sentence using conjunctions,
e.g. although, since, whenever, because?
Can you use some of the conjunctions identified in our shared reading to join
some ideas in a sentence?
Where does the comma need to go to mark boundaries between [words,
phrases or clauses] – does it sound right when you read it aloud?
Could you use a different sentence type to [change the pace/ build up the
suspense/ draw in the reader with a question]?
Could you use a different sentence opening to [change the pace/ build up the
suspense/ avoid repetition]?
Could you add adverbial information to add detail about when, where or how
something happens? Could you manipulate the clauses in your sentence to
have an effect on the reader? What is the effect?
For further subject knowledge support see Principles and explanation Year 5
Writing Targets
Exemplification of teaching and learning
 A subordinate clause is part of the main clause and cannot exist on its
own. Here the subordinate clause is underlined:
Continue to develop accuracy with a range  e.g. It was raining when we went out.
of adjectival and adverbial phrases and
 Mary Davis, who had just got over the mumps, was playing hopscotch on
phrasal verbs.
the pavement.
 In reading, note where complex sentences have been used and how they
To ensure EAL pupils add more
are punctuated.
information and detail in their writing
 Use the punctuation in complex sentences to read aloud with meaning.
about place, time and frequency, manner
 In the shared writing process, demonstrate, scribe and support
and cause or reason. Developing an
composition of complex sentences.
understanding of the mobility of adverbials  Demonstrate how to proof read and edit writing to create complex
will support children learning EAL in
sentences.
developing amore varied range of
 Simplify sentences by removing subordinate clauses. (G for W Unit 35)
sentence structures in their writing. See Y5
 Experiment with using connectives at the start of sentences to create
Unit 10 on Adverbial Phrases Activities 1-4
complex sentences e.g. Although the zebra was on a strict diet, she still
for suitable tasks in EAL Guided writing
couldn’t resist the humbug. Because of the humbug’s relatively small
materials.
EAL learners need to:
use a variety of sentence
types to have an effect on
the reader
Possible extension: I can
manipulate the clauses in a
sentence for different effects
on the reader
Pupils with EAL need to develop the ability
to use modal verbs. Using these
accurately will enable children to express
degrees of probability,
possibility,certainity,necessity etc.
Children need to develop the ability to use
modal verbs in order to predict, speculate
and make deductions. See Y5 Unit 10 on
modal verbs (Activities 1-4) in EAL Guided
Writing File.
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Use writing frames for different genre. Be
specific and explicit about the use of
language in different contexts.
size, it was only rarely mistaken for a zebra. After sucking a humbug, the
zebra’s stripes became more prominent.
‘Construct’ activities (see G for W) to experiment with adding clauses.
GFW Unit: 34,40, 43
(Yr6 Unit: 44, 47)
Use Sue Palmer speaking frames to support presentational talk linked to
text types and foster oral practice of more formal sentence structures.
‘Silent sentences’ – work in groups of 4; co-operative sentence building
done in silence; sentences cut up and shared out; players can give away
a card but can’t ask for one; if a card is offered it can’t be refused; first
group to get all 4 sentences correct wins.
UKLA/PNS Boys Writing Fliers DfES 1170-2005G
PNS Exemplified units of work
QCA / PNS Speaking, Listening and Learning: working with children in
Key Stages 1 and 2 DfES 0163-2004
PNS Further Literacy Support Material
Curricular Target Exemplification of teaching and learning
Area: Writing – Sentence Structure and Punctuation
Year: 6
Child speak
steps to success
I can add in ‘who’ or ‘which’
clauses to give more
information to the reader
I can use commas to ‘tuck
in’ my who or which clauses
Target
Use different sentence
techniques to engage and
entertain the reader and use
punctuation to clarify meaning.
I can choose the right
interesting vocabulary to
suit the text type and the
reader
I use the right verb tenses
throughout my writing
I can keep the same voice
all the way through the text I
am writing
I always use capitals and
full stops accurately.
I use a wide range of other
punctuation including
EAL pupils
Example questions to support planning, teaching
and assessment
Can you use a more powerful verb instead of said or went?
Can you add an adverb to tell the reader more about the verb, e.g. how,
when and where?
Can you add an action after the reporting clause? e.g. …, replied Sam
angrily, storming out of the room.
How can you make the main characters represent opposites, e.g. good/evil,
brave/cowardly, angry/happy?
How can you develop or change the main characters throughout your story?
How can you give a hint to the reader to show how a character is thinking or
feeling in your story?
Could you use the passive voice to hide the agent and build the tension in
your story?
How can you use [noun phrases/ similes/ metaphors/ personification/
alliteration] effectively to describe the setting or your characters? What effect
have you created?
Should you use a reporting clause to let the reader know who is talking?
Could you use reported speech to move the action on more quickly?
Can you manipulate the phrases and clauses in your sentences to vary the
pace, build up tension and avoid repetition?
Have you started a new line for a different speaker in your story?
Where should you use punctuation and capital letters in direct speech?
For further subject knowledge support see Principles and Explanation Year 6
Writing Targets
Exemplification of teaching and learning
question marks, exclamation If child’s first language well developed
marks, speech marks,
then they already have the pathways to
brackets and ellipsis
hang new language on. If literate in first
language is crucial to know. Value child’s
I use commas accurately to writing in first language if able to.
show meaning in complex
Comparative language can be problematic.
sentences
Use of collective nouns. Explicit teaching
of different functions of language
I can create interesting
necessary. Make sure development of
characters in my stories
language is planned for across the whole
by mixing action,
curriculum.
description and dialogue
See Excellence and Enjoyment – Bilingual
pupils guided writing materials
I can use figurative
language effectively to
describe the setting, mood
and characters in my writing
Possible extension: I can
create and develop
characters in my writing by
mixing action, description
and dialogue using direct
and reported speech
Possible extension: I can
use a range of narrative
devices to engage the
reader in my writing
Revision of key teaching about complex sentences from Y5 as above and:
 In reading, note where complex sentences have been used and how they
are punctuated. Note how writers manipulate sentences by moving
clauses to different positions in a sentence.
 In reading note which types of text are more likely to include complex
sentences and which may be better with simpler sentence structures e.g.
instructional text.
 In the shared writing process, demonstrate, scribe and support
composition of complex sentences with a focus on correct punctuation.
 Note how writers can ‘hide clues’ in text according to where clauses
containing the information are placed.
 Human sentence activities to manipulate the order of information in a
sentence and discuss the effects created from different arrangements of
clauses.
 Use G for W Units 34 and 40 (Y5) as revision of complex sentence work.
 G for W Unit 47 Y6 to embed understanding of complex sentences.
 Edit writing into notes with a focus on the main idea communicated by
each part of the sentence.
 ‘Collect’ a range of examples of complex sentences from reading and
begin to classify them into groups based on the construction, e.g. those
which begin with a connective etc
 Paired work to find good examples of complex sentences in a partner’s
writing and to identify where a sentence could be extended to build a
more complex sentence.
 Play the Complex Sentence Game (p 159 G for W)
 Cloze activities to identify missing punctuation in complex sentences.
 Improve texts by adding clauses and appropriate punctuation.