Twenty Ideas for Sentence Level
Starters
1. Word Chain topical story around the class using certain types of
connectives. Each section of the story must begin with a connective.
2. Use sequencing connectives to recap the plot of a story.
3. Tall stories about why students were late for school/didn’t hand in
their homework, each ‘excuse’ must begin with a concession connective
(although, despite, without, even though…) attempting to sweet talk
their way out!
4. Hotseat a character from a novel/play by beginning all sentences
‘Being…’ to explain how they feel about their circumstances e.g. Link,
from ‘Stone Cold’ ‘Being homeless made me realise the reality of life
on the streets.’ Move on to include other –ing verbs.
5. Where is it? What is it? Guessing game. One student goes out of the
classroom whilst the class decide on an object the student should
guess. Each student takes turns to give a clue using riddle like
language by beginning with a preposition e.g. ‘within this room, is
where it is’ or ‘outside the window, you see it not’.
6. Topic check of last lesson by using prepositions of time:
‘Before last lesson, I knew…
During last lesson, I learnt…
Since last lesson, I found out…
By the end of this lesson I want to know…’
7. Think of a cliffhanger sentence starting with a Premiership -ing verb
for the last chapter of a book you are reading. Explain your
cliffhanger to your partner.
8. Celebrity profile/ Picture of a character from a novel – bring in a
picture of a current celebrity and display. Ask student to write a fact
about the celebrity on their whiteboard. Physical
appearance/Dis/Likes/Bad Habits. Choose one fact to make into a
sentence: David Beckham is married to Posh Spice. Add in new facts
using ‘who’ to explore main and subordinate clauses. David Beckham,
who is a talented footballer, is married to Posh Spice.
9. Capital City Travel Excerpt – bring in pictures of famous places. Do
the same as Celebrity profile but with ‘which’. E.g. Rome, which is the
capital of Italy, has some amazing architecture
10. Subordinate Swap Shop – look through last piece of written work for a
subordinate clause starting with an -ing verb. Pass your clause to
someone finish it off in the style of a particular genre – fairytale,
romance etc. Read out and rest of class guess genre.
11. Alphabet verb+ing sentence snake around the class.
12. Alphabet verb+ed sentence snake around the class.
13. Give students three complex sentences using different permutations
of main clause + subordinate clause, subordinate clause + main clause
and main clause with embedded subordinate clause. Ask them to
explain which clause is which. Get students to explain their answers.
14. Hangman complex sentence showing commas. Ask students to identify
sentence type purely on structure. Play game then students come up
with their own sentences using connective types appropriate to
lesson/needs of group.
15. Pairs/Pelmanism types of connectives.
16. Categorising terms – sort connectives into related groups and give
sentence examples.
17. Sell me that! Emphasis alphabet game – choose an adverb that
emphasises the necessity for another student to buy a particular
product e.g. Actually, you’ll find these new kitten heeled trainers are
just what you need! Basically, these new candy floss socks are both
practical and tasty! Collectively, this litter of puppies will practically
walk themselves!
18. Silly sentences: Cause and Effect Game: Divide class into two halves.
One half finish off sentence on whiteboards: ‘I forgot my….’ Other
half finish off sentence on whiteboards: ‘I went and… All students
mingle together to find a partner to put their sentences into one
connecting them with a cause and effect connective – consequently,
thus, so, hence, as a result, because, therefore, accordingly, since,
until.
19. Quick fire sentence combination – join pairs/threes of simple
sentences using and, but or so. Do the same again without using and,
but or so.
20. Take and example of a complex sentence from your work – is it
possible to shift the clauses around for a different effect/meaning?
21. Highlight extracts of text to show main and subordinate clauses in
different colours and explain the effect.
22. All about me. Autobiographical alphabet adverbial starters. ‘Actually,
I was born in….’, ‘Basically, my favourite hobby is…’, ‘Confusingly, I am
an identical twin…’
23. Sentence Modification: ‘Dr. Foster went to Gloucester’ How did he go?
When? Who can add the most words/phrases?