Pupils should be taught how the suffixes -ate, -ify, -ise can be added to root words in order to change
adjectives or nouns in to verbs e.g. words like author become authorise, assassin becomes
assassinate and class becomes classify. This is similar to the use of the suffix -en as in dark becoming
darken. Pupils should be given opportunities to investigate the changes the suffixes make to root
words, which words each suffix can be added to and the meanings of the new words. This should be
supplemented by work on word families and learning about the origins of words. Pupils should be
taught to apply previously learnt spelling rules for adding suffixes e.g. words ending in y change to an
‘i’, and words ending in an e should have the 'e' removed, before adding the suffix. Words ending in a
short vowel sound should have the final consonant doubled before adding the suffix.
Pupils should be able to determine that different prefixes and suffixes mean different things and
change meanings of words e.g. dis- is often used in words to reverse the meaning of the root word as
in disability, disaffirm, de- is used similarly, often to indicate removal such as dehumidify. Pupils should
have opportunities to investigate what happens to different words that have prefixes and suffixes
added to them and whether they can be used on all words, or if they notice other rules apply. This
should be explored alongside work on morphology and etymology, exploring and grouping words from
different origins and discussing how the use of prefixes and suffixes affect the language we use today.
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Once pupils have been taught the range of different ways that they can vary clause structures within
sentences, pupils should then be able to make informed choices on how to use these within
paragraphs and across a whole text. Considering how the structure will aid cohesion, avoid ambiguity
and support the audience to read the text easily and fluently. Pupils should practise playing with clause
structures, looking closely at the positions of these structures within sentences and considering how
these affect meaning. Pupils should apply this learning in independent writing, particularly when
reading and editing their work. To develop further, pupils should be able to explain clearly how the
varied clause structures have affected the audience and fit with the purpose of the text. Using
examples from wider reading to give reasons for their choices would show a developed breadth and
depth understanding of this skill.
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Pupils should be taught that we use adverbials of probability to show how certain we are about
something. Usually, 'maybe' and 'perhaps' are used at the beginning of a sentence e.g. "perhaps the
weather will be fine". Other adverbs of possibility appear in front of the main verb, but after 'am', 'is',
'are', 'was' and 'were' e.g. "he is certainly coming to the party". Modal verbs can be used to show if we
believe something is certain, probable or possible, to talk about ability, asking permission and making
requests e.g. modal verbs include could, might, should, would. "Jane should be arriving now." Pupils
should have opportunity to practise this in speaking and listening activities to understand how
adverbials of possibility and modal verbs are used in speech before identifying uses in text, or applying
to their own writing.
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Pupils should be taught that we use adverbials of probability to show how certain we are about
something. Usually, 'maybe' and 'perhaps' are used at the beginning of a sentence e.g. "perhaps the
weather will be fine". Other adverbs of possibility appear in front of the main verb, but after 'am', 'is',
'are', 'was' and 'were' e.g. "he is certainly coming to the party". Modal verbs can be used to show if we
believe something is certain, probable or possible, to talk about ability, asking permission and making
requests e.g. modal verbs include could, might, should, would. "Jane should be arriving now." Pupils
should have opportunity to practise this in speaking and listening activities to understand how
adverbials of possibility and modal verbs are used in speech before identifying uses in text, or applying
to their own writing.
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Once pupils have been taught how to plan to write, using a suitable structure to support this, then they
should be taught how to take their notes and ideas and write them into sentences, grouping sentences
together to form paragraphs of similar content or themes. When developing this skill, adults should
model how to sequence simple and more complex contexts, considering the implications of time where
appropriate. Pupils should be encouraged to use words and phrases related to time e.g. first, next,
after that, this, firstly and progressing to adverbials of time e.g. later that day, early one morning,
whilst playing in the garden. Once pupils understand how to sequence, they can be challenged to
consider how the structure and sequence of different texts affects the audience and to consider the
intentions an author may have when perhaps starting a text from the ending or an exciting event,
including flashbacks and other language devices such as the use of dramatic phrases of time or
adverbials e.g. all of a sudden, at that moment to engage the reader.
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EES for Schools is owned by Essex County Council
Once pupils have been taught how to plan to write, using a suitable structure to support this, then they
should be taught how to take their notes and ideas and write them into sentences, grouping sentences
together to form paragraphs of similar content or themes. When developing this skill, adults should
model how to sequence simple and more complex contexts, considering the implications of time
where appropriate. Once pupils understand and apply the use of words and phrases related to time
and number e.g. first, next, after that, this, firstly, secondly then they should progress to using
adverbials of time e.g. later that day, early one morning, whilst playing in the garden and place e.g.
nearly, close by the house, next to the..., beneath the... Once pupils understand and apply these, they
can be challenged to consider how the structure and sequence of different texts affects the audience
and to consider the intentions an author may have when perhaps starting a text from the ending or an
exciting event, including flashbacks and other language devices such as the use of dramatic phrases
e.g. all of a sudden, at that moment and how to adapt tense choices e.g. he had seen her before to
engage the reader.
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EES for Schools is owned by Essex County Council
Once pupils have been taught how to plan to write, using a suitable structure to support this, then they
should be taught how to take their notes and ideas and write them into sentences, grouping sentences
together to form paragraphs of similar content or themes. When developing this skill, adults should
model how to sequence simple and more complex contexts, considering the implications of time
where appropriate. Once pupils understand and apply the use of words and phrases related to time
and number e.g. first, next, after that, this, firstly, secondly then they should progress to using
adverbials of time e.g. later that day, early one morning, whilst playing in the garden and place e.g.
nearly, close by the house, next to the..., beneath the... Once pupils understand and apply these, they
can be challenged to consider how the structure and sequence of different texts affects the audience
and to consider the intentions an author may have when perhaps starting a text from the ending or an
exciting event, including flashbacks and other language devices such as the use of dramatic phrases
e.g. all of a sudden, at that moment and how to adapt tense choices e.g. he had seen her before to
engage the reader.
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EES for Schools is owned by Essex County Council
Once pupils have been taught how to plan to write, using a suitable structure to support this, then they
should be taught how to take their notes and ideas and write them into sentences, grouping sentences
together to form paragraphs of similar content or themes. When developing this skill, adults should
model how to sequence simple and more complex contexts, considering the implications of time
where appropriate. Once pupils understand and apply the use of words and phrases related to time
and number e.g. first, next, after that, this, firstly, secondly then they should progress to using
adverbials of time e.g. later that day, early one morning, whilst playing in the garden and place e.g.
nearly, close by the house, next to the..., beneath the... Once pupils understand and apply these, they
can be challenged to consider how the structure and sequence of different texts affects the audience
and to consider the intentions an author may have when perhaps starting a text from the ending or an
exciting event, including flashbacks and other language devices such as the use of dramatic phrases
e.g. all of a sudden, at that moment and how to adapt tense choices e.g. he had seen her before to
engage the reader.
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Pupils should be taught that parenthesis is a way of using punctuation to signal some additional
information being added to the sentence. Often this appears in the use of brackets, commas and
dashes in pairs surrounding the additional information. Pupils should be taught that what is contained
within the parenthesis is additional information and must not be grammatically integral to the sentence
e.g. "The manager (and his assistant) travelled to London by private jet" demonstrates the correct use
of parenthesis, whereas "The manager (and his assistant) were travelling by private jet" is not
grammatically accurate. Pupils should be able to consider the placement of parenthesis in sentences
and its effect on the reader, considering whether they have used them correctly by removing them and
reading their sentence to check for sense without the additional information contained in the
parenthesis.
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Pupils should be taught that parenthesis is a way of using punctuation to signal some additional
information being added to the sentence. Often this appears in the use of brackets, commas and
dashes in pairs surrounding the additional information. Pupils should be taught that what is contained
within the parenthesis is additional information and must not be grammatically integral to the sentence
e.g. "The manager (and his assistant) travelled to London by private jet" demonstrates the correct use
of parenthesis, whereas "The manager (and his assistant) were travelling by private jet" is not
grammatically accurate. Pupils should be able to consider the placement of parenthesis in sentences
and its effect on the reader, considering whether they have used them correctly by removing them and
reading their sentence to check for sense without the additional information contained in the
parenthesis.
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EES for Schools is owned by Essex County Council
Pupils should be taught that parenthesis is a way of using punctuation to signal some additional
information being added to the sentence. Often this appears in the use of brackets, commas and
dashes in pairs surrounding the additional information. Pupils should be taught that what is contained
within the parenthesis is additional information and must not be grammatically integral to the sentence
e.g. "The manager (and his assistant) travelled to London by private jet" demonstrates the correct use
of parenthesis, whereas "The manager (and his assistant) were travelling by private jet" is not
grammatically accurate. Pupils should be able to consider the placement of parenthesis in sentences
and its effect on the reader, considering whether they have used them correctly by removing them and
reading their sentence to check for sense without the additional information contained in the
parenthesis.
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Pupils should be taught how punctuation can be used to avoid ambiguity e.g. the news will be shown
after Dangermouse, and Rugrats. In this example, the comma is placed before the conjunction so that
the audience will know that Dangermouse and Rugrats are two separate shows and not one thing. This
could be taught through games and activities where lists are made, then modelled to pupils in shared
writing. Pupils could also make and cut up sentences, exploring the difference in the sentence when
reordered, adding in new punctuation to clarify meaning. Alternatively, pupils could create sentences
with deliberate ambiguity, such as when generating puns and jokes.
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Pupils should be taught that we use relative clauses in writing to make clear which person or thing we
are talking about. Within the clauses, we often use the relative pronoun who, which, whose or that.
Relative clauses as the subject are used to: avoid repetition e.g. "Isn't that the woman who lives
across the road from you?", as the object of a clause e.g. "You shouldn't believe everything that you
read in the newspaper", as the object of a preposition and to give additional information e.g. "My
uncle, who was born in Hong Kong, lived most of his life overseas." Here the clause is embedded
within the sentence and commas are used as parenthesis. Pupils should also be taught that when the
relative pronoun is the object, or the object of a preposition, then it is fine to leave it out of the
sentence e.g. "Have you seen those people we met on holiday?" and that sometimes we use 'whom'
instead of who when the relative pronoun is the object. Pupils should be encouraged to explain the
different uses of relative clauses and their impact on the reader. They should be able to make
informed choices as to when to include or omit the relative pronoun, when to use relative pronouns as
quantifiers and when they should be used to add additional information to their sentences.
Pupils should be reminded of and expected to use the correct terminology, being made aware of the
purpose of using them correctly in writing and when reading e.g. pupils should know the correct
terminology for modal verb, relative pronoun; relative clause; parenthesis, bracket, dash; and cohesion,
ambiguity. Correct examples of these terms in context should be displayed in the environment to
support pupils in linking the terminology to the correct use in their own work.
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