Writing – vocabulary, grammar and punctuation
Progression and examples
YEAR
Statements
Examples
Additional guidance and suggestions
Sentence: forming and structuring sentences;
expanding or modifying sentences for impact or
purpose; standard English
Punctuation
Year 1


Joining words with ‘and’; leaving spaces
between words.
Combining words to make a sentences;
beginning to punctuate sentences using a
o capital letter and a full stop
o a question mark
o an exclamation mark

Joining clauses with ‘and’

Use capital letters for:
o people
o
o
Year 2
days of the week
personal pronoun ‘I’

Introduce present/past tense

Sentence with different forms:
o statement
o question
o exclamation
o command

Learning how to use familiar punctuation
correctly and consistently
o full stops & capital letters
o question marks
o exclamation marks
National Curriculum 2014
Cat and dog
The dog had a nap. The cat sat on the shed.
Can you see the bird?
Look out bird!
The dog had a nap and the cat sat on the shed.
Revisit sentence end punctuation when
introducing ‘joining clauses’.
Tom, Mrs Brown
We went to see Tom.
It is Sunday.
On Sunday I went to see Tom. Can you see
Tom? Tom! Tom!
It is raining. It rained yesterday.
Is it raining? Did it rain at lunch time?
He screamed! What a pity!
Get out of the puddle.
See above & below
Model and use the range of punctuation
introduced when also focussing on capital letter
use.
See Letters & Sounds P170 for guidance on
introducing the concept.
Revisit simple sentence & basic punctuation (Y1).
Model with both one clause and two clause
sentences.
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
Year 2
cont’d
Learn how to use coordination
o and(Y1), or & but
Present tense
I like to wear my boots and jump in puddles.
I play in the rain but I don’t enjoy the cold.
Can I wear my new mac or is it just for school?
Hold these but be careful.
Past tense
I went out and jumped in the puddle.
I walked out in the rain but stayed quite dry.
Did you find your hat or didn’t you look?

Revisit ‘and’ introduced in Y1.
Model with different types of sentences
introduced.
Emphasise where longer sentences end and the
correct punctuation.
Learn how to use new punctuation
correctly
o apostrophe for contracted forms
I will - I’ll; he/she will - he’ll/she’ll; did not didn’t; has not - hasn’t; cannot - can’t; could
not - couldn’t; It is/it has - it’s
I’ll go first and you can go first next time.
Why can’t I go too?
He’s scored!



Learn to use noun phrases to describe and
specify
Learn how to new punctuation correctly
o commas in a list
Learn how to use subordination
o
present tense
National Curriculum 2014
the blue butterfly, plain flour, the man in the
moon
The blue butterfly flew past the roses and
landed on the lilac.
Sift the plain flour into a bowl or basin.
I think there is a man in the moon but I can’t
see him.
Do you think there is a man in the moon or is it
just a story?
Model with a range of sentence types to continue
to emphasis old and new learning.
I ate ham sandwiches, crisps and an apple.
Can we play tennis, football, chase and climb
trees?
Mix the eggs, sugar and flour.
Model within question and command sentences
rather than just statements. Ensure children
continue to understand and signal where the
sentence ends.
when, if, that, or because
Revisit the concept of a sentence and support
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Year 2
cont’d
o


Learn how to new punctuation
correctly
o possessive apostrophe (singular)
Learn how to use the progressive verb
form
o present tense
o
Year 3


past tense
past tense
Extend range of sentences with more than
one clause using wider range of
conjunctions
Expressing time, place and cause using
conjunctions, adverbs or prepositions
o Conjunctions
National Curriculum 2014
I wear my wellies when it is raining.
Can we go on the swings when we get to the
park?
If it rains, we might not go.
I am wearing my wellies because it is raining.
Can we still go if it rains?
children to join the two clauses of this type of
sentence understanding one clause
(subordinating) does not make sense without the
other clause. Experiment with the order of the
clauses.
Revisit capitals and sentence end punctuation
with these more complicated sentence structures.
He said that we might go tomorrow.
Nobody minded that I went first.
When I went to the park, I slipped on the
swings
Because my sister was ill, we didn’t go.
NB: The example sentences starting with the
subordinating clause have been punctuated
correctly with the comma although this is not a
requirement of the Y2 curriculum.
I wore my sister’s old gloves because I left
mine at school.
I held Mum’s bag, phone and car keys.
If he doesn’t hurry up, Dad’s ice cream will
melt.
Apply this to simple, coordinating and
subordinating sentences.
A man is singing in his garden.
The children are singing in the hall.
(Verb’s present participle – verb + ing e.g. singing
- combined with verb to be – is/was singing)
Mum was making a cake and I was helping
her.
We were washing Dad’s car but my brother
wasn’t helping.
Play games to use past and progressive forms
orally before using in writing. Model with short
and longer sentences.
Build on conjunctions and sentence structures
from Y2
when, before, after, while, so, because, if,
although
We tidied our rooms before mum got home.
We tidied our rooms although we didn’t want
to.
Although we were tidying our rooms, mum was
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cross and told us off.
While we were running for the bus, my sister’s
bag broke.
Year 3
cont’d
o
o
Adverbs
then, next, soon, therefore
I hope mum comes home soon.
Mum came home soon after nan arrived.
Snails don’t like sunlight therefore it’s hard to
find them in the daytime.
Prepositions
before, after, during, in, because of
I wanted a turn before the end of playtime.
I was hoping to go the park after tea.
My brother isn’t allowed to play on his phone
during mealtimes.

Present perfect (instead simple past)
(He has gone out to play contrasted with He
went out to play)
My brother has gone to bed early because he
feels sick.
Although my big sister has left home most of
her books are here.
The shed has collapsed because of the
floodwater.

Introduce inverted commas for direct
speech
“Where are you going?” said the wolf.
“Now don’t forget your reading book, lunch
box and pencil case,” said my mum.
Year 4


Use Fronted adverbials
Use of commas after fronted adverbials
National Curriculum 2014
Later that day, I heard the bad news.
Without a second thought, she stepped out
onto the narrow path.
Every day this week, my brother has forgotten
his lunch because he got up late.
(Perfect – created by using a past participle
inflection of a verb – gone, jumped adding a
form of the verb have before it)
NB: In the examples, all speech punctuation has
been included although it is not specified until
Y4
Continue to further develop the appropriate use
of the range of single and multi-clause sentences
and verb forms introduced previously
Encourage children to use a wide and interesting
range of fronted adverbials. Use with long and
short sentences.
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Year 4
cont’d


Noun phrases expanded by the addition of:
o modifying adjectives,
o nouns
o preposition phrases
Use of inverted commas and other
punctuation to indicate direct speech
o end punctuation with inverted
commas
curly hair/strict teacher
maths teacher
with curly hair
The strict maths teacher with curly hair gave
us difficult algebra homework for the holiday.
“Do we have to go to bed now?” whispered
Sam.
“Help! Fire!” yelled the Mayor.
“Don’t forget to get bread, cheese and eggs on
the way home,” reminded mum.
“Don’t forget to get bread, cheese and eggs on
the way home.” Mum shivered and closed the
door behind us.
NB Speech punctuation is not revisited in the NC
statements beyond Y4. You might choose to
stagger the teaching of the range of elements
across Y4 in order for the children to secure this.
The conductor shouted, “Sit down!”
o
a comma after the reporting clause
o
new line new speaker
o
speech interrupted mid-sentence
National Curriculum 2014
Sam whispered, “I wish we didn’t have to go to
bed yet.”
“Can I help you?” inquired the young man
kindly.
“Would you carry this heavy bag for me,
please?” the old lady said with sigh.
“Of course,” he smiled.
“Please be careful where you put your feet,”
said the old lady, “because I think I’ve left my
reading glasses on the hearth by the gas fire.”
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Year 5

Indicate degrees of possibility using
o modal verbs
o

adverbs
Indicate parenthesis using
o commas
Modal examples: might, should, will, must,
ought
If we practise hard, we could win the trophy.
We shouldn’t go in. We will get into trouble if
we’re caught.
Adverb examples: perhaps, surely, maybe,
certainly
Perhaps we‘ll be able to go at the weekend.
“Surely you’re not still hungry?”
“I certainly am!”
My sister, who adores swimming, is going to
race in the local gala.
While digging in his garden, Lucky Goldrick, a
retired jeweller, dug up a hoard of Viking
coins.
Also correct: While digging in his garden, Lucky
Goldrick (a retired jeweller) dug up a hoard of
Viking coins.
o
brackets
The Diplodocus was one of the longest
sauropods measuring 27 metres (88 feet)
whereas the much earlier Vulcanodon only
measured 6.5 metres (21feet).
If people had listened to Leonardo Da Vinci,
(the greatest inventor of all time) their lives
may have changed drastically.
o
dashes
On Wednesday - mum’s birthday - we went
out for lunch.
While digging in his garden, Lucky Goldrick - a
retired jeweller - dug up a hoard of Viking
coins.
National Curriculum 2014
NB there are more modal verbs and adverbs
beyond the examples mentioned.
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
Year 5
cont’d
Using relative clauses
o beginning with who, which, where,
when, whose, that
o
or with an omitted relative
pronoun
The soldier finally fed the dogs that had made
so much noise earlier in the evening.
Relative clause refers back/defines the dogs so no
comma needed
Owning a dogs’ home was an odd profession
for someone who hated dogs as a child.
Relative clause defines /refers back to ‘someone’
so no comma
The woman, who hated dogs as a child, now
owned a dog’s home.
Embedded clause or in parenthesis relative
clause needs commas
The prize that I won was a book.
The prize I won was a book.
with relative pronoun
without relative pronoun
I read the book which I’d bought earlier.
I read the book I’d bought earlier.
with relative pronoun
without relative pronoun
When I was asked if I had seen the boy
responsible, I blushed and lied.
Asked if I had seen the boy responsible, I
blushed and lied.
While digging in his garden, Lucky Goldrick (a
retired jeweller) dug up a hoard of Viking coins.
Digging in his garden, Lucky Goldrick (a retired
jeweller) dug up a hoard of Viking coins.

Using the perfect form of verbs to mark
relationships of
o time
o

cause
Using commas to clarify meaning or avoid
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Relative pronoun (or noun) is omitted and the
non-finite verb form is use (asked/digging). This
further allows writers to manipulate sentences for
impact.
See also Y3 examples
She has downloaded some songs. (present
perfect: now she has some songs)
The woman had hated dogs as a child.(past
perfect: implies she doesn’t now)
The storms and torrential rain caused a huge
tidal surge. The sea wall had collapsed.
Among those questioned were the suspects,
First example is ambiguous as it’s unclear
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ambiguity in writing
Year 5
cont’d
the Deputy Head and the science teacher.
Among those questioned were the suspects,
the Deputy Head, and the science teacher.

Using expanded noun phrases to convey
complicated information concisely
whether the Deputy and science teacher are the
suspects or not. In second example the use of the
series of commas clarifies the meaning, that the
teachers are not the suspects.
No eating children.
No eating, children.
The first sentence indicates that it isn’t permitted
to eat children whereas the second clarifies that
children are not allowed to eat.
By midnight, the bitter snows swirled across
derelict rooftops and smokeless chimneys
brooking any further attempt at escape.
Information in the sentence suggests: it’s night in
winter; the snows are extremely cold and are
driven by an accompanying wind; likelihood of
earlier snow; the place described is deserted and
in disrepair; there’s no warmth to be found in the
buildings; the subjects are trapped by an implied
enemy and had previously tried and failed to
escape; the unknown subjects are on a journey as
they are unlikely to live in ‘derelict’ houses or be
trying to escape.
A deep, mournful howl echoed though the
rows of cages as the creature’s rich fur
scraped along the sharp metal shards by the
doorway.
Year 6

Using a colon to introduce a list
The alien had discovered there were many
excellent foodstuffs on the planet Earth his
species would enjoy: cars, lorries, buses, pylons
and trains for a bigger meal.

Punctuating bullet points consistently



National Curriculum 2014
Colons can be used to introduce the list but Consistency the most important aspect with
bullets. Consider the guidance
aren’t always used.
Use either capital or lowercase letters to
start the item – don’t swap from one to the
other.
Punctuation at the end of a bullet point
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Year 6
cont’d


Using hyphens to avoid ambiguity
isn’t generally used for short points but is
sometimes used when bullets are longer,
although not always. If used it must be
used consistently across all bullets.
Punctuation used could be either full stops
or semi-colons.
For example, man eating shark versus maneating shark or recover versus re-cover
The man eating shark watched the children
cavort in the shallow water.
or
The man-eating shark watched the children
cavort in the shallow water.

Use the passive to affect the presentation
of information in a sentence

Mark the boundaries between
independent clauses with
o semi-colons
o
o
colons
dashes
A shark in the water watches the children, its
prey.
Active I broke the windows in the green house
versus passive The greenhouse was broken (by
me).
Gold and precious jewels have been
discovered in the ruins of the old monastery.
It’s raining; I’m fed up.
The apprentice was tempted to buy more
tools; he was hoping to have a full set before
he qualified.
There was a huge queue of people at the
cinema: many of them wouldn’t get it.
Think of a semi-colon as halfway between a
comma and a full stop. Both are independent
clauses so cannot be joined just be a comma.
Use a colon where the two clauses are more
closely linked and you want to draw attention to
the clause after the colon.
Many predators hunt by stealth – staying very
still or creeping slowly until their prey is
within reach.
I really enjoyed our long walk – we should do it
again soon.
National Curriculum 2014
A man in a restaurant eating shark watches
children play.
This is quite informal.
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Year 6
cont’d

Use semi-colons within a list

Recognising the differences between the
vocabulary and structures that are
appropriate for
o informal writing such as question
tags
o
formal speech and writing,
including subjunctive forms
The alien had discovered there were many
excellent foodstuffs on the planet Earth his
species would enjoy such as, small cars for a
quick snack; lorries and buses for a hearty
lunch; pylons for the picky eater and trains for
the truly ravenous.
Vocabulary - find out, ask for, go in
I asked mum for an ice cream.
I asked for some old papers
He’s your friend, isn’t he?
Vocabulary
Question tag
Vocabulary – discover, request, enter
I requested a number of documents from the
archives.
The school requires all pupils be honest.
The school rules demand pupils not enter the
gym at lunchtime.
If Zoe were the class president things would be
much better.
Subjunctive
Sentence: Forming and structuring sentences; Expanding or modifying sentences for impact or purpose; Standard English
Punctuation
National Curriculum 2014
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