Reception English and phonics: Writing a short sentence about a picture
Part of the Reception English and phonics reading and writing short sentences chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Writing a short sentence about a picture
Ali draws a picture of a hen. Ali writes a sentence under it: A hen is red.
Ali starts with a capital letter. Ali uses letters and words that he knows. Ali ends with a full stop.
hen
Key ideas
- Write a sentence about the picture.
- Use letters and words that you know.
- Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.
cat
Method. Think of a short sentence about the cat.
- Think of a short sentence. Use words you know.A cat sat.
- Check the capital letter and full stop. Start with A and end with a full stop.A cat sat.
- Write the answer. A cat sat.
Check. Read it back: A cat sat. ✓
Watch out. Check the first letter and the last mark.
duck
Method. Think of a short sentence about the duck.
- Think of a short sentence. Use words you know.A duck is on a pond.
- Check the capital letter and full stop. Start with A and end with a full stop.A duck is on a pond.
- Write the answer. A duck is on a pond.
Check. Read it back: A duck is on a pond. ✓
Watch out. The duck is the main thing, so it comes first.
bus
Method. Think of a short sentence about the bus.
- Think of a short sentence. Use words you know.The bus is red.
- Check the capital letter and full stop. Start with The and end with a full stop.The bus is red.
- Write the answer. The bus is red.
Check. Read it back: The bus is red. ✓
Watch out. Check the first letter and the last mark.
Watch out
Watch out: do not forget the capital letter at the start, and the full stop at the end.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask the child to say the sentence first. Then write it, one word at a time. Check it with a grown-up.
Exercise 9D Writing short sentences about pictures
cat
Method. Choose a short sentence about the cat.
- Choose the words. Use words you know.A - cat - sat
- Check the start and the end. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.A cat sat.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence about a cat with a capital letter and a full stop, such as A cat sat.
Check. Read it back. It starts with a capital and ends with a full stop. ✓
Watch out. Check both the start and the end.
dog
Method. Choose a short sentence about the dog.
- Choose the words. Use words you know.A - dog - ran
- Check the start and the end. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.A dog ran.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence about a dog with a capital letter and a full stop, such as A dog ran.
Check. Read it back. It starts with a capital and ends with a full stop. ✓
Watch out. Check both the start and the end.
pig
Method. Choose a short sentence with is in it.
- Choose the words. Use the word is in the sentence.A - pig - is - big
- Check the start and the end. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.A pig is big.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence about a pig that uses is, such as A pig is big.
Check. Read it back. The word is is in it. ✓
Watch out. Check the word is in your sentence.
hen
Method. Choose a short sentence with red in it.
- Choose the words. Use the word red in the sentence.The - hen - is - red
- Check the start and the end. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.The hen is red.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence about a hen that uses red, such as The hen is red.
Check. Read it back. The word red is in it. ✓
Watch out. Check the first letter and the last mark.
boat
Method. Choose a short sentence with in in it.
- Choose the words. Use the word in in the sentence.A - boat - is - in
- Check the start and the end. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.A boat is in the sea.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence about a boat that uses in, such as A boat is in the sea.
Check. Read it back. The word in is in it. ✓
Watch out. Check the spelling of each word.
bus
Method. Choose a short sentence with my in it.
- Choose the words. Use the tricky word my.My - bus - is - red
- Check the start and the end. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.My bus is red.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence about a bus that uses my, such as My bus is red.
Check. Read it back. The tricky word my is in it. ✓
Watch out. Read the tricky word on sight.
duck
Method. Choose a short sentence with on in it.
- Choose the words. Use the word on in the sentence.The - duck - is - on - the - pond
- Check the start and the end. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.The duck is on the pond.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence about a duck that uses on, such as The duck is on the pond.
Check. Read it back. The word on is in it. ✓
Watch out. Check the spelling of on.
tree
Method. Choose a short sentence with see in it.
- Choose the words. Use the word see in the sentence.I - can - see - a - tree
- Check the start and the end. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.I can see a tree.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence about a tree that uses see, such as I can see a tree.
Check. Read it back. The word see is in it. ✓
Watch out. Check the capital letter for I.
fish
Method. Check the start and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first letter. A is a capital letter.A
- Look at the end. The sentence ends with a full stop.pond.
- Give your answer. Say whether it is correct.Accept any answer that says yes: it starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.
Check. The sentence has a capital letter and a full stop. ✓
Watch out. Check the start and the end.
sun
Method. Choose a short sentence with is in it.
- Choose the words. Use the word is in the sentence.The - sun - is - hot
- Check the start and the end. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.The sun is hot.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence about the sun that uses is, such as The sun is hot.
Check. Read it back. The word is is in it. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole sentence back.