Year 1 English: Planning a story with pictures
Part of the Year 1 English writing your own sentences and stories chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Planning a story with pictures
Before you write a story, plan it with pictures. Draw a box for each thing that happens. Then look at your boxes and write one sentence under each one.
Here is a plan for a day at the park. There is one picture for each sentence. Pictures 1 to 4 go in order, from left to right.
Key ideas
- A plan has one picture for each sentence.
- Read the pictures from left to right.
- Write one sentence under each picture, in the same order.
- Join the sentences together to make a story.
Method. Look at picture 1, say what is happening, then write one sentence.
- Look at picture 1. The first picture shows Sam with the trees, by the path.Sam walks to the park.
- Say what is happening. The sentence says who, and what they do.Sam walks to the park.
- Write the sentence. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.Sam walks to the park.
Check. Read it aloud. It matches picture 1. ✓
Watch out. Write the sentence that matches the picture, not one about another picture.
Method. Look at picture 2, then start the sentence with the word then.
- Look at picture 2. Sam is on the swing.Sam plays on the swing.
- Add the sequence word. Then shows that this is the next thing in the story.Then Sam plays on the swing.
- Write the sentence. Start with a capital letter, because it starts the sentence.Then Sam plays on the swing.
Check. Read the story so far: Sam walks to the park. Then Sam plays on the swing. ✓
Watch out. Then starts with a capital letter when it begins a sentence.
Method. Join your four sentences in order. Add a sequence word to each one after the first.
- Start with picture 1. The story begins with the first sentence.Sam walks to the park.
- Add the next sentences. Use then, after that and finally for pictures 2, 3 and 4.Then Sam plays on the swing. After that Sam kicks a ball. Finally Sam goes home.
- Write the whole story. Read it aloud from start to end. It makes sense.Sam walks to the park. Then Sam plays on the swing. After that Sam kicks a ball. Finally Sam goes home.
Check. Read the story aloud. Each picture is in the story, in order. ✓
Watch out. Each sentence still needs its own full stop.
Watch out
Watch out: a plan is in order only when the pictures are in order. If a picture is out of place, the sentence under it will be out of place too. Look at each picture from left to right.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “What happens in this box?” Practise on paper: your child draws three or four boxes and draws one thing in each. Then they say each sentence aloud and write it under its picture.
Exercise 11C Planning and writing from pictures
Method. Look at the picture number, then write the sentence for it.
- Look at picture 2. Find the second box in the plan.Sam is on the swing.
- Say the sentence. Say it aloud first.Sam plays on the swing.
- Write it. Sam plays on the swing.
Check. Check it matches picture 2. ✓
Watch out. Each picture has one sentence. Do not add a sentence for a different picture.
Method. Look at picture 3, then write its sentence.
- Look at picture 3. Sam is kicking a ball.Sam kicks a ball.
- Say the sentence. Check the sentence says what is in the picture.Sam kicks a ball.
- Write it. Sam kicks a ball.
Check. Read it aloud. It matches picture 3. ✓
Watch out. Look for the thing in the picture, such as the ball.
Method. Look at picture 1 in the rain plan, then write its sentence.
- Look at picture 1. Mia is putting on her boots.Mia puts on her boots.
- Say the sentence. The sentence says who, and what she does.Mia puts on her boots.
- Write it. Mia puts on her boots.
Check. Read it aloud. It matches picture 1. ✓
Watch out. Write the sentence about the boots, which is the picture.
Method. Look at picture 2 in the rain plan, then start with then.
- Look at picture 2. Mia has her umbrella open.Mia opens her umbrella.
- Add the sequence word. Then tells us this comes next.Then Mia opens her umbrella.
- Write it. Then Mia opens her umbrella.
Check. Read the story so far. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Then starts with a capital letter.
Method. Look at picture 3 in the rain plan, then start with after that.
- Look at picture 3. Mia is in a puddle.Mia jumps in a puddle.
- Add the sequence words. After that tells us it comes later in the story.After that Mia jumps in a puddle.
- Write it. After that Mia jumps in a puddle.
Check. Read it aloud. It makes sense and matches picture 3. ✓
Watch out. After that has two words, and both go before the sentence.
Method. Look at picture 4 in the rain plan, then start with finally.
- Look at picture 4. Mia is back inside, and dry.Mia goes in and gets dry.
- Add the sequence word. Finally tells us this is the last thing in the story.Finally Mia goes in and gets dry.
- Write it. Finally Mia goes in and gets dry.
Check. Read the whole rain story aloud when you finish. ✓
Watch out. Finally is for the last picture.
Method. Think about which picture comes first in the story.
- Look at the plan. The boots come before she goes out with the umbrella.boots, umbrella
- Think about the order. Putting on boots comes before opening the umbrella and jumping in the puddle.boots first
- Write the answer. No. The boots picture comes first.
Check. Read the plan in order: boots, umbrella, puddle, home. ✓
Watch out. The first picture is always the one that happens first, not the one that looks nicest.
Method. Subtract the pictures Lia has from the sentences she wants.
- Count the sentences she wants. She wants 6 sentences, so she needs 6 pictures.6 sentences
- Count the pictures she has. She has 4 pictures.4 pictures
- Find the difference. Take the pictures she has from the sentences she wants.6 − 4 = 2
- Write the answer. 2 more pictures
Check. Check: 4 + 2 = 6 pictures. ✓
Watch out. One picture for each sentence. Count the gap, not the total.
Method. Use one sentence for each picture, in order, starting each with a sequence word.
- Picture 1. It starts the story, so use first.First Mia puts on her boots.
- Pictures 2 and 3. Use then and after that for the middle pictures.Then Mia opens her umbrella. After that Mia jumps in a puddle.
- Picture 4. The last picture is the end, so use finally.First Mia puts on her boots. Then Mia opens her umbrella. After that Mia jumps in a puddle. Finally Mia goes in and gets dry.
Check. Read the story aloud. It has four sentences, one for each picture. ✓
Watch out. Use the sequence words in order: first, then, after that, finally.
Method. Plan two pictures, then write two sentences in order.
- Plan two pictures. Draw a first picture and a second picture about the dog.dog, then the next thing the dog does
- Write the first sentence. Start with first.First the dog ...
- Write the second sentence. Start with then, so the reader knows it comes next.Then the dog ...
Check. Read your two sentences aloud. They are in order. ✓
Watch out. Any true story about the dog is right, as long as the two sentences are in order.
Method. Think about whether the story runs in the order that things happen.
- Read the plan. Tom has the swing before the walk.swing, then walk
- Think about what happens first. Sam must walk to the park before he can play on the swing.walk, then swing
- Write the answer. No. Sam walks to the park first, then plays on the swing.
Check. Read the plan aloud in the right order. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Think about what must happen before the next thing can happen.