Year 1 English Making Sentences: worked examples and questions with answers
By the end of this chapter you will be able to
- Count the words in a sentence, using the spaces between them
- Say whether a group of words is a sentence
- Start each sentence with a capital letter
- End each sentence that tells something with a full stop
- Use capital letters for names, places, days of the week and I
- Join two ideas with the word and
You should already know
- Capital and small letters (Chapter 1)
- Adding endings such as -s and -ing (Chapter 5)
Where this leads
- Questions and exclamations (Chapter 7)
- Writing my own sentences and stories (Chapter 11)
National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 1 English, Year 1. Content: Words are separated by spaces, A sentence makes sense and tells a whole idea, Start a sentence with a capital letter and end it with a full stop, Use capital letters for names of people, places, days of the week and the word I, Join words and ideas with and.
- 6.1 Words and spaces: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · lesson page
- 6.2 A sentence makes sense: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · lesson page
- 6.3 The capital letter at the start: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · lesson page
- 6.4 The full stop at the end: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · lesson page
- 6.5 Capital letters for names, places, days and I: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · lesson page
- 6.6 Joining ideas with and: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · lesson page
- Check-up and end-of-chapter quiz: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · lesson page
Exercise P Do you remember?
Method. Find the small letter, then find its capital partner.
- Look at the small letter. It is the little letter b.b
- Find its capital partner. A capital letter is the big version of the same letter.b → B
- Write the answer. B
Check. Capital letters look taller than small letters, and they have the same shape. ✓
Watch out. Write the capital letter in the same shape as the small one, but bigger.
Method. Add -s to make more than one.
- Start with the word. The word is about one cat.cat
- Add the ending -s. Adding -s makes more than one.cat + s
- Write the answer. cats
Check. Say it out loud: one cat, two cats. ✓
Watch out. Add -s to the end of the word. Do not change the rest of it.
Method. Add -ing to the end of the word. The start of the word stays the same.
- Start with the word. The word is help.help
- Add the ending -ing. Add ing to the end of the word.help + ing
- Write the answer. Keep the p, because we say helping with one p.helping
Check. Say the new word out loud. It is one word. ✓
Watch out. Do not write helpping with two p letters.
Method. Look for the letters s and h next to each other.
- Look at each word. Look for the letters s and h together.fish, cup, hat
- Find the letters s and h. The letters s and h are together in fish.f-i-s-h: s and h together
- Write the answer. fish
Check. The other words do not have the letters s and h together. ✓
Watch out. The two letters sh make one sound, so they stay together in the word.
Method. Read the letters in the order they are written.
- Read the letters. Say the letters in order.w, a, s
- Put them together. The three letters make one word.w-a-s = was
- Write the answer. was
Check. Read your answer back: w-a-s, was. ✓
Watch out. was is a tricky word. The a does not make the sound you might expect.
Words and spaces
Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page
A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat or dog. We leave a small space between words, so we can see where one word stops and the next one starts.
Words join together to make a sentence. Say this sentence out loud, and touch each word as you say it: The cat sat.
Key ideas
- A word is a group of letters that we say together.
- Leave a space between each word.
- A sentence is a group of words.
- A full stop is a mark, not a word, so do not count it.
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.The dog ran.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.The · dog · ran.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.3 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 3 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Method. Find where each word stops and the next one starts. Then leave a space in each gap.
- Look at the joined letters. Some words are stuck together. Say the sentence slowly.Iamhappy.
- Find where each word stops. Each word is one group of letters that we say together.I / am / happy.
- Write the sentence with spaces. Leave one space between each word.I am happy.
Check. The answer has 3 words, the same as the joined letters. ✓
Watch out. Leave a small space between words. Check that no two words are still stuck together.
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.Sam can jump high.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.Sam · can · jump · high.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.4 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 4 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Watch out
Watch out: letters stuck together look like one long word. Thecatsat. is one long word, not three. Leave a space between each word so that each word can be read on its own.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read a sentence from a book together. Ask your child to touch each word as they say it, then ask: “How many words?” On paper, practise writing a short sentence with a finger-width space between each word.
Exercise 6A Counting words and putting in spaces
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.Tom can run.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.Tom · can · run.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.3 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 3 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.I like cats.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.I · like · cats.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.3 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 3 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.Mum has a red hat.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.Mum · has · a · red · hat.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.5 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 5 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.We play in the park.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.We · play · in · the · park.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.5 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 5 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.Fish swim.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.Fish · swim.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.2 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 2 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.Dogs bark.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.Dogs · bark.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.2 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 2 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.The bus is red.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.The · bus · is · red.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.4 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 4 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.Yusuf has a kite and a ball.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.Yusuf · has · a · kite · and · a · ball.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.7 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 7 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Method. Find where each word stops and the next one starts. Then leave a space in each gap.
- Look at the joined letters. Some words are stuck together. Say the sentence slowly.Thebigdogran.
- Find where each word stops. Each word is one group of letters that we say together.The / big / dog / ran.
- Write the sentence with spaces. Leave one space between each word.The big dog ran.
Check. The answer has 4 words, the same as the joined letters. ✓
Watch out. Leave a small space between words. Check that no two words are still stuck together.
Method. Find where each word stops and the next one starts. Then leave a space in each gap.
- Look at the joined letters. Some words are stuck together. Say the sentence slowly.Iwentout.
- Find where each word stops. Each word is one group of letters that we say together.I / went / out.
- Write the sentence with spaces. Leave one space between each word.I went out.
Check. The answer has 3 words, the same as the joined letters. ✓
Watch out. Leave a small space between words. Check that no two words are still stuck together.
Method. Find where each word stops and the next one starts. Then leave a space in each gap.
- Look at the joined letters. Some words are stuck together. Say the sentence slowly.Mydogisbig.
- Find where each word stops. Each word is one group of letters that we say together.My / dog / is / big.
- Write the sentence with spaces. Leave one space between each word.My dog is big.
Check. The answer has 4 words, the same as the joined letters. ✓
Watch out. Leave a small space between words. Check that no two words are still stuck together.
Method. Look at the letters with no spaces. Then count the words the way they should be written.
- Look for spaces. There are no spaces between the letters.Thecatsat
- Count the words. Letters with no spaces make one long word, not three.1 long word
- Put the spaces in. Written properly, it has three words.The cat sat. has 3 words.
Check. Put a finger between each word: The / cat / sat. Three words, once the spaces are in. ✓
Watch out. Three words need two spaces between them, so that each word is separate.
A sentence makes sense
Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page
A sentence is a group of words that makes sense on its own. It tells a whole idea. A sentence often tells us who or what it is about, and what happened.
Read The dog ran. It tells us who the sentence is about, and what the dog did. It makes sense. Now read On the mat. It tells us where, but not who or what happened. It is not a whole idea yet.
Key ideas
- A sentence makes sense on its own.
- A sentence tells a whole idea.
- A sentence often tells us who or what and what happened.
- A group of words that does not make sense is not a sentence.
Method. A sentence makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea.
- Read it aloud. Does it make sense on its own?The dog ran fast.
- Find who or what, and what happened. It tells us who (the dog) and what happened (ran fast).
- Decide. A whole idea makes a sentence. Without one, it is not a sentence.Yes
Check. Read it again to yourself. It makes sense on its own. ✓
Watch out. A group of words can look long and still not be a sentence.
Method. A sentence makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea.
- Read it aloud. Does it make sense on its own?On the mat.
- Find who or what, and what happened. It tells us where, but not who or what happened.
- Decide. It does not tell a whole idea, so it is not a sentence.No
Check. Read it again to yourself. It does not make sense on its own. ✓
Watch out. A group of words can look long and still not be a sentence.
Method. Read both groups of words. Pick the one that makes sense on its own.
- Read both groups aloud. Listen to which one sounds finished.Leo kicked the ball. or a big red ball
- Check for who or what, and what happened. A sentence tells a whole idea.Leo kicked the ball. tells a whole idea.
- Write the answer. The other group does not tell a whole idea.Leo kicked the ball.
Check. The other group is only a list of words, not a whole idea. ✓
Watch out. Long is not the same as a sentence. Check that the words make sense together.
Watch out
Watch out: a group of words can look long and still not be a sentence. In the big park tells us where, but not who did what. Read it aloud. Does it tell a whole idea?
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Say a group of words and ask: “Does that make sense on its own?” Then ask: “Who is it about? What happened?” Try it with sentences from a book you have at home.
Exercise 6B Is it a sentence?
Method. A sentence makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea.
- Read it aloud. Does it make sense on its own?The bus is late.
- Find who or what, and what happened. It tells us about the bus, and what is true about it.
- Decide. A whole idea makes a sentence. Without one, it is not a sentence.Yes
Check. Read it again to yourself. It makes sense on its own. ✓
Watch out. A group of words can look long and still not be a sentence.
Method. A sentence makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea.
- Read it aloud. Does it make sense on its own?Sam ran home.
- Find who or what, and what happened. It tells us who (Sam) and what happened (ran home).
- Decide. A whole idea makes a sentence. Without one, it is not a sentence.Yes
Check. Read it again to yourself. It makes sense on its own. ✓
Watch out. A group of words can look long and still not be a sentence.
Method. A sentence makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea.
- Read it aloud. Does it make sense on its own?Under the big tree.
- Find who or what, and what happened. It tells us where, but not who did something.
- Decide. It does not tell a whole idea, so it is not a sentence.No
Check. Read it again to yourself. It does not make sense on its own. ✓
Watch out. A group of words can look long and still not be a sentence.
Method. A sentence makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea.
- Read it aloud. Does it make sense on its own?Ruby likes cats.
- Find who or what, and what happened. It tells us who (Ruby) and what Ruby likes (cats).
- Decide. A whole idea makes a sentence. Without one, it is not a sentence.Yes
Check. Read it again to yourself. It makes sense on its own. ✓
Watch out. A group of words can look long and still not be a sentence.
Method. A sentence makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea.
- Read it aloud. Does it make sense on its own?Dogs can swim.
- Find who or what, and what happened. It tells us who (dogs) and what they can do (swim).
- Decide. A whole idea makes a sentence. Without one, it is not a sentence.Yes
Check. Read it again to yourself. It makes sense on its own. ✓
Watch out. A group of words can look long and still not be a sentence.
Method. A sentence makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea.
- Read it aloud. Does it make sense on its own?The big red hat.
- Find who or what, and what happened. It tells us about a hat, but not what happened.
- Decide. It does not tell a whole idea, so it is not a sentence.No
Check. Read it again to yourself. It does not make sense on its own. ✓
Watch out. A group of words can look long and still not be a sentence.
Method. A sentence makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea.
- Read it aloud. Does it make sense on its own?Noah ate his lunch.
- Find who or what, and what happened. It tells us who (Noah) and what happened (ate his lunch).
- Decide. A whole idea makes a sentence. Without one, it is not a sentence.Yes
Check. Read it again to yourself. It makes sense on its own. ✓
Watch out. A group of words can look long and still not be a sentence.
Method. A sentence makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea.
- Read it aloud. Does it make sense on its own?Near the gate.
- Find who or what, and what happened. It tells us where, but not who did something.
- Decide. It does not tell a whole idea, so it is not a sentence.No
Check. Read it again to yourself. It does not make sense on its own. ✓
Watch out. A group of words can look long and still not be a sentence.
Method. Read both groups of words. Pick the one that makes sense on its own.
- Read both groups aloud. Listen to which one sounds finished.Jack kicked the ball. or a red ball and a bat
- Check for who or what, and what happened. A sentence tells a whole idea.Jack kicked the ball. tells a whole idea.
- Write the answer. The other group does not tell a whole idea.Jack kicked the ball.
Check. The other group is only a list of words, not a whole idea. ✓
Watch out. Long is not the same as a sentence. Check that the words make sense together.
Method. Read both groups of words. Pick the one that makes sense on its own.
- Read both groups aloud. Listen to which one sounds finished.The cat sat. or On the wall.
- Check for who or what, and what happened. A sentence tells a whole idea.The cat sat. tells a whole idea.
- Write the answer. The other group does not tell a whole idea.The cat sat.
Check. The other group is only a list of words, not a whole idea. ✓
Watch out. Long is not the same as a sentence. Check that the words make sense together.
Method. Check who the sentence is about and what happened.
- Read what Tom said. Tom says it is a sentence.Went to the shop.
- Look for who went to the shop. The words do not say who went.Who? Not told.
- Decide. A sentence needs to tell who or what it is about.It is not a sentence yet.
Check. Add a name at the start to fix it: Sam went to the shop. ✓
Watch out. Check that the sentence says who did something.
Method. Think about what the words tell us.
- Read the group of words. It tells us who the dog is.The dog
- Think about what happened. The words do not say what the dog did.What did the dog do? Not told.
- Add the missing idea. Now it tells a whole idea.The dog ran.
Check. Read the new sentence: The dog ran. It makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Who is not enough. Say what happened too.
Method. Think of an action word: a word that tells what the dog did.
- Start with the words. The sentence needs a word about what the dog did.The dog ___.
- Choose an action word. An action word tells what someone does, such as ran or barked.ran, barked, jumped
- Write the sentence. Put the word in the gap.The dog ran.
Check. Read it aloud. It makes sense and tells a whole idea. ✓
Watch out. Any action word makes sense here, such as barked or jumped.
The capital letter at the start
Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page
Every sentence starts with a capital letter. A capital letter is a big letter. It is taller than the small letters around it.
Look at the small t and the capital T. They are the same letter, but the capital is bigger. When a sentence starts, we use the capital T, as in The bus is red.
Key ideas
- Every sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Only the first letter of the first word changes.
- A capital letter is big and tall. A small letter is little.
- The other words stay small.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.the bus is red.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.t → T
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.The bus is red.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Method. Pick the sentence that starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter of each sentence. The first letter of a sentence should be a capital letter.d is a small letter. D is a capital letter.
- Pick the sentence with the capital letter. That one is written correctly.Dogs can run.
- Check the other words. Both sentences have the same words.Only the first letter is different.
Check. Read both sentences aloud. Only the right one starts like a sentence should. ✓
Watch out. A small letter at the start is wrong, even when the rest of the sentence is right.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.my hat is blue.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.m → M
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.My hat is blue.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Watch out
Watch out: only the first letter of the sentence is a capital. The Cat Sat. is not right, because Cat and Sat are ordinary words. Names and days need capitals too, and you will learn about them next.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Write a sentence on paper with a small first letter, then ask your child, “Which letter is the first one?” Rewrite it with a capital letter, so your child can see that only the first letter changes.
Exercise 6C Capital letters at the start
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.the cat sat.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.t → T
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.The cat sat.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.the sun is up.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.t → T
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.The sun is up.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.birds can fly.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.b → B
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.Birds can fly.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.a boat floats.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.a → A
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.A boat floats.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.the dog is wet.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.t → T
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.The dog is wet.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.the cup is full.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.t → T
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.The cup is full.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Method. Pick the sentence that starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter of each sentence. The first letter of a sentence should be a capital letter.t is a small letter. T is a capital letter.
- Pick the sentence with the capital letter. That one is written correctly.The bus stops here.
- Check the other words. Both sentences have the same words.Only the first letter is different.
Check. Read both sentences aloud. Only the right one starts like a sentence should. ✓
Watch out. A small letter at the start is wrong, even when the rest of the sentence is right.
Method. Find the first letter of the sentence. Then check whether it is small or capital.
- Look at the first letter. It is the first letter of the first word.t
- Check if it is a capital. It is a small letter, so it needs to change.t is small
- Write the capital letter. The capital letter for t is T.T
Check. Read the sentence with T at the start: Ten ducks swim. ✓
Watch out. The letter is a capital T, not a T with a small shape.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.bees make honey.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.b → B
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.Bees make honey.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.frogs can hop.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.f → F
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.Frogs can hop.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.birds sing in the trees.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.b → B
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.Birds sing in the trees.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Method. Check every word, not only the first one.
- Read Tom’s sentence. He says every word starts with a capital letter.The Cat Sat.
- Find which words need a capital. Only the first word of a sentence needs one. Cat and Sat are ordinary words.Only The
- Write the answer. No. Only the first letter of a sentence needs a capital.
Check. Write it with the right capital: The cat sat. ✓
Watch out. Do not give a capital letter to every word.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.the hen laid an egg.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.t → T
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.The hen laid an egg.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
The full stop at the end
Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page
A full stop is a small dot. It goes at the end of a sentence that tells something. It tells the reader: This sentence is finished. Stop here.
The sentence The bus is red needs a full stop, so it becomes The bus is red.
Key ideas
- A full stop is a small dot on the line.
- Put a full stop at the end of a sentence that tells something.
- The full stop shows where a sentence ends.
- The next sentence starts with a capital letter.
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.The cat sat on the mat
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.The cat sat on the mat.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.The cat sat on the mat.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Method. Find where the first sentence ends. Then start the next sentence with a capital.
- Read the first sentence. It tells us Sam can swim.Sam can swim
- Put a full stop after swim. The first sentence ends after the last word.Sam can swim.
- Start the next sentence with a capital. Mia starts a new sentence, so M is a capital.Mia can run
- Write both sentences with full stops. Each sentence gets its own full stop.Sam can swim. Mia can run.
Check. There are two sentences and two full stops. ✓
Watch out. Each sentence needs its own full stop at the end.
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.Ruby has a green cup
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.Ruby has a green cup.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.Ruby has a green cup.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Watch out
Watch out: do not leave out the full stop at the end of a sentence. Also do not put a full stop in the middle of a sentence or after a single word. A full stop goes only at the end.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read a page of a simple book together. Each time you reach a dot, ask: “Where does this sentence end?” On paper, let your child draw a neat dot at the end of each sentence.
Exercise 6D Adding full stops
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.The bus is red
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.The bus is red.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.The bus is red.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.Dogs can run
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.Dogs can run.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.Dogs can run.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.I like the park
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.I like the park.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.I like the park.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.Ali has a pet fish
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.Ali has a pet fish.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.Ali has a pet fish.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.The hat is blue
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.The hat is blue.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.The hat is blue.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.Birds sing in the morning
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.Birds sing in the morning.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.Birds sing in the morning.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.We went to the beach
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.We went to the beach.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.We went to the beach.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Method. Look at the end of each sentence. Only one has a dot.
- Look at the first sentence. It ends with the word full. There is no dot.The cup is full
- Look at the second sentence. It ends with a full stop.The cup is full.
- Write the finished sentence. It is the one with the full stop.The cup is full.
Check. Read both sentences aloud. Only the one with the dot is finished. ✓
Watch out. A sentence without a full stop looks unfinished on the page.
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.Leo swam
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.Leo swam.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.Leo swam.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Method. Find where each sentence ends. Put a full stop there.
- Read the words. Look for the places where one idea ends.Sam likes cake Sam has a bag
- Put a full stop after cake. The first sentence ends after cake.Sam likes cake.
- Put a full stop after bag. The second sentence ends after bag.Sam likes cake. Sam has a bag.
Check. Two sentences, two full stops. ✓
Watch out. Look for the end of each idea, not the end of the line.
Method. Find the two sentences. Give each one a full stop at its end.
- Find the first sentence. It starts with the word I, which is always a capital letter.I have a dog
- Find the second sentence. It starts with the name Tom.Tom has a cat
- Write both sentences with full stops. Each sentence gets a full stop at its end.I have a dog. Tom has a cat.
Check. Read both sentences aloud. Each one stops at its full stop. ✓
Watch out. The second sentence starts with a capital because it is a new sentence.
Method. Think about what a reader does when they see a full stop.
- Think about the reader. A reader needs to know where a sentence ends.Where does it end?
- Think about what the dot tells them. The dot tells them to stop, then start a new sentence.Stop, then a new sentence
- Write the answer. It shows where one sentence ends.
Check. Read a sentence with and without its full stop. You can feel the difference. ✓
Watch out. Without a full stop, the reader does not know where to stop.
Method. A short sentence still tells something, so it still needs a full stop.
- Read the sentence. It tells us that fish swim.Fish swim
- Check if it tells something. Yes, it tells us what fish do. Length does not matter.It tells something
- Write the answer. It needs a full stop, even though it is short.No. Fish swim.
Check. Fish swim. has a full stop, and the sentence is finished. ✓
Watch out. A short sentence still needs a full stop.
Capital letters for names, places, days and I
Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page
Some words always start with a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence. These are:
Names of people, like Amira and Noah.
Names of places, like London and Leeds.
Days of the week, like Monday and Friday.
The word I. It is always a capital letter.
Key ideas
- Names of people start with a capital: Amira.
- Names of places start with a capital: London.
- Days of the week start with a capital: Friday.
- The word I is always a capital letter.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.amira likes monday.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.Amira, Monday
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.Amira likes Monday.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Method. Find the words that need a capital letter. Then write them with a capital.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and I.i went to leeds on friday.
- Find the words that need a capital. I is always a capital. Leeds is a place. Friday is a day.I, Leeds, Friday
- Write the words in order. These are the words that need a capital.I, Leeds, Friday
Check. Each word on the list starts with a capital letter in the sentence. ✓
Watch out. Friday is a day, so it needs a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.noah and i went to london.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.Noah, I, London
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.Noah and I went to London.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Watch out
Watch out: only names, places, days and the word I need a capital in the middle of a sentence. Do not start ordinary words with a capital, like Dog or Park. Also write Monday with a capital M, not monday.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Make a list of people you know and places you visit, such as your town. Ask: “Does this need a capital letter?” On paper, practise writing the days of the week, each with a capital letter at the start.
Exercise 6E Capital letters for names, places, days and I
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.jack likes football.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.Jack
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.Jack likes football.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.we go to school on monday.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.We, Monday
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.We go to school on Monday.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.i like the park.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.I
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.I like the park.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.priya went to bristol.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.Priya, Bristol
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.Priya went to Bristol.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.zainab and i ate lunch on friday.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.Zainab, I, Friday
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.Zainab and I ate lunch on Friday.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.mei lives in leeds.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.Mei, Leeds
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.Mei lives in Leeds.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.the bus goes to cardiff.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.The, Cardiff
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.The bus goes to Cardiff.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.on sunday we went to the beach.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.On, Sunday
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.On Sunday we went to the beach.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.tom and i play on tuesday.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.Tom, I, Tuesday
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.Tom and I play on Tuesday.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Method. Find each word that needs a capital letter. Write them in order.
- Read the sentence. Look for the word I, a name and a place.i saw oliver in london.
- Find the three words. I is always a capital. Oliver is a name. London is a place.I, Oliver, London
- Write the answer. I, Oliver, London
Check. Each of these words is a name, a place or the word I. ✓
Watch out. The word I needs a capital even in the middle of a sentence.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.my friend is fatima.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.My, Fatima
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.My friend is Fatima.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Method. Look at how days of the week are written.
- Look at the two words. One starts with a small m. One starts with a capital M.monday and Monday
- Choose the right one. Days of the week always start with a capital letter.Monday has a capital M.
- Write the answer. No. Monday is right. Days need a capital letter.
Check. Write the day with a capital letter: Monday. ✓
Watch out. The name of a day always has a capital letter.
Method. Think about what each word is.
- Look at Bristol. It is the name of a place, a city.Bristol = a place
- Look at bus. It is an ordinary word for a vehicle, not a name.bus = an ordinary word
- Write the answer. Names of places always have a capital letter. Ordinary words do not.Bristol is a name, so it needs a capital.
Check. Bristol is a place. Bus is any bus, so it is small. ✓
Watch out. Only names need capitals in the middle of a sentence.
Joining ideas with and
Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page
We can join two ideas with the word and. This makes one sentence instead of two short ones.
Two sentences: Sam has a ball. Sam has a book. Joined: Sam has a ball and a book. The word and joins the two things. There is only one full stop, at the end.
Sam has a ball and a book. He reads on Monday. Mia has a bat and a ball.
Read the box above. You will use it in the questions.
Key ideas
- The word and joins two ideas or two things.
- A joined sentence has one full stop at the end.
- Write a repeated name only once.
- Ordinary words stay small, even when they are joined with and.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.Ruby has a cat. Ruby has a dog.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.Ruby has a cat and a dog.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.Ruby has a cat and a dog.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.I like buns. I like cake.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.I like buns and cake.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.I like buns and cake.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.Noah ran. Noah jumped.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.Noah ran and jumped.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.Noah ran and jumped.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Watch out
Watch out: do not leave out and, and do not put two full stops in the joined sentence. Sam has a ball. and a book. is wrong. The joined sentence needs one full stop, at the end.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Say two short sentences, then join them with and. Ask: “Can we say that in one sentence?” Let your child say the joined sentence aloud before you write it on paper.
Exercise 6F Joining sentences with and
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.Sam has a bat. Sam has a ball.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.Sam has a bat and a ball.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.Sam has a bat and a ball.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.Mia has a hat. Mia has a bag.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.Mia has a hat and a bag.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.Mia has a hat and a bag.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.I like cats. I like dogs.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.I like cats and dogs.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.I like cats and dogs.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.Ali ran. Ali jumped.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.Ali ran and jumped.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.Ali ran and jumped.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.Leo can run. Leo can swim.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.Leo can run and swim.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.Leo can run and swim.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.Priya has a cat. Priya has a rabbit.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.Priya has a cat and a rabbit.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.Priya has a cat and a rabbit.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.We ate bread. We ate soup.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.We ate bread and soup.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.We ate bread and soup.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Look at the picture and find the word that joins the two things.
- Look at the picture. It shows a ball and a book.ball and book
- Find the joining word. The word and joins the two things.a ball and a book
- Write the answer. and
Check. Read it aloud: Sam has a ball and a book. ✓
Watch out. Use and to join the two things, not a full stop.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.Leo can run. Leo can jump.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.Leo can run and jump.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.Leo can run and jump.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Find the two things that are joined.
- Read the sentence. Two things are joined in the sentence.red socks ___ blue socks
- Choose the joining word. The word and joins the two things.red socks and blue socks
- Write the answer. and
Check. Read it aloud: Noah has red socks and blue socks. ✓
Watch out. Use and, not a full stop, when two things are in one sentence.
Method. Check which sentence has the words in the right places.
- Read sentence A. It has one full stop, at the end.Ben has a bike and a ball.
- Read sentence B. It has a full stop in the middle, which is wrong.Ben has a bike. and a ball.
- Choose the right one. A joined sentence has one full stop at the end.Ben has a bike and a ball.
Check. Read both out loud. Only A is one sentence. ✓
Watch out. Do not put a full stop in the middle of a joined sentence.
Method. Each full stop ends one sentence.
- Look for the full stops. Each full stop comes at the end of a sentence.Full stops: 1, 2, 3
- Count the sentences. One full stop for each sentence.3 sentences
- Write the answer. 3
Check. Count the dots in the box: there are 3. ✓
Watch out. Count the full stops, not the lines.
Method. Look for the word and in the box.
- Find the word and. Look for the joining word.a ball and a book; a bat and a ball
- Count how many times it is there. Count each one you found.2 times
- Write the answer. 2
Check. Read the box again and point at each and. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the word a as and.
Method. Think about how many ideas there are, and how many full stops.
- Read the sentence. Ella joins two ideas.I like tea and I like juice.
- Count the full stops. There is one full stop, at the end.One full stop
- Write the answer. The word and joins two ideas in one sentence.One sentence.
Check. Read it aloud as one sentence, with one full stop. ✓
Watch out. Two ideas can be joined into one sentence with and.
Chapter summary
| Skill | Method |
|---|---|
| Words and spaces | A word is a group of letters. Leave a space between each word. |
| A sentence | A group of words that makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea. |
| Capital at the start | The first letter of a sentence is a capital letter, like T in The. |
| Full stop at the end | A full stop goes at the end of a sentence that tells something. |
| Names, places, days and I | Start these with a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence. |
| Joining with and | Join two ideas with and. Use one full stop at the end. |
Can you…?
- I can count the words in a sentence, using the spaces between them
- I can say whether a group of words is a sentence
- I can start a sentence with a capital letter
- I can end a sentence that tells something with a full stop
- I can use capital letters for names, places, days of the week and I
- I can join two ideas with the word and
Key terms
- word
- a group of letters that we say together
- space
- the gap between two words
- sentence
- a group of words that makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea
- capital letter
- the big letter, like T or M
- small letter
- the little letter, like t or m
- full stop
- the small dot at the end of a sentence that tells something
- name
- the word we call a person or a place, like Amira or Leeds
- day of the week
- Monday, Tuesday and so on; always starts with a capital letter
- and
- a joining word that joins two ideas or two things
- I
- the word we use for ourselves when we talk about me; always a capital letter
Exercise 6Z Check-up
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.The big dog ran home.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.The · big · dog · ran · home.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.5 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 5 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Method. A sentence makes sense on its own and tells a whole idea.
- Read it aloud. Does it make sense on its own?On the mat.
- Find who or what, and what happened. It tells us where, but not who did something.
- Decide. It does not tell a whole idea, so it is not a sentence.No
Check. Read it again to yourself. It does not make sense on its own. ✓
Watch out. A group of words can look long and still not be a sentence.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.the bus is big.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.t → T
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.The bus is big.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.Ali has a dog
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.Ali has a dog.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.Ali has a dog.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.mia went to leeds on sunday.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.Mia, Leeds, Sunday
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.Mia went to Leeds on Sunday.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.Sam has a ball. Sam has a bat.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.Sam has a ball and a bat.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.Sam has a ball and a bat.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Find where each word stops and the next one starts. Then leave a space in each gap.
- Look at the joined letters. Some words are stuck together. Say the sentence slowly.Iwenttoschool.
- Find where each word stops. Each word is one group of letters that we say together.I / went / to / school.
- Write the sentence with spaces. Leave one space between each word.I went to school.
Check. The answer has 4 words, the same as the joined letters. ✓
Watch out. Leave a small space between words. Check that no two words are still stuck together.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.i saw jack in bristol.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.I, Jack, Bristol
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.I saw Jack in Bristol.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Method. Check the capital letters first, then check the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first letter. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.the cat sat
- Look at the end. A sentence that tells something needs a full stop.the cat sat.
- Write the sentence correctly. Now it has a capital and a full stop.The cat sat.
Check. Read it aloud. It has a capital at the start and a full stop at the end. ✓
Watch out. Check the start and the end of every sentence you fix.
Method. Check the capital letters first, then check the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first letter. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.monday is a day
- Look at the end. A sentence that tells something needs a full stop.monday is a day.
- Write the sentence correctly. Now it has a capital and a full stop.Monday is a day.
Check. Read it aloud. It has a capital at the start and a full stop at the end. ✓
Watch out. Check the start and the end of every sentence you fix.
Method. Check the capital letters first, then check the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first letter. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.i like tea
- Look at the end. A sentence that tells something needs a full stop.i like tea.
- Write the sentence correctly. Now it has a capital and a full stop.I like tea.
Check. Read it aloud. It has a capital at the start and a full stop at the end. ✓
Watch out. Check the start and the end of every sentence you fix.
Method. Days of the week are names. Names of days need a capital letter.
- Read the word. Tuesday is the name of a day of the week.Tuesday
- Think about names. Names of days start with a capital letter, like names of people.Tuesday = a name of a day
- Write the answer. Days of the week are names, so they start with a capital letter.
Check. Write it with a capital: Tuesday. ✓
Watch out. The word Tuesday always starts with a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence.
Total 14 marks. Allow about 14 minutes.
Exercise 6X End-of-chapter quiz
Key words. A word is a group of letters that we say together, like cat.
Method. Touch each word once, with a space between each one. A full stop is not a word.
- Read the sentence slowly. Listen for the gaps between the words.Dad made a cake.
- Touch each word as you say it. Each word has a space before it and a space after it.Dad · made · a · cake.
- Count the words. The number you counted is the number of words.4 words
Check. Count again from the last word back to the first. You get 4 again. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the full stop as a word. It is a dot, not a word.
Method. Read both groups of words. Pick the one that makes sense on its own.
- Read both groups aloud. Listen to which one sounds finished.The cat hid under the table. or Under the table
- Check for who or what, and what happened. A sentence tells a whole idea.The cat hid under the table. tells a whole idea.
- Write the answer. The other group does not tell a whole idea.The cat hid under the table.
Check. The other group is only a list of words, not a whole idea. ✓
Watch out. Long is not the same as a sentence. Check that the words make sense together.
Key words. A capital letter is the big letter, like T. A small letter is the little letter, like t.
Method. The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. It is a small letter, so it needs changing.the cow is big.
- Make it a capital letter. A capital letter is the big letter.t → T
- Write the sentence again. Keep the other words the same.The cow is big.
Check. Only the first letter changed. The other words stayed the same. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter only. Do not change the other words.
Method. A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Read the sentence to the end. Listen for where it finishes.Leo can swim
- Put a full stop after the last word. The full stop shows the sentence has finished.Leo can swim.
- Write the sentence with its full stop. Now the sentence is complete.Leo can swim.
Check. Read it aloud and stop at the dot. ✓
Watch out. The full stop goes after the last word, at the end of the sentence. Not in the middle.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.noah lives in cardiff.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.Noah, Cardiff
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.Noah lives in Cardiff.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Method. Keep the first sentence. Then join the second idea to it with the word and.
- Read both sentences. Look for the words that are the same.Ruby has a kite. Ruby has a ball.
- Join the two ideas with and. Write the repeated words only once.Ruby has a kite and a ball.
- Write one sentence with one full stop. Only the end of the joined sentence needs a full stop.Ruby has a kite and a ball.
Check. Read it aloud. It still tells both ideas. ✓
Watch out. Use one full stop at the end. Do not put a full stop in the middle.
Method. Find where each word stops and the next one starts. Then leave a space in each gap.
- Look at the joined letters. Some words are stuck together. Say the sentence slowly.Mydogisbig.
- Find where each word stops. Each word is one group of letters that we say together.My / dog / is / big.
- Write the sentence with spaces. Leave one space between each word.My dog is big.
Check. The answer has 4 words, the same as the joined letters. ✓
Watch out. Leave a small space between words. Check that no two words are still stuck together.
Key words. A place is somewhere like a town or a city. A day is Monday, Tuesday and so on.
Method. Names, places, days of the week and the word I always need a capital letter. The first word of a sentence needs one too.
- Read the sentence. Look for names, places, days and the word I.i went on monday to the park.
- Find the words that need a capital letter. Each of these starts with a capital letter.I, Monday
- Write the sentence again. Change only the letters that need a capital.I went on Monday to the park.
Check. Read it aloud. Every name, place and day starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Do not give capital letters to ordinary words. Only names, places, days and I need one in the middle of a sentence.
Method. Think about the first letter, and the full stop at the end.
- Look at the first letter. It is small, so it needs a capital.we
- Make the first letter a capital. Write the capital W.W
- Add a full stop at the end. The sentence tells something, so it needs a full stop.We like to play.
Check. Read it aloud. It starts with a capital and stops with a dot. ✓
Watch out. Check both the start and the end of the sentence.
Method. Think about what a name is.
- Read the sentence. Sam is a name of a person.Sam can run.
- Think about names. Names of people always start with a capital letter.Sam = a name
- Write the answer. Sam is a name, so it starts with a capital letter.
Check. Read it aloud: Sam can run. ✓
Watch out. Names of people start with a capital letter, even when they are not the first word.