Websink Prep UKKS1 EnglishYear 1 chaptersEnglish textbooksYear 1Browse allPast papersFind a tutorBecome a tutor
Primary English · Year 1Chapter 8 · Stories and fairy tales
Year 1 · Chapter 8

Year 1 English Stories and Fairy Tales: worked examples and questions with answers

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Name the characters and say where and when a story happens
  • Put the events of a story in order: beginning, middle and end
  • Spot the words Once upon a time and happily ever after
  • Guess what happens next, using a clue from the story
  • Retell a traditional tale in my own words
  • Link a story to something that has happened to me

You should already know

  • Full stops, capital letters and sentences (Chapter 6)
  • Tricky words such as said, were and once (Chapter 4)
  • Reading aloud and talking about the pictures in books

Where this leads

  • Poems and rhymes (Chapter 9)
  • Writing my own sentences and stories (Chapter 11)

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 1 English, Year 1. Content: Listen to and talk about stories, Retell traditional tales in my own words, Name the characters and the setting of a story, Recognise the beginning, middle and end of a story, Predict what happens next from clues in a story, Recognise Once upon a time and happily ever after, Link a story to my own experiences.

Printable worksheets. Every lesson in this chapter has a free worksheet and an answer sheet to download and print.

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWrite this sentence correctly: the cat sat on the mat
2
FIs On the mat. a sentence? Write Yes or No.
3
FFill the gap with and: Sam has a ball ___ a bat.
4
FRead the tricky word w-e-r-e. Write it.
5
FAdd ing to jump. Write the new word.
8.1

Who and where: characters and setting

Year 1
Name the characters in a story, Name the setting: where and when a story happens, Listen to and talk about stories

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: Who and where: characters and settingComing soon
A park with grass and tall trees.

Every story has characters. The characters are the people or animals in the story. The main character is the one the story is mostly about.

Every story also has a setting. The setting tells us where and when the story happens. It might be a park on a windy day, or a farm long ago.

Read Ruby and the Red Kite with a grown-up. Who is the main character? Where is the setting?

Ruby and the Red Kite

Ruby is a girl. She has a red kite.

One day the wind was strong. Ruby went to the park with her dog, Max.

Ruby ran across the grass. Up, up went the kite!

It flew high above the tall trees.

Noah is Ruby’s friend. He saw the kite and ran over to her.

“Can I have a turn?” asked Noah.

“Yes, you can!” said Ruby. She gave him the string.

Noah smiled and ran round and round. Max barked and ran too.

At the end of the day, Ruby and Noah sat on the grass. “That was fun!” said Ruby.

RubyNoah
Ruby, Noah and Max in the park, with the red kite.

Key ideas

  • A character is a person or an animal in the story.
  • The main character is the one the story is mostly about.
  • The setting is where and when the story happens.
  • After you read, talk about the story: who, where and what happened?
Worked example 8.1.1
Who is the main character in Ruby and the Red Kite?

Method. The main character is the one the story is mostly about.

  1. Read the first sentence. It tells us who the story is about.
    “Ruby is a girl.”
  2. Check the rest of the story. Most of the sentences are about Ruby and her kite.
    Ruby ran... Ruby said... Ruby gave...
  3. Write the answer. Ruby is the one the story is mostly about.
    Ruby

Check. Also accept: Ruby is the girl. ✓

Watch out. Noah and Max are in the story too, but they are not the main character.

Worked example 8.1.2
Where does Ruby and the Red Kite happen?

Method. The setting tells us where the story happens.

  1. Look for the words that tell us where. Words like in and at tell us where.
    “went to the park”
  2. Check the other clues. Ruby ran across the grass, under the tall trees.
    the grass; the tall trees
  3. Write the answer. The place is the park.
    In the park

Check. Read the sentence: Ruby went to the park. The park is the place. ✓

Watch out. The park is a place. A windy day is a time. Both make up the setting.

Worked example 8.1.3
What is the setting? It was a cold night in the forest.

Method. The setting is where and when a story happens.

  1. Find the place. The place is where the story happens.
    in the forest
  2. Find the time. The time is when the story happens.
    a cold night
  3. Write the setting. Put the place and the time together.
    A cold night in the forest.

Check. The setting has both: where (in the forest) and when (a cold night). ✓

Watch out. A character is a person or an animal. The setting is not a character.

Watch out

Watch out: the setting is not the same as the characters. In the park tells us where. Ruby tells us who.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Read the story aloud, pointing to each character as they appear. Ask: “Who is this story about? Where is it happening? Is it day or night?” Then think of a story from a book at home, and say who the characters are.

Exercise 8A  Characters and setting

1
FWho is the main character in the story?
2
FWhere does the story happen?
3
FWhat colour is Ruby’s kite?
4
FWhat was the weather like?
5
FWhat is the name of Ruby’s dog?
6
FMatch each character to what they are.
(a)Ruby
(b)Max
(c)Noah
7
FWhat is the setting of a story? Choose: A: the place and time   B: the main character   C: the ending
8
PSMake up a character and a setting for a story of your own. Write one sentence about them.
9
PSLook at the picture. Who is holding the string of the kite?
RubyNoah
10
RHow do you know that Ruby is kind? Explain.
8.2

The beginning, the middle and the end

Year 1
Recognise the beginning, middle and end of a story, Put the events of a story in order

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: The beginning, the middle and the endComing soon
A garden with grass, a tree and a fence.

Most stories have three parts. The beginning tells us who the story is about, and what is happening at first. The middle is where something happens, like a problem. The end tells us how the story finishes.

Read The Lost Ball. Then look at the three pictures. They show the beginning, the middle and the end.

The Lost Ball

Tom has a red ball. He plays with it in the garden.

Jess, his dog, runs and jumps after the ball.

One day, Tom kicks the ball hard. It rolls under the gate!

Tom looks under the big bush. The ball is not there.

He looks by the tree. The ball is not there.

He looks in the shed. Still no ball!

Then Jess runs to the long grass. She sniffs and sniffs. She finds something red.

It is the ball! Jess picks it up in her mouth.

“Good girl, Jess!” says Tom. He pats her head.

Now they can play again.

beginningmiddleendTomgateJess
The beginning, the middle and the end of The Lost Ball.

Key ideas

  • The beginning tells us who the story is about.
  • The middle is where a problem or a surprise happens.
  • The end tells us how the story finishes.
  • Words like first, then and at the end help us put a story in order.
Worked example 8.2.1
What is the beginning of The Lost Ball?

Method. The beginning tells us who the story is about, and what is happening at first.

  1. Read the first lines. The first two lines tell us about Tom and his ball.
    Tom has a red ball. He plays with it in the garden.
  2. Check the next lines. The middle starts when something goes wrong, so the beginning stops before that.
    One day, Tom kicks the ball hard.
  3. Write the answer. The beginning is about Tom and his ball, in the garden.
    Tom plays with his red ball in the garden.

Check. Read it aloud. It tells us who and where at the start. ✓

Watch out. The beginning does not tell how the story finishes.

Worked example 8.2.2
Is this sentence in the beginning, the middle or the end? He looks in the shed. Still no ball!

Method. The middle is where a problem happens. The problem is not yet solved.

  1. Read the sentence. It tells us what Tom does next.
    “He looks in the shed. Still no ball!”
  2. Check if the problem is solved. Tom still cannot find the ball, so the problem is not yet solved.
    Still no ball!
  3. Write the answer. A problem that is not solved yet is in the middle.
    The middle

Check. The end is when the ball is found, so this sentence is not the end. ✓

Watch out. The end is when the problem is solved. Not while it is still a problem.

Worked example 8.2.3
Put these in order: It is the ball!   Tom has a red ball.   He looks under the big bush.

Method. Find the first event, then the next, then the last. Put them in that order.

  1. Find the first event. Tom has the ball at the start.
    Tom has a red ball.
  2. Find the next event. Tom looks under the bush after the ball is lost.
    He looks under the big bush.
  3. Find the last event. The ball is found at the end.
    It is the ball!
  4. Write the order. The first, then the next, then the last.
    Tom has a red ball. / He looks under the big bush. / It is the ball!

Check. Read them in your order. Does the story make sense? ✓

Watch out. Put the events in the order they happen, not the order that they are written on a list.

Watch out

Watch out: the end is not the first part of the story. A story often ends when the problem is solved.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Read a short story together. Ask: “What happened first? What was the problem? How did it end?” Then let your child retell the story using first, then and at the end.

Exercise 8B  The beginning, the middle and the end

1
FWhere does Tom play with the ball?
2
FWhat does the ball roll under?
3
FWhere does Tom look first?
4
FWho finds the ball?
5
FWrite these events in the order they happen: She finds something red / Tom kicks the ball / He looks by the tree
6
PSLook at the three pictures. Which picture shows the middle of the story?
beginningmiddleendTomgateJess
7
RWhy does Tom look under the bush?
8
RWrite one short sentence for the beginning, one for the middle and one for the end of The Lost Ball.
9
FWhich part of a story tells us how it finishes? Choose: beginning, middle or end.
10
PSPut these in order for a story about a cat: The cat falls asleep by the fire. / The cat is hungry. / The cat finds a bowl of milk.
11
RName a story you know. Write one short sentence for its beginning, one for its middle and one for its end.
8.3

Once upon a time and happily ever after

Year 1
Recognise Once upon a time and happily ever after, Name the characters and setting of a fairy tale

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: Once upon a time and happily ever afterComing soon
A farm with fields and a barn.

Many fairy tales start with the words Once upon a time. They tell us that a story is beginning. Fairy tales often end with the words happily ever after. They tell us that the story ends well, and everyone is happy.

Pip and the Water is a made-up fairy tale. Read it. Find the words that start it, and the words that end it.

Pip and the Water

Once upon a time, there was a little hen called Pip. She lived on a farm with her friends, the ducks.

One hot day, the pond was dry. The ducks had no water to drink.

“I will find some water for you,” said Pip.

She went up the hill. The hill was steep, but Pip did not stop.

At the top, she found a cool pool of clear water. She filled her little pot.

Then Pip ran back down the hill. She tipped the water into the pond.

The ducks drank and drank. “Thank you, Pip!” they said.

From that day on, the ducks and the hen were the best of friends. They played in the sun. They lived happily ever after.

hillPippooldry pond
Pip the hen, the cool pool at the top of the hill and the dry pond.

Key ideas

  • A fairy tale is a made-up story that often has animals or magic in it.
  • Fairy tales often start with Once upon a time.
  • Fairy tales often end with happily ever after, which means happy for a long time.
  • Once upon a time is at the start. Happily ever after is at the end.
Worked example 8.3.1
Which words tell us a fairy tale is starting?

Method. Find the first words of the story. They tell us a fairy tale is starting.

  1. Read the first sentence. The first words tell us the story is starting.
    Once upon a time, there was a little hen called Pip.
  2. Find the words that start the fairy tale. These words are the start of the fairy tale.
    Once upon a time
  3. Write the answer. These are the first words.
    Once upon a time

Check. Read the words aloud, in a big story voice. ✓

Watch out. Once is a tricky word. Learn it by sight, because the letter o does not make its usual sound.

Worked example 8.3.2
Which words tell us that Pip and the Water ends happily?

Method. The last words of a fairy tale tell us how it ends.

  1. Read the last sentence. The last sentence tells us how the story ends.
    They lived happily ever after.
  2. Find the words that end the tale. Happily ever after tells us the ending is happy.
    happily ever after
  3. Write the answer. The words that end the story are these.
    happily ever after

Check. Read the ending aloud: They lived happily ever after. ✓

Watch out. Happily ever after is not the start of the story. It comes at the end.

Worked example 8.3.3
Is this the start of a fairy tale? Once upon a time, there was a fox called Kit.

Method. A fairy tale starts with Once upon a time. Check the first words.

  1. Read the words. Look at the first words of the story.
    Once upon a time, there was a fox called Kit.
  2. Check the start. Once upon a time is one of the start words of a fairy tale.
    Once upon a time
  3. Write the answer. Yes, it starts like a fairy tale.
    Yes

Check. It starts with Once upon a time, so it is the start of a fairy tale. ✓

Watch out. Other stories can start in other ways. This one uses the words that a fairy tale uses.

Watch out

Watch out: once is a tricky word. The letter o does not make its usual sound in it, so learn to read it by sight.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Read a fairy tale from a book at home. Ask: “How does the story start? How does it end?” Let your child say Once upon a time and happily ever after with a big, story voice.

Exercise 8C  Once upon a time and happily ever after

1
FWhich words tell us a fairy tale is starting?
2
FWhere does Pip live?
3
FWhy did the ducks need water?
4
FWhere did Pip find the water?
5
FWhich words tell us that the story ends happily?
6
FWhich one is the start of a fairy tale? Choose: A: Once upon a time   B: The end.
7
PSLook at the picture. What is Pip standing on?
hillPippooldry pond
8
PSWrite these events in order: The ducks drank and drank. / At the top, she found a cool pool. / She went up the hill.
9
RIs Pip brave? How do you know?
10
PSWrite the first sentence of a fairy tale of your own. Start it with Once upon a time.
8.4

What happens next?

Year 1
Predict what happens next from clues in a story, Link what I read to my own experiences

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: What happens next?Coming soon
A kitchen with a table.

Good readers think about what might happen next. This is called predicting. To predict, we use clues from the story. A clue is a word or an idea that helps us guess.

Read The Big Cake. It stops before the end. What do you think happens next? Find the clues first.

The Big Cake

Today is Zainab’s birthday. Mum has made a big cake with six candles on top.

Mum puts the cake on the table. “Wait here, Zainab,” she says. “I need to get the plates.”

Mum goes to the kitchen.

Zainab looks at the cake. It looks so nice!

Bo, the dog, looks at the cake too. Bo sniffs. His tail goes swish, swish.

“No, Bo. Stay!” says Zainab.

Then Mum calls from the kitchen. “Zainab, come and help me!”

Zainab runs to help. She leaves Bo alone with the cake.

What do you think happens next?

BoZainab
The cake on the table, with six candles. Zainab and Bo the dog are in the room.

Key ideas

  • A prediction is a sensible guess about what will happen next.
  • A good prediction uses a clue from the story.
  • More than one prediction can be right, if it fits the clues.
  • Stop and think before you read on.
Worked example 8.4.1
Read this. Kit saw a dark cloud. Kit ran to the barn. What might happen next?

Method. A prediction is a sensible guess. It must use a clue from the story.

  1. Find the clue. Read the clue carefully.
    Kit saw a dark cloud.
  2. Think about what usually follows. Dark clouds often bring rain.
    a dark cloud means rain may come
  3. Write your prediction. It must fit the clue.
    It might rain.

Check. The clue is a dark cloud, and the prediction fits the clue. ✓

Watch out. A prediction should fit the clue. Do not guess something that has no clue.

Worked example 8.4.2
Which prediction fits best? A: The cake will fly away. B: Bo may take a bite of the cake.
BoZainab

Method. Use the clues. Pick the sentence that fits the story best.

  1. Read choice A. A cake that flies away does not fit the story.
    A: The cake will fly away.
  2. Read choice B. Bo sniffs the cake, so Bo may take a bite.
    B: Bo may take a bite of the cake.
  3. Write the answer. B uses the clue that Bo sniffs.
    B

Check. Find the clue in the story: Bo sniffs. That is why B fits. ✓

Watch out. A guess must fit the story. A cake that flies away is not a sensible guess here.

Worked example 8.4.3
Is this a good prediction? “Mum will come back with the plates.” Explain with the story.

Method. Use the clue that Mum said she needed the plates.

  1. Find the clue. Mum needed to get the plates.
    “I need to get the plates.”
  2. Think about what follows. Mum might come back with the plates.
    Mum comes back with the plates.
  3. Write the answer. The guess fits the clue.
    Yes. Mum said she needed the plates, so she may come back with them.

Check. The guess uses a clue from the story. ✓

Watch out. Guess from a clue in the story, not from something that is not in the story.

Watch out

Watch out: a prediction must fit the story so far. A guess that uses no clue does not fit the story.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Stop before the last line of a story and ask: “What do you think will happen? What clue made you think that?” Let your child be wrong sometimes. Then read on and find out together.

Exercise 8D  Predicting and linking

1
FWhose birthday is it?
2
FHow many candles are on the cake?
3
FWhere does Mum put the cake?
4
FWhy does Mum leave the room?
5
FWhat does Bo do when he sees the cake?
6
FWhat does Zainab say to Bo?
7
PSLook at the picture. Where is Bo?
BoZainab
8
PSWhat do you think happens next? Use a clue from the story to explain.
9
RHave you ever had to wait for something nice, like a cake? How did you feel?
10
PSA girl leaves her ice cream on a bench. A seagull is flying down. What might happen next? Use a clue.
girl
11
RA boy says, “I will win the race!” He has practised every day. What might happen next? Use a clue.
8.5

Retelling The Three Little Pigs

Year 1
Retell traditional tales in my own words, Put the events of a story in order

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: Retelling The Three Little PigsComing soon
Fields and a barn, on a farm.

A traditional tale is a story that has been told for a long time, from one person to the next. The Three Little Pigs is a traditional tale. You can read it, or you can tell it again in your own words.

When you retell a story, you tell the main events in order. Use the words first, next, then, after that and at the end to keep the order clear.

Below is a retelling of The Three Little Pigs. Read it with a grown-up, then tell it back.

The Three Little Pigs

Once upon a time, there were three little pigs. Each pig wanted a house of his own.

The first pig made his house out of straw. It was quick to make.

The second pig made his house out of sticks. It was quick too.

The third pig worked hard. He made his house out of bricks. It took a long time, but it was strong.

One day, a hungry wolf came to the three houses. He tapped on the straw house. “Let me in!” he said.

“No!” said the first pig.

So the wolf huffed and puffed, and the straw house fell down. The first pig ran to the stick house.

The wolf huffed and puffed, and the stick house fell down too. The two pigs ran to the brick house.

The wolf huffed and puffed and puffed, but the brick house did not fall down.

The wolf had no puff left. He went away.

The three pigs were safe. They lived happily ever after.

strawsticksbrickswolf
The straw house, the stick house and the brick house, with the wolf.

Key ideas

  • A traditional tale is an old story that people have told for a long time.
  • To retell a story means to tell it again in your own words.
  • Keep the main events in order: first, next, then, at the end.
  • Leave out tiny details. Keep the things that matter most.
Worked example 8.5.1
How many little pigs are there in the story?

Method. Count the pigs in the first sentence.

  1. Read the first sentence. It tells us how many pigs there are.
    there were three little pigs
  2. Check the rest of the story. The three pigs each build a house.
    the first pig, the second pig, the third pig
  3. Write the answer. There are three pigs.
    three

Check. Count the pigs in the story: first, second and third. That is three. ✓

Watch out. Count the pigs by the story, not by the pictures.

Worked example 8.5.2
Which house was the strongest? Use the story to explain.

Method. The strongest house is the one the wolf could not blow down.

  1. Look at the three houses. The houses are made of straw, sticks and bricks.
    straw, sticks, bricks
  2. Find what the wolf did. The wolf could not blow the brick house down.
    the brick house did not fall down
  3. Write the answer. The brick house was the strongest.
    The brick house, because the wolf could not blow it down.

Check. The wolf blew down the straw and stick houses, but not the brick house. ✓

Watch out. Explain with a clue from the story: what happened to each house.

Worked example 8.5.3
Retell this sentence in your own words: Each pig wanted a house of his own.

Method. Retell means to tell it again in your own words. Keep the main idea.

  1. Read the first sentence. It tells us what the pigs wanted.
    Each pig wanted a house of his own.
  2. Put it in your own words. Say the same idea with different words.
    Three pigs each wanted their own house.
  3. Write the answer. Your words still tell the same idea.
    Three pigs each wanted their own house.

Check. Read your sentence aloud. It has the same idea in different words. ✓

Watch out. You do not have to copy the words. Keep the idea and say it your way.

Watch out

Watch out: when you retell a story, use your own words. You do not need to learn the story word for word.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Use three cushions, or three toy houses, to act out the story. Let your child tell it first, and help with the order. Praise every new word your child uses.

Exercise 8E  Retelling The Three Little Pigs

1
FWhat did the first pig make his house out of?
2
FWhich pig made his house out of bricks?
3
FWhat happened to the straw house?
4
FWhich house did not fall down?
5
PSWrite these events in order: the brick house did not fall down / the straw house fell down / a hungry wolf came to the three houses
6
PSLook at the picture. Which house is made of sticks?
strawsticksbrickswolf
7
RWhy was the brick house the safest house? Explain.
8
RRetell the story in three sentences: one for the beginning, one for the middle and one for the end.
9
FChoose the character: A: the park   B: the wolf
10
PSA new story starts: Knock, knock! Who is at the door? What might happen next? Use the clue.
8.6

Retelling Goldilocks and linking to my life

Year 1
Retell traditional tales in my own words, Link a story to my own experiences

Printable: Worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF) · Open this lesson on its own page

Video lesson: Retelling Goldilocks and linking to my lifeComing soon
Tall trees in a wood, with a path.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears is another traditional tale. Goldilocks tries three bowls, three chairs and three beds. Each time, something is too hot, too hard or too short, until she finds one that is just right.

When you retell a story, you can also link it to your own life. Has something ever been too hot, or just right, for you? That is linking a story to your own experiences.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Once upon a time, a girl called Goldilocks went for a walk in the woods. She came to a little house. No one was at home, so she went in.

In the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge. There was a big bowl, a middle bowl and a small bowl.

Goldilocks tasted the big bowl. “Too hot!” she said.

She tasted the middle bowl. “Too cold!” she said.

She tasted the small bowl. “Just right!” she said, and she ate it all up.

Then she sat on three chairs. The big chair was too hard. The middle chair was too soft. The small chair was just right, but then it broke!

Goldilocks was tired. She went upstairs and lay on three beds. The big bed was too long. The middle bed was too short. The small bed was just right, and she fell fast asleep.

Soon, a big bear, a middle bear and a small bear came home. “Someone was in our house!” they said.

They found Goldilocks asleep in the small bed. She woke up with a jump. She ran out of the house, and she did not come back.

big bowlmiddle bowlsmall bowl
Three bowls of porridge: a big bowl, a middle bowl and a small bowl.

Key ideas

  • Goldilocks tries three of everything: bowls, chairs and beds.
  • Some things are too hot, cold, hard or short. One is just right.
  • To link a story to your life, think of something that has happened to you.
  • When you retell, use your own words.
Worked example 8.6.1
What was in the kitchen?

Method. Find what Goldilocks found in the kitchen.

  1. Read the sentence about the kitchen. It tells us what was in the kitchen.
    In the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge.
  2. Check the rest of the sentence. Three bowls means there were three of them.
    a big bowl, a middle bowl and a small bowl
  3. Write the answer. These were the things in the kitchen.
    three bowls of porridge

Check. Read it aloud: three bowls of porridge. ✓

Watch out. Porridge is a warm food made from oats. Look at the picture to see the bowls.

Worked example 8.6.2
Which bowl was just right?

Method. Find the bowl that was just right.

  1. Read what Goldilocks did with the small bowl. She tasted it and said what she thought.
    She tasted the small bowl.
  2. Find the words she said. Just right means it was not too hot and not too cold.
    “Just right!”
  3. Write the answer. The bowl that was just right is the small bowl.
    the small bowl

Check. The big bowl was too hot and the middle bowl was too cold, so the small bowl was just right. ✓

Watch out. Check each bowl. Only one is just right.

Worked example 8.6.3
Retell the first part of the story in your own words. Start with First.

Method. Retell means to tell the story again in your own words.

  1. Read the first sentence. It tells us who went for a walk, and where.
    a girl called Goldilocks went for a walk in the woods
  2. Put it in your own words. Say the same thing in a new way.
    First, Goldilocks went for a walk in the woods.
  3. Write the answer. The first part of the story is now in your own words.
    First, Goldilocks went for a walk in the woods.

Check. Read your sentence aloud. It keeps the same idea in new words. ✓

Watch out. Start with first, then keep to the order of the story.

Watch out

Watch out: when you retell, use your own words. Do not copy the lines word for word.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Goldilocks is a long name, so say it in parts: Gold-i-locks. Use three cups or boxes of different sizes to show big, middle and small. Try each one and say “too big”, “too small” or “just right”. Ask: “Has anything been just right for you today?”

Exercise 8F  Retelling Goldilocks and linking to my life

1
FWho went for a walk in the woods?
2
FWhat was in the kitchen?
3
FWhich bowl was just right?
4
FWhat did the bears find?
5
FWrite these events in order: She went upstairs / Then she sat on three chairs / Goldilocks tasted the big bowl
6
PSLook at the picture. Which bowl is the small one?
big bowlmiddle bowlsmall bowl
7
PSRetell the first part of the story in your own words. Start with First.
8
FWhat did Goldilocks say about the big bowl?
9
RHas something ever been too hot, too cold or just right for you? Tell a grown-up.
10
FWhat is a traditional tale? Choose: A: a story that people have told for a long time   B: a story about the weather

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
Characters and settingThe characters are the people or animals. The setting is where and when the story happens.
Beginning, middle and endThe beginning starts the story, the middle has a problem, and the end finishes it.
Once upon a timeA fairy tale often starts with these words.
Happily ever afterA fairy tale often ends with these words.
PredictingGuess what happens next, using a clue from the story.
RetellingTell the story again in your own words, in order: first, next, then, at the end.
LinkingThink about your own life when you read a story.

Can you…?

  • I can name the characters and the setting of a story
  • I can say the beginning, the middle and the end of a story
  • I can spot Once upon a time and happily ever after
  • I can guess what happens next, using a clue
  • I can retell a traditional tale in my own words
  • I can link a story to something that has happened to me

Key terms

character
a person or an animal in a story
main character
the character the story is mostly about
setting
where and when a story happens
beginning
the start of a story, where we meet the characters
middle
the part of a story where a problem happens
end
the part of a story where it finishes
fairy tale
a made-up story that often starts with Once upon a time
traditional tale
an old story that people have told for a long time
prediction
a sensible guess about what will happen next, using a clue
retell
to tell a story again in your own words
Once upon a time
the words that often start a fairy tale
happily ever after
the words that often end a fairy tale: the story ends well, and everyone is happy
porridge
a warm food made from oats, eaten from a bowl
clue
a word or idea in the story that helps us guess or find the answer

Exercise 8Z  Check-up

1
Who is the main character in The Lost Ball?
2
What is the setting of Pip and the Water? Give the places.
3
Which part of The Lost Ball is the end?
4
Which words end a fairy tale?
5
What did the wolf do to the stick house?
strawsticksbrickswolf
6
What did the first pig say to the wolf?
7
Look at the picture. What is on top of the cake?
BoZainab
8
The kite is high above the trees. What might happen next? Use a clue to explain.
9
Name a story you know that has a wolf or a bear in it. Say why you like it.
10
Put these in order: It is the ball! / Tom has a red ball. / He looks in the shed.

Total 15 marks. Allow about 15 minutes.

Exercise 8X  End-of-chapter quiz

1
FWho is the main character in Pip and the Water?[1 mark]
2
FWhat are the first words of a fairy tale?[1 mark]
3
FWhat is the name of the dog in The Big Cake?[1 mark]
4
FWhat did the first pig make his house out of?[1 mark]
5
FRetell the first thing that Goldilocks does. Use your own words.[2 marks]
6
FName two things the pigs built their houses from.[2 marks]
7
PSThe ducks drank and drank. What might the ducks do next? Use a clue to explain.[2 marks]
8
RHow is The Lost Ball like Ruby and the Red Kite? Give one way.[2 marks]
9
FWhich porridge bowl was too cold?[1 mark]
10
RWhy were the pigs safe at the end? Explain.[2 marks]
← Chapter 7: Questions and exclamationsChapter 9: Poems and rhymes →

Websink Prep UK is an independent site. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, Eduqas, CCEA, SQA, GL Assessment, CEM or the Department for Education. All exam board names and trademarks belong to their owners. Past papers are linked from the exam boards' own websites and are not hosted here.

About Websink Prep UK · Find a tutor · Privacy · Terms · Cookie settings