Year 3 English · Reading fiction · Lesson 7.1

Year 3 English: Retrieving details from a story

Part of the Year 3 English reading fiction chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

7.1

Retrieving details from a story

Year 3
Retrieve information and key details from a story, Check that the answer is in the text

Story. Priya took her red kite to the park on Saturday. Then the wind pulled it into a tree. What happens next?

When you read a story, you often need to retrieve information. To retrieve means to find a detail that the text states, and to check it before you answer.

Start with the question word: who, where, when, what or why. It points you to one sentence. Find that sentence, and check the detail against the words on the page.

The Lost Kite

Priya had a red kite with a long blue tail. On Saturday morning, she took it to the park with her dad. The wind was strong and the sky was clear. Priya ran across the grass, and the kite soared high above the trees. Then a sudden gust pulled the string out of her hands. The kite drifted over the pond and landed in a tall oak tree. Priya's dad tried to reach it with a long stick, but it was too high. Just then, a girl called Amira came over with a kite of her own. 'Let's ask the park keeper,' she said. The keeper brought a tall ladder, and soon the red kite was back in Priya's hands.

Retrieving a detail: find the question word, find the sentence, then check the detail.

Key ideas

To retrieve information, find a detail that the text states.
The question word (who, where, when, what, why) shows which sentence to read.
The answer is in the text. Read the sentence again to check it.
Retrieve means copy a detail, or use close words for it. Do not add a guess.
Talk about a story with a grown-up: take turns to ask and answer, and listen to each other.

Worked example 7.1.1

Use the extract: Tom ate his toast at seven. Then he put on his coat and walked to school with his friend Ella. Who did Tom walk to school with?

Method. Find the question word: who. It asks for a person.

Find the key words in the question. These words tell us which sentence to read: who.
who
Find the sentence that gives the answer. The text says:
walked to school with his friend Ella
Write the answer.
Ella

Check. The text says his friend Ella. ✓

Worked example 7.1.2

Use the extract: Tom ate his toast at seven. Then he put on his coat and walked to school with his friend Ella. When did Tom eat his toast?

Method. Find the question word: when. It asks for a time.

Find the key words in the question. These words tell us which sentence to read: when.
when
Find the sentence that gives the answer. The text says:
Tom ate his toast at seven
Write the answer.
at seven

Check. The text says at seven. ✓

Worked example 7.1.3

Use the extract: Tom ate his toast at seven. Then he put on his coat and walked to school with his friend Ella. Where did Tom walk?

Method. Find the question word: where. It asks for a place.

Find the key words in the question. These words tell us which sentence to read: where.
where
Find the sentence that gives the answer. The text says:
walked to school with his friend Ella
Write the answer.
to school

Check. The text says walked to school. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a retrieved answer must come from the text. Do not write what you think happens. If you cannot find the detail, read the question again and look for a different sentence.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Read the story aloud together. Ask a question, such as "Where did the kite land?", and ask your child to point to the sentence that answers it. Then take turns to ask questions too.

Exercise 7A Practice: retrieving details from The Lost Kite

FUse the text in the box. What colour was Priya's kite?

Done

FUse the text in the box. Where did Priya take her kite?

Done

FUse the text in the box. On which day was this?

Done

FUse the text in the box. What pulled the string out of Priya's hands?

Done

FUse the text in the box. Where did the kite land?

Done

FUse the text in the box. Why could Priya's dad not reach the kite?

Done

FUse the text in the box. Who came over with a kite of her own?

Done

FUse the text in the box. What did the park keeper bring?

Done

FUse the extract: Sam packed his bag and walked to the bus stop. The bus was late, so he read his book while he waited. Copy the words that tell us where Sam walked.

Done

PSUse the extract: Sam packed his bag and walked to the bus stop. The bus was late, so he read his book while he waited. Why did Sam read his book?

Done

RWrite one question about The Lost Kite that the text does not answer. Then write why the text cannot answer it.

Done