Year 3 English Writing stories: check-up and practice test questions

Method. Think about the parts in your story plan.

1. Think about where and when. The setting tells where and when the story happens.
   setting
2. Think about who, what goes wrong, and how it is put right. Characters, a problem and a resolution complete the plan.
   characters; problem; resolution
3. Write the answer.
   Setting, characters, problem and resolution (in any order).

Check. Four parts make a complete plan. ✓

Method. Think about the job of the first part of a story.

1. Think about the start. The opening sets the scene at the start of the story.
   the start
2. Name the paragraph. So the opening paragraph introduces the setting and the characters.
   the opening paragraph
3. Write the answer.
   The opening paragraph (the first paragraph).

Check. The opening introduces the setting and characters. ✓

Watch out. Also accept: paragraph 1.

Method. Think about a connective that shows time passing.

1. Read the first sentence. Lucy waited for a long time, so the next event comes after a while.
   waited for a long time
2. Choose a connective. At last shows that the bus came after the waiting.
   At last
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any time connective, for example: At last, Finally or After a while.

Check. The connective shows the bus came after the waiting. ✓

Method. Find the words before the comma.

1. Find the comma. The comma comes after the fronted adverbial.
   Under the bridge,
2. Copy the words. The fronted adverbial is the words before the comma.
   Under the bridge
3. Write the answer.
   Under the bridge

Check. The words before the comma tell where. ✓

Method. Look for a subordinate clause that starts with a word such as because.

1. Find the subordinate clause. Because it was late is a subordinate clause.
   Because it was late
2. Find the main clause. We ran home is the main clause, so the sentence is complex.
   we ran home
3. Write the answer.
   complex

Check. Main clause plus subordinate clause makes a complex sentence. ✓

Method. Add an adjective, then a prepositional phrase.

1. Add an adjective. Red tells the reader what colour the car is.
   the red car
2. Add a prepositional phrase. With a dent in its door tells the reader which car.
   the red car with a dent in its door
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any, for example: the red car with a dent in its door.

Check. Adjective and prepositional phrase both added. ✓

Method. Choose a word that tells the reader how the cake tastes or looks.

1. Think about nice. Nice tells the reader very little about the cake.
   very little
2. Choose a precise word. Delicious tells the reader how the cake tastes.
   a delicious cake
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any precise adjective, for example: delicious.

Check. Delicious is precise. ✓

Method. The spoken words go in inverted commas, then a comma and the speech tag.

1. Find the spoken words. The spoken words are I can see the kite.
   I can see the kite
2. Add the inverted commas. Put inverted commas round the spoken words, with the comma inside them.
   'I can see the kite,' said Ali.
3. Write the answer.
   'I can see the kite,' said Ali.

Check. The spoken words are in inverted commas. ✓

Method. Look for the word that joins the two ideas.

1. Find the joining word. Because joins the two ideas: "we stayed inside" and "it rained".
   because
2. Check the meaning. It explains the reason, so because is a connective.
   the reason
3. Write the answer.
   because

Check. Because links the two ideas. ✓

Method. Think about what you hear when a story is read aloud.

1. Think about the meaning. Hearing the story shows whether it makes sense.
   makes sense
2. Think about the mistakes. Reading aloud also shows punctuation and tense mistakes.
   punctuation and tense
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any: to hear whether the sentences make sense and flow, and to find mistakes in meaning or punctuation.

Check. Reading aloud finds problems that eyes miss. ✓

Method. Find the words before the comma.

1. Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: fronted adverbial.
   fronted adverbial
2. Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
   Later that evening
3. Write the answer.
   Later that evening

Check. Later that evening is the fronted adverbial. ✓

Method. Think about which connective means at the same time.

1. Think about each choice. Then and finally show one thing after another.
   after another
2. Choose the right one. Meanwhile means at the same time, so the smell filled the kitchen while the bread baked.
   at the same time
3. Write the answer.
   meanwhile

Check. Meanwhile links the two things that happen together. ✓

Method. A resolution shows how the problem is put right.

1. Look at (a). The tent blew away, so this sentence shows the problem.
   the problem
2. Look at (b). Ben found his tent, so the problem is put right.
   found his tent
3. Write the answer.
   (b)

Check. Sentence (b) puts the problem right. ✓

Method. Add adjectives before the noun.

1. Choose two adjectives. Little and blue tell the reader what the boat is like.
   little; blue
2. Write the noun phrase. The adjectives go before the noun boat.
   the little blue boat
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any, for example: the little blue boat.

Check. Two adjectives describe the noun. ✓

Method. Choose a place phrase, then add a comma before the main clause.

1. Choose a place phrase. Under the old bridge tells where the ducks slept.
   Under the old bridge
2. Add the comma and the main clause. The comma goes after the place phrase, then the main clause.
   Under the old bridge, the ducks slept.
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any sentence that starts with a place phrase followed by a comma, for example: Under the old bridge, the ducks slept.

Check. The place phrase tells where, and the comma follows it. ✓

Method. A compound sentence has two main clauses joined by and, but, or or so.

1. Look at A. Ava swam and Ben ran are two main clauses joined by and.
   joined by and
2. Look at B. After she swam is a subordinate clause, so B is complex.
   subordinate clause
3. Write the answer.
   A

Check. A is compound; B is complex. ✓

Method. Change each present tense verb to the past tense.

1. Change runs. The past tense of run is ran.
   ran
2. Change waits. The past tense of wait is waited.
   waited
3. Write the answer.
   Sam ran to the bus stop and waited.

Check. Both verbs are now in the past tense. ✓

Method. Check each sentence against the idea of the paragraph.

1. Check (a) and (b). Both are about the dog on its walk.
   the dog on its walk
2. Check (c). Baking a cake is a different idea, so it does not belong.
   a different idea
3. Write the answer.
   (c) We baked a sponge cake.

Check. Only (c) is about a different idea. ✓

Method. A resolution shows how the problem is put right.

1. Write the resolution. The sledge must be put right, so the story can end happily.
   the sledge is mended
2. Name the part of the plot. The sentence shows how the problem is solved, so it is the resolution.
   the resolution
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any resolution that puts the broken sledge right, for example: Tom's grandad mended the sledge with tape, so they went sledging together. It is the resolution.

Check. The resolution puts the problem right. ✓

Method. Add the three parts, one at a time.

1. Add a fronted adverbial of time. After lunch tells the reader when, and it is followed by a comma.
   After lunch,
2. Expand the noun phrase. The scruffy brown dog is an expanded noun phrase: adjectives and a noun.
   the scruffy brown dog
3. Write the sentence. Put the three parts together in one sentence.
   After lunch, the scruffy brown dog barked loudly at the postman.
4. Write the answer.
   Accept any sentence with a time phrase, a comma and an expanded noun phrase, for example: After lunch, the scruffy brown dog barked loudly at the postman.

Check. All three parts are in the sentence. ✓