Year 3 English: Opening, middle and ending: paragraphs
Part of the Year 3 English writing stories chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Opening, middle and ending: paragraphs
A paragraph is a group of sentences about one idea, one part of the story, or one time. A new paragraph starts when the idea, the time or the place changes.
A story has three main parts. The opening sets the scene and introduces the characters. The middle tells the problem and the events that follow. The ending shows the resolution, and how the story finishes.
The Lost Kite (model story)
Paragraph 1:On a windy Saturday, Ruby and her friend Kofi went to the park. Ruby carried a bright red kite under her arm.
Paragraph 2:At first, the kite flew high above the trees. Next, a strong gust of wind tugged the string out of Ruby's hand. The kite drifted over the path and became tangled in the branches of a tall oak tree.
Paragraph 3:Ruby felt upset. Meanwhile, Kofi ran to find the park keeper, Mrs Hall. After a while, Mrs Hall came back with a long pole.
Paragraph 4:Carefully, she lifted the kite free. 'Thank you!' said Ruby. From that day on, Ruby always held her string tightly.
Key ideas
- A paragraph groups sentences that belong to one idea, time or place.
- The opening introduces the setting and the characters.
- The middle tells the problem and the events that follow it.
- The ending shows the resolution, and how the story finishes.
- Start a new paragraph when the idea, the time or the place changes.
Method. Find the paragraph that sets the scene and introduces the characters.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: opening.opening
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:On a windy Saturday, Ruby and her friend Kofi went to the park.
- Write the answer. Paragraph 1
Check. Paragraph 1 names the setting and both characters. ✓
Method. Find the paragraph where something goes wrong.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: problem.problem
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:became tangled in the branches of a tall oak tree
- Write the answer. Paragraph 2
Check. The kite is tangled in a tree, so the problem is in paragraph 2. ✓
Method. Think about how a story finishes.
- Think about the ending. An ending shows the problem put right, and how the story finishes.the problem put right
- Write one sentence. Tell the reader that the kite is safe, and how the characters feel.The kite was safe, and everyone smiled.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that shows the kite is safe, for example: The kite was safe, and everyone smiled. It is the resolution.
Check. The ending shows the problem put right. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a new paragraph is not a new line for each sentence. A paragraph has several sentences about one idea, so do not start a new paragraph after every full stop.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to point to the opening, the middle and the ending of a story they know. Ask what the writer put in each part.
Exercise 10B Practice: opening, middle and ending
Method. Think about the first part of a story.
- Think about the start. The first paragraph tells the reader where and when, and who is in the story.where, when and who
- Name the job. So the opening introduces the setting and the characters.the setting and the characters
- Write the answer. To introduce the setting and the characters.
Check. The opening sets the scene. ✓
Watch out. Also accept: to set the scene and introduce the characters.
Method. Find the paragraph where the problem is put right.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: ending.ending
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:Carefully, she lifted the kite free.
- Write the answer. Paragraph 4
Check. The kite is freed in paragraph 4, which is the ending. ✓
Method. Look at the first words of paragraph 2.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: second paragraph.second paragraph
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:At first, the kite flew high above the trees.
- Write the answer. At first
Check. The second paragraph starts with At first. ✓
Method. Find the sentence about how Ruby feels.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: felt.felt
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:Ruby felt upset.
- Write the answer. upset
Check. Ruby felt upset. ✓
Method. Check each sentence against the idea of the paragraph.
- Check A and B. The kite was red, and Ruby held the string: both are about the kite.A and B are about the kite
- Check C. We ate pizza for lunch is about a different idea, so it does not belong.a different idea
- Write the answer. C: We ate pizza for lunch.
Check. Only C is about a different idea. ✓
Method. Look for the time words that show the order.
- Find the first word. First shows the start of the events.First, Ruby ran across the grass.
- Find the next word, then the last word. Next comes before At last, which shows the finish.Next, the wind lifted the kite. / At last, the kite came down.
- Write the answer. First, Ruby ran across the grass. Next, the wind lifted the kite. At last, the kite came down.
Check. First, next and at last show the order. ✓
Method. A resolution shows how the problem is put right.
- Look at A. Ruby felt upset is a feeling about the problem, not how it is put right.a feeling
- Look at B. Mrs Hall lifted the kite free: the problem is put right.lifted the kite free
- Write the answer. B: Carefully, Mrs Hall lifted the kite free.
Check. Only B puts the problem right. ✓
Method. A middle paragraph tells the problem and the events that follow.
- Write the problem. The first sentence says what goes wrong: the ball is lost.the ball is lost
- Write the next event. The second sentence says what the character does next.he looks for it
- Write the answer. Accept any two sentences that describe the problem and what happens next, for example: Sam kicked the ball too hard, and it rolled into the pond. He ran around the pond to look for it.
Check. The middle shows the problem, then an event. ✓
Method. Think about what paragraph 2 does.
- Look at paragraph 2. Paragraph 2 ends with the kite tangled in a tree, so the problem is still there.still tangled
- Decide. A story needs a resolution, so it cannot end before the problem is put right.needs a resolution
- Write the answer. No. Accept any answer that says the problem is not solved yet, so the reader needs the resolution.
Check. The problem is solved in paragraph 4. ✓
Method. Think about what the opening does and what the middle does.
- Think about the opening. The opening sets the scene and introduces the characters.sets the scene
- Think about the middle. Paragraphs 2 and 3 show the problem and the events that follow it.the problem and the events
- Write the answer. Accept any: because the problem happens and the events continue, instead of setting the scene.
Check. The middle is where the problem and events happen. ✓
Method. An opening sets the scene and introduces a character.
- Name the setting. The first sentence names where and when the story happens.On a windy morning
- Introduce a character. The second sentence introduces the character, and what they have.Sam had a new red hat
- Write the answer. Accept any two sentences that name a setting and one character, for example: On a windy morning, Sam walked to school. Sam had a new red hat, and it felt warm.
Check. The opening names a setting and a character. ✓