Year 3 English: Time connectives
Part of the Year 3 English writing stories chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Time connectives
A connective is a word or phrase that links ideas, sentences or paragraphs. A time connective tells the reader when something happens.
- Order: first, next, then, after that, finally.
- Time passing: later, after a while, soon, at last, in the end.
- Two things at the same time: meanwhile, which means at the same time.
Read the story below, and look for the time connectives in it.
The Seed (model story)
Ava planted a seed in a pot. At first, nothing happened. Later, a small green shoot pushed through the soil. Meanwhile, the sun shone through the window. After a while, the shoot grew into a tall plant with three yellow flowers. In the end, Ava gave one flower to her gran.
Key ideas
- A connective links ideas, sentences or paragraphs.
- A time connective tells the reader when something happens.
- Meanwhile means at the same time, so it links two things that happen together.
- After a while means that some time has passed.
- Put a comma after a connective at the start of a sentence.
Method. Find the connective whose meaning is at the same time.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: at the same time.at the same time
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:Meanwhile, the sun shone through the window.
- Write the answer. Meanwhile
Check. The sun shines while the shoot grows. ✓
Method. Find the first sign of growth, and the connective in front of it.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: first green shoot.first green shoot
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:Later, a small green shoot pushed through the soil.
- Write the answer. Later
Check. Later comes before the shoot appears. ✓
Method. Choose a connective that also tells when.
- Find the connective. In the end tells the reader that the story is finishing.In the end
- Choose a new one. Finally also shows the last part of the story, so it can replace it.Finally, Ava gave one flower to her gran.
- Write the answer. Accept any time connective that shows the end, for example: Finally, Ava gave one flower to her gran.
Check. Finally also shows the last part of the story. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a connective must make sense in its place. Meanwhile is for two things that happen together, and after a while needs time to have passed.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read a story aloud together and ask your child to put their hand up at each time connective. Ask them what the connective tells the listener.
Exercise 10C Practice: time connectives
Method. Find the first event in the story.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: first.first
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:At first, nothing happened.
- Write the answer. At first
Check. At first, nothing happened. ✓
Method. Find the sentence where the flowers appear.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: flower.flower
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:After a while, the shoot grew into a tall plant with three yellow flowers.
- Write the answer. After a while
Check. After a while comes before the flowers. ✓
Method. Look at the word in its sentence.
- Look at the sentence. Meanwhile, the sun shone through the window while the seed was growing.while the seed grew
- Give the meaning. Meanwhile means at the same time.at the same time
- Write the answer. at the same time
Check. Meanwhile links two things that happen together. ✓
Watch out. Also accept: during the same time.
Method. Choose a word that tells the reader when the next event happens.
- Read the first sentence. Pip finished his lunch, so the next event comes after it.ate his lunch
- Choose a time connective. Then tells the reader the next thing happened.Then
- Write the answer. Accept any time connective, for example: Then, Next, Afterwards.
Check. Then shows the order of the two events. ✓
Method. Think about each connective.
- Think about meanwhile. Meanwhile means at the same time, so it is not the end.at the same time
- Think about in the end. In the end shows the last part of a long process.the last part
- Write the answer. in the end
Check. In the end is the finish. ✓
Method. Think about when each one happens.
- Find the first. At first is the start of the story.At first
- Find the last. In the end is the finish, and Later comes between them.Later; In the end
- Write the answer. At first; Later; In the end
Check. The order runs from the start to the finish. ✓
Method. Put the time connective at the start, and add a comma.
- Find the time connective. After a while tells the reader that time has passed.After a while
- Put it in front of the second idea. The shoot grew after Ava had waited.After a while, the shoot grew.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence with After a while, a comma and the shoot growing, for example: Ava waited. After a while, the shoot grew.
Check. Time has passed before the shoot grew. ✓
Method. Look at the event before the gap.
- Find the first event. The bell rang first.The bell rang.
- Find the next event. The children left the hall after the bell, so a connective that shows the next step fits.Next, the children left the hall.
- Write the answer. Accept any time connective that comes after the bell, for example: Then, Next, Soon.
Check. The connective shows the order of the events. ✓
Method. Write the first sentence, then add the second with meanwhile.
- Write the first sentence. A simple sentence about the plant starts the idea.The plant had green leaves.
- Add the connective. Meanwhile shows that a second thing happens at the same time, with a comma after it.Meanwhile, the roots grew down.
- Write the answer. Accept any two sentences, with meanwhile in the second, followed by a comma, for example: The plant had green leaves. Meanwhile, the roots grew down into the soil.
Check. Meanwhile links the two things that happen together. ✓
Method. Think about when the sun shines compared with the shoot.
- Look at the sentence. Meanwhile, the sun shone through the window.the sun shone
- Compare the timing. The sun shone at the same time that the shoot was growing, so Then would be wrong.the same time
- Write the answer. Accept any: because the sun shines at the same time as the shoot grows, not after it.
Check. Meanwhile shows the two things happen together. ✓
Method. Think about what the phrase tells the reader.
- Read the phrase. After a while tells the reader that some time has gone by.some time has gone by
- Explain the effect. The reader knows the plant has been growing for a while, not just for a moment.growing for a while
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that says time has passed, so the reader knows the plant has been growing for some time.
Check. The phrase shows that time has passed. ✓