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Primary English · Year 3Chapter 11 · Writing non-fiction
Year 3 · Chapter 11

Writing non-fiction

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Choose a purpose and an audience before writing
  • Write an information text with headings, sub-headings and present-tense facts
  • Write instructions that start with imperative verbs, in numbered steps and bullet points
  • Write a formal letter and a short persuasive text with reasons
  • Choose a formal or an informal register to suit the reader
  • Check, correct and present a piece of writing neatly

You should already know

  • Paragraphs, headings and sub-headings (Chapter 6)
  • Word classes: verbs, adjectives and adverbs (Chapter 3)
  • Inverted commas and punctuation (Chapter 5)
  • Writing stories with a plan and paragraphs (Chapter 10)

Where this leads

  • Writing reports and explanations with more technical words in Year 4
  • Choosing formal and informal register in longer texts in Year 4
  • Persuasive writing with more detailed reasons in Year 4

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 2 English, Year 3. Content: Write for a clear purpose and a known audience: inform, instruct, explain, persuade or write to someone, Organise an information text with headings and sub-headings, and write its facts in the present tense, Write instructions with imperative verbs, numbered steps and bullet points, Write a letter and a short persuasive text, in a formal or informal register as the audience needs, Evaluate and edit your own and others' writing, and proof-read it for spelling and punctuation, Present writing neatly, with joined, even and legible handwriting (practised on paper).

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FAdd the prefix un- to the word happy. Write the new word.
2
FChoose the right word: The children left ____ coats in the hall. (their or there)
3
FWhich sentence has a comma after its fronted adverbial? A: Later we went to the park. B: Later, we went to the park.
4
FWrite the past tense of write.
5
FWhich word class is quickly in the sentence Sam ran quickly?
11.1

Purpose and audience

Year 3
Write for a clear purpose: to inform, instruct, explain, persuade or write to someone, Choose the form and the level of detail for a known audience
Video lesson: Purpose and audienceComing soon
Story. Class 3B has three jobs this week. Amira will write a letter to the headteacher, Leo will write instructions for a bean project, and Mei will write a page of facts for the class book. Before anyone writes a word, each one asks the same two questions.

Every piece of writing has a purpose, which is the reason for writing it. It also has an audience, which is the person or people who will read it. Think about both before you write.

Common purposes are: to inform (give facts), to instruct (tell the reader how to do something), to explain (say how or why something happens), to persuade (try to make the reader agree or act) and to write to someone (for example, in a letter).

TextPurposeAudience
A letter to the headteacherto ask for somethingthe headteacher
A set of instructions for a beanto instructa class of younger pupils
A fact page for the libraryto informpupils who want facts
A poster for the school gateto persuadeparents and visitors
Why am I writing?purposeWho will read it?audienceWhich form is best?letter, list, textHow formal should it be?register
Four questions a writer asks before writing: purpose, audience, form and register.

Key ideas

  • The purpose is the reason for writing: to inform, instruct, explain, persuade or write to someone.
  • The audience is the person or people who will read the text.
  • Choose the words and the amount of detail to suit the audience.
  • Think about the purpose and the audience before you write the first sentence.
  • The form, such as a letter, a list or a leaflet, should suit the purpose.
Worked example 11.1.1
What is the purpose of this sentence? Choose: to inform, to instruct or to persuade.

Method. Look at what the sentence does: does it give a fact?

  1. Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: purpose.
    purpose
  2. Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
    Snails have a hard shell on their back
  3. Write the answer.
    to inform

Check. A fact is given, so the purpose is to inform. ✓

Watch out. An instruction tells the reader what to do.

Worked example 11.1.2
Ben writes: Add the water slowly. Stir it with a spoon. Who is the most likely audience? Choose: a) people who want to make the drink, or b) a teacher marking a spelling test.

Method. Think about who needs to know the steps.

  1. Look at the words. Add the water and stir it are steps for making something.
    Add the water; stir it
  2. Choose the reader. People who want to make the drink need these steps, so they are the audience.
    make the drink
  3. Write the answer.
    a) people who want to make the drink

Check. The steps are for someone making the drink. ✓

Worked example 11.1.3
Which text should you write to ask a headteacher for a new bench: a poster, a letter or a list of facts?

Method. Choose the form that suits one reader and a request.

  1. Think about the audience. The audience is one person, the headteacher, and the purpose is to ask.
    one person; to ask
  2. Choose the form. A letter is written to one person, and it can make a polite request.
    a letter
  3. Write the answer.
    a letter

Check. A letter suits one reader and a polite request. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a text can have more than one purpose, but one purpose is usually the main one. A recipe is mainly to instruct, even if it also gives facts about food.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Before your child writes anything, ask: Why am I writing this, and who will read it? Then ask what they would change if the reader were a younger brother or sister.

Exercise 11A  Practice: purpose and audience

1
FWhat is the purpose of this card? Give your answer in three or four words.
2
FA recipe tells the cook how to make a cake, step by step. What is its purpose: to inform, to instruct or to persuade?
3
FWhich word means the people who will read a text? Choose: audience, purpose, heading.
4
FA poster says: Please recycle your bottles. The planet needs you! What is the purpose of this poster?
5
FA card says: Dear Grandma, thank you for my birthday present. Who is the audience of this card?
6
FMei is writing rules for the school library, to help new pupils. Who is her audience?
7
PSA page tells readers how a seed grows into a plant, one stage at a time. Which purpose fits best: to explain, to persuade or to write to someone?
8
PSWrite one sentence that could be the purpose of a leaflet about recycling. Use the word persuade.
9
PSA text is written for Year 1 children, to show them how to wash their hands. Give one thing the writer should do to suit this audience.
10
RWhy should a writer think about the audience before writing?
11
RTom writes a letter to his friend and a letter to the headteacher about the same school trip. Give one difference between the two letters and say why.
11.2

Information texts: headings, sub-headings and present-tense facts

Year 3
Organise non-narrative writing with simple devices such as headings and sub-headings, Write facts in the present tense
Video lesson: Information texts: headings, sub-headings and present-tense factsComing soon
Story. Mei is writing a page for the class book about snails. She wants each part of her page to be easy to find, so she puts a heading at the top and a sub-heading above each part.

An information text gives facts about one topic. A heading names the main part of the text. A sub-heading is a smaller heading, and it names one part inside the main part. Headings and sub-headings help a reader find the facts they need.

The facts in an information text are written in the present tense, because they are true now: Snails live in damp places. Do not change a fact to the past tense.

Garden snails (information text)

All about garden snails

What a snail looks like

A garden snail has a soft body and a hard, round shell on its back. The shell protects the snail and helps stop its body from drying out.

Where snails live

Snails live in damp places, such as under stones, in piles of leaves and in gardens. They come out most when the weather is wet.

How snails move

A snail moves slowly on a large, flat foot. It leaves a silvery trail of slime behind it, which helps it glide over rough ground.

What snails eat

Most garden snails eat plants. They scrape up their food with a tongue covered in rows of tiny teeth.

All about garden snailsheadingWhat a snail looks likesub-headingA soft body and a hard shellparagraphWhere snails livesub-headingDamp places, under stonesparagraph
A heading, two sub-headings and the paragraphs under them.

Key ideas

  • A heading names the main part of an information text.
  • A sub-heading names a smaller part, under a heading.
  • Headings and sub-headings help a reader find facts quickly.
  • Write facts in the present tense, such as: Snails live in damp places.
  • Each paragraph should sit under the sub-heading that describes it.
Worked example 11.2.1
Copy the main heading of the snail text.

Method. Find the biggest heading, at the top of the text.

  1. Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: main heading.
    main heading
  2. Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
    All about garden snails
  3. Write the answer.
    All about garden snails

Check. The main heading is at the top and names the whole text. ✓

Watch out. A sub-heading is smaller, and names one part only.

Worked example 11.2.2
Which sub-heading should go above the paragraph that starts "Snails live in damp places"?

Method. Find the sub-heading that names the topic of that paragraph.

  1. Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: sub-heading.
    sub-heading
  2. Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
    Where snails live / Snails live in damp places
  3. Write the answer.
    Where snails live

Check. The paragraph is about where snails live. ✓

Worked example 11.2.3
Change this sentence to the present tense, so that it states a fact: Snails ate the leaves in the garden.

Method. Change the verb to the present tense, and keep the rest of the words.

  1. Find the verb. Ate is the past tense of eat.
    ate
  2. Change it to the present tense. The present tense of eat, for a plural subject, is eat.
    eat
  3. Write the sentence. Put the new verb in place of ate.
    Snails eat the leaves in the garden.
  4. Write the answer.
    Snails eat the leaves in the garden.

Check. The fact is now in the present tense. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a sub-heading is not a second heading for the whole text. It names one part, and the paragraphs under it should be about that part only.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Look at a non-fiction book together. Ask your child to point to a heading, then a sub-heading, then to one fact. Ask them to say the fact in the present tense.

Exercise 11B  Practice: headings and sub-headings

1
FWhich sub-heading is above the paragraph about what snails eat? Copy it.
2
FWhich is bigger: a heading or a sub-heading? Choose one.
3
FChange this sentence to the present tense: A frog jumped into the pond.
4
FChange this sentence to the present tense: Bees carried pollen to the flowers.
5
FIs the sentence Snails live in damp places written in the past tense or the present tense?
6
PSWhich sub-heading would suit a paragraph that says: Snails can hide inside their shells when they feel scared? Choose: What a snail looks like, How snails move, What snails eat.
7
PSWrite a sub-heading of three words or fewer for a paragraph about the slime trail a snail leaves.
8
PSPut these in order, from the biggest to the smallest: paragraph, heading, sub-heading.
9
PSWrite a heading for an information text about the seaside, then write one sub-heading under it.
10
RWhy is a sub-heading helpful to a reader who is looking for one fact?
11
RExplain why the facts in an information text are written in the present tense.
11.3

Instructions: imperative verbs, numbered steps and bullet points

Year 3
Write instructions in the imperative form, in numbered steps, Use bullet points to list things needed
Video lesson: Instructions: imperative verbs, numbered steps and bullet pointsComing soon
Story. Leo wants to show his class how to grow a bean. He writes instructions that a friend can follow at home, step by step, without asking him a single question.

An instruction tells the reader how to do something. Instructions use imperative verbs. An imperative verb is a command. It is the first word of the step, and it does not need a subject: Put the cup on the table. Do not write You put the cup on the table.

Use numbered steps for actions that must happen in order. Use bullet points, short items in a list, for the things that are needed, where the order does not matter.

How to grow a bean seed (instructions)

How to grow a bean seed

What you need

  • a clear plastic cup
  • a sheet of damp cotton wool
  • a dried bean seed
  • a sunny windowsill

What to do

  1. Put a sheet of damp cotton wool into the cup.
  2. Push the bean seed between the cotton wool and the side of the cup.
  3. Place the cup on a sunny windowsill.
  4. Water the cotton wool each day, so that it stays damp.
  5. Watch the bean for a week, and draw what you see.
PartWhat it doesAn example from the box
Imperative verbstarts each step and gives a commandPlace the cup on a sunny windowsill.
Numbered stepsshow the order of the actionssteps 1 to 5 under What to do
Bullet pointslist the things neededa clear plastic cup
1. Put the cotton wool inimperative verb: Put2. Push the seed inimperative verb: Push3. Place the cup in the sunimperative verb: Place4. Water the cotton woolimperative verb: Water5. Watch the bean growimperative verb: Watch
Five numbered steps, each starting with an imperative verb.

Key ideas

  • An instruction tells the reader how to do something.
  • An imperative verb is a command, such as Put, Push, Water or Watch.
  • Do not put You before an instruction: write Water the plant, not You water the plant.
  • Use numbered steps when the order matters.
  • Use bullet points to list the things needed.
Worked example 11.3.1
Copy the imperative verb that starts step 3.

Method. Find step 3 in the numbered list, then look at its first word.

  1. Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: imperative verb.
    imperative verb
  2. Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
    Place the cup on a sunny windowsill.
  3. Write the answer.
    Place

Check. Place starts step 3 and is a command. ✓

Watch out. The command word is the first word of the step, not a noun.

Worked example 11.3.2
Change this sentence into an instruction: You should water the cotton wool each day.

Method. Remove the words that name the reader, and start with the verb.

  1. Find the words to remove. You should is not needed in an instruction.
    You should
  2. Put the verb first. An instruction starts with the imperative verb, water.
    Water the cotton wool each day.
  3. Write the answer.
    Water the cotton wool each day.

Check. The instruction starts with the command Water. ✓

Worked example 11.3.3
Put these steps in the right order: Watch the bean for a week. Push the seed in. Put the cotton wool in the cup.

Method. Think about what must happen first.

  1. Find the first step. The cotton wool must go in the cup before the seed is pushed in.
    Put the cotton wool in the cup
  2. Find the last step. Watching the bean for a week comes last, after it is planted.
    Watch the bean for a week
  3. Write the answer.
    Put the cotton wool in the cup. Push the seed in. Watch the bean for a week.

Check. The cotton wool, then the seed, then watching. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: do not start a step with You or with I. Start with the command word, such as Put or Stir, and leave out the subject.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to write a three-step set of instructions for making a sandwich, using a numbered list. Then ask them to read it back and check that each step starts with a command word.

Exercise 11C  Practice: instructions

1
FWhich word is the imperative verb in this instruction: Water the cotton wool each day.
2
FWrite the imperative verb in this instruction: Ask a grown-up for help.
3
FIs Put the cup on the table. an instruction or a fact?
4
FWhat kind of word starts an instruction?
5
FRewrite this as an instruction: You must close the lid.
6
FRewrite this as an instruction: You should stir the soup.
7
PSWrite three bullet points that list the things you need to make a sandwich.
8
PSPut these steps in order: Spread the butter. Take two slices of bread. Put the slices together.
9
PSWrite one step for planting a seed in soil. Start the step with the word Dig.
10
PSWhich of these is most likely to be a bullet point in a list of things needed? A: Put the cup on the table. B: a cup of water C: Then water it.
11
RWhy are numbered steps better than one long paragraph for instructions?
11.4

Letters and persuasive texts

Year 3
Write letters for a clear purpose and a known audience, Write a short text that persuades, with reasons
Video lesson: Letters and persuasive textsComing soon
Story. Amira wants her class to have a school garden. She writes a formal letter to the headteacher, Mrs Patel, and a short persuasive text to show the other pupils why the idea is good.

A letter is written to one person, for a reason. A formal letter to someone you do not know well usually has a greeting (Dear Mrs Patel,), a purpose in the first paragraph, the details in the next paragraphs, and a sign-off (Yours sincerely,) followed by the writer's name.

A persuasive text tries to make the reader agree, or act. Its writer gives reasons, uses words such as should, and often ends by asking the reader to do something.

Letter from Amira to Mrs Patel (formal letter)

Class 3B

Dear Mrs Patel,

I am writing to ask whether our class could have a small garden on the school field. We would grow beans, herbs and sunflowers, and we would look after them each week.

The garden would help us learn about plants in science lessons. It would also make the school a more colourful place to play.

Could we talk about this idea at the next school council meeting? Thank you for reading my letter.

Yours sincerely,

Amira Hassan

Why our school needs a garden (persuasive text)

Why our school needs a garden

Every school should have a garden, and ours should have one now. First, a garden helps us learn about plants, because we can see seeds grow instead of only reading about them.

Second, working outside is fun and healthy. Everyone can help, from the youngest pupils to the oldest. Would you not love to see our sunflowers in bloom next summer?

So please, say yes to our garden. It will bring the whole school together.

Class 3BsenderDear Mrs Patel,greetingI am writing to ask ...purposeYours sincerely,sign-offAmira Hassanname
The parts of a formal letter, from the top down.

Key ideas

  • A letter has a purpose, a greeting, the details and a sign-off.
  • Use Yours sincerely when you write to someone whose name you know.
  • A persuasive text gives reasons for the writer's opinion.
  • Words such as should show what the writer thinks ought to happen.
  • A persuasive text often ends by asking the reader to act.
Worked example 11.4.1
What is the purpose of Amira's letter? Say it in a few words.

Method. Find the sentence that says why she is writing.

  1. Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: purpose.
    purpose
  2. Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
    I am writing to ask whether our class could have a small garden
  3. Write the answer.
    to ask for a school garden

Check. The first paragraph says why she is writing. ✓

Watch out. Also accept: to ask whether the class could have a garden.

Worked example 11.4.2
Copy the sign-off that Amira uses.

Method. Find the words above her name.

  1. Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: sign-off.
    sign-off
  2. Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
    Yours sincerely,
  3. Write the answer.
    Yours sincerely

Check. Yours sincerely comes before the name. ✓

Watch out. Also accept: Yours sincerely,

Worked example 11.4.3
Give one reason in the persuasive text why a garden would help pupils. Copy the words.

Method. Find the reason that starts with First.

  1. Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: reason.
    reason
  2. Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
    a garden helps us learn about plants
  3. Write the answer.
    a garden helps us learn about plants

Check. The first reason is about learning. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a letter to a person you do not know well is formal, even if you like them. Keep the greeting, the sign-off and the words polite.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to tell you who a letter is for, why they are writing it, and what they want the reader to do. Then ask them to read the letter aloud, and to check the greeting and the sign-off.

Exercise 11D  Practice: letters and persuasive texts

1
FCopy the name at the end of Amira's letter.
2
FCopy the greeting in Amira's letter.
3
FWhich comes first in a formal letter: the greeting or the sign-off?
4
FWhich word in the persuasive text shows what the writer thinks ought to happen?
5
FWhich sign-off is used in a formal letter to Mr Singh, a person whose name you know? Choose: Love from or Yours sincerely.
6
PSWrite the greeting for a formal letter to Mr Singh.
7
PSWrite one polite question for a formal letter to Mr Singh, asking whether the class can visit the museum. Start with Could.
8
PSThe persuasive text ends with: So please, say yes to our garden. Is the word please used to persuade or to inform?
9
PSWrite one persuasive sentence about why every class should read books each day. Use the word should.
10
RAmira writes: It would also make the school a more colourful place to play. Is this a fact or an opinion?
11
RWhy is Could we talk about this idea at the next school council meeting? a polite way to end a formal letter?
11.5

Formal and informal register

Year 3
Write in a formal or an informal register as the audience needs, Write a short informal letter to a friend
Video lesson: Formal and informal registerComing soon
Story. Priya writes two messages in one afternoon. One is a letter to her friend Leo, who has been away from school. The other is a note to Mrs Patel, the headteacher. Priya changes the way she writes for each reader.

The register of a text is the style of language a writer chooses for the audience and the situation. A formal register is used for people you do not know well, such as teachers and headteachers. An informal register is used for friends and family.

FeatureFormalInformal
GreetingDear Mrs Patel,Dear Leo, or Hi Leo!
ContractionsI am, I cannot, do notI'm, can't, don't
RequestsCould we talk about this?Can we talk about this?
Sign-offYours sincerely,See you soon! or Love from
Tonepolite and carefulfriendly and chatty

Letter from Priya to Leo (informal letter)

Dear Leo,

Thanks for your card! I'm so glad you're back at school. Guess what? Our class is growing beans in cups, and I get to water mine every day. It's brilliant!

Can't wait to show you my bean when it sprouts. Do you want to come round on Saturday? We could play football in the park too.

See you soon!

Love from

Priya

Could we talk about this?formal requestCan we talk about this?informal requestI cannot come on Saturday.formalI can't come on Saturday.informal, contractionYours sincerely,formal sign-offSee you soon!informal sign-off
The same message in a formal and in an informal register.

Key ideas

  • Register is the style of language chosen for the audience.
  • Formal writing avoids contractions and uses polite requests.
  • Informal writing is friendly and may use contractions, such as I'm and can't.
  • Choose a formal register for people you do not know well, and an informal one for friends and family.
  • The same message can be written in either register.
Worked example 11.5.1
Copy one contraction from Priya's informal letter.

Method. Find a short word with an apostrophe that joins two words.

  1. Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: contraction.
    contraction
  2. Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
    I'm so glad
  3. Write the answer.
    I'm

Check. I'm is short for I am. ✓

Watch out. Also accept: it's, you're or can't.

Worked example 11.5.2
Change this informal sentence into a formal one: Can't wait to see you!

Method. Replace the contraction and the chatty phrase with full words and a polite phrase.

  1. Find the informal parts. Can't wait is informal: it has a contraction and a chatty phrase.
    Can't wait
  2. Write a formal version. A formal version uses full words and a polite phrase.
    I look forward to seeing you.
  3. Write the answer.
    Accept any formal sentence, for example: I look forward to seeing you.

Check. No contraction, and a polite phrase. ✓

Worked example 11.5.3
Is Hi Leo! a formal or an informal greeting?

Method. Look at the greeting and who it is for.

  1. Look at the greeting. Hi is a short, friendly greeting, used with friends.
    Hi
  2. Decide. A friendly greeting for a friend is informal.
    informal
  3. Write the answer.
    informal

Check. Hi Leo! is friendly and short. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: informal does not mean careless. Informal writing still needs correct spelling and full sentences that make sense.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to say the same message twice: once to a friend and once to a headteacher. Ask what changed, and which words they chose.

Exercise 11E  Practice: formal and informal register

1
FIs Dear Mrs Patel, formal or informal?
2
FIs See you soon! formal or informal?
3
FCopy the contraction for it is in Priya's informal letter.
4
FWrite the full form of can't.
5
FWrite the full form of it's.
6
FWhich sign-off is more formal: Love from or Yours sincerely?
7
PSRewrite this in a formal register: Can you lend me a pen?
8
PSRewrite this in an informal register: I would be grateful if you could visit our class.
9
PSWhich is more suitable for a message to a friend? A: Hi, are you coming to the park? B: Dear friend, I would be pleased to know whether you will attend the park.
10
PSWrite one formal sentence that asks for a new book for the class library.
11
RExplain why Priya can write Guess what? to Leo, but Amira would not write it to Mrs Patel.
11.6

Checking, proof-reading and presenting neatly

Year 3
Evaluate and edit your own and others' writing, and suggest improvements, Proof-read for spelling and punctuation, and present writing neatly
Video lesson: Checking, proof-reading and presenting neatlyComing soon
Story. Ruby has written instructions for growing a bean. Before she copies them out neatly for the class, she checks them in stages.

Writers evaluate first: does the text do its purpose, and will the audience understand it? Then they edit, changing words, order or sentences to make the writing clearer. Then they proof-read, checking spelling, capital letters, full stops and verbs. Last, they present the writing neatly.

When you check someone else's writing, suggest a helpful improvement. Use the grammar words for the text, such as imperative verb, full stop and formal, so that your suggestion is clear.

Neat handwriting is even and joined where it is easy to join. Tall letters reach the top line, and tails go below the line. Handwriting is practised on paper, with a grown-up, so the grown-up tip below is for paper.

Ruby's first draft of the instructions (draft, not yet checked)

Put a damp sponge in a clear pot. Put the bean on the top of the sponge. Put the pot on the windowsil. waters it every day. Check it each morning, and see if the bean has sprouted. Its leaves will grow soon, and then we can show the class.

Evaluatedoes it do its purpose?Editimprove the words and orderProof-readspelling and punctuationPresentneat, joined, even writing
Four stages: evaluate, edit, proof-read and present.

Key ideas

  • Evaluate: does the text do its purpose for its audience?
  • Edit: improve the words, the order and the sentences.
  • Proof-read: check spelling, capital letters, full stops and verbs.
  • Present neatly: write evenly, with joins where they are easy and tails that do not touch the line below.
  • When you check someone else's writing, suggest a helpful change.
Worked example 11.6.1
Find the spelling mistake in Ruby's draft. Copy the wrong word.

Method. Look for a word for a window ledge that is spelt wrongly.

  1. Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: spelling.
    spelling
  2. Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
    Put the pot on the windowsil.
  3. Write the answer.
    windowsil

Check. The word should end with two l letters: windowsill. ✓

Watch out. The correct spelling is windowsill.

Worked example 11.6.2
Find the verb that is not in the correct imperative form. Copy it.

Method. Look for the sentence that starts with a command, and check the verb.

  1. Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: verb form.
    verb form
  2. Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:
    waters it every day
  3. Write the answer.
    waters

Check. An instruction uses the command form, Water. ✓

Worked example 11.6.3
Rewrite this sentence with a capital letter and the correct verb: waters it every day.

Method. Correct the capital letter and the verb.

  1. Fix the capital letter. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.
    W
  2. Fix the verb. An instruction uses the command form, Water, not waters.
    Water it every day.
  3. Write the answer.
    Water it every day.

Check. It is now a correct instruction. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: changing one word can change the grammar around it. After you change a verb, check the whole instruction again.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip (practise on paper). Ask your child to write jump on paper, joining the letters where the join is easy. Then look at the tails of j and p: do they touch the line below? Copy one sentence from Ruby's draft neatly, with even spacing between words.

Exercise 11F  Practice: checking and presenting

1
FWrite the correct spelling of windowsil.
2
FWhich is spelt correctly: seperate or separate?
3
FAdd a full stop to the end of this instruction: Water the cotton wool every day
4
FAdd a capital letter to the start of this sentence: water it every day.
5
FWhich word is the command form of the verb to put? Choose: Put, Puts, Putting.
6
FWhat is the word for a verb that gives a command, such as Water or Watch?
7
PSProof-read this sentence and correct it: Its a sunny day for the bean.
8
PSA classmate writes this step: Water it. Suggest one improvement that makes the step more helpful.
9
PSLook at the picture of the word jump. Which two letters have tails that go below the baseline?
jumptop line (tall letters)x-height (small letters)baseline (writing sits here)descender line (tails go below)
10
PSIn handwriting, what is the baseline? Use the picture of jump to help you.
11
RExplain why a writer should proof-read before copying a text out neatly.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
Purpose and audienceDecide why you are writing (inform, instruct, explain, persuade or write to someone) and who will read it.
Information textsUse a heading for the main part and sub-headings for smaller parts. Write facts in the present tense.
InstructionsStart each step with an imperative verb, such as Put or Water. Use numbered steps for order and bullet points for things needed.
LettersGreeting, purpose, details and sign-off. Use Yours sincerely for someone whose name you know.
Persuasive textsGive reasons for your opinion, use words such as should, and ask the reader to act.
RegisterFormal for people you do not know well: full words, polite requests. Informal for friends: contractions, a chatty tone.
Checking and presentingEvaluate, edit, proof-read, then present neatly. Suggest helpful changes when you check someone else's writing.

Can you…?

  • I can say the purpose and the audience of a piece of writing
  • I can use a heading and sub-headings in an information text
  • I can write facts in the present tense
  • I can write instructions that start with an imperative verb
  • I can use numbered steps and bullet points
  • I can write a formal letter with a greeting and a sign-off
  • I can write a short persuasive text with reasons
  • I can choose a formal or an informal register for the reader
  • I can proof-read my writing for spelling and punctuation
  • I can present my writing neatly

Key terms

purpose
the reason a writer writes a text, such as to inform, instruct, explain, persuade or write to someone
audience
the people who will read a text
information text
a text that gives facts about one topic
heading
a word or line that names the main part of a text
sub-heading
a smaller heading that names one part inside a main part
present tense
the form of a verb that shows something happens or is true now, such as live or eat
instruction
a text that tells the reader how to do something
imperative verb
a command verb, such as Put or Water, that starts an instruction
numbered steps
instructions in a numbered list, to show the order
bullet point
a short item in a list, often marked with a dot or a dash
letter
a piece of writing sent to one person, with a greeting and a sign-off
persuasive text
a text that tries to make the reader agree or act, using reasons
register
the style of language chosen for the audience and the situation
formal
polite and careful, with full words and no contractions
informal
friendly and relaxed, often with contractions, for friends and family
proof-read
to check spelling, punctuation and grammar before a text is finished

Exercise 11Z  Check-up

1
A fact sheet says: Owls hunt at night. What is its purpose: to inform, to instruct or to persuade?
2
A paragraph says: Frogs live near ponds and in damp woods. Write a sub-heading for this paragraph.
3
Change this sentence to the present tense, so that it states a fact: The sun warmed the soil.
4
Write the first imperative verb in this instruction: Fold the paper in half, then press the crease.
5
Which sign-off is formal: See you soon! or Yours sincerely?
6
A letter asks a headteacher for a school garden. What is its purpose?
7
A persuasive writer wants to show what ought to happen. Which word fits better: might or should?
8
Which spelling is correct: beleive or believe?
9
Which sentence is more formal: Can you come to my party? or Could you please come to my party?
10
What is a bullet point?

Total 18 marks. Allow about 18 minutes.

Exercise 11X  Practice test questions

1
FA text says: Wash your hands before you eat. What is its purpose: to inform, to instruct or to persuade?[1 mark]
2
FCopy the imperative verb in this instruction: Wash your hands before you eat.[1 mark]
3
FWhich heading would suit a text about the parts of a flower? Choose: Flowers or Dinner time.[1 mark]
4
PSRewrite as an instruction: You need to water the plant once a week.[2 marks]
5
RGive two features of formal writing.[2 marks]
6
PSPut these steps in order: Stir the mixture. Pour the milk into the bowl. Break the eggs into the bowl.[2 marks]
7
PSRewrite this formal sentence in an informal register: I am writing to tell you about the party.[2 marks]
8
FWhich sign-off is correct for a formal letter to Mr Singh? A: Love from B: Yours sincerely[1 mark]
9
PSWrite three bullet points that list what you need to plant a bean seed.[3 marks]
10
RRuby wrote: waters it every day. Correct the sentence. Say what two changes you made and why.[3 marks]
← Chapter 10: Writing stories

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