Year 4 English Writing stories: check-up and practice test questions

Method. Think about the five parts of the plot.

1. Find the part. The part where the characters face a difficulty is the one the story is about.
   a difficulty
2. Name it. In a plot, this part is called the problem.
   problem
3. Write the answer.
   problem

Check. The problem is the difficulty the characters must solve. ✓

Method. Read the plot parts in order.

1. Find the problem. The problem is the third plot part.
   Problem
2. Read the part before it. The part that raises the tension is the build-up.
   build-up
3. Write the answer.
   build-up

Check. The build-up comes just before the problem. ✓

Method. Test each choice against the text or the story.

1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the story or the text needs.
2. Test the choice. It adds a hidden sound and a presence, which makes the reader worried about what is there.
   It was dark, and something breathed in the corner. fits
3. Reject the other choices. It was dark gives no hint of danger, so it builds no tension.
   It was dark. do not fit
4. Write the answer.
   It was dark, and something breathed in the corner.

Check. The choice fits the text or the story. ✓

Method. Find the words at the start that tell the reader when.

1. Find the words at the start. In the morning tells the reader when the packing happens.
   In the morning
2. Stop before the comma. The comma is not part of the words.
   In the morning
3. Write the answer.
   In the morning

Check. The adverbial is the words before the comma. ✓

Method. Find the fronted adverbial, then put a comma after it.

1. Find the fronted adverbial at the start. The word Suddenly tells the reader how the lights changed, and it comes first.
   Suddenly
2. Put a comma after it, before the main clause. The comma shows where the opening words end.
   Suddenly, the lights went out.
3. Write the answer.
   Suddenly, the lights went out.

Check. The comma comes after the opening words. ✓

Method. Test each choice against the text or the story.

1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the story or the text needs.
2. Test the choice. Because gives the reason for something.
   because fits
3. Reject the other choices. Until gives a time limit, and suddenly describes how something happens.
   until and suddenly do not fit
4. Write the answer.
   because

Check. The choice fits the text or the story. ✓

Method. Put the spoken word inside inverted commas, with the comma inside them.

1. Find the spoken word. Hurry is what Mum says.
   Hurry
2. Add the inverted commas and the reporting clause. The comma goes inside, and said Mum ends with a full stop.
   "Hurry," said Mum.
3. Write the answer.
   "Hurry," said Mum.

Check. The speech has inverted commas and a comma inside them. ✓

Method. Add an adjective before the noun and a phrase of place after it.

1. Add an adjective. Scruffy describes the dog.
   scruffy dog
2. Add a prepositional phrase. Under the table says where the dog is.
   under the table
3. Write the answer.
   a scruffy dog under the table.

Check. The phrase has an adjective and a prepositional phrase. ✓

Method. Choose the pronoun that matches the noun it stands for.

1. Find the noun. Ella is a girl, so the pronoun must be a female pronoun.
   Ella
2. Choose the pronoun. She stands for a girl and links the two sentences.
   she
3. Write the answer.
   she

Check. She matches Ella and removes the repetition. ✓

Method. Think about what makes a sentence hard to read aloud.

1. Think about reading aloud. A sentence that is too long makes you run out of breath.
   too long
2. Name what to change. Split it, or check the comma, the pronoun or the tense.
   split it
3. Write the answer.
   a sentence that is too long to read in one breath.

Check. The check improves the flow of the story. ✓

Method. Think about the order of the five plot parts.

1. Recall the order. The opening, build-up, problem and resolution all come before the last part.
   Opening, Build-up, Problem, Resolution
2. Name the last part. The last part of the plot is the ending.
   ending
3. Write the answer.
   ending

Check. The ending comes after the resolution. ✓

Method. Find the fronted adverbial, then put a comma after it.

1. Find the fronted adverbial at the start. After breakfast tells the reader when, and it comes first.
   After breakfast
2. Put a comma after it, before the main clause. The comma shows where the opening words end.
   After breakfast, we set off up the hill.
3. Write the answer.
   After breakfast, we set off up the hill.

Check. The comma comes after the opening words. ✓

Method. Find the spoken word, then put it inside the inverted commas.

1. Find the spoken word. Yes is what Ben says.
   Yes
2. Add the inverted commas and the comma. The comma goes inside the inverted commas.
   "Yes,"
3. Add the reporting clause. said Ben follows the speech, with a full stop.
   said Ben.
4. Write the answer.
   "Yes," said Ben.

Check. The spoken word is inside the inverted commas. ✓

Method. Replace a repeated name with a pronoun that matches it.

1. Find the repeated name. Priya is the subject of all three sentences.
   Priya
2. Replace the repeats. She stands for Priya, a girl, and it links the sentences.
   She checked the map and set off.
3. Write the answer.
   Priya packed her bag. She checked the map and set off.

Check. The pronoun links the sentences. ✓

Method. Start with a phrase of time, then add a comma and the main clause.

1. Choose a phrase of time. Later that afternoon tells the reader when.
   Later that afternoon
2. Add the comma and the main clause. The comma comes after the phrase, then the main clause gives the event.
   Later that afternoon, the sun shone on the beach.
3. Write the answer.
   Later that afternoon, the sun shone on the beach.

Check. The comma follows the fronted adverbial. ✓

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

1. Check the topic. The paragraph is about a farm visit.
   a farm visit
2. Find the sentence that is off the topic. The cows and the hens belong to the farm, but the pudding does not.
   My favourite pudding is apple crumble.
3. Write the answer.
   My favourite pudding is apple crumble.

Check. Only this sentence is off the topic. ✓

Method. Add an adjective before the noun, and a prepositional phrase after it.

1. Add an adjective. Fluffy describes the cat.
   fluffy cat
2. Add a prepositional phrase. On the warm mat says where the cat is.
   on the warm mat
3. Write the answer.
   the fluffy cat on the warm mat

Check. The noun phrase has an adjective and a prepositional phrase. ✓

Method. Find the problem, then the part that solves it.

1. Find the problem. The problem is the locked secret door.
   a locked secret door
2. Find the resolution. She finds the key under the rug, which solves the problem.
   the key under the rug
3. Write the answer.
   The problem is a locked secret door, and the resolution is that she finds the key under the rug.

Check. The problem and the resolution match the plan. ✓

Method. Find the repeated name, then the fronted adverbial without a comma.

1. Find the repeated name. The second sentence repeats Lena, so a pronoun can replace it.
   She bought a loaf of bread
2. Find the missing comma. Suddenly is a fronted adverbial, so a comma follows it.
   Suddenly, the shop door closed.
3. Write the answer.
   Lena ran to the shop. She bought a loaf of bread. Suddenly, the shop door closed. She was locked in.

Check. The pronoun and the comma are both corrected. ✓

Method. Put the spoken words inside the inverted commas, then add the reporting clause.

1. Write the spoken words. Sam is cross, so the words could be a complaint.
   Not again
2. Add the comma and the reporting clause. The comma goes inside the inverted commas, then said Sam follows with a full stop.
   "Not again," said Sam.
3. Write the answer.
   "Not again," said Sam.

Check. The punctuation follows the rules for direct speech. ✓