Year 4 · Chapter 9

Reading poetry and plays aloud

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

Work out the rhyme scheme of a stanza from the spelling of its line endings
Count the strong beats in a line, and see how a steady rhythm is built
Name a simile, a metaphor or personification, and explain its effect on the reader
Name a form of poetry (free verse, narrative, limerick or haiku) from its features
Read a poem aloud with expression, using its punctuation
Read a play script with its speakers and stage directions, and perform a short part in role

You should already know

Fronted adverbials and conjunctions (Chapter 6 of this book)
Noun phrases and Standard English verb forms (Chapter 7 of this book)
Retrieving facts and predicting from a text (Chapter 8 of this book)
Punctuation for direct speech (Chapter 5 of this book)

Where this leads

Reading non-fiction and recording information (Chapter 10 of this book)
Using figurative language and structure in your own writing (Chapter 11 of this book)

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 2 English, Year 4. Content: Recognise forms of poetry, including free verse and narrative poetry, and the features of a limerick and a haiku, Explain how rhyme, rhythm and the arrangement of verse into stanzas shape a poem, Explain how simile, metaphor and personification, word choice and structure affect the reader, Discuss words and phrases that capture the reader's interest and imagination, Prepare poems and play scripts to read aloud and perform, using intonation, tone, volume and action, Adopt roles, improvise and perform a short part from a play script.

Exercise P Do you remember?

FWhat does it mean to retrieve a fact from a text? Answer in one short sentence.

Done

FWhich word class is quietly in this sentence? The bird sang quietly.

Done

FWrite the noun phrase in this sentence: The tall oak tree fell.

Done

FWrite the correct Standard English verb: We ___ late for the bus. (was or were). Write the word only.

Done

FWrite the fronted adverbial in this sentence: Later that day, the rain stopped.

Done

9.1

Verse, stanzas and rhyme

Year 4
Recognise the arrangement of a poem into lines and stanzas (RC1h), Work out a rhyme scheme from the spelling of the line endings (RC1f)

Video lesson: Verse, stanzas and rhymeComing soon

Story. Mrs Pike shares an allotment with her grandson, Leo. On a cold morning he reads a poem pinned to the shed door, and he notices that the groups of lines follow a pattern.

A poem is written in lines. A line is one row of words. A stanza is a group of lines, a bit like a paragraph in a poem. Stanzas are often separated by a space, so the reader can see where one group ends and the next begins. Some people use the word verse for a stanza as well.

Rhyme happens when two line endings are spelt in the same way, such as slow and grow. A rhyme scheme shows the pattern: give the first ending the letter A, and each new ending a new letter. The scheme ABAB means lines 1 and 3 rhyme, and lines 2 and 4 rhyme.

Poem: The Quiet Allotment

The gate swings open, cold and slow,
and cabbage leaves are soft with dew.
Past rows where marrows start to grow,
the robin sings, "The day is new."

The spades lie stacked against the wall,
and seeds lie sleeping in the ground.
The watering can is standing tall,
and sparrows hop and look around.

The sun climbs up, and skies are bright,
the bees hum by the old green hive,
the leaves turn gold in morning light,
and every bloom is glad to thrive.

Word	What it means	Example from The Quiet Allotment
line	one row of words in a poem	"The gate swings open, cold and slow,"
stanza	a group of lines in a poem	stanza 1 has four lines
rhyme	line endings spelt in the same way	slow and grow both end in -ow
rhyme scheme	the letters that show the pattern	ABAB

Key ideas

A stanza is a group of lines, often separated by a space.
Rhyme depends on the spelling of the end of each line, such as -ow in slow and grow.
Give the first ending the letter A, and each new ending a new letter.
The rhyme scheme ABAB means lines 1 and 3 match, and lines 2 and 4 match.

Worked example 9.1.1

How many lines are in stanza 2 of The Quiet Allotment?

Method. Find the stanza, then count its lines one by one.

Find stanza 2. Stanza 2 starts with The spades lie stacked and ends with around.
The spades ... around
Count the lines. Each line is a separate row of words.
1, 2, 3, 4
Check the gaps. Stanza 2 is separated from stanza 1 and stanza 3 by a space.
4 lines between the spaces
Write the answer.
4 lines

Check. Stanza 2 has four lines: wall, ground, tall and around. ✓

Worked example 9.1.2

What is the rhyme scheme of stanza 1 of The Quiet Allotment?

Method. Write down the end word of each line, then match the endings.

Write the end words. The end word is the last word of each line.
slow, dew, grow, new
Match the endings. Slow and grow both end in -ow, and dew and new both end in -ew.
lines 1 and 3 (-ow); lines 2 and 4 (-ew)
Give the letters in order. Slow is A, dew is B, grow is A again, new is B again.
A B A B
Write the answer.
ABAB

Check. Lines 1 and 3 match, and lines 2 and 4 match. ✓

Worked example 9.1.3

In stanza 3 of The Quiet Allotment, which line rhymes with bright in line 1?

Method. Find the line that rhymes with the first line of the stanza.

Find the line that ends bright. The first line ends with bright.
line 1: bright
Look for the same ending. The ending -ight is spelt the same in light.
line 3: light
Check the other lines. Line 2 ends hive and line 4 ends thrive, so they do not match bright.
only line 3 matches
Write the answer.
line 3

Check. Light and bright both end in -ight. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: rhyme is about the spelling of the end of a line. Ground and around rhyme, because both end in -ound. Slow and slope look alike at the start, but they do not rhyme.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to read the poem once, then to point to the last word of each line. Ask: "Which ones end the same way?" Then write the letters together. The rhyme is checked by spelling, so your child can check it on the page.

9.2

Rhythm and strong beats

Year 4
Read a poem with a steady rhythm, counting the strong beats (RC1f), Explain how a line with a different number of beats changes the rhythm (RC2f)

Video lesson: Rhythm and strong beatsComing soon

Story. Anil waits for the night tram with his grandad. The tram arrives with a steady rhythm, and Anil taps his knee on each strong beat. He notices that most lines have the same number of beats.

Rhythm is the pattern of strong and weak parts in a line. A strong beat is a part that is said more firmly, like the tick of a clock. In this book, the strong beats of a poem are shown in bold. Count the bold words to find the beats in a line.

Most lines in The Night Tram have four strong beats, so the rhythm is steady. One line has only three, so it breaks the pattern.

Poem: The Night Tram

The night tram rattles down the hill,
its windows glow and all is still.
A sleepy boy sits near the door,
and counts the lamps across the floor.

At last the tram comes to the stop,
its doors slide open with a pop.
A girl climbs on, her cheeks alight,
She sits down near him, warm and bright.

Key ideas

A strong beat is shown by a bold word in the poem.
Count the strong beats, not the words and not the syllables.
A steady rhythm has the same number of strong beats in each line.
A line with fewer beats breaks the pattern, and the reader notices it.

Worked example 9.2.1

How many strong beats are in line 1 of The Night Tram? Line 1: The night tram rattles down the hill.

Method. Find the bold words and count them.

Find the bold words. Each bold word is one strong beat.
night, rattles, down, hill
Check the words that are not bold. The, tram and the are not bold, so they are not strong beats.
The, tram, the are not counted
Count the strong beats. Four bold words make four strong beats.
4
Write the answer.
4

Check. Four strong beats make a steady line. ✓

Worked example 9.2.2

How many strong beats are in line 6 of The Night Tram? Line 6: its doors slide open with a pop.

Method. Find the bold words, then count them.

Find the bold words. The bold words are doors, slide, open and pop.
doors, slide, open, pop
Count them. Each bold word is one strong beat.
1, 2, 3, 4
Check the rhythm. Four beats match the other lines of the stanza.
4 beats
Write the answer.
4

Check. Line 6 has four strong beats, like the rest of stanza 2. ✓

Worked example 9.2.3

Which line in stanza 2 has only three strong beats?

Method. Count the bold words in each line of the stanza.

Count line 5. At last the tram comes to the stop has three bold words.
last, tram, stop = 3
Count line 6. Its doors slide open with a pop has four bold words.
4
Compare the lines. Lines 6, 7 and 8 each have four bold words, so line 5 is the one that breaks the pattern.
line 5 has 3
Write the answer.
line 5

Check. Line 5 is the only line with three beats in stanza 2. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: count the strong beats, not the words. "At last the tram comes to the stop" has eight words, but only three strong beats, so the number of words is not the same as the number of beats.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. As you read a line together, let your child tap a finger on the table for each bold word. The bold words show the pattern used in this book; there is no single correct way to read a poem with expression.

9.3

Imagery: simile, metaphor and personification

Year 4
Explain how simile, metaphor and personification create pictures for the reader (RC2f), Discuss words and phrases that capture the reader's interest and imagination (RC1g)

Video lesson: Imagery: simile, metaphor and personificationComing soon

Story. Sadia is walking to school through thick fog. She cannot see the end of the street, so she starts to notice how a poet describes the fog in a poem she has been reading.

Figurative language means words used to make a picture, rather than their plain meaning. Three kinds are shown in the table.

Name	What it does	Example from The Fog Comes In
simile	compares two things using like or as	wraps the roofs like a grey sheet
metaphor	says one thing is another, without like or as	The river is a ribbon, grey
personification	gives a human action or body part to something that is not human	silver feet; the sun yawns

Poem: The Fog Comes In

The fog comes in on silver feet.
It creeps across the sleeping town
and wraps the roofs like a grey sheet,
and hides the hill, and hides the tree.

The river is a ribbon, grey,
and every lamp glows like a coin.
The bus stop waits, but nothing comes,
and footsteps fade and go away.

Then the sun yawns and stretches out.

Effect means what the words make the reader feel or picture. Writers also choose word choice (the exact words) and structure (how the lines and stanzas are arranged). A single-line stanza, for example, makes the reader stop for a moment.

Key ideas

A simile uses like or as to compare two things.
A metaphor says one thing is another, with no like or as.
Personification gives a human action or body part to something that is not human.
A single line on its own can make the reader pause, and show a change.

Worked example 9.3.1

Find and copy the simile in stanza 1 of The Fog Comes In.

Method. Look for the words like or as.

Look for like or as. The word like makes a comparison in stanza 1.
wraps the roofs like a grey sheet
Check the comparison. The roofs are being compared with a sheet.
roofs = sheet
Copy the words. The simile is the words that begin with like.
like a grey sheet
Write the answer.
like a grey sheet

Check. The comparison uses like, so it is a simile. ✓

Worked example 9.3.2

Name the metaphor in the first line of stanza 2 of The Fog Comes In.

Method. Look for one thing that is said to be another.

Find the line. The first line of stanza 2 says The river is a ribbon, grey.
The river is a ribbon, grey
Check for like or as. There is no like or as in this line.
no like, no as
Name the figure. A line that says one thing is another, without like or as, is a metaphor.
metaphor
Write the answer.
The river is a ribbon, grey

Check. The river is said to be a ribbon, with no like or as. ✓

Worked example 9.3.3

Name the figure of speech in the line The bus stop waits, but nothing comes.

Method. Ask whether the thing does something only a person can do.

Think about the subject. A bus stop is an object and cannot wait.
bus stop = object
Check the action. Waiting is something a person does.
waits = human action
Name the figure. Giving a human action to a thing is personification.
personification
Write the answer.
personification

Check. A bus stop cannot wait, so the word is personification. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a simile must have like or as. The line The river is a ribbon has neither, so it is a metaphor, not a simile.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: "What picture does this make in your head?" Accept any sensible picture. Figurative language is best learned by saying the line aloud and asking what the writer wants you to see.

9.4

Forms of poetry: free verse, narrative, limerick and haiku

Year 4
Recognise free verse and narrative poetry, and the features of a limerick and a haiku (RC1h)

Video lesson: Forms of poetry: free verse, narrative, limerick and haikuComing soon

Story. Ellie is writing a poem for the school magazine. Her teacher asks her to read four different poems first, to see how each one is built.

Poems come in different forms. Some have a regular rhyme and rhythm; some do not. The table shows the four forms in this section.

Form	What it is	Feature to look for
free verse	a poem with no regular rhyme or rhythm	the poet chooses where each line breaks
narrative poem	a poem that tells a story, with characters and events in order	a girl, a kite and a sequence of events
limerick	a funny poem of five lines	the rhyme scheme AABBA; lines 3 and 4 are shorter
haiku	a short poem of three lines, traditionally built on 5, 7 and 5 syllables	a picture of one moment in nature

Poem: Market Morning

The stalls unfold with a rattle and bang.
Oranges are stacked in pyramids,
bright as lanterns on a dark stage.
A man sings about cabbages, loud and sure.
A coin drops and rings on the stones.
Coffee steams from a battered tin pot.
Nobody hurries. The morning has all the time it needs.

Poem: The Kite on the Hill

Priya climbed the grassy hill
to fly the kite her dad had made.
The sky was grey, the air was still,
and the grass lay flat in the shade.

She ran across the field and threw
her kite up high, and it flew.
A gust of wind rose, cold and bright,
and lifted it into the light.

Priya laughed and held the string,
and felt the kite begin to sing.
It swooped and dipped above the town,
then glided gently, slowly down.

Poem: The Puppy Called Jess

A puppy called Jess ran about,
chasing shadows and leaves in and out.
She chased a ball,
then she leapt the wall,
and she barked a loud, happy shout.

Poem: Winter Morning

Cold winter morning,
the river wears a white coat,
the robin sings loud.

Key ideas

Free verse has no regular rhyme or rhythm.
A narrative poem tells a story, with characters and events in order.
A limerick has five lines and the rhyme scheme AABBA.
A haiku has three lines and is traditionally built on 5, 7 and 5 syllables.

Worked example 9.4.1

Which form is The Puppy Called Jess? Give two features from the poem.

Method. Count the lines, then check the rhyme scheme.

Count the lines. The poem has five lines.
5 lines
Check the rhyme scheme. Lines 1, 2 and 5 end in -out; lines 3 and 4 end in -all.
AABBA
Name the form. Five lines and the scheme AABBA make a limerick.
limerick
Write the answer.
a limerick, with five lines and the rhyme scheme AABBA

Check. Five lines with AABBA is the limerick pattern. ✓

Worked example 9.4.2

Count the syllables in this haiku line: the rob-in sings loud.

Method. The hyphens show the syllables. Count the parts.

Split the words. The hyphens show where each word breaks into syllables.
the / rob-in / sings / loud
Count the parts. The has one, rob-in has two, and sings and loud have one each.
1 + 2 + 1 + 1
Add them. The total is the number of syllables in the line.
5 syllables
Write the answer.
5

Check. Five syllables is the length of the first and third lines of a traditional haiku. ✓

Worked example 9.4.3

What is the rhyme scheme of stanza 1 of The Kite on the Hill?

Method. Write the end word of each line, then match the endings.

Write the end words. The end words are hill, made, still and shade.
hill, made, still, shade
Match the endings. Hill and still both end in -ill; made and shade both end in -ade.
lines 1 and 3 (-ill); lines 2 and 4 (-ade)
Give the letters in order. Hill is A, made is B, still is A again, shade is B again.
A B A B
Write the answer.
ABAB

Check. Lines 1 and 3 match, and lines 2 and 4 match. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a poem without a rhyme is not always free verse, and a poem with a rhyme is not always a limerick. Check the number of lines and the rhyme scheme together.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Read each poem together and ask three questions: "Does it tell a story?" "How many lines does it have?" "Does it rhyme in a pattern?" These three questions identify most forms.

9.5

Reading a poem aloud with expression

Year 4
Prepare a poem to read aloud, using tone, volume and pace (RC1f), Explain how punctuation shapes expression and the effect of a word choice (RC1g)

Video lesson: Reading a poem aloud with expressionComing soon

Story. Nia's class is performing poems for the school assembly. Nia has been given Storm Warning. Her teacher says the poem will only work if she reads the punctuation as well as the words.

Expression is how you say the words. It includes the tone (the mood, such as calm, excited or worried), the volume (how loud or quiet), the pace (how fast or slow) and the pause (a short stop). Punctuation gives you most of these clues:

Mark	What it tells the reader to do	Example from Storm Warning
!	say it with energy, or with a shout	Listen! Thunder roars.
?	let your voice rise at the end	Is it over?
.	stop briefly, and let the idea land	Wait. The lightning stops.
...	trail off, or hold a longer silence	and the wind pulls at the gate...
,	take a short breath, and keep going	The rain hammers on the windows,

Poem: Storm Warning

Listen! Thunder roars.
The rain hammers on the windows,
and the wind pulls at the gate...
Wait. The lightning stops.
Is it over?
No! Crack! It flashes again.

Key ideas

Punctuation tells you when to shout, pause, rise in tone or trail off.
An exclamation mark shows energy or a shout; a question mark makes the voice rise.
A full stop is a short stop; three dots mean a longer pause or a trailing voice.
Choose one tone, one volume and one pace for each line, and say why.

Worked example 9.5.1

What does the exclamation mark after Listen in line 1 of Storm Warning tell the reader to do?

Method. Find the mark, then decide what it means.

Find the mark. Line 1 is Listen! Thunder roars.
Listen!
Name the mark. A mark that follows a word with a strong feeling is an exclamation mark.
exclamation mark
Decide the expression. It tells the reader to say the line with energy or a shout.
energy or a shout
Write the answer.
say it with energy or a shout

Check. The mark shows a strong feeling. ✓

Worked example 9.5.2

What does the question mark in line 5 of Storm Warning tell the reader to do?

Method. Look at the mark at the end of the line.

Find the line. Line 5 is Is it over?
Is it over?
Name the mark. A question mark shows that a question is being asked.
question mark
Decide the expression. The voice rises at the end of a question.
voice rises
Write the answer.
let the voice rise at the end

Check. A question is read with a rising voice. ✓

Worked example 9.5.3

Which line ends with a comma, and what does the comma tell the reader to do?

Method. Find the line that ends with a comma.

Find the comma. Line 2 ends with windows, and line 3 ends with gate...
windows,
Check line 3. Line 3 ends with three dots, not a comma.
gate... is not a comma
Decide. Line 2 is the line that ends with a comma; a comma means a short breath.
line 2; take a short breath
Write the answer.
line 2; take a short breath

Check. The comma is at the end of line 2. ✓

Watch out. Read the question carefully: the answer is the line with a comma, which is line 2.

Watch out

Watch out: a full stop is a stop, not a rest for breath. Read Wait. The lightning stops. with a pause, then keep the tension going into the next line.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to read the poem twice: once quietly, to find the marks, and once aloud, to use them. Talk about the choices, not about one correct way to read the poem.

9.6

Play scripts and performing in role

Year 4
Read a play script aloud, using the speakers, expression and stage directions (RC1f), Adopt a role, improvise and perform a short part from a play script (SL3)

Video lesson: Play scripts and performing in roleComing soon

Story. Ivy's drama group is performing The Storm Lamp. Ivy has the part of Sam. She reads the script first, then she practises saying each line in role, not reading it flatly.

A play script is written to be performed. It has a cast list that names the characters, a speaker (the name in capitals before each line), the words the character says, and stage directions. A stage direction is an instruction in italics or brackets. It is not said aloud; it tells the actors what to do, where to stand or how to say a line.

Part of the script	What it looks like	What it tells you
cast list	the names of the characters, with short descriptions	who is in the play
speaker	a name in capitals, such as SAM	who says the line
expression	words in brackets after a name, such as (nervously)	how to say the line
stage direction	an instruction in italics and brackets	what to do, where to stand, or what happens

Play: The Storm Lamp

Cast

NAN (Sam's grandmother)
SAM (a boy, aged nine)
MR PATEL (the next-door neighbour)

(A kitchen at night. Rain taps on the window. The lights flicker, then go out. SAM holds a torch. NAN stirs a pan on the stove.)

SAM (nervously): Nan, the lights have gone out!

NAN (calmly): Don't panic, Sam. Storms always do this.

(She lights a candle and puts it on the table.)

SAM (whispering): Is anybody else in the house?

NAN (smiling): Only us. And Mr Patel next door, who owns a torch as big as a lamp post.

SAM (loudly and excitedly): Let's ask him to bring it over!

NAN (firmly): Sam, please stay in the kitchen while I check the back door.

(She leaves the room. SAM sits at the table and drums his fingers.)

SAM (to himself): One, two, three, four, five. Hurry up, Nan.

(Three sharp knocks sound at the front door. SAM jumps.)

MR PATEL (cheerfully, from outside): It's only me! I've brought my lamp.

SAM (relieved): Come in, Mr Patel!

(MR PATEL enters, dripping wet. He holds a lamp that glows warm and gold.)

MR PATEL (puffing): Phew! The wind nearly blew me back down the path.

NAN (warmly, returning): Thank you for coming over. Sit by the stove and dry off.

Key ideas

A play script has a cast list, speakers, words and stage directions.
A stage direction is not said aloud; it tells the actor what to do.
The expression in brackets after a speaker's name tells you how to say the line.
To perform in role, think about what your character wants and feels.

Worked example 9.6.1

Who speaks the second line of The Storm Lamp, and how should the line be said?

Method. Find the second speaker, then read the expression in brackets.

Find the first line. The first line is said by SAM, nervously.
SAM (nervously)
Find the second line. The second line starts with the speaker NAN.
NAN
Read the expression. The words in brackets tell the actor how to say the line.
calmly
Write the answer.
NAN, calmly

Check. The second speaker is Nan, and she speaks calmly. ✓

Worked example 9.6.2

What does (whispering) tell the actor, in the line that SAM says?

Method. Read the words in brackets after the speaker's name.

Find the speaker and the bracket. SAM (whispering) says Is anybody else in the house?
SAM (whispering)
Explain the bracket. The words in brackets are a direction for how to say the line.
a direction
Decide what whispering means. A whisper is very quiet.
very quietly
Write the answer.
say the line very quietly, as a whisper

Check. Whispering means the line is said very quietly. ✓

Worked example 9.6.3

What does the stage direction She lights a candle and puts it on the table tell the actor to do?

Method. A stage direction tells the actor an action.

Find the direction. The direction is in italics and brackets, under the stage name.
She lights a candle
Read the action. The actor must light the candle and put it on the table.
light, then put
Check it is not spoken. The direction is not a line for the actor to say.
an action, not words
Write the answer.
light a candle and put it on the table

Check. A stage direction describes an action. ✓

Watch out. Do not read a stage direction aloud as if it were the character's words.

Watch out

Watch out: a stage direction is not a line to say. Do not read "She lights a candle" aloud as if the character were speaking it.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Read the script together, with one person taking each part. Let your child choose how Sam or Nan should sound, and ask why. Do not mark the reading; talk about the choices.

Chapter summary

Skill	Method
Rhyme scheme	Give each line ending a letter from its spelling: A for the first, B for the next new ending. ABAB, AABB, AABBA.
Stanza	A group of lines in a poem, often separated by a space. Count the groups to find the number of stanzas.
Strong beat	A bold word in this book. Count the bold words to find the beats in a line; syllables are a different count.
Simile	A comparison using like or as, such as like a grey sheet.
Metaphor	A comparison that says one thing is another, with no like or as.
Personification	A human action or body part given to something that is not human, such as the sun yawns.
Word choice and structure	The exact words, and how the lines and stanzas are arranged, shape the effect on the reader.
Forms of poetry	Free verse (no regular rhyme); narrative (tells a story); limerick (five lines, AABBA); haiku (three lines, 5-7-5).
Expression	Tone, volume, pace and pause. Punctuation gives the clues: ! shouts, ? rises, . and ... pause.
Play script	A cast list, speakers in capitals, expression in brackets and stage directions in italics. Stage directions are not spoken.
Perform in role	Think about the character's wants and feelings, and say the lines as that character would.

Can you…?

I can work out the rhyme scheme of a stanza from the spelling of its line endings
I can count the strong beats in a line, and find a line that breaks the pattern
I can name a simile, a metaphor or personification, and explain its effect
I can explain how a word choice or a single-line stanza affects the reader
I can name a free verse poem, a narrative poem, a limerick and a haiku from their features
I can count the syllables of a haiku line that is split by hyphens
I can read a poem aloud with expression, using its punctuation
I can read a play script, using the speakers, expression and stage directions
I can perform a short part in role, and say why my character speaks as I do

Key terms

stanza: a group of lines in a poem, often separated by a space from the next group
verse: a group of lines in a poem; in this book, a stanza
rhyme: line endings spelt in the same way, such as slow and grow
rhyme scheme: the letters that show the rhyme pattern of a stanza, such as ABAB
rhythm: the pattern of strong and weak beats in a line
strong beat: a part of a line that is said more firmly; in this book, a bold word
simile: a comparison using like or as, such as like a grey sheet
metaphor: a comparison that says one thing is another, with no like or as
personification: giving a human action or body part to something that is not human
imagery: words that create a picture in the reader's mind
free verse: a poem with no regular rhyme or rhythm
narrative poem: a poem that tells a story, with characters and events in order
limerick: a funny poem of five lines with the rhyme scheme AABBA
haiku: a short poem of three lines, traditionally built on 5, 7 and 5 syllables
expression: the way you say words: tone, volume, pace and pause
tone: the mood of the voice, such as calm, excited or worried
cast list: the list of characters at the start of a play script
speaker: the character who says a line, named in capitals before the line
stage direction: an instruction in italics or brackets that is not spoken aloud, telling the actor what to do
perform in role: to act as a character, speaking and moving as that character would

Total 19 marks. Allow about 19 minutes.

← Chapter 8: Reading fiction and vocabulary Chapter 10: Reading non-fiction →

Reading poetry and plays aloud

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

You should already know

Where this leads

Exercise P Do you remember?

Verse, stanzas and rhyme

Poem: The Quiet Allotment

Key ideas

Watch out

Exam tip

Exercise 9A Practice: stanzas and rhyme schemes

Rhythm and strong beats

Poem: The Night Tram

Key ideas

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Exam tip

Exercise 9B Practice: counting strong beats

Imagery: simile, metaphor and personification

Poem: The Fog Comes In

Key ideas

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Exam tip

Exercise 9C Practice: simile, metaphor and personification

Forms of poetry: free verse, narrative, limerick and haiku

Poem: Market Morning

Poem: The Kite on the Hill

Poem: The Puppy Called Jess

Poem: Winter Morning

Key ideas

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Exam tip

Exercise 9D Practice: forms of poetry

Reading a poem aloud with expression

Poem: Storm Warning

Key ideas

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Exam tip

Exercise 9E Practice: reading with expression

Play scripts and performing in role

Play: The Storm Lamp

Key ideas

Watch out

Exam tip

Exercise 9F Practice: play scripts and performing in role

Chapter summary

Can you…?

Key terms

Exercise 9Z Check-up

Exercise 9X Practice test questions