Crafting Brilliant Sentences

Grammar for GCSE English (9-1) Author: Lindsay Skinner Title 978-0-00-XXXXXX-X

Title 978-0-00-XXXXXX-X

Contents How to use this teacher pack

4

Overview

6

Chapter 1

Nouns

10

Chapter 2

Verbs

31

Chapter 3

Adjectives

49

Chapter 4

Adverbs

61

Chapter 5

Main clauses

70

Chapter 6

Imperatives

79

Chapter 7

The passive voice

88

Chapter 8

Coordinating conjunctions

97

Chapter 9

Subordinate clauses

106

Chapter 10 Participles and participle phrases

112

Chapter 11 Prepositions and prepositional phrases

121

Chapter 12 Relative clauses

130

Chapter 13 Fragments

136

Chapter 14 Semicolons

142

Chapter 15 Colons

148

Chapter 16 Dashes

157

Chapter 17 Speech

166

Chapter 18 Multi-skill crafting

175

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How to use this teacher pack Introduction The aim of this teacher pack is to give you the resources to teach writing in a way that will result in accurate writing and beautifully crafted sentences.

English teachers across the country are faced with countless students who cannot punctuate sentences and paragraphs correctly and who lack the knowledge and reasoning to do so. Over the years, there has been much debate about whether the explicit teaching of grammar is helpful when teaching students to write and punctuate accurately. Of course, an explicit understanding of grammar is not necessary to be able to write, per se, but the problem for many students is that they do not have a grasp of the constructs that underpin what makes a sentence complete or where punctuation is needed to clarify meaning. As a result, they mimic as best as they can, and exam papers across the country are littered with comma splices or full stops that are misplaced or entirely missing.

The fact is, to fully understand where full stops are needed in writing, students must understand main clauses. Once they have this knowledge, it is clear where a sentence begins and ends, and, indeed, where a new one begins and ends. Moreover, once they have mastered the main clause, they can begin to construct extended sentences, understanding when to use commas because of the relationship each additional phrase or clause has with that main clause. This knowledge allows students to write and punctuate with reason, and thus with accuracy.

However, important as it is, the focus of this teacher pack is not just technical accuracy; it is also to introduce students to a new toolkit for crafting their writing. The lessons focus on students consciously considering and crafting their syntax, manipulating the constructs that they have learned and, where appropriate, breaking the rules for effect. Often, we as teachers ask our students to ‘show, not tell’ in their writing, but in our teaching we focus almost exclusively on language devices to support them in doing this. And teachers know, from the many underwhelming metaphors that they have read in their careers, that it’s tough to create original figurative language, especially when you’re a teenager. But creating an original syntax, because of the infinite number of ways that words can be organised, is much less challenging and often much more effective.

This teacher pack explores a whole range of ways to create description, character and voice by crafting the grammar of sentences. Additionally, the pack covers discursive writing so that students can apply their knowledge of grammar when writing about texts. In particular, the lessons focus on the features and structures that can support students in creating an academic tone in their discussion of texts.

What is important is that the lessons focus not only on the identification and the accurate use of parts of grammar but also on their purpose. The crafting lessons all ask students to consider the effect of particular grammatical features and techniques so that they can begin to apply these independently in their writing as tools of craft, rather than just function.

How the resource is structured For the reasons outlined above, this teacher pack takes a knowledge-based approach and is split into two parts to reflect this:

•

The first part of each chapter, ‘Understanding’, focuses on developing a knowledge of grammar and teaches the students to identify and accurately use different grammatical features.

•

The second part of each chapter, ‘Crafting’, focuses on the application of this knowledge, teaching the students ways to manipulate and craft their sentences.

The lessons are designed to allow the students to focus on mastering individual features to avoid cognitive overload. Instead of only giving students a model of good writing to mimic, the lessons focus on an individual feature of that writing and how that feature crafts meaning.

Detailed lesson plans including suggested answers are provided to guide your teaching. Each lesson plan is supported by a PowerPoint with examples and whole-class activities for front-of-class

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discussion. Every lesson also has two accompanying resource sheets designed to be handed out for students’ use:

•

Handouts contain further examples and activities for students to complete, working either on their own or in pairs / small groups.

•

Intervention sheets outline key concepts and give the students further practice in using the grammatical techniques and features covered (see ‘Supporting and assessing progress’ below).

All the resources can be downloaded in Word, PDF and PowerPoint formats from www.collins.co.uk/CraftingBrilliantSentences/downloads .

Different ways of using the resource The teacher pack can be used in many different ways.

• •

Firstly, the lessons could be taught from start to finish as one complete writing unit.

•

Equally, the ‘Understanding’ lessons could be embedded into a scheme of learning that teaches writing so that students have the ability to practise using the key structures. This approach also works with whole chapters being dropped in to a writing scheme of learning so that the students not only practise using the key structures but also crafting with them.

•

Finally, you could choose lessons in the ‘Crafting’ sections of each chapter to drop into schemes of learning that focus on narrative, descriptive or discursive writing. (The focus of each crafting lesson is clearly summarised in the overview grid to enable you to do this.)

Alternatively, you could teach in succession the first ‘Understanding’ lesson of each chapter, to create a knowledge base of grammar, perhaps in Key Stage 3.

The book is designed to allow for flexible use. However, what is important is that teachers ensure that students have a sound understanding of each feature (taught in the first lesson of each chapter, ‘Understanding’) before they focus on utilising them to craft their writing.

Supporting and assessing progress Some students may need additional support before they fully grasp a feature and the intervention sheets accompanying each lesson will be very helpful in this regard. These can be used as homework sheets or as resources for one-to-one or small group support.

The students can be assessed using the tracker spreadsheet that covers each feature, and its use included in the lessons. Simply, students can be RAG-rated to show their competency in each area, with red representing a lack of competence and green representing a real competence. This allows teachers to identify areas of strength and weakness in the class and adapt their planning and interventions accordingly. And, perhaps more importantly, it gives the students a clear outline of their areas of strength and weakness so that they can work to improve their writing with a real clarity about what they need to focus on.

Of course, the tracker is not the only method of assessment used. Throughout the lessons, students are asked to respond to a range of low stakes questions. They can answer these in their books but, if resources allow, it is recommended that they use mini-whiteboards. This is because miniwhiteboards allow the teacher to assess instantly which students have grasped the concept and which have not and to address misconceptions immediately. Writing on mini-whiteboards also has the benefit of being temporary and thus diminishes the fear that many students have of committing something to paper that may be marked as incorrect. The lessons ask students to write a whole range of sentences for different effects and therefore the reduction of any barriers to writing is vital.

The aim is to develop in every student an awareness of the choices they can make in sentence construction and of the effects they can create so that they feel confident in using grammar and language as powerful tools for crafting brilliant sentences.

Lindsay J. Skinner

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Overview Chapter

Lesson

Writing focus Text extracts

Chapter 1

Nouns

Understanding

1.1 Understanding nouns

Technical accuracy

Crafting

1.2 Using nouns to create character

Narrative

1.3 Using nouns to create imagery in description

Descriptive

1.4 Using proper nouns to create character

Narrative

Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

1.5 Using pronouns to create address

Discursive

Clarence Darrow, 'I Believe in the Law of Love', speech, 1926

1.6 Using noun phrases to create imagery

Descriptive

1.7 Creating appositive phrases to develop an idea or image

Narrative

Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Chapter 2

Verbs

Understanding

2.1 Identifying and using verbs

Technical accuracy

Lindsay Skinner, Resilience

Crafting

2.2 Using verbs to create character

Narrative

Patrick Ness, A Monster Calls

2.3 Using verbs to describe the senses Descriptive 2.4 Using verbs to create personification

Descriptive

2.5 Using academic verbs to analyse

Discursive

2.6 Repeating verbs to create anaphora

Discursive

Chapter 3

Adjectives

Understanding

3.1 Identifying and punctuating adjectives

Technical accuracy

Crafting

3.2 Positioning adjectives for emphasis

Descriptive

3.3 Using adjectives and adjectival phrases to emote

Discursive

3.4 Using adjectives to create personification

Descriptive

Chapter 4

Adverbs

Understanding

4.1 Identifying and using adverbs

Crafting

4.2 Using conjunctive adverbials to link Discursive ideas

Technical accuracy

Discursive

4.3 Using adverbs to create modality

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Winston Churchill, ‘We Shall Fight on the Beaches’, speech to the House of Commons, 4 June 1940

Barack Obama, Inaugural address, 20 January 2009

Chapter 5

Main clauses

Understanding

5.1 Identifying and writing main clauses

Technical accuracy

Crafting

5.2 Using simple sentences to create narrative hooks and tension

Narrative

Robin Talley, Lies We Tell Ourselves

5.3 Repeating simple sentences for emphasis

Discursive

Emma González, 'We Call BS'

Chapter 6

Imperatives

Understanding

6.1 Identifying and writing imperatives

Technical accuracy

Crafting

6.2 Using imperatives to create a call to action

Discursive

Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, 2017

6.3 Using imperatives to create character

Narrative

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Chapter 7

The passive voice

Understanding

7.1 Identifying and using the passive voice

Technical accuracy

7.2 Using the passive voice to create a journalistic tone

Discursive

7.3 Using the passive voice to create suspense

Narrative

Crafting

Chapter 8

Coordinating conjunctions

Understanding

8.1 Identifying and writing compound sentences with coordinating conjunctions

Technical accuracy

Crafting

8.2 Using coordinating conjunctions to create a character’s voice

Narrative

8.3 Using compound sentences to juxtapose and create contrast

Discursive

Chapter 9

Subordinate clauses

Understanding

9.1 Identifying and writing subordinate clauses

Technical accuracy

Crafting

9.2 Using subordinate clauses to develop an argument

Discursive

Chapter 10

Participles and participle phrases

Understanding

10.1 Identifying and writing participle phrases

Technical accuracy

Crafting

10.2 Using participle phrases to create action sequences

Narrative

10.3 Using participle phrases to develop analysis

Discursive

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Shirley Chisholm, ‘Equal Rights for Women’, speech to The House of Representatives, 1969.

Robert Kennedy, 'Mindless Menace of Violence' speech, 5 April 1968

Peter Benchley, Jaws

Chapter 11

Prepositions and prepositional phrases

Understanding

11.1 Identifying and writing prepositional phrases

Technical accuracy

Crafting

11.2 Using prepositional phrases to create character

Descriptive

11.3 Using prepositional phrases to organise descriptions

Descriptive

Phaedra Patrick, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

Chapter 12

Relative clauses

Understanding

12.1 Identifying and writing relative clauses

Technical accuracy

Crafting

12.2 Using relative clauses to create an emotive tone

Discursive

Chapter 13

Fragments

Understanding

13.1 Identifying and writing fragments

Technical accuracy

Crafting

13.2 Using fragments to create emphasis in discursive writing

Discursive

Chapter 14

Semicolons

Understanding

14.1 Identifying and using semicolons

Technical accuracy

Crafting

14.2 Using semicolons to list in discursive writing

Discursive

Chapter 15

Colons

Understanding

15.1 Identifying and using colons

Technical accuracy

Crafting

15.2 Using colons to introduce evidence in discursive writing

Discursive

Quotations from William Shakespeare, Macbeth and Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

15.3 Using colons to embellish in narrative writing

Narrative

Ally Kennen, Beast and Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

Emmeline Pankhurst, ‘Freedom or Death’ speech, 13 November 1913

Chapter 16

Dashes

Understanding

16.1 Identifying and using dashes

Technical accuracy

Crafting

16.2 Using dashes and pairs of dashes to emphasise

Discursive

Michelle Obama, International Women's Day speech, 8 March 2016

16.3 Using dashes to create journalistic asides

Discursive

Candace Bushnell, Lipstick Jungle

Chapter 17

Speech

Understanding

17.1 Identifying and writing speech

Technical accuracy

Crafting

17.2 Using omission to create realistic speech

Narrative

John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men

17.3 Using contractions to create realistic speech

Narrative

Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give

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Chapter 18

Multi-skill crafting

Understanding

18.1 Identifying and writing extended sentences with multiple clauses and phrases

Technical accuracy

Crafting

18.2 Using punctuation and grammar to craft analytical literature essays

Discursive

18.3 Using punctuation and grammar to craft narrative writing

Narrative

18.4 Using punctuation and grammar to craft descriptive writing

Descriptive

18.5 Using punctuation and grammar to craft discursive writing

Discursive

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Lesson 5.1

Identifying and writing main clauses

Writing focus:

Resources:

• Technical accuracy

• PowerPoint 5.1 • Handout 5.1a • Intervention worksheet 5.1b

Understanding main clauses

•

Project PPT 5.1 slide 1 and explain the definition of a main clause. Ask the students who are not confident with the term to write it down in their books.

•

Explain, using the examples, how the subject, verb and object make up the main clause.

Identifying main clauses and their parts

•

Project PPT 5.1 slide 2 and ask the students to identify the subject, verb and object of each sentence as you animate them in (Task 1). Address any errors and misconceptions.

•

Answers to PPT 5.1, Task 1: a) subject: wolf; verb: howled; b) subject: Paul; verb: told; object: joke; c) subject: water; verb: ran.

•

Project PPT 5.1 slide 3 and animate in the examples one by one. Ask the students to discuss each one in pairs and then note down why the clause is not a main clause.

• •

Animate in the answers and address any errors or misconceptions.

Answers to PPT 5.1, Task 2: a) There is no subject. What is doing the looking? b) There is no verb.

What about the sky? c) It’s a subordinate clause because it starts with a coordinating conjunction.

Writing and punctuating main clauses

•

Project PPT 5.1 slide 4 and explain that main clauses are called simple sentences when they are written on their own but main clauses when they form part of a larger sentence.

• •

Animate in the rules for punctuating simple sentences and talk the students through them.

Project PPT 5.1 slide 5 and ask the students to write a simple sentence about each of the topics on the board as you animate them in (Task 3). (Suggested answers: a) I adore melted cheese. b) A beautiful girl appeared. c) The rain cascaded down the window pane. d) Mateo wanted a dinosaur for Christmas. e) He had to see a doctor.)

•

Check that students have written only simple sentences (rather than complex) and that they are using full stops and capital letters.

•

Give each student a copy of Handout 5.1a and ask the students to punctuate the paragraph (Activity 1), adding full stops, capital letters and a semicolon if it is appropriate.

•

Project PPT 5.1 slide 6 with the correct punctuation. You may need to clarify some sentences with the students.

•

Ask the students to complete Activity 2 on Handout 5.1a, writing a series of simple sentences to describe the picture.

Tracking and intervention: Complete columns AB and AC of the tracker for all students, awarding either red, amber or green (see the tracker notes for the key). For students who are either red or amber, set them Intervention worksheet 5.1b.

•

Answers to Intervention worksheet 5.1b, 1: a) subject: book; verb: was; b) subject: we; verb: went swimming; c) subject: I; verb: drank; object: milkshake. 2. I didn’t know what to think. I could see the crowd before me. It was clear that something was going to happen. I could feel it in the atmosphere.

The air had changed. I turned to leave. Something told me to go. (The semi-colon can be positioned between any sentences that link well, particularly those where the link appears causal.) 3. Students’ own answers.

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Chapter 5: Understanding main clauses

Handout 5.1a

Identifying and punctuating main clauses and simple sentences

Punctuating simple sentences Activity 1: Read the extract below and add the full stops and capital letters needed to separate the simple sentences. You may also use a semicolon if you wish.

Writing simple sentences Activity 2: Using only simple sentences, write a short description inspired by the image below.

............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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Chapter 5: Understanding main clauses

Intervention 5.1b

Identifying and punctuating main clauses and simple sentences

Understanding main clauses and their ingredients Main clauses need two ingredients: a subject and a verb. The subject is the thing that is doing or being the verb. A main clause has one verb or a string of verbs that represent one action. There are no conjunctions in a main clause. For example: The shoe fits.

The peanuts were disgusting.

A main clause can also have an object. The object receives the verb. For example: The monster chased the children.

I burned my dinner.

Activity 1: Label the subject, verb(s) and object in the sentences below. a) The book was brilliant. b) We went swimming. c) I drank the milkshake.

Punctuating simple sentences Simple sentences must be separated with a full stop (or semicolon if you wish). You cannot separate simple sentences with commas, as this is a ‘comma splice’.

Activity 2: Read the extract below and add the full stops and capital letters needed to separate the simple sentences. You may also use a semicolon if you wish.

Writing simple sentences Activity 3: Write a simple sentence about each of the topics below. a) Sandwiches: ................................................................................................................................... b) Rugby: ............................................................................................................................................ c) Computer games: ........................................................................................................................... d) Happiness: .....................................................................................................................................

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Chapter 5: Understanding main clauses

Lesson 9.2

Using subordinate clauses to develop an argument

Writing focus:

Resources:

• Discursive

• PowerPoint 9.2 • Handout 9.2a • Intervention worksheet 9.2b

Identifying subordinate clauses

• • •

Give each student a copy of Handout 9.2a and read the extract with them.

Ask the students to complete Activity 1, identifying the subordinate clauses in the extract.

Project PPT 9.2 slide 1 to reveal the answers to Activity 1 on Handout 9.1a. Address any misconceptions with the students.

Understanding the effect of listing subordinate clauses

•

Project PPT 9.2 slide 2 and ask the students to complete Task 1, discussing the impact of the subordinate clauses in the complex sentence.

•

Take feedback. Focus on the way the repetition helps build up an argument and how the ‘when’ as a conjunction implies an inevitable causality.

•

Project PPT 9.2 slide 3 and explain how the repeated subordinate clause (and the verb) create anaphora.

•

Animate in Task 2 and ask the students to consider Kennedy’s verb choices. Is the repetition effective?

Would changing the verb choice at any point have been effective?

•

Take feedback. Focus on how the repetition of the same verb indicates many ways that society ‘teaches’ hatred. The threefold repetition of ‘when you teach’ also contrasts with ‘then you learn’, demonstrating how they are different yet one leads to another. Explore how different verb choices, particularly those made in the last subordinate clause, can help to develop or intensify a picture. For example, when you tolerate/embed/promote…

Using subordinate clauses to develop arguments

•

Project PPT 9.2 slide 4 and ask the students to alter the example in Task 3, to change the focus to the causes of poverty and greed. Students should also consider changing the gendered language, replacing ‘a man’ to ‘a person’ to reflect modern society.

•

Now ask the students to complete Activity 2 on Handout 9.2a, mimicking the sentence structure of Kennedy. Some students may also try to mimic Kennedy’s rhythm.

•

Ask some students to share their writing. Focus feedback on the listing of subordinate clauses to develop a clear cause, the use of anaphora for emphasis and the rhythm of the sentences.

•

Project PPT 9.2 slide 5 and ask the students to work in small groups to collate ideas for the causes of bullying in their school.

• •

Take feedback, sharing the ideas and allowing students to add ideas to their own lists.

Project PPT 9.2 slide 6 and explain the writing task and the success criteria to the students. Explain how other subordinating conjunctions may help them create similar effects: – ‘as’ and ‘while’ can help develop an image of events occurring alongside each other – ‘when’ and ‘if’ can help develop causes of events.

• •

Ask the students to complete the writing task (Task 5).

Ask some students to share their writing and ask the class to evaluate how well the subordinate clauses developed the argument.

Tracking and intervention: Complete column AT of the tracker for all students, awarding either red, amber or green (see the tracker notes for the key). For students who are either red or amber, set them Intervention worksheet 9.2b.

•

Answers to Intervention worksheet 9.2b: 1. a) while; b) if. 2 and 3. Students’ own answers.

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Chapter 9: Crafting with subordinate clauses

Handout 9.2a

Using subordinate clauses to develop an argument

Identifying subordinate clauses Activity 1: Read the extract below and highlight the subordinate clauses.

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" #

"

#

"

"

" ! %

"

#

# " $

Listing subordinate clauses to develop an argument Activity 2: Consider prejudice in your own community. Fill in the blanks in the model below to develop an argument that explores the causes of that prejudice. Don’t forget your commas!

When you teach ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌.. to ........................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................. when you teach ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌.. to ............................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................. when you teach ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌.. to ............................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................. then you also learn to .......................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................. to be met with ...................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................. Š HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2019

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Chapter 9: Crafting with subordinate clauses

Intervention 9.2a

Using subordinate clauses to develop an argument

Selecting subordinating conjunctions Using subordinate clauses can help writers to develop their arguments: •

Using the subordinating conjunctions ‘when’ or ‘if’ can help develop the causes of an event.

•

Using the subordinating conjunctions ‘as’ or ‘while’ can help develop an image of events occurring alongside each other.

Activity 1: Read the sentences below and add the subordinating conjunction you think works best.

a) …...……….. you eat your three course meals, …...……….. you watch your online box sets, …...……….. your kids play endless computer games, there are children in Africa who cannot even access clean water. b) …...……….. we allow children to play on tablets instead of reading books, …...……….. we allow teenagers to waste hour upon hour playing Fortnite, …...……….. we allow mobile phones in schools, at the dinner table, in the bedroom, then what hope do we have of creating socially aware, confident individuals?

Listing subordinate clauses Activity 2: Write a sentence, explaining the cause of the main clause, ‘a generation of boys and girls feel inadequate’, by using a list of subordinate clauses. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

Activity 3: Write a sentence, developing an image of what is happening at the same time as the main clause, ‘the rainforests are being irrevocably destroyed’, by using a list of subordinate clauses. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2019

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Chapter 9: Crafting with subordinate clauses

Lesson 18.3

Using punctuation and grammar to craft narrative writing

Writing focus:

Resources:

• Narrative

• PPT 18.3 • Handout 18.3a & 18.3b

Understanding narrative devices

•

Give each student a copy of Handout 18.3a and ask them to read through the narrative devices and their examples.

•

Project PPT 18.3 slide 1 and ask the students to complete Task 1, drawing a star beside any device on Handout 18.3a that they do not understand or whose effect they do not understand.

•

Click to animate in Task 2 on PPT 18.3. Ask the students to work in groups of four and discuss each device, explaining to others in their group the devices they do not fully understand. Tell students it is their responsibility to ensure that everyone in their group understands how to use each device and the effect it creates. Navigate the room, correcting any misconceptions.

•

Ask the students if there are still any strategies that they do not understand. If there are, explain them.

It may be helpful to refer to a resource from the relevant lesson that explores the strategy in detail.

Identifying narrative devices

•

Give each student a copy of Handout 18.3b and ask the students to complete Activity 1, reading the extract and labelling the grammar and punctuation strategies used.

•

Some students may struggle with this task. It may help them to first read the extract while looking for only one device. They can then reread the extract, looking for different devices. They may find a smaller range of devices this way, but they should be more confident with the ones they choose.

• •

Reveal PPT 18.3 slide 2 and slide 3 to show the answers to Handout 18.3b, Activity 1.

Take feedback and correct any misconceptions. Students do not need to have identified every example in order to show their understanding; however, they should correctly identify a range, with few errors.

Evaluating and using narrative devices

•

Project slide 4 of the PPT and ask the students to complete Task 3, discussing the effect of the verb choices in ‘He scampered down the beach, tumbling towards the sea with excitement, his arms bouncing up and down’. Take feedback. (Suggested answers: They emphasise his energy; the actions are uncontrolled and so emphasise his youth and inexperience; they imply an excitement and happiness; the use of the participle form indicates a lot of continuous action all occurring at once.)

•

Project slide 5 of PPT 18.3 and ask the students to complete Task 4, adding a device to the sentences that creates a similar effect. They can do this on their mini-whiteboards or in their notebooks.

•

Now click to reveal Task 5 on slide 5. Ask the students to complete the task, discussing the effect of the noun phrase ‘Paw Patrol swimming trunks’. Take feedback. (Suggested answers: It emphasises his nakedness, which makes him appear vulnerable; the cartoon characters emphasise his youth; the cartoon characters make him appear cute.)

•

Project slide 6 of the PPT and ask the students to complete Task 6, adding a device to the sentence that creates a similar effect. They can do this on their mini-whiteboards or in their notebooks.

•

Now click to reveal Task 7 on slide 6. Ask the students to complete the task, rewriting one of their character descriptions (from a previous lesson or homework). They can use the list of devices on Handout 18.3a as their success criteria.

Tracking and intervention: Students can RAG-rate (i.e. using red/amber/green) how confident they are using each strategy on Handout 18.3a. This can be cross-referenced with the tracker and with their writing. Red areas should be addressed by giving students the appropriate intervention sheet for their weakest area. Areas that are a weakness for the whole class should be revisited.

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Chapter 18: Multi-skill crafting

Handout 18.3a

Using punctuation and grammar to craft narrative writing

Activity 1: The grammar and punctuation strategies below will help you to craft your narratives.

Using nouns to create character Including nouns with specific connotations in your description of a character can help you to create a more vivid picture of them or a particular tone. The same is true with character names. The sound of names, or associations we have with names, can impact on how we interpret a character.

Using verbs to create character A writer’s verb choices when describing a character can affect how you interpret that character.

When selecting verbs to describe a character’s actions, it can be helpful to select verbs that you associate with a particular animal, to give the character the traits of that animal.

Using simple sentences/fragments to create suspense Narrative hooks aim to engage the reader. Generally, they do this by using the following devices: • • •

giving incomplete information raising questions for the reader creating a shock.

Simple sentences can work well for narrative hooks, as they are shorter and don’t develop ideas.

Using imperatives to create character When a writer wants to show that a person has power or control, they can use imperatives as part of that character’s speech. This can help to establish them as confident, in charge and even bossy.

Using the passive voice to create suspense The passive voice can leave the agent out of the sentence. This can be useful for creating suspense or questions for the reader. For example: •

A shot was fired.

Using coordinating conjunctions to create character speech Using the coordinating conjunctions ‘yet’, ‘for’ and ‘nor’ can help create an older character voice.

When writing the voices of children, it can be useful to use the coordinating conjunctions ‘and’ and ‘but’ several times in one sentence.

Using prepositional phrases to create character Prepositional time phrases help writers to organise events in a text. They can also be used to describe the routine of characters.

Using colons to introduce exemplification Colons are effective for embellishing a subject by giving more information about it after the colon.

Using omission to create realistic speech Omission is the act of leaving something out. In speech, it is the act of leaving particular words out.

It can be a useful way to create realistic speech.

Using contractions to create realistic speech Contractions create an informal or colloquial tone, so they are useful for writing character speech.

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Chapter 18: Multi-skill crafting

Handout 18.3b

Using punctuation and grammar to craft narrative writing

Analysing effective narrative Activity 1: Read the narrative extract below then highlight and label how the writer has crafted the text using grammar and punctuation strategies.

!" ! " ! # ! % " !% " # !( #! #" ! !"* + #" ," % " " ( # '( , ' % ," " * # '( ! *, ! " ! * + " % " #" ' # !* " % *, ! % ! # " * ! " ! ! ( " % " ! !! ') #" ! !( !" ( " " " ( ! ! ! ! ! * %( % # $ * % " " % ! " % # ! %( #" ! " % ! % * #!" #! ! # ," !% * '( " ! % ' " " ' !# # ! % ! * ! % " ( "# " % ! " ! % " & " "( ! ! # # % * ( % ! " % " ( % ! ! ! ! * ! " % " % " " " " " ' " %!* % ! # " " " " ' ( # ( " * % ! # ( ' % % ! " ' " " " " " " #!" #" ! ! *

! ! ! ( * % ! ! $ " ! #" - #" ! !* % ! % " - #" " ' ! " * % ! * $ ! % " ( ! % # ," $ " " " " * " % ! % " % ! % " !# " % " *

Š HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2019

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Chapter 18: Multi-skill crafting

Identifying and writing main clauses • Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Understanding main clauses Main clauses need two ingredients: a subject and a verb.

The subject is the thing that is doing or being the verb.

A main clause has one verb or a string of verbs that represent one action. There are no conjunctions in a main clause. For example: The toaster exploded.

The aeroplane was an hour late.

A main clause can also have an object. The object receives the verb. For example: The girl kicked the ball.

I left the restaurant.

Slide 1

Identifying and writing main clauses • Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Identifying main clauses Task 1: On your mini-whiteboards or in your notebooks, write down the subject, verb(s) and object from each main clause. a) The wolf howled.

The wolf howled. b) Paul told a frankly terrible joke.

Paul told a frankly terrible joke.

c) The water ran clearly.

The water ran clearly.

Slide 2

Identifying and writing main clauses • Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Identifying main clauses Task 2: Discuss in pairs why each example is not a main clause. Write the answer on your mini-whiteboards or in your notebooks. a) Looking through the window.

There is no subject. What is doing the looking? b) The deep blue sky.

There is no verb. What about the sky?

c) As he sat down.

It’s a subordinate clause, because it starts with a coordinating conjunction.

Slide 3

Identifying and writing main clauses • Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Writing and punctuating main clauses Main clauses are called simple sentences when they are written on their own but main clauses when they form part of a larger sentence.

Every sentence needs a main clause. If the main clause is a sentence by itself, it is called a simple sentence.

The rules for punctuating simple sentences: 1. Simple sentences must be separated with a full stop (or semicolon, if appropriate).

2. You cannot separate simple sentences with commas (called a ‘comma splice’).

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Identifying and writing main clauses • Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Writing and punctuating simple sentences Task 3: On your mini-whiteboards or in your notebooks, write a simple sentence about each topic as it appears. Don’t forget your full stops and capital letters.

a) Cheese b) A beautiful girl c) Rain d) A dinosaur f) A doctor Slide 5

Identifying and writing main clauses • Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Writing and punctuating simple sentences He lay in the dark. He listened to the silence. He knew he was in direct view of the enemy. The sound of artillery fire sputtered. There was quiet again. He tried to crawl to cover. He pulled himself along. Progress was slow. His legs were dead. He reached a crevice. His eyes closed. This was the time. He allowed his head to fall slowly back onto the cold and foreign ground.

(You could have used a semicolon instead of a full stop for any of the sentences that you think were very close in meaning.)

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