Language and Literacy

Talking and writing are two types of communication. We talk and write to help people understand us better.

Instructions tell us how something should be done. They guide us, step by step and in the right order, so that we can achieve our goal.

When you are writing a story, a poem or even a letter to someone, you can make it sound much better by adding in interesting words.

Discover some tips for writing clear and neat sentences.

Learn how to use statement sentences to tell your reader a fact or idea about a topic.

Find out how an author decides what to write about in a story.

Find out some useful tips to help you plan your story.

Find out why most stories consist of a beginning, a middle and an end.

Find out what a setting is and how you can use them in your stories.

Find out about some of the different questions authors think about when they are inventing new characters.

Explore how your writing can have different purposes depending on the subject or what you want to communicate.

Find out how you should think about the language you use when writing for different audiences.

Find out why it's important to check your work for errors.

Find out how changing the context can affect your stories.

We can use a dictionary to find out the meaning or spelling of a word.

If you want say or write something differently, a thesaurus provides alternative words with a similar meaning.

Find out how you can use different types of nouns in your writing.

Learn what verbs are and how you can use them in your writing.

Find out what adjectives are and how you can use them in your writing.

Find out how to use command sentences to give instructions.

Questions are sentences that ask something. Find out how to use them in your writing.

Find out how to use exclamations to show intense feelings or to get attention.

Learn how to use statement sentences to tell your reader a fact or idea about a topic.

Find out about writing in the first, second or third person.

Follow this easy to remember story mountain structure and learn how to plan a great story.

Learn how important it is to pick an exciting setting for your story.

Six simple steps to help you develop strong characters and make your stories even better.

Need to grab people's attention? Then follow these simple rules about how to write and design an eye-catching poster.

Learn to tell the difference between statements that are fact or opinion.

Instruction manuals tells the reader how to complete a specific task, by usually following a series of steps.

Recounts are a way of retelling an important event or describing an experience you've had to others.

Newspapers tell us what is happening in the world with text and images.

Find out about homophones: words that sound the same, but are spelt differently and have a different meaning.

Find out how and when to use the homophones, to, too and two.

Their, they’re and there are homophones. Find out when to use them.

Instructions help us to get things done by taking small steps in the right order. In school, your teacher may give you instructions on how to play a game in PE.

When you read a book, it is good to talk about it. When you talk about what you have read, it shows others that you have understood the story.

Experiences are things that happen to us. Our experiences depend on where we live, what we see and what we do. Your experiences might be very different from your friends.

A conversation is when we take turns to talk. When we do this, everyone who wants to speak can do so. It’s a bit like a game of ping-pong or tennis.

Talking and writing are two types of communication. We talk and write to help people understand us better.

To help people understand a story, we need to retell it in the order in which it takes place. Do you enjoy retelling a story? When you do, it shows that you understand the story.

What are the basic skills of speaking? Find out more in this short Bitesize Primary English animation.

Find out what a conversation is and how to make sure it works two ways.

Find out what a debate is and how to present and evaluate facts and opinions when debating.

Find out how to break down words into sounds that are easier to recognise.

What makes a fact different from an opinion and how can you tell the difference?

The kids are on a spaceship far, far away. They are feeling a bit bored and so decide to go to the library. Here they meet the ‘robrarian’ – the robot librarian.

When you read a book, it is good to talk about it. When you talk about what you have read, it shows others that you have understood the story.

When you read a text, link together the facts and clues to see the bigger picture and understand what’s happening. This is called comprehension.

Find out about the different genres of fiction writing.

Find out different ways to remember a poem. You might picture parts of the poem, or use the rhythm of the words.