Simple sentences: contains a subject

and a verb and can contain an object

• Sarah likes to read in the library.
• Tom enjoys reading at home.
Compound sentences: joins two simple
sentences using the connectives: for,
Literacy Mat 1 Apostrophes for Omission
(To show a letter is missing. Eg: Does not = Doesn’t)
Apostrophe for Possession
(To show that something belongs to another)
If a single thing/person owns anything, add an apostrophe
+ ‘s’.
and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
• Sarah likes to read in the library
First person – uses ‘I’ from one
character’s point of view.
Basic Rules: The dog’s bone
The boy’s homework

• Dates and titles

but Tom prefers to read at home. Second person narrator – uses Jones’s bakery
Complex sentences: A complex Yesterday’s lesson
‘you’. However, if it is plural (more than one), an apostrophe
should always be
sentence contains a conjunction such as
Third person (subjective) – uses comes after the ‘s’.
because, since, after, although, or when The dogs’ bones
. pronouns but from one
The boys’ homework
▪ Because Robert felt tired, character’s point of view.
Third person (omniscient) –
written in full and Joneses’ bakeries (lots of Jones families.
he only studied for an
hour.
▪ Although the rain had
uses pronouns but the narrator
knows every character’s
underlined. Noun
Connectives
Verb
• Every new sentence
stopped, the pitch was still thoughts. To add: And, also,
water-logged. Adjective
Adverb likewise, similarly, in
must start with a Preposition the same way,
1. I always start an
Connective furthermore, as well as,
To persuade: You want your
essay with an
capital letter Pronoun in addition to, along
audience to come round to Simile with, moreover. Then,
your way of thinking. introduction which • Names of people, Metaphor
after that, next,
addresses the Personification
To argue: to present your question. places and the letter I Rhyme subsequently.
Repetition To contrast:But,
2. I finish an essay with
ideas in contrast to others’
a conclusion to
should always be in Anecdote however, whereas,
ideas. Fact although, on the other
summarise the main capitals. Opinion hand, conversely,
points of my argument Rhetorical ? nevertheless,
To inform: To give your
and to address the • You should always Emotive Words nonetheless, other than,
audience facts, Statistics
question again.
understanding and your 3. I use connectives in write in pen, draw in Cluster of 3
excluding.
To explain:Therefore,
opinion. Alliteration
each paragraph to link pencil and take care Language consequently, as a
my ideas and to put Context result, for the reason
To advise: To help your them in a logical order. with your presentation. Structure that,
audience with an issue. Assonance Because, since, given
• Never use slang or Colloquial that, suggesting that,
Enjambment implying that, telling me
To converse: To have a PARAGRAPHS text speak. Imperative
that.
conversation with another. The TIPTOP rule Juxtaposition
You move onto a new • Always proof read Cohesion To emphasise: Mostly,
mainly, usually,
To act: To present a paragraph when you change Onomatopoeia
character and stay in role. time, place, topic or your own work. Purpose generally, typically,
Audience ultimately, above all, in
person. Genre particular.
 Sentence starters

Literacy Mat 2
COMMON
HOMOPHONES Meat/meet
CONTRACTIONS
To introduce: One/won
Affect/effect Passed/past 11 o’clock Shouldn’t
It appears that.... Bare/bear Peace/piece Aren’t They’d
Brake/break Can’t They’ll
The evidence suggests.... Buy/by
Practice (n)/practise (v)
Couldn’t They’re
Read/red
I believe.... For/four
Flour/flower Sea/see
Didn’t Wasn’t
Doesn’t We’d
PEE!

In my opinion... Sight/site
I infer that....
Grate/great
Hair/hare Son/sun
Don’t We’ll
Hadn’t We’re
Point: Make a good point,
To/too/two
It would seem that.... Hole/whole
Hour/our Wait/weight
Hasn’t Weren’t
Haven’t What’d
answering the question.

I suggest.... Knight/night Weak/week He’d What’ll
To compare and contrast: Know/no Wear/where He’ll What’s Evidence: now support your
He’s When’d
Similarly.... How’d When’ll point with a well chosen quote
In the same way.... How’ll When’s
Nevertheless.... What can I do to help understand this How’s Where’d or statistic.

I’d Where’ll
In contrast to.... text?
Predicting: Make informed guesses
I’ll
I’m
Where’s
Who’d
Explanation: Develop your
On the contrary.... about the text.
This is in contrast to....
Isn’t
It’d
Who’ll
Who’s
answer by giving more detail
To add ideas: Skimming: You read quickly through the
sentences getting a gist of the text.
It’ll
It’s
Why’d
Why’ll
and analysis. use phrases such
Also, ...
Furthermore, ..
Mightn’t Why’s
Mustn't Won’t
as :

Scanning: Search though the text for
More importantly, .. specific words.
Shan’t
She’d
Wouldn’t
You’d
This shows… This implies… This
Equally important... She’ll You’ll suggests… Firstly….
Close Reading: Slowly read the text. She’s You’re
To present other Take in the use of punctuation and
peoples ideas: words used. Noun: Used to identify people, places and things. (William Shakespeare;
London; September)
According to... Visualising: You imagine a picture in Verb: Indicates an action. Essential part of a sentence. (to dance; to be; to
As explained by.... your head based on what you’ve read. exist)
Based on the ideas Adjective: Describes a noun. It gives further information. (fat; late;
Questioning: Ask questions about what beautiful)

by.... Adverb: Changes a verb, adjective or another adverb. Adds more information.
you’ve read.
Often end in –ly. (softly, rudely, often, always)
To give examples: Pronouns: Takes place of another word – usually a noun. (I, me, you, he, him,
Reading backwards: Read backwards
For example, ... she, her, that, this)
to focus on each word. Conjunctions: linking words, joining together words, sentences or phrases.
Such as... (and, but, for, so, yet)
For instance, ... Inferring: Read between the lines to find Prepositions: Also linking words but show a connection between the two
the meaning. words or phrases. (About, after, before, beneath, on, under, with)
 accommodate achieve apparently appearance basically beginning believe

coming completely curiosity definitely disappear disappoint environment

familiar finally foreseeable forward friend further happened

humorous immediately independent interrupt knowledge necessary noticeable

persistent preferred receive remember resistance separate successful

surprise therefore unfortunately until wherever which

SPELLING TIPS Those which have a vowel before the

final -o always just add -s:

singular plural
With nouns that end in a consonant or a
If the noun ends with a consonant plus -y, studio studios
single vowel plus -f or -fe, change the -f
make the plural by changing -y to -ies: zoo zoos
or -fe to -ves:
embryo embryos
singular plural
berry berries
singular plural
activity activities
knife knives Here’s a list of the most common nouns
daisy daisies
half halves ending in -o that are always spelled with -es
in the plural:

If the noun ends with -ch, -s, -sh, -x, or As a general rule, most nouns ending in - singular plural
-z, add -es to form the plural: o add -s to make the plural domino dominoes
echo echoes
singular plural singular plural hero heroes
church churches solo solos potato potatoes
bus buses zero zeros tomato tomatoes
fox foxes avocado avocados