VCOP Openers

OPENERS – DESCRIPTION 1 Sentences and stories can sometimes begin with a descriptive phrase. For example, The lean, black cat crept quietly across… Try a descriptive story starter sentence for each of these characters:

OPENERS – DESCRIPTION 2 Sentences and stories can sometimes begin with a descriptive phrase. For example, The lean, black cat crept quietly across… Try a descriptive story starter sentence for each of these characters:

OPENERS – DESCRIPTION 3 Sentences and stories can sometimes begin with a descriptive phrase. For example, The lean, black cat crept quietly across… Try a descriptive story starter sentence for each of these objects:

OPENERS – DESCRIPTION 4 Sentences and stories can sometimes begin with a descriptive phrase. For example, The lean, black cat crept quietly across… Try a descriptive story starter sentence for each of these objects:

OPENERS – ADVERBS 1 There are different ways to open a sentence. One is using adverbs - ly words. For example: Slowly, she ambled down the road. Write an adverb opener for each of these verbs: trotted sang peered jumped

OPENERS – ADVERBS 2 There are different ways to open a sentence. One is using adverbs - ly words. For example: Slowly, she ambled down the road. Write an adverb opener for each of these verbs: planted ran whispered argued

OPENERS – ADVERBS 3 There are different ways to open a sentence. One is using adverbs - ly words. For example: Slowly, she ambled down the road. Write an adverb opener for each of these verbs: wished hoped smiled laughed

OPENERS – LOCATION 1 Some sentences or stories open with a place or location – a ‘where’ phrase. For example: In the middle of the deserted field, there stood a lonely oak. Create a ‘where’ opener for this place using the correct opening phrase. At the end of… Towards the… In the middle of… By the…

OPENERS – LOCATION 2 Some sentences or stories open with a place or location – a ‘where’ phrase. For example: In the middle of the deserted field, there stood a lonely oak. Create a ‘where’ opener for this place using a correct opening phrase. Balanced on a… In the middle of… At the end of… Hidden amongst… On top of…

OPENERS – LOCATION 3 Some sentences or stories open with a place or location – a ‘where’ phrase. For example: In the middle of the deserted field, there stood a lonely oak. Create a ‘where’ opener for this place using a correct opening phrase. At the end of… Between the… At the beginning of… Towards the… In the middle of… Amongst the…

OPENERS – ACTIONS 1 Some sentences or stories begin with an action (verb). Most of these will end in ‘ing’. For example: Rushing around the corner, Jim bumped into… Start a story opening with each of these actions. Strolling Wishing Running Speaking Thinking

OPENERS – ACTIONS 2 Some sentences or stories begin with an action (verb). Most of these will end in ‘ing’. For example: Rushing around the corner, Jim bumped into… Start a story opening with each of these actions. Writing Climbing Finishing Watching

OPENERS – ACTIONS 3 Some sentences or stories begin with an action (verb). Most of these will end in ‘ing’. For example: Rushing around the corner, Jim bumped into… Start a story opening with each of these actions. Hoping Changing Choosing Staying Leaving

OPENERS – ACTIONS 3 Some sentences or stories begin with an action (verb). Most of these will end in ‘ing’. For example: Rushing around the corner, Jim bumped into… Start a story opening with each of these actions. Screaming Whistling Bellowing Whispering Muttering

OPENERS – ‘ALTHOUGH’ Connectives are often used to start complex sentences. They can also begin a story/narrative. For example: Although Dan was late, he strolled slowly down the road. Write three examples of story openers which use ‘Although…’. DO NOT forget your CAPITAL letter. HINTS TO HELP … she laughed out loud. … he danced around the room. … he ran as fast as he could. … she thought very carefully.

OPENERS – SIMILES – ‘LIKE’ Stories can open with a simile to give the reader a picture in their mind straight away. For example, what picture do we see at the opening of this story? Like a towering tree, Ben stood in the school hall looking over the heads of all his classmates. Write one simile opening for each of these sentences: 1. Sally curled up in a ball… 2. The siren wailed across the town… 3. David licked his ice cream…

OPENERS – SIMILES – ‘AS’ Stories can open with a simile to give the reader a picture in their mind straight away. For example, what picture do we see at the opening of this story? As tall as a tree, Ben stood in the school hall looking over the heads of all his classmates. Write one simile opening for each of these sentences: 1. She crept down the stairs… 2. He pushed his way into the room… 3. The radio buzzed noisily…

OPENERS - ALLITERATION Stories can grab their reader’s attention by repeating sounds at the start of the sentence. This is Alliteration. For example: The whistling, white wind wandered through the deserted streets. Write the Alliterative openings for these objects and characters:  A lorry  A snake  A mouse  A car  A vampire  A Granny  A witch  A policeman  A nurse

OPENERS – PAST TENSE VERBS 1 Sentences need to be varied to keep your reader interested. You can use past tense verbs – ‘ed’ endings – to do this. For example: Exhausted and annoyed, Dad fell into his chair to watch the match. Choose one or two past tense verbs to begin these sentences:  …Jimmy kicked the football to score a goal.  …Maisie ran all the way home.  …she spoke to the teacher about it.  …he took his dog for a walk. DO NOT forget the COMMA after the verb!

OPENERS – PAST TENSE VERBS 2 Sentences need to be varied to keep your reader interested. You can use past tense verbs – ‘ed’ endings – to do this. For example: Exhausted and annoyed, Dad fell into his chair to watch the match. Continue these sentences from the past tense verbs given:  Frightened and alarmed, …  Startled and amazed, …  Tired and wretched, …

OPENERS – SUBORDINATE CLAUSES Subordinate clauses can be ‘dropped in’ to a sentence to add an action, a thought or an object. This can add interest for your reader. For example: Sally stayed at home = main clause Sally, upset by her friend’s spitefulness, stayed at home. subordinate clause Add subordinate clauses to these main clauses to make them more interesting:  Jim sprinted to the bus stop.  The puppy ripped up the toilet roll.  The postman returned the parcel.  Mum returned with pizza.

OPENERS – SPEECH & DIRECTION Stories can begin with a character speaking. It can help the reader get straight into the story. For example: “Don’t move a muscle,” whispered Danny, as he picked up the torch slowly. Think! Where could Danny be? Who could he be talking to? What are we waiting to discover? Write three openers using the character’s speech for these story genres: Horror Adventure Reality

OPENERS – QUESTIONS ASKED? A story can begin with a character’s question. It can be written as a thought or as spoken. For example: Thought: ‘What was Mum talking about?’ she wondered. Spoken: “What is happening here?” she asked, glaring at her friends. Write a question opener for each of these story types – choose thought or spoken. 1. A story about a holiday adventure 2. A story about a space journey 3. A story about a dog called Spike.

OPENERS – RHETORICAL QUESTIONS? Some texts can start with a question which doesn’t need an answer – a rhetorical question. This can introduce an idea for your reader to think about. For example: Why does it always rain when you want to play? Danny didn’t have the answer as he gazed from the window at the giant, sploshing droplet which hit the glass… Write a rhetorical question for each of these topics: 1. A newspaper article about recycling more paper. 2. A short story about a girl who wants a puppy. 3. A diary entry which wonders about a family problem. ?

OPENERS – EXCLAMATIONS! An exclamation can help grab the reader’s attention. It can be used in speech for a character speaking, or it can be the writer’s exclamation. For example: “Beagle, no!” shouted Pete, as his dog pulled over the bin. Or It was not good enough! Harry’s bedroom was a tip and he knew it. Write an exclamation opener for these topics: A story about a disaster. An article which discusses school uniform.

OPENERS - REVIEW Think! How many types of opener have you tried? What are they?  Description  Adverbs (ly)  Location (where)  Actions (verbs)  Although (connective)  Simile  Alliteration  Past Tense verbs  Subordinate clauses  Speech  Questions  Rhetorical questions  Exclamations WOW! That’s a lot of writing technique to know – now PRACTISE!