1. COMMAND WORDS DESCRIPTORS Subject specific keywords
Homophones – words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings
Start a new paragraph when there is:
A change of topic,
A jump in time,
A change of place,
A new speaker.
Tips to improve your writing!
Were
Is the past tense of are
We were playing tennis
Where
Is used for places and positions
Where is Manchester?
We’re
Is short for ‘we are’
We’re going to school on today
Wear
Is what you do with clothes
I wear jeans
Their
Belongs to someone
The ladies hung up their coats
They’re
Is short for ‘they are’
They’re going to the shop Of
The jar was full of sweets
She is a friend of mine
Off
I took some time off work
Too
Means ‘as well’ or ‘excessive’
I ate too much last night
Two
Is just the number
I want two pieces of toast To
Means towards or is part of a verb
I am going to the shop
New
Is not old
Jim bought a new bike
Knew
Is the past tense of ‘know’
Jenny knew how to ride a bike No
Is used to refuse or disagree
No, I won’t go to school
Know
Is regarded as the truth.
I know she won’t tell mum
Common Misspelt Words
embarrass
prefer
existence
recommend
achieve
familiar
receive
apparently
foreign
Separate
awkward
immediately
sensible
beginning
independent
speech
business
knowledge
successful
completely
necessary
therefore
customer
occasion
tomorrow
definitely
paid
unfortunately
disappoint
possess
wherever
COMMAND WORDS DESCRIPTORS
Give a clear, straightforward description that includes all the main points and links these together logically
DESCRIBE
Set out in detail the meaning of something, with reasons. More difficult than describing or listing so it can help to give an example to show what you mean. Start by introducing the topic then give the ‘how’ or ‘why’.
EXPLAIN
Give appropriate reasons to support your opinion or view and show how you arrived at these conclusions.
JUSTIFY
Subject specific keywords
DISCUSS
Provide a thoughtful and logical argument to support the case you are making
Identify the main factors that apply in two or more situations and explain the similarities and differences or advantages and disadvantages.
COMPARE
Review the information then bring it together to form a conclusion. Give evidence for each view or statement.
EVALUATE
Give careful consideration to all the factors or events that apply and identify which are the most important and relevant, with reasons.
ASSESS
Use a comma between each item in a list, except for the last item where you use and. Before you start your list you should add a colon.
There are: five gold rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.
sensitive/ly... timid/ly... aggressively... imaginatively... unfortunate...
echoing... doubtful... emotion... anxiety... longing... system... leap...
communication... ingredient... vibration... prefer... nourish... demonstrate... enjoy...
container... fearful... marvellous... attractive... generously...
echo... nervously... worriedly... patiently... feelings... courage...
experience... peak... patience... furnishings... thunderous...
gigantic... weird... freezing... quietly...
happiness... joy... sadness... fear...
shelter... baggage... companion... vehicle... bravely... transport...
beautiful... awful...
enormous... fierce...
adventure... accident... magic...
next
lonely
exciting
Because
interesting, afraid
Use complex sentence structures appropriately.
Vary sentence length and word order to keep your reader interested.
in addition to contrary to despite so as to
if after while as well as
although however also besides
even though never the less
but so then
because when
and
Connectives
Vocabulary
Having decided...
Use complex sentences appropriately.
Vary sentence length and word order to keep the reader interested.
I actually... Due to... As time went... Never...
Always... Besides... Even though... Meanwhile...
Before very long... However... In addition to... Despite...
We always... If/then... I felt as... Although I had... I discovered...
Another thing... After a while...
Although... Afterwards... Before...
Eventually... Sometimes... Often...
Because... After…
First... Then... Next...
Last... But... The last time... Soon... If... Another time...
The...
My... I...
Openers
“ ” ; , ( ) ? !
. ‘ , ? ! “ ”
. ? , ! ? .
Punctuation