Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation
At Thorpe Acre Junior School we use ‘Headstart’ to form the basis of our spelling and grammar teaching.
Grammar and Punctuation
Grammar and punctuation is taught throughout the school, following a careful progression to ensure children develop a secure substantive and disciplinary knowledge.
As well as grammar being modelled through writing sessions, the explicit teaching of grammar rules is used to enhance pupils’ understanding. This involves:
- Clearly explaining and modeling grammar concepts through engaging resources, practical examples, and real-life contexts.
- Providing opportunities for students to actively participate, discuss, and apply grammar rules through interactive activities and collaborative learning.
- Adapting teaching strategies to support the needs of all learners, including visual aids, practical tasks and multisensory approaches.
By explicitly teaching grammar, alongside grammar in context, we aim to ensure that pupils develop a deep understanding and appreciation of grammar and punctuation rules, enabling them to apply their knowledge independently in their writing and communication. All children should therefore be able to use grammar and punctuation understanding to:
- Write a range of sentence structures with clarity, and coherence.
- Become confident and effective communicators, with strong written and spoken expression.
- Make progress in grammar and punctuation across all year groups.
- Be well-prepared for secondary education, equipped with the necessary language skills to meet the demands of the curriculum.
2023/2024
Year 3 Grammar:
Sentence structure Word structure Text structure Punctuation
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
WB 28.08.23 Recap of Y2 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 23.10.23 Understanding what a clause is – the components that make a clause. What are main and subordinate clauses? | WB 08.01.24 Understand and use prepositions | WB 26.02.24 | WB 08.04.23 Understanding present perfect tense. Note: It is formed using the auxiliary verb form have or has, followed by the past participle. For example: He has worked here for two years. Where has is the auxiliary verb and worked is the past participle. | WB 03.06.24 Root words, prefixes and suffixes. For example: Formation of nouns using a range of prefixes [for example super–, anti–, auto–]
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WB 04.09.23 Recap of Y2 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 30.10.23 Use and understanding coordinating conjunctions | WB 15.01.24 Understanding and using prepositional phrases | WB 04.03.24 Writing direct speech using the appropriate punctuation | WB 15.04.24 Recognising and using present perfect tense | WB 10.06.24 Word families based on common words, showing how words are related in form and meaning [for example, solve, solution, solver, dissolve, insoluble] |
WB 11.09.23 Recap of Y2 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 06.11.23 Use and understanding subordinating conjunctions | WB 22.01.24 Using prepositions to express time. Some common prepositions to express time include: yesterday, on Monday, last month, at 3pm | WB 11.03.24 Use of question marks and exclamation marks recap – focus on exclamation beginning with ‘what’ or ‘how’
| WB 22.04.24 Y2 link - Apostrophes to mark where letters are missing in spelling and to mark singular possession in nouns: for example, the girl’s name
| WB 17.06.24 Y2 link – recap of present progressive tense (is, are, am) and past progressive (was, were)
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WB 18.09.23 Recap of Y2 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 13.11.23 Using conjunctions to express time: when, before, after, while, and. Using conjunctions to express place: where, wherever | WB 29.01.24 Using prepositions to express place. Some common prepositions to express place include: under, over, above, on top of, behind, in the box, below | WB 18.03.24 Recapping and using simple past and present tense (focus on irregular verbs)
| WB 29.04.24 Understanding types of nouns including abstract nouns and proper nouns
| WB 24.06.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps
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WB 25.09.23 Ensuring understanding of the following word classes: noun, adjective, verb, adverb | WB 20.11.23 | WB 05.02.24 |
| WB 06.05.24 Understanding and using noun phrases
| WB 01.07.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 02.10.23 Use of the forms ‘a’ or ‘an’ according to whether the next word begins with a consonant or a vowel: for example, a rock, an open box | WB 27.11.23 Adverbs – using adverbs to express time: for example: then, next, soon | WB 12.02.24 Prepositions – using them to express time, place, and cause (review of the last 3 weeks’ worth of learning to ensure the learning is secure). |
| WB 13.05.24 Understanding and using expanded noun phrases | WB 08.07.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 09.10.23 Use of the forms ‘a’ or ‘an’ according to whether the next word begins with a consonant or a vowel: for example, a rock, an open box | WB 04.12.23 |
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| WB 20.05.24 Understanding pronouns |
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| WB 11.12.23 Adverbs – using adverbs to express cause: for example: therefore, as a result, consequently |
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| WB 18.12.23 Adverbs – using adverbs to express time, place, and cause (review of the last 3 weeks’ worth of learning to ensure the learning is secure).
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Year 4 Grammar:
Sentence structure Word structure Text structure Punctuation
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
WB 28.08.23 Recap of Y3 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 23.10.23 Understand what adverbials are: a word or phrase functioning as a clause and typically expressing place ( in the garden ), time ( in May ), or manner ( in a strange way ). | WB 08.01.24 | WB 26.02.24 Coordinating conjunctions | WB 08.04.23 Adverbs to express time, place, and cause | WB 03.06.24 Use of commas in a list |
WB 04.09.23 Recap of Y3 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 30.10.23 Creation of adverbial phrases – exploring their position in sentences and how these can change | WB 15.01.24 Using apostrophes for plural possession | WB 04.03.24 Subordinating conjunctions | WB 15.04.24 Use of standard English | WB 10.06.24 Review of main and subordinate clauses |
WB 11.09.23 Recap of Y3 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 06.11.23 Creation of fronted adverbials to show when and where | WB 22.01.24 Exploring when apostrophes are needed for possession and contraction, and when apostrophes have been mis used | WB 11.03.24 Prepositional phrases | WB 22.04.24 Recapping and using simple past and present tense (focus on irregular verbs)
| WB 17.06.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 18.09.23 Recap of Y3 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 13.11.23 Creation of fronted adverbials to show how, and how often | WB 29.01.24 Recognising the difference between direct and indirect speech | WB 18.03.24 Adverbs to express time, place, and cause | WB 29.04.24 Y3 link - Recognising and using present perfect tense | WB 24.06.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 25.09.23 Ensuring understanding of the following word classes: noun, adjective, verb, adverb, determiner | WB 20.11.23 Identifying fronted adverbials in sentence | WB 05.02.24 Punctuating direct speech accurately |
| WB 06.05.24 Y2 link - recap of present progressive tense (is, are, am) and past progressive (was, were)
| WB 01.07.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 02.10.23 Understanding and using pronouns to aid cohesion and avoid repetition in sentences | WB 27.11.23 Using fronted adverbials with the correct punctuation
| WB 12.02.24 Punctuating direct speech accurately |
| WB 13.05.24 Questions, statement, command, exclamation
| WB 08.07.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 09.10.23 Identifying which nouns pronouns are relating to in sentences
| WB 04.12.23 Noun phrases expanded by the addition of modifying adjectives, nouns and preposition phrases (e.g. the teacher expanded to: the strict maths teacher with curly hair) |
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| WB 20.05.24 Understanding and using determiners |
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| WB 11.12.23 Noun phrases expanded by the addition of modifying adjectives, nouns and preposition phrases (e.g. the teacher expanded to: the strict maths teacher with curly hair) |
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| WB 18.12.23 Noun phrases expanded by the addition of modifying adjectives, nouns and preposition phrases (e.g. the teacher expanded to: the strict maths teacher with curly hair)
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Year 5 Grammar:
Sentence structure Word structure Text structure Punctuation
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
WB 28.08.23 Recap of Y4 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 23.10.23 Writing relative clauses | WB 08.01.24 Understanding the term parenthesis and what is included in this term | WB 26.02.24 Expanded noun phrases | WB 08.04.23 Recognising the future perfect form (will have + past participle)
| WB 03.06.24 Converting nouns or adjectives into verbs using suffixes [for example, –ate; –ise; –ify] |
WB 04.09.23 Recap of Y4 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 30.10.23 Punctuating relative clauses | WB 15.01.24 Using brackets to indicate parenthesis | WB 04.03.24 Recapping past progressive, present progressive, simple past, simple present | WB 15.04.24 Identifying different tenses in sentences | WB 10.06.24 Converting nouns or adjectives into verbs using prefixes [for example, dis–, de–, mis–, over– and re–]
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WB 11.09.23 Recap of Y4 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 06.11.23 Recognising modal verbs | WB 22.01.24 Using dashes to indicate parenthesis | WB 11.03.24 Recapping the present perfect form and introducing past perfect (had) | WB 22.04.24 Identifying different tenses in sentences | WB 17.06.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 18.09.23 Recap of Y4 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 13.11.23 Using modal verbs | WB 29.01.24 Using commas to indicate parenthesis | WB 18.03.24 Using past perfect form | WB 29.04.24 Using commas in lists | WB 24.06.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 25.09.23 Ensuring understanding of the following word classes: noun, adjective, verb, adverb, determiner, clause | WB 20.11.23 Recognising adverbs and understanding that they are used to explain when, how often, where or how a verb takes place | WB 05.02.24 Identifying noun phrases |
| WB 06.05.24 Using commas in adverbials | WB 01.07.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 02.10.23 Understanding relative pronouns and which noun in the sentence they are referring to
| WB 27.11.23 Using different types of adverbs in sentences | WB 12.02.24 Creating and understanding noun phrases |
| WB 13.05.24 Using commas to avoid ambiguity
| WB 08.07.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 09.10.23 Identifying relative clauses in given sentences | WB 04.12.23 Using different types of adverbs in sentences |
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| WB 20.05.24 Recapping basic sentence punctuation i.e. capital letters, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks |
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| WB 11.12.23 Recognising adverbs that indicate a degree of possibility
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| WB 18.12.23 Using adverbs that indicate a degree of possibility
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Year 5/6 Grammar:
Sentence structure Word structure Text structure Punctuation
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
WB 28.08.23 Recap of Y4/5 grammar expectations – adverbials | WB 23.10.23 Synonyms/antonyms | WB 08.01.24 (Y5) Using commas in a list (Y6) Using colons and semi-colons in a list | WB 26.02.24 Identifying clauses in sentences
(Y6) focus on main and subordinate clause underlining from given sentences
| WB 08.04.23 Recognising the future perfect form (will have + past participle)
| WB 03.06.24 Converting nouns or adjectives into verbs using suffixes [for example, –ate; –ise; –ify] |
WB 04.09.23 Recap of Y4/5 grammar expectations - adverbials | WB 30.10.23 Using modal verbs | WB 15.01.24 Using brackets and dashes as parenthesis | WB 04.03.24 (Y6) Using semi-colons to mark boundaries in clauses
(Y5) Recapping basic sentence punctuation i.e. capital letters, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks | WB 15.04.24 Identifying different tenses in sentences | WB 10.06.24 Converting nouns or adjectives into verbs using prefixes [for example, dis–, de–, mis–, over– and re–]
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WB 11.09.23 Recap of Y4/5 grammar expectations – past/present perfect tense | WB 06.11.23 Recognising adverbs and understanding that they are used to explain when, how often, where or how a verb takes place | WB 22.01.24 (Y6) Using and punctuating bullet points
(Y5) Practise using brackets and dashes as parenthesis
| WB 11.03.24 (Y6) Using colons to mark boundaries in clauses
(Y5) Recapping basic sentence punctuation i.e. capital letters, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks | WB 22.04.24
REVISION (please see below for text coverage) | WB 17.06.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 18.09.23 Recap of Y4/5 grammar expectations – past/present progressive tense | WB 13.11.23 Using different types of adverbs in sentences | WB 29.01.24 Expanded noun phrases (explaining what a noun phrase is first) | WB 18.03.24 (Y6) Using dashes to mark boundaries in clauses
(Y5) Recapping punctuating command, statement questions and exclamations
| WB 29.04.24
REVISION (please see below for text coverage) | WB 24.06.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 25.09.23 Ensuring understanding of the following word classes: noun, adjective, verb, adverb, determiner, main clause/subordinate clause | WB 20.11.23 Identifying nouns and verbs in sentences | WB 05.02.24 (Y6) Recognising and using the passive voice
(Y5) Further practice with noun phrases |
| WB 06.05.24
REVISION (please see below for text coverage) | WB 01.07.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 02.10.23 Understanding relative pronouns and which noun in the sentence they are referring to
| WB 27.11.23 Identifying adjectives and adverbs in sentences | WB 12.02.24 (Y6) Recognising and using the active voice
(Y5) Further practice with expanded noun phrases |
| WB 13.05.24
SATS WEEK | WB 08.07.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 09.10.23 Identifying relative clauses in given sentences
| WB 04.12.23 Identifying determiners, conjunctions and prepositions in sentences |
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| WB 20.05.24 Cohesive devices to aid with writing – recognising devices to build cohesion. Focus on use of pronouns to avoid repetition of nouns.
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| WB 11.12.23 Identifying subject and object in sentences |
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| WB 18.12.23 Subjunctive verb form (Y6)
(Y5) to practise identifying a range of word classes within sentences to consolidate the previous few weeks’ learning.
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Year 6 Grammar:
Sentence structure Word structure Text structure Punctuation
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
WB 28.08.23 Recap of Y5 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 23.10.23 Identifying nouns and verbs in sentences | WB 08.01.24 Using and punctuating bullet points | WB 26.02.24 Identifying clauses in sentences | WB 08.04.23
REVISION (please see below for text coverage) | WB 03.06.24 Cohesive devices to aid with writing. Focus on use adverbials to create links.
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WB 04.09.23 Recap of Y5 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 30.10.23 Identifying adjectives and adverbs in sentences | WB 15.01.24 Identifying verbs in sentences including knowing that ‘to be’ is a verb and has different forms, including: be, been, being, is, am, are, was, were | WB 04.03.24 Using semi-colons to mark boundaries in clauses | WB 15.04.24
REVISION (please see below for text coverage) | WB 10.06.24 Cohesive devices to aid with writing. Focus on use of ellipsis at the ends of sentences/paragraphs.
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WB 11.09.23 Recap of Y5 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 06.11.23 Identifying subject and object in sentences | WB 22.01.24 Recognising and using the passive voice | WB 11.03.24 Using colons to mark boundaries in clauses | WB 22.04.24
REVISION (please see below for text coverage) | WB 17.06.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 18.09.23 Recap of Y5 grammar expectations (see table below) Choose some areas of focus. | WB 13.11.23 Identifying determiners, conjunctions and prepositions in sentences | WB 29.01.24 Recognising and using the active voice | WB 18.03.24 Using dashes to mark boundaries in clauses | WB 29.04.24
REVISION (please see below for text coverage) | WB 24.06.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 25.09.23 Ensuring understanding of the following word classes: noun, adjective, verb, adverb, determiner, main clause/subordinate clause, relative clause | WB 20.11.23 Identifying a range of word classes in sentences | WB 05.02.24 Questions tags in informal speech structures |
| WB 06.05.24
REVISION (please see below for text coverage) | WB 01.07.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 02.10.23 Synonyms | WB 27.11.23 Subjunctive verb form | WB 12.02.24 Using hyphens to avoid ambiguity |
| WB 13.05.24
SATS WEEK | WB 08.07.24 Next year ready – reviewing taught grammar through the year to ensure no gaps |
WB 09.10.23 Antonyms
| WB 04.12.23 Subjunctive verb form
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| WB 20.05.24 Cohesive devices to aid with writing – recognising devices to build cohesion. Focus on use of pronouns to avoid repetition of nouns.
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| WB 11.12.23 Using commas in a list
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| WB 18.12.23 Using colons and semi colons in a list |
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Expected grammar by the end of the year group (from NC):
Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
- Formation of nouns using suffixes such as -ness, -er - Compound nouns - Formation of adjectives using suffixes such as -ful, -less - Use of the suffixes -er and -est to form comparisons of adjectives and adverbs - The use of -ly to turn adjectives into adverbs - Subordination (using when, if, that, because) and co-ordination (using or, and, or but) - Expanded noun phrases for description and specification (e.g. the blue butterfly, plain flour, the man in the moon) - Sentences with different forms: statement, question, exclamation, command - The consistent use of present tense versus past tense throughout texts - Use of the continuous/ progressive form of verbs in the present and past tense to mark actions in progress (e.g. she is drumming, he was shouting) - Capital letters, full stops, question marks and exclamation marks to demarcate sentences - Commas to separate items in a list - Apostrophes to mark contracted forms in spelling - Apostrophes to mark singular possessions in nouns
| - Formation of nouns using a range of prefixes, such as super-, anti-, auto- - Use of the forms a or an according to whether the next word begins with a consonant or a vowel (e.g. a rock, an open box) - Word families based on common words - Expressing time, place and cause using: à conjunctions (e.g. when, before, after, while, so, because) à adverbs (e.g. then, next, soon, therefore) à prepositions (e.g. before, after, during, in, because of) - Use of the present perfect form of verbs instead of the simple past (e.g. he has gone out to play contrasted with he went out to play - Introduction to inverted commas to punctuate direct speech - Difference between main and subordinate clauses - Possessive apostrophe | - The grammatical difference between plural and possessive –s - Standard English forms for verb inflections instead of local spoken forms (e.g. we were instead of we was, or I did instead of I done) - Fronted adverbials: use of commas after fronted adverbials (e.g. Later that day, I heard the bad news) - Noun phrases expanded by the addition of modifying adjectives, nouns and preposition phrases (e.g. the teacher expanded to the strict maths teacher with curly hair) - Use of inverted commas and other punctuation to indicate direct speech (e.g. a comma after the reporting clause; end punctuation within inverted commas. The conductor shouted, “Sit down!”) - Apostrophes to mark singular and plural possession (e.g. the girl’s name, the girls’ names)
| - Converting nouns or adjectives into verbs using suffixes (e.g.-ate, -ise, - ify) - Verb prefixes (e.g. dis-, de-, mis-, over- and re-) - Relative clauses beginning with who, which, where, when, whose, that or an omitted relative pronoun - Indicating degrees of possibility using modal verbs (e.g. might, should, will, must) - Indicating degrees of possibility using adverbs (e.g. perhaps, surely) - Brackets, dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis - Use of commas to clarify meaning or avoid ambiguity | - The difference between vocabulary typical of informal speech and vocabulary appropriate for formal speech and writing (e.g. said - reported, alleged, or claimed, find out – discover, ask for – request, go – enter) - How words are related by meaning as synonyms and antonyms (e.g. big, large, little) - Use of the passive voice to affect the presentation of information in a sentence [e.g. I broke the window in the greenhouse,’ versus ‘The window in the greenhouse was broken (by me)]. - The difference between structures typical of informal speech and structures appropriate for formal speech and writing (such as the use of question tags, e.g. He’s your friend, isn’t he? or the use of the subjunctive forms such as If I were or were they to come in some very formal writing and speech) - Use of the semi-colon, colon and dash to mark the boundary between independent clauses (e.g. It’s raining; I’m fed up) - Use of the colon to introduce a list and use of semi-colons within lists - Punctuation of bullet points to list information - How hyphens can be used to avoid ambiguity (e.g. man eating shark versus man-eating shark, or recover versus re-cover) |
Spelling
At Thorpe Acre Junior School we aim to teach children to be confident and accurate spellers. As well as providing children with a strong foundation for spelling through our discrete spelling sessions, we support individuals to find the strategies and techniques that work best for them.
In spelling sessions, teachers emphasise the relationship between the sounds and the letters, even when the spelling pattern is more unusual, and children are encouraged to explore patterns for themselves within words. They also learn to recognise and apply new spelling patterns and strategies independently over a 4-week period of chosen rules.
The word list for Years 3 and 4 and the word list for Years 5 and 6 are statutory and are listed in the English National Curriculum- Spelling: Appendix 1. The lists feature a mixture of words pupils use frequently in their writing and those which they often misspell. These words are taught within the spelling sessions, and a few are focused on each week to ensure coverage by the end of the year group phase.
Children will bring home a set of words to practise each week, which supports the spelling patterns learnt in school. It is expected that children will practise their spellings at home to reinforce the learning in class.