Grammar for Writing

Grammar lessons that help pupils write more clearly, accurately, and confidently in the 11+.

4articles

Subject-Verb Agreement: Avoiding the Errors Examiners Notice

Explain subject-verb agreement with clear examples and address the cases that trip up Year 5/6 students: collective nouns, sentences starting with "there is/there are", compound subjects joined by "and" or "or", and sentences where the subject and verb are separated by a prepositional phrase. Use ten correct and ten incorrect examples, asking students to identify which are wrong and why. Keep explanations brief and example-heavy; grammar is best learned by seeing patterns, not memorising rules.

9 min readIntermediate

Active vs Passive Voice: When to Use Each in 11+ Writing

Explain the difference between active and passive voice with simple examples ("The dog bit the man" vs "The man was bitten by the dog"). Discuss why active voice is generally stronger and more engaging for creative writing. Then cover the exceptions: when passive voice is useful for mystery (who did it?), for emphasising the action over the actor, or for formal writing in comprehension passages. Include a conversion exercise where students switch sentences between active and passive, and a paragraph analysis where they identify which voice is used and why.

9 min readIntermediate to Advanced

Using Colons and Dashes for Effect in 11+ Writing

Move beyond basic punctuation and teach students how colons and dashes can add dramatic effect to their writing. Colons introduce explanations, lists, or dramatic reveals ("She opened the door: the room was empty."). Dashes create pauses, interruptions, or asides. Show how these punctuation marks can replace overused connectives and make writing feel more sophisticated. Provide ten example sentences and a paragraph transformation exercise. Note that examiners are impressed by correct use of colons and dashes because most Year 5/6 students do not attempt them.

9 min readIntermediate

Modal Verbs for Precise Meaning in 11+ Writing

Introduce modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would) and explain how they express possibility, obligation, permission, and certainty. Cover how precise modal choice changes meaning and how modals create character voice in dialogue and internal monologue.

8 min readIntermediate

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