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Year 4 - English

Writing the opening of 'The Happy Prince'

'The Happy Prince': narrative writing and reading

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils write a full narrative based on a rewritten version of the classic 'The Happy Prince'. Pupils write an opening, build-up, climax and resolution, focusing on all parts of the narrative arc in turn and building a full understanding of how each narrative section builds on another.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to write the opening of 'The Happy Prince'.

Key Notes

  • The purpose of the opening is to engage the reader and introduce the setting and characters.
  • Using a range of sentence types (simple, compound and complex) improves text flow for the reader.
  • Direct speech is punctuated using inverted commas. Dialogue moves the action forward.
  • An adverbial clause is joined with a main clause to form an adverbial complex sentence.
  • Notes from the plan are used to form full sentences.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • text flow: how a text is written to keep the reader engaged
  • fronted adverbial: a sentence starter followed by a comma
  • past tense: shows that the action happened before now
  • direct speech: shows that a character is speaking out loud in a text

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils may struggle with remembering the comma rule in an adverbial complex sentence.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

The purpose of the opening is to engage the reader and introduce the setting and characters. Using a range of sentence types (simple, compound and complex) improves text flow for the reader.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'text flow'

how a text is written to keep the reader engaged.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils may struggle with remembering the comma rule in an adverbial complex sentence. Correction: Provide a visual scaffold of an adverbial complex sentence. Ask children to identify the subordinating conjunction that begins the adverbial clause and ensure that the visual highlights the comma rule.

More Lessons In This Unit

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