'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore. A festive classic poem comprehension to challenge upper KS2. Also suitable for KS3. Focus is on understanding and finding relevant information, figurative language, vocabulary and personal responses. Answer key provided for time-saving. PPT presentation of poem also included.

The Woman In Black. Susan Hill. Reading comprehension suitable for KS3/4 . The extract is taken from chapter 5 Across the Causeway as Arthur Kipps explores the grounds of Eel Marsh House. Focus is on the writer’s use of language and how this contributes to the build up of a sinister atmosphere. Language use covered includes writer’s word choices, figurative language, connotations, contrast and tone. Answer Key included for time-saving.

The Woman In Black. Susan Hill. Reading comprehension suitable for KS3/4 . The extract is taken from chapter 1 Christmas Eve as Arthur Kipps is feeling a sense of well-being he prepares for Christmas with his family. However, there are hints of dreadful unhappiness from the past and Arthur is determined not to let these memories reawaken and mar his contentment. Focus is on vocabulary; the use of explicit and implicit information and the writer’s use of language and how this contributes to the overall mood of the narrator. Language use covered includes writer’s word choices, figurative language, connotations and tone. Answer Key included for time-saving.

The Woman In Black. Susan Hill. Reading comprehension suitable for KS3/4 . The extract is taken from chapter 5 Across the Causeway when Arthur Kipps comes face to face with the Woman in Black in the grounds of Eel Marsh House. Focus is on the writer’s use of language and how this contributes to the build up an atmosphere of fear and tension. Language use covered includes writer’s word choices, figurative language and inference. Answer Key included for time-saving.

Extract with vocabulary and literary techniques task to develop understanding of Dicken’s use of languge for effect. Answer Key. Techniques include: • simile • metaphor • onomatopoeia • alliteration • repetition/triplet • list • hyperbole

Classic poem The Frost by Hannah Flagg Gould (1789-1865). Reading comprehension with answers for time-saving. Focus on exploring literary devices and inference skills. Suitable for KS3 or higher ability KS2.

The Woman In Black. Susan Hill. Reading comprehension suitable for KS3/4. The extract is from Chapter 2 A London Particular Focus is on how the writer uses olanguage to build up a powerful image of the London fog. Language covered includes the writer’s word choices, sensory language, figurative devices and pathetic fallacy. Answer Key included for time-saving.

Great Expectations. Charles Dickens. Reading comprehension suitable for KS3/4.The extract is taken from Chapter 8 when Pip is taken to Satis House to meet Miss Havisham. Focus is on the writer’s use of language to present Miss Havisham as a strange and mysterious figure. Answer Key included for time-saving.

Slide set 1 - techniques for planning a ghost/haunted house story, with the focus on uplevelling vocabulary, literary techniques and sentences for effect. Exemplar first paragraph writing sample for students to annotate for technique and to use as a springboard for continuing the narrative inside the house. Slide set 2 -techniques for creating narrative tension such as literary techniques, fronted adverbials, show don’t tell, punctuation etc.

The Listeners. Walter de la Mare. Classic poem comprehension to challenge upper KS2. Focus is on understanding and finding relevant information, figurative language, vocabulary and personal responses. Also included a slide presentation of poem. Answer key provided.

The Woman In Black. Susan Hill. Reading comprehension suitable for KS3/4 . The extract is taken from chapter 3 The Journey North as Arthur Kipps travels by train to Crythin Gifford to deal with Mrs Drablow’s estate. Focus is on the writer’s use of language and how this contributes to the build up of a gradually darkening atmosphere. Language use covered includes writer’s word choices, figurative language & pathetic fallacy, connotations, contrast and tone. Answer Key included for time-saving.

Five Halloween poem reading comprehensions for upper KS2. The Witches’ Ride - describes a traditional witch on a broom. October- combines a description of the season of Autumn with all the fun and mischief of Halloween Night. Ghost in the Garden - describes a mysterious ghostly presence or could it just be the poet’s imagination? Quieter than Snow - the narrator return to school a day early after the summer holidays only to discover the school is haunted. Song of the Witches- Shakespeare’s three witches from Macbeth brew their terrible potion. Focus is on understanding literary devices and their effects as well as inference & reasoning skills and use of rhythm & rhyme, with each poem increasing in challenge level. Bonus material- ISPACE Halloween sentence openers

Slides to introduce and give examples of persuasive techniques

AQA G.C.S.E ENGLISH A task for students to analyse the rhetorical and language devices employed by President Kennedy in his We Choose the Moon speech to persuade the American people to endorse the Space programme. -More than 20 rhetorical and language devices to identify from a list -Reading comprehension activity -Answer Key provided for time-saving

Reading comprehension based on John Foster’s poem Giant Winter which presents the battle between Winter and Spring as the seasons inevitably change . Focus is on literary devices and their effects, extended imagery and inference skills. Suitable for upper KS2 /lower KS3.

A ppt. to introduce Alliteration to KS2

A set of ten comprehension questions based on two paragraphs from the novel Fair’s Fair by Leon Garfield. Suitable for upper KS2. Focus is on understanding and finding relevant information, figurative language and personal responses. Worksheet with Answer Key