These resources are the product of my retirement! After years as a teacher, I tutored. Tackling different exam boards, texts and aspects of English I had to develop lots of materials, which I'm hoping will help those of you still at the chalk face.
These resources are the product of my retirement! After years as a teacher, I tutored. Tackling different exam boards, texts and aspects of English I had to develop lots of materials, which I'm hoping will help those of you still at the chalk face.
Suitable for KS3 students, these 4 short topical texts, written as articles, have questions which include vocabulary, language analysis and information retrieval, so may be useful as pre-GCSE work. Answer sheets are provided so these could be used for homework or tuition, or maybe as an exam. A descriptive writing task is also given. Marks are allocated: 25 for writing and 25 for reading. The four topics are: the resurgence of traditional crafts; the role of paramedics; the RNLI & darts. The sheets can be edited. These sheets are similar in style to my free worksheet on the start of ‘Hard Times’
These 4 comprehensions contain various types of questions: vocabulary, information retrieval and language analysis. They could be useful for introducing a pre-twentieth century text and for introducing some of the styles of questions now on the GCSE 9-1. They could be used individually or in pairs or small groups. To see a similar resource, check out my free comprehension on the start of Hard Times
These 3 comprehensions from Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels contain a mixture of questions on vocabulary, information retrieval and language analysis. Useful as a way of introducing pre-twentieth century prose, as well as introducing the types of questions which appear on the GCSE 9-1. They could be used in pair work, small groups or as an individual task. To see the type of resource, check out my free worksheet on the start of Hard Times.
To aid revision and allow students to revisit key aspects of the text, here are useful quotations on the main characters (Jekyll, Hyde, Utterson, Lanyon, Poole); the main theme of duality, (& a few on reputation) and some on setting. There are links to the chapters for easy reference.
For the GCSE Literature, component 1, Shakespeare, here are 15 more extracts from Romeo & Juliet, with questions in the style of the 2017 paper, to provide students with revision in the form of exam practice. These questions are on characters and themes, and cover a range of scenes.
Using the GCSE 9-1 specimen materials as a guide, these 10 extracts from part 3 of the novel, (chapters 40-59), have both questions a) and b) to allow effective revision and exam practice of firstly, close analysis of the extract, and secondly, linking its ideas to another part of the text.
For OCR GCSE, these 15 extracts each have two questions, one on the extract and one, more general, on themes and characters, as on past and sample questions. These should provide students with lots of exam practice and revision for the Literature exam.
CIE 15 extracts from all 3 books of Hard Times, each about 50-70 lines, followed by two questions as in the sample exam papers,to provide exam practice and help with revision for students following the Cambridge Literature IGCSE. The sheets can be edited if required
Based on the specimen GCSE (9-1) materials, these 10 extracts from part 2 of the novel (chapters 20-39) have both questions a) and b) in order to provide effective revision and exam practice.
For EDEXCEL GCSE 9-1 Literature, the Shakespeare section, here are 15 more extracts, with questions in the style of the exam paper to provide effective revision n the form of exam practice. These questions aren characters and themes and cover a range of different scenes.
Similar to my free resources on Hard Times & Wuthering Heights, here are three more comprehensions: Dracula, Moriarty,(from Sherlock Holmes) & The Mayor of Casterbridge when he was a travelling worker who auctions his wife. They are similar in that there is a mixture of questions: information recall, vocabulary and language analysis. Each editable sheet also has a descriptive writing task. Suggested answers are also provided. These would be useful to prepare students for the demands of GCSE, as homework tasks, exams, tuition or for 13+ exam practice etc
For CIE Literature, 22 practice papers on Great Expectations, Part 3. Each paper has an extract and extract-based question and a general question on character or theme, as on the exam itself.
For the Shakespeare section of the 9-1 GCSE literature exam, here are 15 more extracts with questions, in the style of the exam paper to provide students with revision in the form of exam practice. The questions are on characters and themes, and feature a range if scenes, both well known and less so.
Based on the GCSE 9-1 specimen materials, these 10 files have both an extract question from part 3 of the novel, (chapters 40-59) and a general question on the novel in order to provide revision and effective exam practice for students.
Similar to the extracts made on part 1, these 10 extracts, with questions, are taken from part 2 of the novel, (chapters 20-39). They also have additional questions, as in the specimen GCSE 9-1 materials, to provide effective revision and exam practice.
For CIE Literature, 20 practice papers on Dickens’ Great Expectations, part 1 (chapters 1-19). Each paper has an extract, extract-based question and a general question on character or theme, as on the exam itself.
4 pairs of poems with questions designed for pupils to explore each poem, and then compare both. There’s an essay question on each pair of poems if required. The worksheets are designed for individual or pair work, to prepare KS3 students for comparative work at GCSE or to prepare KS4 pupils for unseen poetry. The questions look at meaning, structure and language. The poems are: Vitai Lampada-Sir Henry Newbolt & Play the Game-Jessie Pope; Drummer Hodge-Thomas Hardy & The Soldier-Rupert Brooke; Roundel & Epitaph On My Days In Hopital-Vera Brittain and Marching Men-Marjorie Pickthall & The Send Off by Wilfred Owen
Taken chronologically from this great short story, these comprehensions are good preparation for the 9-1 GCSE. There are a range of questions: vocabulary, information recall, language analysis etc, with suggested marks. Thus would also be useful revision if the story was being studied in a Gothic or horror scheme.
