blog & tips

11+ Perfect Punctuation Half-term 5-day Course for the Sutton and Tiffin Stage 2 Writing Exams

Hello! I’m incredibly excited to invite you to enroll your child in a week-long immersion into the mysterious world of punctuation. By the end of the week, your child will:

1) Walk away with knowledge of ALL punctuation required for the competitive Stage 2 Creative Writing Exams.

2) Understand how to use advanced punctuation in DIFFERENT ways, to create nuance in meaning and dazzle any marker.

3) Have made progress in every lesson.

4) Have rehearsed and written practice examples of both basic and advanced punctuation in fiction AND nonfiction.

5) Have a personal plan with suggestions for next steps, and how to keep practising and improving deliberately, bringing them towards full preparation for exam day.

The course is designed for Y5 children preparing in their final year before exam season starts, or high-achieving Y4 children looking to get ahead of the crowd.

Please note, these micro-classes have a maximum of 3 young writers. Enjoy the benefits of personalised tutor feedback and instruction alongside the benefits of peer learning.

Currently, only 2 places remaining, so please do act fast. I look forward to welcoming your child in May.

Have a wonderful week of learning,

Lee

11+ Perfect Punctuation Half-term 5-day Course for the Sutton and Tiffin Stage 2 Writing Exams

Hello! I’m incredibly excited to invite you to enroll your child in a week-long immersion into the mysterious world of punctuation. By the end of the week, your child will have:

1) Knowledge of ALL punctuation essential to impress markers in creative writing exams.

2) An understanding of how to use advanced punctuation in DIFFRENT ways, to create nuance in meaning and dazzle any marker.

3) Made progress in every lesson.

4) Rehearsed and written practice examples of both basic and advanced punctuation in fiction AND nonfiction.

5) A plan for how to continue using the full range of punctuation in their own practice work, so they can use it confidently and accurately on exam day.

This is perfect for Y5 children preparing in their final year before exam season starts, or high-achieving Y4 children looking to get ahead of the crowd.

Please note, these are incredibly small micro-classes with a maximum of 3 young writers, to enable the best possible results from combining the joy of peer learning with the focused 1:1 guidance of a tutor – that’s me.

Let’s make a difference this May!

Have a wonderful bank holiday of life and learning, Lee

Exclusive 1:1 Online Tuition!

If you’re searching for happy, successful 1:1 English tuition – no groups – please get in touch at leemottram@11plushappy.com, and visit http://www.11plushappy.com to learn more about me, my books and my lessons.

Let’s help your child reach their highest mark!

Regards, Lee Mottram,

BA English Literature, PGCE Primary Teacher, 17 years tuition experience

24-25 Successes include: Tiffin Girls & Boys, Sutton Grammar, Nonsuch Girls, Wallington Girls, Wallington Boys, Halifax Grammars, KGS, Freemans

Words of the week that your child can add to their writing (taken from a new upcoming book release)

Good morning, winter parents, tutors and children! I wanted to share a set of words from a story I’ve just finished writing, which will be included in an upcoming 11plushappy! book of fiction models. I thought, why wait till the book is out? They might help you now.

Each story model I’m putting in the book comes with a VVV – Very Varied Vocabulary – section, with ambitious vocabulary used in the story, along with meanings as they’re used in the story.

Vocabulary development is a vital tool for eleven plus writing – rare or advanced words, especially if they’ve been revised and the spelling is correct, will stand out from the crowd. Beyond the 11 plus, vocabulary is a superpower to help reading, writing and speaking. As Dr Seuss remarked, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Remember that some of the words below can have more than one meaning. Indeed, they can also be different types of words. Venture, for example, is a verb for doing something or going somewhere that has risks, but it’s also a noun, the name of a particular venture. (Did you see I added an adjective before the noun to describe it?)

So use these words and meanings below as a springboard. The meanings I give are how I’ve used them in my story, and this can be a very quick hack to getting your child to use them quickly. Do have fun digging deep into all that a word can be alongside this.

Words you can use and what they mean in the story

Volume (noun): How loud something is. (I am talking about flooding river water, so it’s also a pun on another meaning of liquid volume or capacity, which means how much liquid is in the river.)

Pummelling (verb): Hitting something or someone many times, often with fists.

Affrighted (adjective): Very scared or frightened.

Instructed (verb): Told someone how to do something; gave directions.

Principal (adjective): Most important.

Thus (adverb): In this way; as a result, therefore we can say that. A fantastic sentence starter!

Venture (verb): To go somewhere or do something that might be risky.

Wretchedly (adverb): In a very unhappy, miserable way.

Reciprocated (verb): Responded to something in the same way (like returning a smile or kindness).

All-consuming (adjective): Taking up all your attention, energy, or feelings.

Seized (verb): Grabbed something quickly and firmly.

Impulse (noun): A sudden desire to do something without thinking.

Subdued (adjective): Quiet, gentle, or not as strong as usual.

Distressed (adjective): Very upset, worried, or in trouble.

Clacking (noun): A sharp, clicking sound, the sound of knocking stones together.

Inevitable (adjective): Something that is sure to happen and can’t be avoided.

Anguish (noun): Very strong pain or sadness.

Anticipate (verb): To expect something to happen; to look forward to something.

Flood-borne (adjective): Carried or brought by floodwaters.

Prodigious (adjective): Very large, amazing, or impressive.

Silhouette (noun): A dark outline or shape of something seen against a lighter background.

Mercifully (adverb): Thankfully; in a way that brings relief or kindness.

Presently (adverb): Soon; in a short time.

Occurred (verb): Happened; took place.

Clamber (verb): To climb awkwardly using hands and feet.

Makeshift (adjective): Temporary and not perfect, but good enough for now.

What wonderful words. I hope your child will be able to put some or all of these into their writing this week. If your child does add them in a story, I’d love to read it, so please do email it in at leemottram@11plushappy.com.

Right, back to writing the book! Have a wonderful winter day of learning. If you’re considering tuition as the season of winter fire glow, crisp dark nights, Christmas lights and mulled wine begins, do get in touch at leemottram@11plushappy.com. Giving the gift of education could be the most rewarding gift of all. If you’d like to treat a relative – a son, daughter, niece or nephew to a lesson or two, please do let me know, gift certificates are available. And do please visit www.11plushappy.com for paperback books to help your child’s learning.

Have a wonderful winter week of wonder and words.

Lee, London

Creative Writing Happy Tip: Subscribe to this blog!

Boo! A very short hello as you prepare for 11plus pr…oh, no , sorry, I mean Halloween today. If you’re serious about your child being the best prepared they can be for their creative writing exam, it’s wise to dip into different sources and formats of tests, as well as alternative advice and how-to’s. You gain the widest net of knowledge and perspective. That goes for resources too. There are books on my website that are dedicated to 11plus creative writing, that will give you a fresh, expert (I tutor 6 days a week) approach to transforming or enhancing your child’s writing.

There’s also this blog, where I post daily thoughts and strategies to improve your child’s writing, along with other aspects of the 11plus English exam. Think of it as the networking equivalent of an after school or before school parent teacher meeting, with insider advice you can put into practice as fast as a firework, and much faster than carving a pumpkin. So please, do subscribe, whether you’re a parent, grandparent, fellow tutor or teacher, or anyone helping children learn, and let me help you along the wonderful road that is the 11plus.

11plus Happy Halloween!

Lee, London.