back to Free Learning Tips

BORING sentence game

14.03.24

 

During 11+ writing exams, there is little time to ponder word choices.✍️

So, it’s important to practice now and work out what makes an exciting sentence!👊

Here’s a fun task to try at home. It comes from the outstanding educator, Pie Corbett, and starts with a very dull sentence (try not to fall asleep).

Here’s the dull sentence: The mouse ate the cheese. 🧀

Now, improve it.

Interestingly, only a few things can be done to improve a sentence.
  1. 🧀 Add words in: The greedy mouse carefully ate the stale cheese.
  2. 🧀 Add on at the end: The mouse ate the cheese because it was hungry.
  3. 🧀 Add on at the beginning: While it was waiting, the mouse ate the cheese.
  4. 🧀 Change words: The rodent gnawed the cheddar.
  5. 🧀 Add in a simile: The mouse, like a tiny vampire, sank its teeth into the cheese.
  6. 🧀 Alliterate: The mindful mouse marvelled at the mouldy cheese.


Now, it’s your turn! Can you improve this dull sentence in six different ways?

Dull sentence: The dragon read a book. 🐉📖

  1. 🐉📖Add words in: ____________________________________
  2. 🐉📖Add on at the end: _______________________________
  3. 🐉📖Add on at the beginning: _________________________
  4. 🐉📖Change words: ____________________________________
  5. 🐉📖Add in a simile: ___________________________________
  6. 🐉📖Alliterate: _________________________________________


Have fun with your sentences!
Anna