Fix It Writing 1

Writing and
punctuating sentences

SESSION 01: CAPITAL LETTERS AND FULL STOPS

Open Ended

How can we spot a sentence?

What are the most important things in a sentence?

What is a sentence for?

A sentence is a group of words which are grammatically connected to each other and which usually includes a subject and a verb. Here is a complete sentence:

Most people like holidays.

It is a sentence because:

·      it has a subject (a ‘doer’) – ‘Most people’

·      it has a verb (a 'doing' word) – ‘like’

·      it starts with a capital letter and it ends with a full stop

·      it makes sense to us because it is complete.

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​Definition

Exercise

Look at the groups of words that follow. Are they sentences or not?

Multiple Choice

The beach was crowded and noisy.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

In the sea.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

Rock pools are good to explore.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

The rough waves.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

Because we were hungry.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

My mother was asleep.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

They went on the pier.

• Complete sentences

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

Running along the beach.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

My father smeared sunscreen on all of us.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

The sun was hot.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

Ice-cream.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

Playing football on the beach.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Multiple Choice

I dug carefully in the bright yellow sand.

• Complete sentence

• Not a complete sentence

Open Ended

Now, what is a sentence?

Most people like holidays. Beaches get very crowded in holiday times. Parents love to swim and sunbathe. Many children play happily in the warm sand.

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​Your own sentences

Open Ended

Write two more sentences of your own about holidays. Make sure:

(a) you start each sentence with a capital letter and end it with a full stop

(b) your sentences make sense.

Read the definition of a sentence again to remind you of what you need to make a sentence.

Now write a whole paragraph of your own with at least three sentences.

·      Write about something you are interested in.

·      Start each sentence with a capital letter and end it with a full stop.

·      Make sure that your sentences all include a subject and a verb.

·      Make all your sentences have the same basic topic (e.g. holidays or football).

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​Putting it together

Open Ended

Now write a whole paragraph of your own with at least three sentences.

The Best Holiday Ever

my sister and I ran through the sea she was laughing I was laughing too the water was warm the sky was blue the clouds were thin and pure white we splashed and sprayed the water at each other

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​Extension Task

Open Ended

1.    Put in punctuation to show the end of each sentence. (You should find seven sentences.)

2.    Put a capital letter at the start of each sentence.

My sister and I ran through the sea. She was laughing. I was laughing too. The water was warm. The sky was blue. The clouds were thin and pure white. We splashed and sprayed the water at each other.

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​Correct Answers

Multiple Select

What have you learned in this lesson?

Choose ALL that are correct.

• I must always use a capital letter at the start of a sentence.

• I must always make sure there is a subject and a verb in the sentence.

• I must always make sure my sentence makes sense.

• I must always end my sentence with the correct punctuation.