Grade 05: English

In this unit, 'Reading fiction and non-fiction', you learn to compare a story and an information text on the same topic. Lessons are short and playful, with objects, pictures and talk. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Reading fiction and non-fiction' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: compare a story and an information text on the same topic, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Read the story extract. 'Pip the little bat peeped out of the cave at dusk. His heart thumped as the night wind tickled his wings. He was afraid of owls, but his tummy rumbled, so he flew.' Note who is in it, where it is and what happens.
2. Step 2, Read the information text on the same topic. 'Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. Many bats hunt at night. They make high sounds and listen for the echoes, which helps them find insects in the dark.' Note the facts, not the feelings.
3. Step 3, Make a two-column list. Story: a named character, feelings (afraid, hungry), made-up events, written in the past tense. Information: facts that can be checked (bats are mammals, they use echoes), no characters, mostly the present tense. Each column shows the writer's purpose.
4. Step 4, Find what is the same. Both texts are about bats, both mention night, and both say bats are active in the dark. The story shows it through Pip leaving at dusk, and the information text states it directly. This is the common ground.
5. Step 5, Write a comparison. 'Both texts tell us that bats come out at night. The story entertains us by showing how Pip feels, whereas the information text teaches us facts such as using echoes to find insects.' Words like both, whereas and but join ideas.
6. Step 6, Your turn: a story says 'Rani watched the seed sprout and cheered' and an information text says 'A seed needs water, warmth and air to sprout.' Compare them in one sentence. Model answer: Both are about seeds sprouting; the story shows Rani's joy, while the information text gives facts about what a seed needs.

Activity. About 20 to 30 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: one page in your learning book.

Standard to meet. Compare a story and an information text on the same topic: at least 4 of 5 attempts correct, said or written, with one real example from home or school.

In this unit, 'Pronouns, conjunctions and clauses', you learn to join ideas with conjunctions and use pronouns to avoid repeating. Lessons are short and playful, with objects, pictures and talk. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Pronouns, conjunctions and clauses' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: join ideas with conjunctions and use pronouns to avoid repeating, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Join two sentences with a coordinating conjunction. Two sentences: "I like tea. I don't like coffee." Joined: "I like tea, but I don't like coffee." Use FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so, with a comma before it.
2. Step 2, Join with a subordinating conjunction. "I took an umbrella because it was raining." "Although it was late, we kept working." Reason: a subordinate clause cannot stand alone; the main clause can.
3. Step 3, Use a comma after an introductory clause. "When the bell rang, the students left." "If you study, you will pass." Reason: the comma separates the introductory clause from the main clause.
4. Step 4, Use pronouns to avoid repeating. Repeated: "The girl took the girl's book and gave the girl's book to the girl's friend." Better: "The girl took her book and gave it to her friend." Pronouns: her, it.
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Run-on: "I was tired I went to bed." Right: "I was tired, so I went to bed." Fragment: "Because it was raining." Right: "We stayed home because it was raining." A clause beginning with because needs a main clause.
6. Step 6, Check the pronoun reference. Unclear: "The manager told the clerk that he was late." Who is "he"? Clear: "The manager told the clerk, 'You are late.'" or "The manager told the clerk that the manager was late." Reason: every pronoun must have one clear noun.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Join and shorten: "The girl was hungry. The girl made a sandwich. The sandwich was big." Model answer: "Because the girl was hungry, she made a big sandwich." Or: "The girl was hungry, so she made a big sandwich."

Activity. About 20 to 30 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: one page in your learning book.

Standard to meet. Join ideas with conjunctions and use pronouns to avoid repeating: at least 4 of 5 attempts correct, said or written, with one real example from home or school.

In this unit, 'Informal and formal letters', you learn to write letters with correct layout and tone. Lessons are short and playful, with objects, pictures and talk. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Informal and formal letters' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: write letters with correct layout and tone, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Set out an informal letter. Top right: your address, then the date. Left: 'Dear Meena,'. Then paragraphs, and at the end 'Your friend,' with your name. Example opening: 'Hi Meena! Guess what, we are moving to a new house!' Friends use chatty words and exclamation marks.
2. Step 2, Set out a formal letter. Top: your address and the date. Under that: the name and address of the person you write to. Add 'Dear Sir or Madam,' and a subject line such as 'Request for a library card'. Then the body and the ending with your name.
3. Step 3, Match the ending to the greeting. If you begin 'Dear Sir or Madam', end with 'Yours faithfully'. If you begin with a name, such as 'Dear Mr Khan', end with 'Yours sincerely'. Informal letters end with 'Love' or 'Your friend'. This pairing is a common rule.
4. Step 4, Change the tone. Informal: 'Can you give me a bigger desk? Mine is tiny!' Formal: 'I would be grateful if you could provide a larger desk, as mine is too small.' Formal letters use full forms (I would, do not), polite words and no slang.
5. Step 5, Write a short formal letter. 'Dear Sir or Madam, I am a Grade 5 student. I am writing to request an extra week to return my library book, as I have not finished it. Thank you for your help. Yours faithfully, Ravi.' Read it to check the tone.
6. Step 6, Your turn: write two opening sentences, one to a friend and one to the principal, asking to borrow a football. Model answer: Friend: 'Hi Sara! Can I borrow your football on Saturday?' Principal: 'Dear Sir or Madam, I would like to request permission to borrow a football for our class.'

Activity. About 20 to 30 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: one page in your learning book.

Standard to meet. Write letters with correct layout and tone: at least 4 of 5 attempts correct, said or written, with one real example from home or school.

In this unit, 'Narrative writing', you learn to plan and write a story with setting, problem and resolution. Lessons are short and playful, with objects, pictures and talk. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Narrative writing' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: plan and write a story with setting, problem and resolution, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Plan with three boxes: setting, problem, resolution. Setting: the school garden on a hot Monday. Problem: the tap is broken and the seedlings are wilting. Resolution: the children carry water in cups and save the plants. A plan keeps the story from wandering.
2. Step 2, Write the setting first. 'It was a hot Monday morning in the school garden. The sun blazed, the soil was dry and the little seedlings stood in neat rows.' Say where and when, and use two or three details that we can see and feel.
3. Step 3, Introduce the problem. 'Suddenly Nina gasped. The seedlings were drooping, and the tap would not turn.' A problem is what the main character wants to fix. Use a short sentence to build tension, and write in the past tense throughout.
4. Step 4, Build to the resolution. 'Nina had an idea. She ran to the water cooler, filled a cup and hurried back. Soon the whole class made a line, passing cups from hand to hand.' Show the steps in order, using then, soon and after that.
5. Step 5, End the story. 'By lunchtime every seedling had a drink. Nina smiled as the leaves lifted towards the sun.' The ending solves the problem and shows how the character feels. Check capital letters, speech marks and that the tense stays the same.
6. Step 6, Your turn: plan a story in three boxes about a lost kite. Model answer: Setting: a windy beach on Saturday. Problem: the kite string snaps and the kite flies away. Resolution: a fisherman finds it caught on a post and returns it.

Activity. About 20 to 30 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: one page in your learning book.

Standard to meet. Plan and write a story with setting, problem and resolution: at least 4 of 5 attempts correct, said or written, with one real example from home or school.

In this unit, 'Poetry and imagery', you learn to find simile and metaphor and write a short poem. Lessons are short and playful, with objects, pictures and talk. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Poetry and imagery' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: find simile and metaphor and write a short poem, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Learn simile. A simile compares two things using like or as. 'She is as busy as a bee.' 'He ran like the wind.' Look for the signal words like and as. A simile says one thing is similar to another.
2. Step 2, Learn metaphor. A metaphor says one thing is another, with no like or as. 'The classroom was a zoo.' It does not mean animals are present; it means the room was noisy and wild. A metaphor is stronger and shorter than a simile.
3. Step 3, Find them in a poem. 'The wind is a restless dog, / It runs like a racer through the grass, / The moon is a silver coin.' Metaphors: wind is a restless dog, moon is a silver coin. Simile: runs like a racer. Check for like or as before deciding.
4. Step 4, Say what each one shows. 'Restless dog' tells us the wind is always moving and cannot sit still. 'Silver coin' tells us the moon is round and shiny. Ask what the two things share, and say it in a sentence.
5. Step 5, Write a short poem with one simile and one metaphor. 'The rain is a drummer, / It beats on the roof. / The puddles, like mirrors, / Shine back at the sky.' Underline the metaphor (rain is a drummer) and the simile (like mirrors).
6. Step 6, Your turn: find the simile and the metaphor in 'The sun is a golden balloon. Its light is as warm as a hug.' Answer: Metaphor: the sun is a golden balloon. Simile: 'as warm as a hug', because it uses as.

Activity. About 20 to 30 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: one page in your learning book.

Standard to meet. Find simile and metaphor and write a short poem: at least 4 of 5 attempts correct, said or written, with one real example from home or school.

In this unit, 'Comprehension and inference', you learn to answer questions that need reading between the lines. Lessons are short and playful, with objects, pictures and talk. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Comprehension and inference' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: answer questions that need reading between the lines, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Understand the idea. Some answers are not written in the text. The writer gives clues, and you add what you already know to work out the answer. This is reading between the lines, or inference. Use the pattern: clue plus what I know equals my answer.
2. Step 2, Try one. 'Ravi stood at the door, his coat dripping and his umbrella broken. He sighed and looked at the clock.' Question: what was the weather? Clues: dripping coat, broken umbrella. What I know: coats drip in rain. Answer: it was raining heavily, perhaps windy.
3. Step 3, Make a second inference from the same passage. Question: how does Ravi feel? Clue: he sighed and looked at the clock. A sigh can mean tiredness or worry, and looking at the clock suggests he may be late. Inference: he is tired and worried about the time.
4. Step 4, Check your inference. Can you point to a clue in the text? 'Dripping' and 'broken' support rain. If you cannot find a clue, you are guessing, not inferring. A good inference makes sense with every sentence of the passage.
5. Step 5, Write the answer in a full sentence with evidence. 'I think it was raining because Ravi's coat was dripping and his umbrella was broken.' Use because to join your answer to the clue. This shows the examiner how you worked it out.
6. Step 6, Your turn: 'Ali checked his pockets three times, then walked back to the playground, looking at the ground.' What do you think happened? Answer: Ali lost something. Evidence: he checked his pockets three times and went back to the playground, looking at the ground.

Activity. About 20 to 30 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: one page in your learning book.

Standard to meet. Answer questions that need reading between the lines: at least 4 of 5 attempts correct, said or written, with one real example from home or school.

In this unit, 'Vocabulary and word origins', you learn to use prefixes, suffixes and roots to work out meanings. Lessons are short and playful, with objects, pictures and talk. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Vocabulary and word origins' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: use prefixes, suffixes and roots to work out meanings, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Use a prefix to unlock a meaning. "Pre-" means before: preview is a view before. "Inter-" means between: international is between nations. "Sub-" means under: submarine is under the sea.
2. Step 2, Use a root to unlock families. Root "port" means carry: transport (carry across), export (carry out), portable (can be carried). Reason: one root makes many words, and knowing it helps you guess unfamiliar words.
3. Step 3, Use a suffix to find word class. -tion makes a noun: educate becomes education. -able makes an adjective: read becomes readable. -ly makes an adverb: clear becomes clearly. Reason: the ending signals what the word does.
4. Step 4, Trace an origin. The word "telephone" joins Greek tele (far) and phone (sound): a far sound. Also "telescope" (far + see). Reason: shared roots link words and give clues to meaning.
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Wrong: "The submarine is above the water" (a student thinking sub- means up). Right: "The submarine travels below the water." Check the prefix meaning against the context.
6. Step 6, Work out an unknown word. Sentence: "The scientist wanted to transport the samples across the country." Clue: trans- (across) + port (carry). Meaning: to carry across. Check: it fits the sentence.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Define "unpredictable" and "export" using parts. Model answer: "unpredictable" = un- (not) + pre- (before) + dict (say) + -able (can be): cannot be said beforehand. "Export" = ex- (out) + port (carry): to carry out.

Activity. About 20 to 30 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: one page in your learning book.

Standard to meet. Use prefixes, suffixes and roots to work out meanings: at least 4 of 5 attempts correct, said or written, with one real example from home or school.

In this unit, 'Speaking and debate', you learn to give an opinion with reasons and respond to a different view. Lessons are short and playful, with objects, pictures and talk. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Speaking and debate' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: give an opinion with reasons and respond to a different view, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, State your opinion in one sentence. "I believe schools should start later in the morning." Reason: a clear opinion tells the audience what you are arguing.
2. Step 2, Support with reasons and evidence. "First, teenagers need more sleep; studies show tired students learn less. Second, later starts reduce late arrivals." Reason: each reason needs support so it is not just opinion.
3. Step 3, Respond to a different view. Opponent: "A later start means a later finish." You: "That's true, but afternoon clubs can adjust their schedules." Reason: acknowledge the point, then answer it.
4. Step 4, Use debate phrases. "I agree that..., but..." "That is a fair point; however..." "On the other hand..." Reason: these phrases keep a debate respectful and organised.
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Weak: "You are wrong because it is just stupid." Better: "I disagree because evidence shows the opposite." Another error: attacking the person. Right: challenge the idea, not the speaker.
6. Step 6, Close the argument. "In conclusion, a later start improves sleep, learning and punctuality, so I urge the school to change." Reason: a conclusion repeats your opinion and ends strongly.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Give an opinion on homework with two reasons and a reply to a different view. Model answer: "Homework should be short because rest matters, and because family time matters. Some say it builds discipline; however, short tasks can do that too."

Activity. About 20 to 30 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: one page in your learning book.

Standard to meet. Give an opinion with reasons and respond to a different view: at least 4 of 5 attempts correct, said or written, with one real example from home or school.

On the slide: L1 Basic · Letters, sounds and first reading

Notes: Match letters to sounds and read short words and simple sentences aloud. Notes: use the sounds s, a, t, p, i, n; learners blend them into sat, pin and tap, then read a three-word sentence and clap the syllables.

On the slide: L2 Awareness · Sentences and simple writing

Notes: Write a clear sentence with a capital letter and full stop, and read a short story with understanding. Notes: give a picture prompt; learners say the sentence first, write it, and check capital, spacing and full stop with a partner before reading it aloud.

This course: Grade 05 English is at this level. Its units include Reading fiction and non-fiction; Pronouns, conjunctions and clauses; Informal and formal letters; Narrative writing and more.

On the slide: L3 Foundation · Paragraphs, grammar and reading for meaning

Notes: Write a paragraph of five connected sentences and identify nouns, verbs and adjectives in a text. Notes: colour nouns blue and verbs red in a short passage; learners then write about their street, using at least two adjectives and one linking word.

On the slide: L4 Practitioner · Essays, speaking and responding to texts

Notes: Write a 300-word structured essay and give a short talk, quoting evidence from a text to support a view. Notes: model Point, Evidence, Explain; learners write one paragraph about a character, quote one line, and explain what it shows, then speak it aloud.

On the slide: L5 Specialist · Analysis, argument and style

Notes: Analyse a writer's choices of language and structure and write a sustained argument of 600 words. Notes: take two openings of different short stories; learners compare tone, sentence length and imagery in a table, then argue which opening works better and why.

On the slide: L6 Advanced · Literary and linguistic study

Notes: Evaluate texts through a critical lens, tracing how language changes across time and context in a researched essay. Notes: compare an older and a modern passage; learners list five differences in vocabulary and syntax and argue in 1,500 words what each reveals about its period.

On the slide: L7 Super expert · Research, editing and authorship

Notes: Produce an original piece of research or a polished long-form text, with a literature review and defended method. Notes: pick a narrow question about language in one genre; build a corpus of fifty samples, analyse patterns, write 5,000 words, and revise after external review.