Writing a section of a narrative based on 'The Borrowers' (part 2)

English

In this unit, pupils learn to use a range of fronted adverbials and adverbial clauses to add descriptive detail. In 'A Christmas Carol', pupils will learn to write a short narrative from a film. 

In 'The Firework Maker's Daughter', pupils developed the skill of writing speech, including using adverbs to describe the speech in further detail. In this unit, pupils will learn to use a range of fronted adverbials and adverbial clauses to add descriptive detail.

In this unit, pupils explore 'The Borrowers' through reading and writing activities. They sequence key events, analyse the setting and characters and write a descriptive setting piece. Pupils also plan, write, and edit sections of the build-up, developing their narrative writing skills.

'The Borrowers': narrative writing and reading

Match the type of fronted adverbial to the correct example.

Arrietty ran through the luscious grass towards the base of a tree.

Arrietty laid out on the grass and basked in the rays.

she caught sight of something unusual and concerning.

Match the fronted adverbial to the appropriate main clause.

Match the rhetorical question to the appropriate follow-up statement.

to convey a character's thoughts/feelings

to let the reader know how the author feels

What is the purpose of a rhetorical question in narrative writing?

Arrietty was unsure what it was, but she felt alarmed.

As she made her way through the fresh grass, she took a joyful skip.

Match the sentence type to the correct example.

Arrietty enjoyed the freedom of the outdoors.

Arrietty spotted something that alarmed her.

Arrietty realised she was looking at the eye of a human “bean”!

Order the following events from the build-up.

Arietty ran through the soft, fresh grass.

Across the grass, Arrietty saw a strange, unknown thing.

Arrietty basked in the glorious sunlight and her face glowed.

Her heart started beating fast as s didn't know what it was.

Which sentences convey a peaceful and happy atmosphere?

to build action and suspense, leading up to the climax

to take the action and suspense to its highest point

What is the purpose of the build-up in a narrative?

the building of action and suspense that leads up to the climax

Match the keywords to the correct defintions.

showing a character’s feelings by just explicitly saying the feeling

showing a character’s feelings with description of their actions and expressions

True or false? We use the notes from our plan to form full sentences.

Starter Quiz