English Optional Tasks – Autumn Term

Below are optional English tasks. These activities focus on the writing skills we have worked on in class during the previous week.

Each week contains short Vocabulary, Writing Skills and Writing activities, followed by a ⭐ Challenge for anyone who would like to stretch themselves further.

Try to use your best vocabulary, punctuation and handwriting. Remember: quality is more important than quantity!

Week 1 – W/B Monday 21st September

Focus: Mortal Engines – Powerful Vocabulary and Description

Vocabulary

Improve these ordinary adjectives by replacing them with more precise and adventurous choices:

big → __________
old → __________
dirty → __________
scary → __________
small → __________

Choose two of your new words and use each one in a sentence.

Writing Skills

Improve this sentence:

London was a big city moving across the land.

Try to include:

• two effective adjectives
• a powerful verb
• a simile or metaphor

Writing

Imagine you can see the enormous traction city of London approaching in the distance.

Write 3–5 sentences describing what you can see, hear and feel.

Think carefully about your adjectives and verbs.

⭐ CHALLENGE

Can you make London seem alive without actually saying that it is alive?

For example, think about how a huge animal might stalk, hunt, roar or devour its prey.

Week 2 – W/B Monday 28th September

Focus: Mortal Engines – Characterisation

Vocabulary

Sort these words into two groups: words that could make a character appear good and words that could make a character appear bad.

loyal – selfish – thoughtful – cruel – courageous – dishonest – compassionate – sneaky

Can any of the words fit into both groups depending on the situation? Explain.

Writing Skills

Instead of simply telling the reader how a character feels, show it through their actions.

Improve:

Tom was nervous.

You might think about:

• his hands
• his face
• how he moves
• what he says
• what he notices

Writing

Write a short paragraph that makes Tom Natsworthy seem like a good person.

Do not write: Tom was a good person.

Instead, reveal his personality through his actions, thoughts, dialogue and word choices.

⭐ CHALLENGE

Now write 2–3 sentences that make Tom appear suspicious or untrustworthy.

How can changing just a few words completely alter the reader's impression of him?

Week 3 – W/B Monday 5th October

Focus: Warning Stories – The Caravan

Vocabulary

Find a more powerful alternative for each word:

walked → __________
said → __________
scared → __________
dark → __________
dangerous → __________

Now use two of your choices in sentences suitable for a warning story.

Writing Skills

A warning story usually begins with somebody being told not to go somewhere or do something dangerous.

Add the missing punctuation:

dont go anywhere near that abandoned house mum warned its dangerous

Rewrite it correctly using speech marks and accurate punctuation.

Writing

Invent your own dangerous place.

It could be:

• an abandoned house
• a derelict factory
• an old railway tunnel
• a ruined castle
• a forbidden woodland
• somewhere completely different

Write 4–5 sentences describing the setting.

Try to make your reader think:

“I definitely wouldn't go in there!”

⭐ CHALLENGE

Finish this opening:

“Whatever you do, don't…”

Continue it for one paragraph and make the reader desperate to discover whether the character will obey the warning.

Week 4 – W/B Monday 12th October

Focus: Warning Stories – Building Suspense

Vocabulary

Rank these verbs from least threatening to most threatening:

moved – crept – charged – shuffled – lunged

Explain why you placed your most threatening verb at the top.

Writing Skills

Short sentences can be used to increase tension.

Improve this:

Jamie walked towards the door and heard a noise and then he stopped because he thought someone might be inside.

Rewrite it using a mixture of longer descriptive sentences and short sentences for impact.

Writing

Your character has ignored the warning and entered the dangerous place.

Suddenly, something goes wrong.

Write a suspense paragraph describing what happens.

Try to include:

• what the character can hear
• what the character can see
• how their body reacts
• a powerful verb
• a short sentence for impact

⭐ CHALLENGE

End your paragraph with a cliffhanger of no more than five words.

For example:

Then the footsteps stopped.

Can you make yours even more suspenseful?

Week 5 – W/B Monday 19th October

Focus: Warning Stories – Endings and Lessons Learned

Vocabulary

Choose the best word to describe how a character might feel after escaping from danger:

relieved – delighted – exhausted – ashamed – terrified – grateful

Choose three and explain how a character could feel all three at the same time.

Writing Skills

Improve this ending:

I went home. Mum was angry. I was sorry. I wouldn't do it again.

Try to show the character's feelings rather than simply telling the reader.

Think about:

• facial expressions
• body language
• dialogue
• thoughts

Writing

Write the final paragraph of a warning story.

Your character has escaped from danger and must now face the person who originally warned them.

Try to include:

• the adult's reaction
• the character's reaction
• some accurately punctuated dialogue
• a clear sense that a lesson has been learned

⭐ CHALLENGE

Can you finish your story by linking back to the warning from the beginning?

For example, your final sentence might show that the character now understands why they were warned.

Make your final sentence memorable.