Primary One
Can show some control in mark making.
Can ascribe own meaning to mark making (‘reads’ what is written).
Knows print has meaning.
Can write initial letter of own name.
Can produce some recognisable letters.
Knows that English is read from left to right and top to bottom.
Will attempt to write things including own name using random letters.
Will write own name but often with wrong letter formation or mixed lower/upper case.
Can write own name with appropriate upper and lower case letters.
Can identify vowels.
Can identify consonants.
Can form most lower case letters correctly.
Can form most upper case letters correctly.
Writes simple regular words.
Begins to make phonic attempts at words.
Begin to understand that a sentence conveys a simple piece of information.
Begin to understand that a sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.
Recognises onomatopoeia.
Primary 2
Recognise that names begin with capital letters.
Can show some control over word order to produce sentences.
Understand that a sentence does not end at the end of a line.
Begins to use full stops more consistently.
Begins to use capital letters consistently to begin sentences.
Understands the importance of a capital letter and full stop in a sentence.
Understand and recognise what a concrete noun is.
Understand and recognise what a simple verb is.
Understand and recognise adjectives.
Begins to use adjectives in writing.
Can use and and because to link two ideas.
May begin to recognise and use other connectives (eg: but, then, so)
Recognises the difference between a statement and a question.
Begins to recognise the purpose of a question mark.
Begins to use a question mark in writing.
Begins to recognise the purpose of an exclamation mark.
Can order the alphabet using concrete materials and a visual aid if necessary.
Can use a simple dictionary (to the first letter).
Primary 3
Recognise and use more complex connectives (but, then, so, when) to join two sentences.
Can begin to link ideas and events using strategies to create ‘flow’ at the beginning of a sentence eg Last time, also, after, then, soon, at last, and another thing.
Can use adjectives and descriptive phrases for detail and emphasis eg ‘the roaring crowd’ as opposed to ’the big crowd’.
Begins to use a thesaurus.
Recognise that capital letters are used for names, place names etc.
Introduce the term proper noun.
Recognises and uses question marks appropriately.
Recognises a simile.
Can make a simile.
Understand the terms plural and singular (link to spelling).
Begin to recognise alliteration and the purpose for which it is used.
Understands how commas are used in lists.
Understand and use simple contractions (it’s, don’t, can’t isn’t, wasn’t).
Recognise that spoken words are marked off from the rest of a sentence by speech marks.
Introduce the uses of paragraphs eg to separate different parts of a story.
By the end of Primary 3 can order the alphabet without the use of a visual aid.
Primary 4
Can use a dictionary and order words to the second letter.
Can recognise and categorise nouns (eg: nouns of food and transport)
Introduce the compound verb (was/were + participle eg was running)
Can use connectives to clarify and extend a point (eg because, if after, while, also, as well).
Begin to use multiple adjectives appropriately.
Introduce the ellipsis.
Introduce personal pronouns (eg he, she, you, we, it) and can substitute these for nouns.
Introduce commands / imperative.
Introduce idea of subject, verb and simple object eg: The dog (subject) ate (verb) the bone (object).
Introduce idea of subject and verb agreeing in a sentence.
Can use punctuation (capital letters, full stop, comma in list, question mark, exclamation mark, simple contraction).
Introduce more complex contractions (eg wouldn’t, couldn’t, won’t, doesn’t).
Use of capital letters in other instances (eg book title, film title)
Introduce simple adverbs ending in –ly.
Introduce connectives for time (sometimes, never, always, often, in addition).
Can use a thesaurus competently.
Use simple paragraphs.
Can put speech marks into a piece of script.
Primary 5
Revisit singular and plural nouns.
Introduce collective nouns and understand that a collective noun takes a singular verb.
Revisit alliteration, simile, onomatopoeia.
Introduce apostrophe for possession. (Year 4 p 61 vital)
Introduce the past, present and future tenses of verbs.
Can use a comma to put additional information into a sentence. (eg: The dog, yelping in pain, licked his paw.).
Understand that adverbs and adverbial phrases can be used to open sentences eg. Quietly, he opened the door/ Holding his breath, he opened the door.
Can recognise sentences with more than one clause.
Recognise that sentences can have a main clause and a subordinate clause.
Can recognise relative pronouns (eg who, which) and possessive pronouns (eg my, his, mine, theirs).
Can use speech marks in a simple sentence.
Develop the use of paragraphs and sections in a variety of writing and understand why these are used.
Recognise the topic sentence (main idea) of a paragraph.
Introduce use of phrases such as 'on the other hand' in writing or oral contexts to identify opposing viewpoint.
Can use a dictionary and order words to the third letter.
Primary 6
Investigate synonyms and antonyms with the use of a thesaurus.
Know how dialogue is laid out and punctuated and employ this is their writing.
Recognise the difference between direct speech and reported speech.
Be able to change one form of speech into the other.
Link with modern language teacher to ensure the understanding of the concept of masculine, feminine and neuter nouns.
Understand that words and phrases such as if and provided that may introduce conditional clauses.
Understand that words such as 'when' introduce adverbial clauses of time.
(The previous two points should be used in context eg: differentiating between fact and opinion in a newspaper report)
Understand the difference between active and passive verbs (teach in context where possible).
Understand subject and predicate.
Use of apostrophe with collective nouns eg the children's socks.
Understand the use of brackets and dashes to punctuate parenthesis.
Understand how to use semi-colons to balance a list.
Understand the difference between a simile and a metaphor.
Recognise and use metaphor.
Understand the terms first, second and third person.
Learn to use a dictionary in conjunction with a thesaurus.
Primary 7
Continue to investigate synonyms and antonyms through use of dictionary and thesaurus.
Use dictionary to recognise subtle distinctions in meaning
Revisit use of apostrophe, particularly 's and s'.
Introduce more sophisticated connectives for formal writing eg on the contrary, moreover, nonetheless.
Know how to punctuate interrupted speech.
Recognise and identify abstract nouns.
Revisit semi-colon before introducing and beginning to use a colon for balance.
Introduce personification.
Revisit figures of speech (eg simile, metaphor, alliteration, onomatopoeia, ellipsis).
Understand the importance of choosing and using the correct register (in context).
Revisit topic sentences.
Identify where and why short sentences are used effectively to improve writing.
Identify sentences with three or more clauses.
Understand that time connectives in writing communicate an order of events.
Develop further the use of past and present tense.
Introduce conditional tense.