Word upgrades

Tips for parents

• The best word is the most precise, not the longest. 'Tiptoed' beats 'perambulated' in almost every story.
• Keep a 'magpie book' where your child collects good words from their reading, with a sentence for each.
• Check meaning: thesaurus words don't always fit. 'Enormous' and 'obese' both mean big, but they're not interchangeable.

More free creative writing worksheets

• Story mountain plannerPlan a whole story in five stages, from the opening to the ending, before writing a word of it.
• Character profileBuild a believable character from the outside in: looks, voice, habits, feelings and what they want.
• Five senses setting plannerDescribe a place through sight, sound, smell, touch and taste, then turn the notes into a vivid paragraph.
• Show, don't tellRewrite flat 'telling' sentences so the reader sees the feeling through actions, body language and speech.
• Story openings: try four kindsWrite the same story's first lines four ways: dialogue, action, description and a question, then choose the best.
• Story endingsPractise four satisfying ways to end a story, so it never stops with 'and then I woke up'.
• Dialogue: punctuate and improvePunctuate speech correctly, then make it work harder with better speech verbs and action between the lines.
• Editing and proofreading checklistA five-minute checklist for the end of a timed piece: spelling, punctuation, paragraphs, sentence variety and vocabulary.
• Similes, metaphors and personificationSpot figurative language, then write your own similes, metaphors and personification for everyday things.

See all 10 creative writing worksheets · Download this sheet (PDF)

More free 11+ creative writing help

• Writing techniques How to use each technique, with examples.
• Word banks Words to borrow for settings, feelings and actions.
• Example stories Model 11+ stories with what makes them work.