English resources

This task is about topic, supporting, and summary sentences in paragraphs of persuasion.

Students produce a simple written description, using nouns and adjectives with some precision.

This task is about identifying the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and summary sentence in a paragraph of description.

Students read an article on the marathon. They then answer a range of comprehension and vocabulary questions.

Students read a poem to answer questions that focus on the language used. Text provided.

This task assesses students' understanding of the conventions surrounding the use of apostrophes to indicate ownership. Students are required to read a short story and insert apostrophes in the places they are needed.

This comprehension task involves progressively disclosing a poem. It assesses a student's ability to use evidence to predict what it could be describing. SJ-2-4-1994. Text provided.

This comprehension task involves progressively disclosing a poem to students. It assesses their ability to infer. SJ-1-1-1998. Text provided.

This comprehension task involves progressively disclosing a poem to students. It assesses their ability to visualise and infer. SJ-3-3-1989. Text not provided.

Students are assessed on their ability to retrieve details that support the main idea of an article about an endangered species.

Students identify common spelling errors and write the identified errors correctly. Students also identify lines of text without errors.

This comprehension task assesses student ability to find details that relate to the main idea of a text about a Māori naturalist/scientist. Students are asked to read a text, find details about the given main idea, then justify why they think the main idea is right or wrong.

An extract about Sāmoan life provides the context for this assessment with its focus on retrieving information and making inferences. Text available.

Students read a narrative and make inferences about the characters' feelings based on evidence in the text. Text is provided with this resource. SJ-2-2-1999. Text provided.

Students are required to identify whether a series of statements about the School Journal story 'Personal Mail' are true or false, and to support their opinion with evidence from the text. This task assesses students' retrieval and inferential comprehension skills. SJ-3-1-1991. Text provided.

Students read an article about the Moa then answer retrieval and inferential questions. SJ-2-3-1982. Text not provided.

Students read the letters written by four different people and identify the main idea of each letter.

This resource has students comparing four advertisements on holiday camps and identifying the meaning of a slogan.

Students read a one-page article on DNA testing and answer four selected response questions about the aim and purpose of the article.

This comprehension task assesses student ability to find the main idea of a transactional text about a Māori naturalist/scientist. Students are asked to read a text, identify the main idea from three choices provided, and then justify why they think their choice is right.

Students are required to identify and interpret the metaphors in two short poems.

Students read a story about family dynamics to answer inferential questions. SJ-3-3-1996. Text provided.

Students read an article about the development of safety glass to answer retrieval and inferential questions.

Students research and write a biographical recount on the life of a well-known New Zealander. Supports for this process and formative assessment points are given.

Students read a narrative about a family's encounter with a stray cat. They then use evidence from the text and their background knowledge to evaluate the characters. SJ-1-3-2008. Text provided.