English resources

Students read a text containing instructions then answer retrieval and inferential questions. SJ-2-2-1984. Text provided.

Students are required to read three poems, identify the animal that the object in each poem is being compared with, and identify the ways in which the look or movement of the objects are described so that they seem like these animals.

From visual stimuli and a series of simple statements that describe physical attributes, students identify which animal is being described.

Assessment focus: finding important information and the main idea of an informational text. The text used is about an introduced species of fish which has become a pest. SJ-2-4-2005. Text provided.

The assessment focus is on the ability to make inferences about character and justify these with evidence from text.

Students read a text on shoplifting to answer retrieval and inferential questions.

To answer mainly multiple choice questions, students retrieve information and make inferences from a text about Socrates.

Students read a poem, 'My Other Jandal', then answer inferential questions. The poem is provided with this resource. SJ-2-4-1994. Text not provided.

A joke about a parrot is the context for this resource that assesses understanding of idioms and the interpretation of humour.

Students read about a visit to the islands of Kiribati by a New Zealand flight inspection team to answer retrieval and inferential questions.

This resource explores a poem written for two voices about a windy night. Text provided.

A recount about a whale watch is the context for comprehension questions that require making inferences. The recount is reproduced in the resource. SJ-1-1-1998. Text provided.

Students read an article about castles to complete a retrieval chart using information from the text. SJ-1-2-1995. Text provided.

Students select answers that demonstrate their understanding of alphabetical order.

The assessment context is a prepared speech of introduction. The time limit is 1 minute and a content checklist is provided. Assessment guides B and C are suitable for this task.

The assessment context is a prepared 'thank you' speech. The time limit is one minute and a content checklist is provided. Oral Language Assessment Guide C is suitable for this task.

Students read a report on a fisheries officer's work and make mainly short written responses. The assessment focus is on comprehension and vocabulary. SJ-3-3-1990. Text provided.

Students create character vignettes with a focus on writing pieces that are brief, descriptive and set in one point in time. They should not be concerned with plot. As the emphasis is on quality rather than quantity, students need to show a controlled and elegant skill in writing, and to use figurative language to 'show' rather than 'tell'.

Students use the information in an article to interpret the body language of cats in nine different pictures. This task assesses student ability to bring together written and visual texts to show their comprehension. The text is reproduced in the Teacher information pages. SJ-3-1-1990. Text not provided.

Four conventions for speech bubbles are presented with the students showing their understanding by having matching appropriate text to the bubbles.

Students are asked to read a short story and to insert the commas and speech marks required to indicate the direct speech in the story.

The main focus of this task is punctuation. Students will read Janine's email to her new pen pal and insert eight question marks in the correct places.

Students write four questions about an animal they would like to find out about.

Students expand common contractions to their full form, then write the contracted forms of other common two-word phrases.

Students read a letter written to the Board of Trustees, and make it more formal by writing the contractions as full words.