Year 2 Writing Overview
The grid below is an overview of the writing units in Year 2. Each unit is driven by an engaging, vocabulary-rich book (or a school trip!) that inspires a wealth of writing opportunities. Some of these books have strong thematic links to other areas of our curriculum (for example Science, History and Geography). If you would like to see how writing units are mapped across the whole school, please read our 'Whole School Writing Overview' which is available HERE. If you would like to find our more about our writing curriculum, please follow the link to our 'contacts' page and get in touch.
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Poetry: Shape poems (1 week) Stimulus: ‘The Magic Box’ by Kit Wright Purpose and Audience: Create shape poems and share them with the school as a class book Key knowledge and skills:
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Poetry: If I had wings (1 week) Stimulus: ‘If I had wings’ by Pie Corbett Purpose and Audience: write a new verse for a poem to be performed by the class Key knowledge and skills:
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Poetry: National competition (1 week) Stimulus: changes each year Purpose and Audience: write a poem and enter it into a competition Key knowledge and skills:
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Non-fiction: Our trip to Preston Manor (3 weeks) Stimulus: class trip Purpose and Audience: write a recount; share it on the school website Key knowledge and skills:
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Fiction: A modern fairy tale (3 weeks) Stimulus: ‘The Tear Thief’ by Carol A. Duffy Purpose and Audience: write a modern fairy tale and read it to a reception child Key knowledge and skills:
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Fiction: The Disgusting Sandwich (3 weeks) Stimulus: ‘The disgusting sandwich’ by G. Edwards Purpose and Audience: write a ‘disgusting’ story and read it to a Y1 child Key knowledge and skills:
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Fiction: Journey stories (4 weeks) Stimulus: ‘Whatever Wanda Wanted’ by Jude Wisdom Purpose and audience: To write a journey story and read it to a Year 1 audience Key knowledge and skills:
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Non-fiction: Animal Habitats (4 weeks) Stimulus: ‘Wilderness’ by Mia Cassani Purpose and Audience: write an information page for a class wiki about animal habitats Key knowledge and skills:
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Non-fiction: Recounts, letters and instructions (5 weeks) Stimuli: class trip to a restaurant and growing a plant during science sessions Purpose and Audience: write a range of non-fiction work based on real experiences Key knowledge and skills:
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Poetry: Playtime (1 week) Stimulus: ‘Playtime’ by Michael Lockwood Purpose and audience: create a poem to teach your parents about ‘Opal Play’ Key knowledge and skills:
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Poetry: Animal Poetry (1 week) Stimulus: ‘Rathers’ by Mary Hunter Austin Purpose and Audience: combine art and poetry to create a page for a class book Key knowledge and skills:
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Poetry: Becoming a Summer (1 week) Stimulus: ‘Becoming a winter’ by Pie Corbett Purpose and Audience: perform a poem over images Key knowledge and skills:
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Non-fiction: The Chain Pier (3 weeks) Stimulus: information poster, class trip Purpose and audience: create an information poster about a local tourist attraction and display them in public Key knowledge and skills:
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Non-fiction: Cumulative stories (3 weeks) Stimulus: ‘Handa’s Surprise’ by Eileen Brown Purpose and Audience: write a story with a cumulative pattern and publish it on the school website Key knowledge and skills:
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Non-fiction + Fiction: Insects matter (3 weeks) Stimulus: ‘Bug Hotel’ by Libby Waldon Purpose and Audience: Build understanding of how important insects are while honing our writing skills. Key knowledge and skills:
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What writing skills and knowledge do we learn about in Year 2?
Sentence Construction
Compound Sentences
Compound sentences can be formed by joining two or more simple sentences together using: and, or, but, so (co-ordinating conjunctions).
I went to the park. I had fun.
I went to the park and I had fun.
Lucy was tired. She went to bed. She turned out the light.
Lucy was tired so she went to bed and turned out the light.
Complex Sentences and Conjunctions
Complex sentences are made up of two clauses, a main clause and a subordinate clause. The main clause makes sense by itself, the subordinate clause does not. These clauses are usually linked by, or contain, a conjunction.
I saw a black and white cat while I was walking to school.
Conjunctions can be used to help add information and extend ideas. In complex sentences, these conjunctions are: because, as, when ,if, that, then.
The little red hen went outside because she wanted to plant some corn.
We put on our coats when we go outside.
The mouse ate the cheese as he was very hungry.
'Who' clause
A 'who' clause can be used in a sentence to add information.
Once upon a time there was a little old woman who lived in a forest.
There are many children who like to ear ice cream.
Experiment with length of sentences
Different length sentences can be used for varying effects. Children are expected to experiment with different length sentences in order to create their desired effect.
- Long sentences - adds description or information
The Princess smiled sweetly and then disappeared into the golden, glass carriage.
- Short sentences - can be used for emphasis or to grab the reader's attention
Stop right there!
Use 'patterns of 3' sentences
Using pattens of three within sentences is useful when adding description.
Elephants have large ears, long trunks and tiny tails.
Imperatives
Imperatives are also known as bossy verbs or commands. They give a command or instruction or tell someone what to do.
Close the door.
Empty the bin.
Punctuation
Commas
There are two ways that commas can be used in year 2:
1. To separate items in a list
You will need paper, a ruler, pens, pencils and a rubber.
The fish kept in the ponds were eels, tench, pike, perch and carp.
2. After -ly openers
Unfortunately, I can't come to dinner.
Suddenly, there was silence.
Click here to try a learning activity.
Exclamation marks
A form of punctuation which indicates an exclamation. These are used to create drama and clarity.
Fantastic!
I can't figure this out!
Click here to try a learning activity.
Apostrophes to mark contractions
Contractions are shortened forms of a group of words.
do not don't
will not won't
is not isn't
Click her to try a learning activity.
Speech Marks
Some children may begin to use speech marks for direct speech.
"Hello," said Sarah.
Word Structure and Language
Use vocabulary appropriate to context
Appropriate vocabulary should be used depending on the context of the piece of writing. This can be developed through:
- a developing bank of story phrases
A long, long time ago...
In a faraway land...
Once upon a time...
There once lived...
- simple but precise technical vocabulary related to the topic
When writing about cooking the following words/phrases may be used: slice of bread, microwave, heat, oven, grill etc...
Increase range of prepositions used
Prepositions are words that describe where thing are. They include words such as:behind, above, along, after, between, before
I sat between Billie and Joe.
Before I go home I will pick up the dry cleaning.
Use a greater range of adjectives
Adjectives are words that describe things. At this stage children are expected to use more adjectives in their writing.
The enormous lion lunged at the gazelle.
The cave was gloomy.
I sat by the shimmering water.
Simple expanded noun phrases
Noun phrases are groups of words that work together and contain a noun. An expanded noun phrase add detail
noun phrase - the girl
expanded noun phrase - the tall girl
These can be used in writing to:
- add more than one adjective
the gigantic, scary woman
- add precision
a jam sandwich
the plastic wheel
- add determiners
more dragons
some flowers
Use a range of pronouns
Pronouns are used to replace a noun. Using pronouns allows there to be less repetition in writing.
The cat sat on the mat and then the cat ate the cat's dinner.
The cat sat on the mat and then then it ate it's dinner.(with pronouns)
Lucy hated brussel sprouts but Lucy ate them anyway.
Lucy hated brussel sprouts but she ate them anyway.(with pronouns)
Children are expected to use personal pronouns (me, you, him, her, us, them) as well as possessive pronouns (his, her, their, mine, yours).
Adverbial Phrases
An adverbial phrase gives additional information about the action that is being described.
These are used to:
- say when something is happening
first, next, after that, in the morning, at dinner etc...
- start a sentence (adverbial starters)
after a while, as soon as, before, immediately, the next day etc...
Greater range of verbs
Using a greater range of verbs can make writing more precise and clear.
Instead of using 'said' all of the time verbs like shouted, yelled, whispered, screeched tell the reader more about how it was said. This is a good way of making writing more varied and exciting for the reader.
Regular use of past tense
Children should use the past tense regularly and correctly in their writing.
The cat sat on the mat and then goes in the garden. --- Here both past (sat) and present (goes) tenses have been used.
This needs to be changed so that the sentence is either:
- present tense
The cat sits on the mat and then goes in the garden.
- or past tense
The cat sat on the mat and went in the garden.
Generalisers
Generalisers can add a personal voice to a piece of writing or simply generalise about a statement. This can be used to add information.
Some dogs
Most cats
Suffixes
A suffix is a group of letters that are added to the end of a root word to form a derivative of that word.
Use a range of suffixes to make:
- nouns
-ness
-er
-tion
- adjectives
-ful
-less
-like
-ish
- comparatives and superlatives
-er
-est
National Curriculum Terminology
- verb
- past tense
- present tense
- adjective
- noun
- suffix
- apostrophe
- comma
Text Structure
Plan or orally rehearse
Before writing it is useful for children to plan and/or rehearse what they are going to write out loud. This enables them to have a clear direction of where their writing is heading before they start. It can help children order their thoughts and this allows their thoughts and creativity to flow more freely onto the page.
Adverbial Openers
Using adverbial openers in oral and written work adds detail. Adverbials can be single words (adverbs) or phrases (adverbial phrases). When looking to create these it is useful to ask yourself:
- When? Time connectives
Many years ago...
Suddenly...
In the end...
- Where? Prepositional phrases
Under the bridge...
In the car...
At Tom's house...
- How? Adverbs
Heavily
Unfortunately
Wearily
Use past and present tenses consistently
Children in year 2 should begin to use past and present tenses with some accuracy.
Some irregular past tenses may need to be covered individually as they are a bit more tricky.
catch - caught
creep - crept
find - found
go - went
The Reader
When writing children should think about the reader and what effect their writing may have on them. This may effect their use of vocabulary, punctuation and other literary techniques.
Language Effects
Alliteration
This is when two or more words in a row begin with the same letter or sound.
Wicked witch
Slimy slugs
Alliteration can also be used to describe.
One wet wellington - although all the words do not begin with the same letter, they do begin with the same sound
Similes using 'like', 'as' and 'than'
A simile is where you compare two different things. In this case 'like', 'as' and 'than' are used. Children can start by using familiar objects and experiences to draw out comparisons.
The ground was hot like fire.
She was singing like an angel.
The fire is as hot as the sun.
Outside it is as wet as the sea.
Heavier than a bucket of bricks.
Brighter than the sun.
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
Comparative and superlative adjectives can be used for precision and effect.
Fast - this is an adjective. It describes the speed at which something is travelling.
Faster - this is a comparative adjective. It compares the speed of one thing to another.
Fastest - this is a superlative adjective. Nothing can be faster.
Children can experiment with intensifying adjectives to be more precise and create more drama.
My dog is fast.
My dog is the faster than a cheetah. (comparative)
It was a rainy day.
It was the rainiest day ever. (superlative)
Generalisers for information
Using generaliser in non-fiction writing can help add information.
Most domestic gods live indoors.
Persuasive Writing
Using strong, positive language and exaggeration can help create a good piece of persuasive writing. It can also make the writing more appealing to the reader.
We must be allowed to go outside because it is such a beautiful day.
This chocolate bar will be the best you have ever tasted.
If you owned these shoes they would change your life.
Think about the reader!
When writing it is important to consider the effect that the devices that are used have on the reader.
similes - build a picture
aliteration - creates sound effect and makes a phrase memorable
