For: Year 5 and Year 6 | Exams: KS2 SATs grammar, punctuation and spelling paper, and 11+ English
Jump to: Level 1 – SATs core · Level 2 – SATs stretch · Level 3 – 11+ standard · Level 4 – 11+ selective
📌 Show key words and rules
| Word or rule | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Standard English | The correct form of English used in writing and exams. It can be formal or informal. | We were late. (not We was late.) |
| Non-standard English | Words or forms that people may say but that are not correct in Standard English. | ✗ I done it. ✓ I did it. |
| Double negative | Using two negative words together, such as not and nothing. Standard English uses only one. | ✗ I don’t want none. ✓ I don’t want any. |
| Formal | The careful, polite language used in letters, reports and notices. It avoids slang and contractions. | Please request assistance at the desk. |
| Informal | The relaxed, chatty language used with friends and family. | Grab a snack, mate! |
| Register | How formal or informal a piece of writing or speech is. | assist (formal) / help out (informal) |
| Contraction | Two words shortened into one, with an apostrophe for the missing letters. It makes writing less formal. | do not → don’t |
| Question tag | A short question added to the end of a statement. It sounds informal. | It’s sunny, isn’t it? |
| Pronoun | A word used instead of a noun. Use I as the subject and me as the object. | Ali and I laughed. Gran hugged Ali and me. |
| Subject | The person or thing that does the verb in an active sentence. | The chef cooked the soup. |
| Object | The person or thing that has the verb done to it. | The chef cooked the soup. |
| Past participle | The form of a verb used after have, has or had, or after be in the passive. | has stolen; was painted |
| Auxiliary verb | A helping verb (be, have or do) that goes with a main verb. Question tags repeat it. | She has left, hasn’t she? |
| Phrasal verb | A verb plus a small word such as up, out or back. It often sounds less formal than a single word. | find out (informal) / discover (formal) |
| Active voice | The subject does the action. | The cat caught the mouse. |
| Passive voice | The subject has the action done to it. Use a form of be + past participle. The doer can be left out. | The mouse was caught (by the cat). |
| By phrase | In a passive sentence, the words starting with by that tell you who or what did the action. | The song was written by my uncle. |
| Subjunctive | A very formal verb form. Use were for imagined situations, and the base form after words like insist or recommend. | If I were a bird, I would fly. They insist that she wear a hat. |
| Base form | The plain form of a verb, with no endings. | We can sing. |
| Modal verb | A verb such as will, can, should or must. In the passive it is followed by be + past participle. | The door should be closed. |
Level 1 – SATs core: Standard English and formal or informal words
Matches the quick one-mark questions in the KS2 SATs grammar, punctuation and spelling paper.
✏️ WORKED EXAMPLE: Rewrite the sentence in Standard English.
We was tired because we done the whole walk.
Step 1: check each verb against its subject. We needs were, not was.
Step 2: done is a past participle, so it cannot stand on its own as the past tense. Use did (or had done).
Step 3: read the whole sentence again to check: We were tired because we did the whole walk. (We were tired because we had done the whole walk is also correct.)
Common mistake: correcting only the first error. Non-standard sentences in tests often hide two or more.
Your turn
Q1.1 Tick one sentence that is written in Standard English.
☐ The twins was late for the bus.
☐ The twins were late for the bus.
☐ The twins is late for the bus.
☐ The twins been late for the bus.
Show answer
The twins is plural and the sentence is in the past, so the verb must be were: The twins were late for the bus.
Q1.2 Circle the correct verb to complete the sentence in Standard English.
Yesterday, Oliver (done / did) all his homework before tea.
Show answer
Done is a past participle and needs an auxiliary verb (has done, had done). On its own, the simple past is did
Q1.3 Underline the word that is not Standard English. Write the correct word.
Can you pass me them pencils, please?
Show answer
Them is a pronoun; it cannot be used as a determiner before a noun. The non-standard word is them; it should be those (those pencils).
Q1.4 Rewrite the sentence in Standard English.
I seen a fox in the garden last night.
Show answer
Seen is a past participle and needs have or had. With last night we need the simple past: I saw a fox in the garden last night.
Q1.5 Which word is the most formal replacement for get? Tick one.
Pupils will get their certificates on Friday.
☐ grab
☐ receive
☐ pick up
☐ nab
Show answer
Grab, pick up and nab are informal. The formal choice is receive
Q1.6 Tick one sentence that is informal.
☐ Please return your forms by Monday.
☐ Hand in your forms by Monday, yeah?
☐ Forms must be returned by Monday.
☐ All forms should be returned by Monday.
Show answer
Yeah is a chatty, spoken word tagged on to make a question. The informal sentence is Hand in your forms by Monday, yeah?
Q1.7 Circle the correct verb to complete the sentence in Standard English.
Amara and Leo (was / were) chosen for the choir.
Show answer
Amara and Leo is a plural subject, so it takes were
Q1.8 Rewrite the sentence in Standard English.
I didn’t eat nothing at the party.
Show answer
Two negatives (didn’t and nothing) are not Standard English. Keep one: I didn’t eat anything at the party. (Also accept: I ate nothing at the party.)
Q1.9 Circle the correct word to complete the sentence.
Ruby should (of / have) brought her coat.
Show answer
Should’ve sounds like should of, but the word after a modal verb here is the verb have: have
Q1.10 Replace the underlined words with one more formal word.
The museum will give back your bag at the end of the visit.
Show answer
Give back is a phrasal verb that sounds chatty. The formal single word is return
Level 2 – SATs stretch: active and passive voice
Matches the harder SATs questions that ask you to identify the passive, rewrite a sentence or explain how you know.
✏️ WORKED EXAMPLE: Rewrite the sentence in the passive voice.
The storm damaged the school roof.
Step 1: find the subject (the doer), the storm, and the object (the thing the action is done to), the school roof.
Step 2: make the object the new subject: The school roof …
Step 3: use a form of be in the same tense (simple past: was) plus the past participle damaged, then add the doer in a by phrase: The school roof was damaged by the storm.
Common mistake: changing the tense. ‘The school roof is damaged by the storm’ has moved from past to present.
Your turn
Q2.1 Tick one sentence that is written in the passive voice.
☐ The gardener planted the roses.
☐ The roses were planted by the gardener.
☐ The roses were growing in the garden.
☐ The gardener was tired after planting.
Show answer
Only one has be + a past participle with the subject receiving the action. Were growing is the past progressive, and was tired is be + an adjective. Answer: The roses were planted by the gardener.
Q2.2 Tick two sentences that are in the passive voice.
| Sentence | Passive |
| The cake was eaten by the hungry children. | ☐ |
| Hassan scored the winning goal. | ☐ |
| The letters are delivered every morning. | ☐ |
| The bus was late again. | ☐ |
Show answer
In sentences 1 and 3 the subject has the action done to it (was eaten, are delivered). Was late is be + an adjective, not a passive. Answer: The cake was eaten by the hungry children. and The letters are delivered every morning.
Q2.3 Rewrite the sentence in the passive voice.
Mrs Okafor marks the spelling tests.
Show answer
Object becomes subject; keep the simple present (are + marked): The spelling tests are marked by Mrs Okafor.
Q2.4 Rewrite the sentence in the active voice.
The window was smashed by a football.
Show answer
The noun phrase in the by phrase becomes the subject, and the verb goes into the simple past: A football smashed the window.
Q2.5 In this passive sentence, who performed the action? Then rewrite the sentence in the active voice.
The new library was opened by a famous author.
Show answer
The doer is named in the by phrase: a famous author. Active: A famous author opened the new library.
Q2.6 Complete the passive sentence using the verb in brackets.
Last Saturday, the match ______ because of the snow. (cancel)
Show answer
Last Saturday tells us to use the simple past of be + the past participle: was cancelled (also accept had been cancelled)
Q2.7 Explain how you know that this sentence is in the passive voice.
The puppies were fed by Josh.
Show answer
Accept any answer that mentions one of these: the subject (the puppies) does not do the action, it has the action done to it; the verb is a form of be (were) + a past participle (fed); the doer (Josh) is in a by phrase.
Q2.8 Rewrite the sentence in the passive voice.
Grandad will collect the parcel.
Show answer
Keep the modal verb will, then add be + the past participle: The parcel will be collected by Grandad.
Q2.9 There is one mistake in this sentence. Rewrite it correctly.
The poems was read aloud by the class.
Show answer
The subject of the passive verb is the poems (plural), not the class, so was must be were: The poems were read aloud by the class.
Q2.10 Tick the sentence that means the same as The fox was chased by the dog.
☐ The fox chased the dog.
☐ The dog chased the fox.
☐ The dog was chased by the fox.
☐ The fox and the dog were chased.
Show answer
The doer is in the by phrase (the dog), so in the active it becomes the subject: The dog chased the fox.
Level 3 – 11+ standard: the subjunctive, question tags and formal vocabulary
Typical of grammar-school 11+ papers. Watch for near-miss options: check formality, agreement and tense before you choose.
✏️ WORKED EXAMPLE: Rewrite the sentence so that it uses the subjunctive form.
If I was the captain, I would change the team kit.
Step 1: decide if the situation is real or imagined. I am not the captain, so it is imagined (hypothetical).
Step 2: in an imagined if clause, the subjunctive of be is were for every subject (I were, she were, it were).
Step 3: change only that verb: If I were the captain, I would change the team kit.
Common mistake: also changing ‘would’. Only the verb in the if clause changes. After words like insist, demand and recommend, the subjunctive is the base form of the verb instead: ‘I insist that he be quiet’, ‘They asked that she arrive early’ (no -s).
Your turn
Q3.1 Tick one sentence that uses the subjunctive form.
☐ If I was taller, I could reach the shelf.
☐ If I were taller, I could reach the shelf.
☐ I was taller than my brother last year.
☐ I wish I can reach the shelf.
Show answer
The imagined situation uses were with I: If I were taller, I could reach the shelf.
Q3.2 Complete the sentence with the subjunctive form of the verb to be.
The coach insists that every player ______ on time.
Show answer
After insists that, the subjunctive uses the base form, whatever the subject: be
Q3.3 Circle the subjunctive form of the verb.
The headteacher asked that Zainab (attends / attend / attended) the meeting.
Show answer
The subjunctive is the base form with no -s ending, even after a singular subject: attend
Q3.4 Which sentence is the most formal? Tick one.
☐ You’re coming to the meeting, aren’t you?
☐ Are you coming to the meeting or what?
☐ Will you be attending the meeting?
☐ You coming to the meeting?
Show answer
The first uses a contraction and a question tag; the second and fourth are chatty speech. The formal one is Will you be attending the meeting?
Q3.5 Tick the correct question tag to complete the sentence.
Sam has finished his project, ______?
☐ isn’t he
☐ didn’t he
☐ hasn’t he
☐ doesn’t he
Show answer
A question tag repeats the auxiliary verb from the statement (has) and turns it negative: hasn’t he
Q3.6 Circle the most formal word to complete the sentence.
Visitors are (meant / supposed / requested / told) to sign in at reception.
Show answer
Meant and supposed are informal; told is plain and blunt. The formal choice is requested
Q3.7 Rewrite the sentence in the passive voice.
The children are painting the fence.
Show answer
The verb is present progressive, so use is being + the past participle: The fence is being painted by the children.
Q3.8 This passage contains three non-standard forms. Rewrite it in Standard English.
Our class went to the castle on Tuesday. We was shown the dungeons by a guide. Me and Kofi done a drawing of the tower.
Show answer
We was → we were; me is an object pronoun, but here it is part of the subject, so use I; done → did. Answer: Our class went to the castle on Tuesday. We were shown the dungeons by a guide. Kofi and I did a drawing of the tower. (Also accept Kofi and I drew a picture of the tower.)
Q3.9 Circle the subjunctive form to complete the sentence.
If she (was / were / is / be) here now, she would know what to do.
Show answer
She is not here, so the if clause is imagined. The subjunctive is were
Q3.10 Tick the sentence that is formal and in the passive voice.
☐ They’ll tell you the results soon.
☐ You will be informed of the results shortly.
☐ We will inform you of the results shortly.
☐ You’ll be told the results soon.
Show answer
Sentence 1 is active and informal; sentence 3 is formal but active; sentence 4 is passive but uses a contraction. Answer: You will be informed of the results shortly.
Level 4 – 11+ selective: passives without a by phrase, subjunctive or past tense, and choosing a register
The style of selective independent-school papers. You may need to explain a writer’s choice or say why a rule does not apply.
✏️ WORKED EXAMPLE: Explain why the writer chose the passive voice in this sentence from a museum guide.
The silver bowl was discovered in a field in 1932.
Step 1: find the passive verb: was discovered (be + past participle).
Step 2: notice there is no by phrase, so the person who found it is not named. They may be unknown or unimportant to the reader.
Step 3: notice what has become the subject: the bowl, which is the focus of the guide. Answer: the passive puts the bowl first, because it is what the reader cares about, and leaves out who found it because that is unknown or not important.
Common mistake: writing ‘it sounds better’. Always say what the passive does: it changes the focus of the sentence or hides the doer.
Your turn
Q4.1 Which sentence cannot be rewritten in the passive voice? Tick one.
☐ Lightning struck the old oak tree.
☐ The volcano erupted last night.
☐ The class planted a hedge.
☐ My aunt baked a lemon cake.
Show answer
A passive needs an object to become the new subject. Erupted has no object (nothing is erupted), so: The volcano erupted last night.
Q4.2 Rewrite the sentence in the active voice.
The doors were locked at six o’clock.
Show answer
There is no by phrase, so you must supply a subject yourself. Accept any sensible subject, for example: Someone locked the doors at six o’clock. (or The caretaker locked the doors at six o’clock.)
Q4.3 In which sentence is were in the subjunctive form? Tick one.
☐ Mum and Dad were at the concert.
☐ If the river were any higher, the bridge would flood.
☐ The cakes were all sold by noon.
☐ Sita were happy with her result.
Show answer
Sentences 1 and 3 use were as the ordinary past tense (3 is passive). Sentence 4 is non-standard: it should be was. Only the imagined situation is subjunctive: If the river were any higher, the bridge would flood.
Q4.4 Explain the difference in meaning between these two sentences.
A: If Leo was at school yesterday, he will have heard the news.
B: If Leo were at school today, he would hear the news.
Show answer
In A, was is past tense: the speaker does not know whether Leo was at school, but it is a real possibility. In B, were is subjunctive: Leo is not at school today, so the situation is only imagined
Q4.5 There is one mistake in this formal sentence. Rewrite it correctly using the subjunctive.
The judges recommended that each team takes a short break.
Show answer
After recommended that, the subjunctive uses the base form with no -s: The judges recommended that each team take a short break.
Q4.6 Rewrite this notice in a formal register.
Hey everyone! The school fair’s been moved to Friday cos it’s gonna rain on Thursday. Grab your mates and come along, OK?
Show answer
Remove the greeting Hey, the contractions (fair’s, it’s), slang (cos, gonna, grab, mates) and the tag OK?. Accept any version that does all of this, for example: Please note that the school fair has been moved to Friday because rain is expected on Thursday. All pupils and their friends are warmly invited to attend.
Q4.7 Explain why the writer of this science report used the passive voice.
The water was heated to 80 °C and its temperature was recorded every minute.
Show answer
Accept any answer that explains the focus: what matters is what was done to the water, not who did it, so the doer is left out; this also makes the report sound impersonal and formal.
Q4.8 Tick the sentence that is informal but still written in Standard English.
☐ We was going to phone you.
☐ I ain’t seen the film yet.
☐ Grab your coat – we’re off to the park!
☐ Visitors must sign in at reception.
Show answer
Standard English is not the same as formal. We was and ain’t are non-standard; the last sentence is formal. The informal but Standard English sentence is Grab your coat – we’re off to the park!
Q4.9 Write two different passive versions of this sentence.
Mr Shah gave Nadia a prize.
Show answer
Gave has two objects (Nadia and a prize), so either can become the subject: Nadia was given a prize by Mr Shah. and A prize was given to Nadia by Mr Shah.
Q4.10 Ravi’s mum asks what happened. Ravi says: The vase was knocked over and the water was spilt. Explain the effect of Ravi’s choice of the passive.
Show answer
There is no by phrase, so Ravi avoids saying who knocked over the vase – he hides who is to blame (probably himself). (Accept spilled or spilt; both are correct.)