Primary English: Writing types

Tried-and-tested classics, plus a few different ideas, to teach narrative writing, descriptive writing, informative writing, discursive writing and persuasive writing to primary pupils

Tes Resources Team

Pupils with notebooks starting to think of different ideas and writing types to start their writing

Top ways of exploring different writing techniques with your primary classes

As students are getting to grips with different types of writing, the very best way to help them fully understand the vocabulary and literacy tricks being used is to try it out for themselves! That's why we've gathered a selection of tried-and-tested activities, plus a few out-of-the-box ideas, to give your class the inspiration and support they need to write in a variety of styles. 

Writing to describe

Poetry Train
The Poetry Society

Poetry Train

FREE
(43)
Poetry Train is a teachers pack of activities, poems and advice for teaching poetry in primary schools. David Harmer and Roger Stevens share proven approaches for use in the classroom, based on brilliant poems by top poets such as Carol Ann Duffy and Jackie Kay.
Pirate Treasure Island - Descriptive Writing VCOP
mrspomme

Pirate Treasure Island - Descriptive Writing VCOP

FREE
(12)
A VCOP warm up lesson that leads into a descriptive piece of writing. The lesson is introduced through a letter in a bottle (I printed and tea stained it). The powerpoint illustrates a journey taken through a desert island to find hidden treasure. I also had a treasure chest with relevant props f...
SLOW WRITING - SUSPENSE WRITING - COMPLETE LESSON
Raphella

SLOW WRITING - SUSPENSE WRITING - COMPLETE LESSON

£3.00
(3)
A complete lesson based around David Dadau s inspirational SLOW WRITING technique. Aimed at upper KS2 and differentiated fully (3 ways) The lesson develops children s ability to write precisely and consciously to create a vibrant and vivid description of a suspenseful scene in a story. Re...
Slow Writing Task Cards
jmcmeekin

Slow Writing Task Cards

£4.00
(1)
Slow writing is a great way to progress: Writing skills Punctuation skills Writing meta-cognition Self-assessment skills Peer-assessment skills Slow writing fully engages students in the process of writing. It encourages them to spend more time constructing each sentence and encourage...

Writing to persuade

Persuasive writing and letter writing.
Jenkate

Persuasive writing and letter writing.

FREE
(26)
I wanted to enrage my Year 3 children in order to encourage them to do some brilliant persuasive writing, so I mocked up a letter from 'Bruce Boggington&', the chief director of a pickled onion factory, who wrote to the children explaining that he would be building his new factory all over their...
Persuasive Writing - school uniform
MissFincham

Persuasive Writing - school uniform

FREE
(20)
This is a handout that I produced to assist in the writing of a persuasive letter about banning school uniform. The handout includes arguments for and against, as well as some facts and figures about school uniform and a small bank of persuasive techniques.
PERSUASIVE WRITING: TECHNIQUES SCAVENGER HUNT
Laurane Rae

PERSUASIVE WRITING: TECHNIQUES SCAVENGER HUNT

£2.00
(1)
Teach students 20 persuasive techniques of the persuasive writing genre with this interactive fun resource. This pack includes 20 Scavenger Hunt cards, 1 Recording Sheet, and an Answer Key to equip students with necessary content information on persuasive writing techniques that they can apply to th...

Writing to inform

Dragon sighting newspaper report
ROSO28

Dragon sighting newspaper report

FREE
(44)
A newspaper report about a dragon sighting in a school, complete with pictures of dragons and damage inflicted. Name of school etc can be changed. Used as a stimulus to get newspaper writing started in Year 3.
Non-Chronological Report Writing - The Lion
KatQatresources

Non-Chronological Report Writing - The Lion

£5.00
(2)
Lions are a popular topic for children when writing a non-chronological report. Here I have provided materials that will help you to capture your children's attention. Here is a resource that both challenges the upper ability and helps children who are emergent writers to achieve in class. An ext...

Writing to discuss

How to write a book review
Sistersarah

How to write a book review

FREE
(92)
Powerpoint going through key elements of a book review with examples. Worked really well with y4 class but could be for any ks2year group.