English
The English test can vary considerably depending on where
Parent Guide
you live. Therefore it is important to check the prospective
school’s website or speak to them beforehand to find out
what type of English test they do. An English test could
include any number of the following: a writing task, a reading
comprehension and or multiple choice English grammar test.
The writing task could last anything from 20 to 50 minutes
depending on the nature of the exercise. Likewise the reading
test varies from 30 minutes to 1 hour and may include
multiple choice questions. The English test is used to assess
your child’s knowledge of grammar, punctuation, spelling,
comprehension and sometimes their writing ability too. It aims
to test children on the skills they have learnt during primary
school.
In order to pass the test, your child will need to have a sound
knowledge of English grammar, punctuation and spelling. In
addition, they will need to have a wide and varied vocabulary
(which can help with the verbal reasoning tests too) and be
widely read. Their comprehension skills should be strong,
especially their ability to make inferences based on clues and
information given in the text. However, it is also important
that they have experience of reading questions carefully and
accurately, working to a time limit and remaining calm.
To help support your child for the English test, encourage
them to read, read and read some more! A great variety of
fiction and non-fiction, and a range of genres, will help your
child to develop their vocabulary and knowledge. Most children
read independently once they reach this age but it would be a
good idea to have a look at the book they are reading, select
some words that you may think are tricky for your child and
test them on the meaning of the word. If they are not sure,
discuss the meaning of each word with your child and practise
using it in context. You might also read a book together –
perhaps one you’re reading – and discuss your understanding
of the character’s actions and motives, the plot and what you
think the author is trying to achieve. Discussing reading is a
great way of developing depth of thinking.
Try to encourage your child to write in a range of styles
but try to make this contextualised and linked to something
that they enjoy. For example, if you’ve been on a day trip,
you could encourage them to write a news recount about a
family visit to the zoo, a diary entry about the day, an animal
information text, a persuasive booklet advertising the zoo or
a fictional story set in the zoo.
An example question from the 11+ English test could be:
1. Circle the pair of words which are closest in meaning:
mean, scary horrible, repulsive
repugnant, repulsive scary, repulsive
Depending on the grammar school you are applying for, the
11+ test may include a spelling test. The tests in this pack
include words which could appear on the 11+ test. In addition,
as the 11+ wants to test how well your child has learnt
the KS2 curriculum, they may include words from the KS2
statutory spelling lists. Read out each sentence to your child
from the answer sheet and see if they can write the missing
word in the space provided. Practise the spelling words they
have struggled with.
For a thorough guide to all aspects of the 11+ test, try
our Survival Guide for Parents/Carers:
[Link]
survival-guide-for-parents-carers-guide
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