Reading Books, Writing Compositions and Examinations
Primary 6 · English
Reading Books, Writing Compositions and Examinations
Lesson 3 of 6
20 min
Let's begin
In the mock exam, Ishimwe read the topic A day I will never forget and began writing at once. After six lines she ran out of ideas. She had also jumped from a wedding to a football match and back again.
Her friend Byiringiro wrote less, but he got more marks. Before he wrote one sentence, he spent five minutes on a plan. Today you will learn his way.
| Part | Its job | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Tells the reader what the composition is about and makes them want to read on. | one short paragraph |
| Body | Gives the main ideas. Each paragraph has ONE main idea, stated in a topic sentence, which is usually the first sentence. | two or three paragraphs |
| Conclusion | Closes the composition: how it ended, what you learned or how you felt. | one short paragraph |
Step 1. Understand the topic. Underline the key words. A day I will never forget asks for ONE day, told in the past tense.
Step 2. Brainstorm. Write down every idea that comes, in single words, not sentences.
Step 3. Choose and order. Keep the three best ideas. Number them in the order they happened.
Step 4. Write. Give each idea its own paragraph. Leave a space or indent at the start of each new paragraph.
Step 5. Check. Read it again for tense, spelling, capital letters and full stops.
| Job | Linking words |
|---|---|
| Show the order | first, next, then, after that, later, finally |
| Add an idea | also, in addition, besides |
| Give a reason | because, since, as |
| Show a result | so, therefore |
| Show a contrast | but, however, although |
Careful! However usually starts a new sentence and is followed by a comma: It rained all morning. However, the match still started on time. And do not glue every sentence together with and then … and then …. Choose the linking word that shows the real link.
Here is a composition written for this lesson. Read it once for the story. Then read it again and look at the bold linking words and the shape of each paragraph.
The Day Our Reading Corner Opened
Last term, our class did something I will never forget. We turned an empty corner of our classroom into a reading corner, and on the day it opened, the whole school came to see it.
It all started with a problem. Our school had very few storybooks, so most of us read only our textbooks. First, our teacher asked every family to give one old book if they could. Then Mugisha's aunt, who works in Kigali, sent a box of twenty storybooks. In addition, the parents' committee gave us a small wooden shelf.
Next, we had to organise everything. Keza and I sorted the books into stories and information books. We wrote a label for each shelf so that everybody could find what they wanted. Ishimwe, who draws beautifully, made a sign that said Read, Dream, Grow. It was hard work, but it was fun because we worked as a team.
On the opening day, the head teacher cut a ribbon and read a short story aloud. After that, the P1 children sat on mats and turned the pages of picture books with wide eyes. I felt proud, since our little corner had made so many people happy.
Finally, we agreed on one rule: every book must come back within one week. Now I read at least three stories every week. That day taught me that when people work together, even a small corner can become a door to the whole world.
Tip
One paragraph, one idea
Before you start a new sentence, ask: is this a new idea? If yes, start a new paragraph. If no, keep going. Think of paragraphs as rooms in a house. You would not cook in the bedroom or sleep in the kitchen.
Try each one, then read the answer.
Choose the best linking word: Gatete studied every evening, ___ he passed the test easily. (so / however / although)
Answer: so. Studying is the reason and passing is the result, and so shows a result.
Which is the better topic sentence for a paragraph about a school trip to Lake Kivu? (a) We ate rice. (b) Our trip to Lake Kivu was full of surprises.
Answer: (b). It names the topic and tells the reader what the paragraph will be about. Sentence (a) is only a small detail.
Correct the tense: Yesterday we go to the market and buy beans.
Answer: Yesterday we went to the market and bought beans. Yesterday is in the past, so both verbs must be in the past.
Put these planning steps in order: write, check, brainstorm, understand the topic, choose and order.
Answer: understand the topic, brainstorm, choose and order, write, check.
Make a quick plan for the topic How I help at home.
Answer: for example: Introduction: I help my family every day. Body 1: morning jobs (fetching water, sweeping). Body 2: after school (washing dishes, feeding the goats). Body 3: weekends (the garden, umuganda). Conclusion: helping makes our home happy. Any plan with three clear ideas in a sensible order is good.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
Quick check
It rained all morning. ___, the match still started on time.
