Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

A pun is a wordplay that uses the many meanings of a term or similar-sounding words to create a humorous or rhetorical effect. Puns exploit the use of:

• Homophones – A word pronounced like another but has a different meaning. For example, ate and eight.
• Homographs -Words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. For example, lead and lead.
• Metonyms – A word or expression used as a substitute for something that it’s closely associated with. For example, using 10 Downing Street, or Number 10, to refer to the Prime Minister or the UK Government.
• Figurative language – Using words that deviate from their conventional order and meaning to make communication more colorful and evocative. Figurative language includes things like alliteration, oxymoron, and metaphors. For example, ‘The world’s your oyster.’

Puns are different from malapropisms. Malapropisms involve the mistaken use of one word in place of a similar-sounding one, while puns are deliberate expressions that exploit a word or phrase’s multiplicity of meanings.

Puns are often used in jokes, newspaper headlines, and marketing. However, they appear in many genres, and their history in writing and speech stretches back thousands of years.

Different types of puns

Homophonic puns

Homophonic puns use the different meanings of similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect. For example:

• The butcher didn’t take the risk as the steaks were too high.
• Making macaroni cheese was grate fun.
• Planting trees fills me with be-leaf that we can save the planet.
• May the fourth be with you.

Homographic puns

Homographic puns can function in two ways: they either use words spelled the same but have various meanings, or they use a word with two different meanings. For example:

• The underwater musician played the bass.
• My shoe is a foot long.

Recursive pun

Recursive puns rely on interpreting the first part of a statement to understand the second. For example:

• Immanuel doesn’t pun; he does Kant. – Oscar Wilde
• Infinity is not in finity.

Visual pun

Visual puns use logos, emblems, insignia, and other graphic techniques to create more meaning in an image. For example:

Famous pun examples for kids

‘Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.’

This pun plays on the similar sound of ‘denial’ and ‘the Nile’ (the river in Egypt) to open up new meanings. It’s often attributed to Mark Twain, although there’s no objective evidence to support that he was the first to say it.

‘The Mouse’s Tale’ in Alice in Wonderland

In Lewis Carroll’s story, the Mouse begins his poem by stating, ‘Mine is a long and sad tale!’ The pun comes from the fact that Alice mistakes the word ‘tale’ for ‘tail’ as she responds, ‘It is a long tail, certainly, but why do you call it sad?’

‘If you’re going through Hell, keep going.’

‘Going through hell’ is a common expression that refers to someone having a tough time. This clever pun plays on the word ‘going’ literal meaning, which implies movement. It suggests that a hell is a place you can ‘go through’ before reaching a place that’s not so hellish. The pun is often attributed to Winston Churchill, although it’s unclear who was the first to use it.

‘Ask for me tomorrow, and you’ll find me a grave man.’

When Mercutio is stabbed fatally in Romeo and Juliet, he mutters these words shortly before he dies. This is because Shakespeare plays on the double meaning of ‘grave,’ which means both ‘serious’ and ‘a hole dug in the ground to receive a coffin.’

‘Thou art Peter, and I will build my church upon this rock (Petros).’ (Matthew 16:18)

Jesus’ pun is the foundation of the Christian Church, which plays on the double meaning of ‘Petros’ (‘Peter’ and ‘rock’).

Fun pun examples for kids

Puns that function as jokes

• Where do polar bears vote? The North Poll.
• What do you call a knight who is afraid to fight? Sir Render.
• Why did the tiger spit out the clown? Because he tasted funny.
• Why did the spider go to the computer? To check his website.
• Why was six afraid of 7? Because 7, 8, 9.
• What do astronauts do before throwing a party in space? They planet.
• How do you make a sausage roll? Push it down a hill.

Animal puns

• This is awkward.
• Whale, whale, whale… look who was right again.
• You have a cat to kitten me right now.
• Let minnow what you think.
• He didn’t do it on porpoise.
• Don’t be so hippo-critical.
• Let me know if you want a picnic and an alpaca lunch.
• What qualifications do you have that’ll make you a good fit for this role at the zoo?
• You otter check that out.

Puns in headlines

• Three-0 Walcott (This was used when ex-Arsenal player Theo Walcott scored a hat-trick and could also work to announce his 30th birthday.)
• Gas Information Leaked
• Wages Frozen for Ice-Cream Sellers
• Barman in Bitter Row with Boss
• Train Drivers’ Union Talks Go off the Rails

Funny puns examples for kids

• What do you call a sleeping cow? A bull-dozer!
• What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy-bear!
• What did the fungi say to his wife? I have so mushroom in my heart for you.
• What did the milk say to the orange cordial? Juice, be yourself.
• What did the dog say when he sat on sandpaper? Ruff!
• What did the tailor say to her sewing machine? You are sew amazing.
• What do you call a thieving alligator? A crookadile.

What are some pun exercises for children?

• Go through a list of puns and see if the children understand how they work. Then, look for the different linguistic features outlined above.
• Discuss how the puns you’ve discussed function. Are they humorous or rhetorical? Ask children what the author wanted to convey with each particular pun.
• Try writing your puns in lessons. Come up with a list of words that have two meanings and a list of words that sound the same as one another. Start a class discussion about how you can try making your puns, and then see what children can come up with!
• Make a pun display full of children’s work. This can include pun posters, examples, and visual puns!

What is the difference between a pun and a joke?

While puns can be jokes, and jokes can be puns, they’re not the same thing. A pun does not have to be a joke and vice versa.

Puns necessitate wordplay, and while wordplay is often a feature of a joke, it’s not essential. Plus, the primary function of jokes is comedic, while puns can function simply as a rhetorical device.

What does ‘no pun intended’ mean?

Often, when people say the phrase ‘no pun intended,’ the language they’ve used functions as a pun without their deliberate intention to create a humorous or rhetorical effect.

For example, a tailor tells his friend he’s had to close his business. His friend replies, ‘Why? Did you have a bad patch? No pun intended.’ The friend says ‘no pun intended’ to assure his friend that he’s not being insensitive and making jokes at his friend’s misfortune, but instead has used the word ‘patch’ without necessarily considering its double meaning.

How do puns function in literature?

In literature, characters who use puns are often witty, gifted with the agility of thought, and skilled in their use of language. Puns can also create ambiguity, leaving characters and readers in suspense.

Shakespeare was a champion of using puns, and they were often employed by his most intelligent characters, such as Hamlet.

To this day, I still remember inspiring mathematics quotes and projects these teachers introduced, such as quotes by Andrew Wiles and Paul Halmos.  And tasks like modeling a Fibonacci fountain or determining the surface area of a floating aluminum boat that would hold the maximum number of pennies.  Even constructing a rollercoaster out of a garden hose – for marbles only, unfortunately.  And perhaps you have similar memories from your math classes.

As a result, our overall feeling might be that math is beautiful.

However, it’s also a subject that many either love or hate.  Much of this stems from how math topics are or aren’t explored.

Research studies explored by the Education Alliance and the National Center for Educational Achievement found several strategies that make learning math more effective.  These include:

• Using prior experiences and knowledge to build new knowledge.
• Present lessons differently, such as encouraging students to work independently, utilizing visual aids, and having group discussions.
• Ask children questions to assess their understanding and encourage them to work through their answers.
• Making real-life connections to math topics being taught.

Throughout recent years and over the centuries, famous mathematicians, innovators, and even familiar household names have shared their wisdom on math.  Quotes are an excellent way to supplement math lessons and encourage students to think about math in a new light.

Quotes may encourage us to explore questions like “What is math?” or “What is made possible through math?”

One of my favorite math quotes is by Katherine Johnson.  Johnson was a prominent mathematician who worked for NASA.  She was responsible for working on the calculations which put an astronaut into orbit around Earth.  Johnson said, “In math, you’re either right or wrong.”  And when it comes to this statement, one can’t help but think about the implications of an incorrect calculation on a venture such as space exploration.  Perhaps you have a favorite math quote that makes you consider certain things too?

Famous Math Quotes:

The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated but to make complex things simple. ~ Stan Gudder

What is mathematics?  It is only a systematic effort to solve puzzles posed by nature. ~ Shakuntala Devi

Mathematics knows no races or geographic boundaries; for mathematics, the cultural world is one country. ~ David Hilbert

Mathematics is where you can do things you can’t do in the real world. ~ Marcus de Sautoy

Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas. ~ Albert Einstein

Life is a math equation.  You must know how to convert the negatives into positives to gain the most. ~ unknown

The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics. ~ Paul Halmos

We will always have STEM with us. Some things will drop out of the public eye and will go away, but there will always be science, engineering, and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics. ~ Katherine Johnson

Five out of four people have trouble with fractions. ~ Steven Wright

Nature is written in mathematical language. ~ Galileo Galilei

Mathematics may not teach us to add love or subtract hate, but it gives us hope that every problem has a solution. ~ unknown

Not everything that counts can be counted.  Not everything that can be measured depends. ~ Albert Einstein 

The essence of mathematics is in its freedom. ~ Georg Cantor

Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do.  Everything around you is mathematics; everything around you is numbers. ~ Shakuntala Devi

In math, you’re either right, or you’re wrong. ~ Katherine Johnson

It is impossible to be a mathematician without being a poet in soul. ~ Sofia Kovalevskaya

Arithmetic is counting up to twenty without taking off your shoes. ~ Mickey Mouse

Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why. ~ Bernard Baruch

The definition of a good mathematical problem is the mathematics it generates rather than the problem itself. ~ Andrew Wiles

What sciences can be more noble, excellent, useful for people, admirably high, and demonstrative than mathematics? ~ Benjamin Franklin

For starters, what is onomatopoeia? Well, it’s a type of word representing a particular sound and is often used for literary effects. Onomatopoeia appears in many languages, as well as English, and we use these types of words to describe various things, including actions and animal noises.

Although this may seem like a complex idea to introduce to children early on in school, it’s a feature of speech they may already be familiar with.

Even if they can’t already recite a textbook definition, kids are likely to be able to recognize these valid sound words. Many children’s books, TV programs, and even comics will use onomatopoeia phrases to engage their young audience.

Did You Know…?

Onomatopoeia comes from the Greek words onoma, meaning ‘name,’ and poiein, meaning ‘to make.’ So, onomatopoeia means ‘to make a name (or sound).’

What are some examples of onomatopoeic words?

It can be challenging for children to understand the concept of onomatopoeia without the help of a few examples.

There are many great examples of onomatopoeia phrases and words in English, some of which we use more regularly than others. For example, onomatopoeic words are used a lot in comics and graphic novels to express sound effects:

• CRASH!
• WHACK!
• BOOM!

The words we use to describe the verbal communications or actions of animals are also examples of onomatopoeia:

• Bark!
• Meow!
• Scratch!

These are all onomatopoeic words because they symbolize a specific sound and make us think of that sound.

Common letter combinations in onomatopoeia

We’ve established an onomatopoeia definition and examples, but did you know that some common letter combinations are used in the same categories of sounds? Here are some of the most common examples.

Water sounds:

Words related to water or other liquids often start with sp- or dr-. For example:

• splash;
• spray;
• drip.

For small quantities of water, the words also commonly end in -le. For example:

• drizzle;
• sprinkle.

Collision sounds:

For collisions of two objects, there are several common letter combinations. For example, words that start with cl- suggest that there’s been a collision between glass or metal, like:

• clink;
• clatter.

Other collision sounds end in -ng, which suggests that the sound resonates or echoes for a while after the collision. For example:

• clang;
• ding;
• bang.

Of course, these are just a few examples. Your little ones will likely encounter many more onomatopoeia phrases in their reading.

Why do we use onomatopoeia?

By now, we’ve got a helpful onomatopoeia definition and examples to help us. But asides from representing sounds in writing, why else might we use onomatopoeia?

Onomatopoeic words are used in various ways, both in speech and literature. Although they’re primarily used as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs (‘crash,’ ‘bang’ and ‘wallop’), onomatopoeic words can also be used as verbs (‘giggle,’ ‘growl,’ ‘chatter,’ ‘mumble,’ ‘slap’ and ‘clap’).

You’ll notice a pattern with some onomatopoeic verbs – many of which represent vocal sounds. These are often used in literature to describe a particular way of saying something. For example, ‘mumbled’ creates a more detailed mental image of someone speaking quietly and sheepishly. This makes it more impactful than simply telling someone ‘speak quietly.’

Onomatopoeia is also commonly used in comics. Words like ‘bang,’ ‘crash,’ and ‘pop’ bring the action to life. Sometimes, they’ll even be the only words used on that page. Onomatopoeic words can have a lot of power!

How might we use onomatopoeia in a sentence or phrase?

Now that you’re familiar with the definition and examples let’s look at how we might use onomatopoeia phrases and sentences. A great example of onomatopoeia in literature is this poem by Australian poet Lee Emmett:

Water plops into the pond
splish-splash downhill
warbling magpies in a tree
trilling, melodic thrill
whoosh, passing breeze
Flags flutter and flap
frog croaks, bird whistles
babbling bubbles from the tap

Can you see how his use of water onomatopoeia paints a picture in your head and helps you understand the sounds he’s describing?

As well as the typical collision and animal sounds, many onomatopoeia phrases and onomatopoeic words represent sounds used for literary effect to create a particular image or atmosphere for the reader.

Here are a few different examples of how you could use onomatopoeia in phrases to make your writing come alive:

• ‘the bees buzzed loudly.’
• ‘the bacon sizzled in the frying pan.’
• ‘the gravel crunched under my feet’
• ‘the music blared from the speakers’
• ‘it fell into the swimming pool with a splash.’
• ‘the clock ticked away in the quiet room.’
• ‘the tomato splatted on the ground.’
• ‘a bird fluttered past my window.’
• ‘the snake slithered through the grass.’
• ‘the chestnuts crackled over the warm fire.’

There are loads of different onomatopoeic words, which means they can be used in almost endless ways. Learners will have a lot of fun using onomatopoeia in their writing and coming up with some unique onomatopoeia phrases!

Nations around the world have specific symbols and elements that convey their identity. Several different symbols represent the identity of India. These symbols include:

• The national anthem
• The national emblem
• The national animal is the tiger
• The national flower is the lotus
• The national tree, which is the banyan
• The national bird, which is the peacock
• The national fruit is the mango
• And more!

Each of these symbols has been carefully chosen to represent an element of Indian culture.

The National Anthem of India

The title of India’s national anthem is ‘Jana Gana Mana,’ initially composed in 1911. The poet and polymath Rabindranath Tagore wrote the anthem in Bengali, one of India’s official languages. ‘Jana Gana Mana’ has its roots in ‘Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata,’ a Brahmo hymn. Only the first verse of this hymn has been adapted as India’s current national anthem, which makes it super short. It takes 52 seconds to sing the entirety of ‘Jana Gana Mana.’ This song was officially adopted as the national anthem of India on the 24th of January, 1950.

India’s national anthem is a sense of pluralism, which is central to the country’s identity and cultural heritage. Throughout India’s struggle for freedom, the national anthem has been used to inspire the people.

The National Emblem of India

The national emblem of India is the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath. It consists of four lions, all of which are standing back to back on a circular abacus. On the abacus, you can see sculptures of an elephant, a horse, a bull, and a lion. Wheels separate these sculptures. The emblem stands upon an inverted lotus flower in full bloom.

The emblem has been used throughout history to symbolize power, courage, pride, and confidence.

The National Bird of India: Peacock

The national bird of India is the peacock, commonly known as the Indian peafowl. The peacock was officially announced as the national bird of India in 1963 as it plays such a huge role in Indian customs and culture.

In terms of its symbolism, the peacock represents grace and beauty. The peacock is also inherently Indian, one of the main reasons it was chosen as the country’s national bird. Anywhere you go in India, you will likely run into a peacock. Adopting the peacock as its national bird was also a unique move for India, as no other country had it as its national bird.

The National Animal of India: Bengal Tiger

The national animal of India is the tiger, specifically the Bengal tiger. The tiger, known as the Lord of the Jungle, was selected as India’s national animal as it symbolized its rich wildlife. In addition, the main characteristics associated with the tiger are strength, agility, and power, which also make it an attractive choice for the country’s national animal.

The Bengal tiger was officially announced as the national animal of India in April 1973. This announcement coincided with the initiation of Project Tiger, a campaign to protect the tiger population of India. Before this project was announced, the lion was the national animal of India.

National Flower of India: Lotus

The national flower of India is the lotus flower. This flower was not just chosen for its beauty; the lotus flower plays a vital role in Indian mythology. This is because the lotus is the flower of the goddess Laxmi. The flower is symbolic of wealth, prosperity, and fertility. Moreover, the lotus flower is unique because, as it grows in dirty water, its long stalk reaches far above the surface, displaying a beautiful, untouched flower on top. This growth process has led to the lotus symbolizing purity, achievement, longevity, and good fortune.

National Fruit of India: Mango

The national fruit of India is the mango. The mango is synonymous with Indian culture, as the fruit is native to India and widely eaten throughout the country. Growing mangoes are embedded within Indian history and have been practiced since the country. For instance, the Great Mughal Emperor Akbar, who reigned from 1556 to 1605, was famously obsessed with mangoes. Emperor Akbar, renowned as the greatest of the Mughal emperors of India, ordered around 1,00,000 mango trees to be planted in Lakhi Bagh in Darbhanga.

The National Flag of India: Tricolour

The national flag of India is a beautiful tricolor flag with three stripes of saffron, white, and green. The flag’s center is Ashoka chakra, drawn in navy blue against a white background. The Ashoka chakra is a symbol of the charkha, a type of Indian spinning wheel referenced in the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. The charkha was in the pre-independence version of the Indian national flag. The charkha represents life in movement and, therefore, death in lack of exercise. Within Indian culture, it is a representation of the dynamic nature of peaceful change that is so heavily integrated into Indian history.

The Indian tricolor was adopted as the country’s national flag on the 22nd of July, 1947. Pingali Venkayya, an Indian freedom fighter, designed the flag.

The National Game of India: Hockey

The national game of India is hockey. When it was elected as the national game of India, hockey was extremely popular. While the sport is still prevalent in India today, the game was most popular between 1928 and 1956. During this time, India won 6 consecutive gold medals in the Olympic Games hockey.

Hockey was appointed as the national game of India because of the country’s immense success in the sport. When hockey was made the country’s national game, India played 24 Olympic hockey matches and won every single one.

The National Tree of India: Banyan

The national tree of India is the Banyan. The Banyan tree symbolizes eternal life in Indian culture due to its constantly expanding branches. Another critical aspect of the Banyan tree is its symbolic ties with the unity of India through its towering structure and deep roots. The Banyan tree is also known as the Kalpavriksha, which means ‘the wish-fulfilling tree.’ The Banyan tree also possesses incredible medicinal properties and is heavily associated with longevity.

Due to its vast, expansive structure, the Banyan tree provides shelter for many different animals and birds. This is seen as symbolic of the country of India and the melting pot of races, religions, and castes that exist within it.

The National River of India: Ganga

The national river of India is the Ganga, also known as the Ganges. Hindus regard the Ganga river as the most sacred river on Earth. Therefore, Hindus perform a range of rituals on the bank of the Ganga to show their reverence for this river. There are a few Indian cities that are famous for the Ganga river: Varanasi, Allahabad, and Haridwar. The Ganga is a vast river stretching over 2510 km of mountains, plains, and valleys. It is the longest river in all of India.

The National Currency of India: Indian Rupees

The national currency of India is the Indian rupee. The symbol of the Indian rupee, which is ‘₹,’ derives from the Devanagari consonant “र,” the phonetic pronunciation of which is ‘ra.’ The name of the Indian rupee comes from a silver coin called Rupiya.

The Indian rupee was first issued in the 16th century by the Sultan, Sher Shah Suri, and the Mughal Empire continued it.

The National Heritage Animal of India: Elephant

In addition to having a national animal of India, there is also a national heritage animal of India, the elephant. The Indian elephant is a subspecies of the Asian elephant, which can be found in mainland Asia. There are four different regions throughout India where you can find Indian elephants.

Unfortunately, the Indian elephant is an endangered species.

The National Aquatic Animal of India: River Dolphin

The national aquatic animal of India is the River Dolphin, which also goes by the name of the Ganges river dolphin. The River Dolphin used to reside in several different rivers across India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna, Kamaphuli, and Sangu. However, the River Dolphin can no longer be found in these regions.

The River Dolphin lives exclusively in freshwater and is almost entirely blind.

What are Even Numbers?

An even number is any number that is exactly divisible by 2. Even numbers always end in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8, which makes them easy to spot.

Examples of even numbers include 2, 16, and 38. All of these numbers are divisible by 2.

In contrast, odd numbers are numbers that are not divisible by 2. For example, these include 3, 15, or 27. These numbers always end in 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9.

When counting in ones, even and odd numbers alternate. This means that you never get two even or two odd numbers next to each other.

Moreover, by looking at the final digit, you can always tell if a number is odd or even, no matter how large. For example, we can tell the number 1,698,764 is even because it ends in a 4.

Even Numbers in Calculations

An answer is always an even number if you add two even numbers. For example, 2 + 6 = 8. But, if you add an odd and an even number, the answer will always be an odd number. For example, 6 + 7 = 13. These rules apply to subtraction too.

It might seem strange, but adding or subtracting two odd numbers will create an even number. For example, 7 – 3 = 4.

To summarise, adding or subtracting two odd or two even numbers will create even numbers. Adding or subtracting one odd and one even will make an odd number. These are important facts to remember that can help children with essential addition and subtraction.

Next, let’s look at multiplication. If you multiply two even numbers, you get an even answer. For example, two × 14 = 28.

This is also true when you multiply an even number by an odd number. Look at this sum: 5 × 6 = 30.

So, the only way to get an odd number as an answer to a multiplication sum is to multiply two odd numbers. For example, 7× 7 = 49.

What is the symbol of Christianity?

The Crucifix/Cross

The main symbol of Christianity is the cross, a symbol of the crucifixion of Jesus and his passion. In the Bible, Jesus walks with and carries the heavy cross a long way to his crucifixion. In Christianity, Jesus is considered to have sacrificed himself and died for others’ sins. In this sense, the heavy cross symbolizes Jesus’s heavy burden for all Christians. The cross has many meanings, symbols, and interpretations, depending on the individual. What does the symbol of the crucifix mean to you?

A Dove

A dove is a small white bird. It can often be found in Catholic churches on stained glass windows. The dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirt. In the Bible, a dove descended on him when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. The dove is a recurring symbol in the Bible, and it’s often depicted carrying an olive branch, as seen in the story of Noah’s ark. A dove with an olive branch symbolizes forgiveness and acceptance.

A Rosary

A rosary is a string of beads connected with a crucifix used in the Roman Catholic Church to help people say their prayers.

The Lamb

Jesus is often represented as a lamb –specifically, the Lamb of God. He is often depicted as a lamb in the Bible. The whiteness of the lamb is a symbol of innocence and purity. Lambs are also associated with sacrifice – specifically in the Old Testament in the Bible. Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb, sacrificed his life for Christianity.

The Eucharist (the bread and wine)

The bread and wine you receive in Church are also referred to as the Eucharist. The Bible tells us that this tradition began at the Last Supper, the night before Jesus was crucified. He brought his closest followers together, and they celebrated the annual Jewish feast of Passover. At the end of their meal, Jesus took some bread and wine and turned them into a personal memorial. He wanted his followers to remember the sacrifice he was about to make by losing his life. The Bible states that he says, “this is my body, given for you; do this in memory of me.” In the same way, he then takes the cup of wine and says, “this cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

The bread symbolizes Jesus’ body, and the wine represents Jesus’ blood and the life he sacrificed for Christianity. The elements of the bread and wine can vary – the bread may be a wafer or a part of a loaf of bread. Sometimes the wine is alcoholic, and sometimes it can be red fruit juice. The bread and the wine only become the body and blood of Jesus Christ after transubstantiation, where the priest says a Eucharistic prayer for this process to occur.

The narrative structure is the story’s content and the form used to tell the story.

This feature of a creative text generally describes the order and manner in which a narrative is presented to a reader, listener, or viewer. The frameworks of a narrative text structure are the plot and the setting.

This can also depend on the genre and medium of a story. For example, a ‘whodunnit’ will typically have an orientation (beginning) that sets up the crime, the victim, and the protagonist involved in solving it. Then, in the middle part of the story, we follow the main character as they weigh up who might have committed the crime and how. The criminal is usually revealed at the conclusion, and the reader finds out how it was done.

As for a medium, plays and films are good examples, as they traditionally employ a three-act structure that helps to build tension and suspense across a narrative.

Why is Narrative Structure Important?

Narratives tell stories, and stories help us connect. They are written to entertain and to share experiences with a reader. Narratives can be written in many mediums, such as novels, short stories, poems, diaries, and even biographies.

The narrative structure is an essential tool in a writer’s arsenal, as it allows them to grab the audience’s attention and keep them engaged. However, the way a story is told can make it dull, ordinary, or engaging, depending on the approach.

What is the structure of a narrative?

Here are some of the main parts of a narrative. It’s important to note that the writer’s plot, style, and personality will subtly change this structure, but these are some main parts to think about when reading and writing stories.

Orientation

1. This gives the reader an idea of what the text will be about.
2. The main character and sometimes other characters are introduced.
3. The setting, place, and time are introduced.

Complication

1. A problem, complication, or dilemma is put onto the main character, which they must find a way to overcome.
2. This prompts the characters to face more events to solve the original problem.

Series of Events

1. Paragraphs explain and tell the story by exploring a series of events.
2. The feelings of the main character (and other characters) about the problem and other events are shown throughout this section.

Resolution

1. The problem, complication, or dilemma is sorted out, and the emotional stress is resolved.
2. The series of events is brought to a close.

Coda

This part of the text is optional.

1. If there is a moral or a lesson to be learned from the text, it is written at the end.
2. We might also find out what happened to other characters in the story.

What are some structural devices in English?

Structural devices in English are literary devices related to the structure of a text. These devices influence how a text is structured and laid out. Here are some standard structural devices in English:

• • A story arc: a story arc has a beginning, a middle, and an end. There is usually a crisis point within the story that is resolved at the end.
  • Dual narrative: a dual narrative gives two sides to a story and alternates between viewpoints throughout the story.
  • Circular narrative: in a circular narrative, the end of a piece of writing takes you right back to the beginning of it.
  • Flashback: this is where the main narrative takes place at one time, but there are flash-backs and episodes from the past.

What are some famous examples of narrative structure?

There’s not a ‘one style fits all’ approach when it comes to narrative structure. The construction of a story will naturally differ depending on the story being told and the medium in which it is being said. For example, you would not expect the same structure in a short story as in a film, as these two mediums have different expectations and audience experiences to work with. Nevertheless, some common narrative structures might inspire your lessons on this topic.

• • 1. The Hero’s Journey. This kind of narrative used to be the bee’s knees back in Homer’s day. When Homer wrote The Odyssey around 1614, epic poems were the height of fiction, so their structure was considered the benchmark. ‘The Hero’s Journey’ uses an eight-part cyclical system, which starts with a call to adventure, an eventual passing of the threshold (or the halfway point), and a return home. By the end, the hero is back in the position they started in, having learned something along the way.
    2. A Five-Part Structure. This standard structure includes an orientation, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. If that sounds familiar, these are all alternative terms to the structure we used above!
    3. Fractured Narrative. This more complex narrative features jumping back in time or quick movements between different perspectives. If it sounds confusing, it’s because it often is! These kinds of records can allow the writer to use confusion to their advantage, making the reader feel the same emotions as the characters in the story. It’s also used frequently in science fiction narratives that feature time traveling.

What is Speech in English language writing?

Speech writing conveys a thought or message to a reader using the correct punctuation and expression. Speech writing isn’t much different from any other form of narrative essay.

There are8 parts of speech in the English language. These parts are nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

• Noun: A noun is a naming word for things, animals, people, places, and feelings. Nouns are the building blocks for most sentences.
• Pronoun: Pronouns are words that can be used instead of a noun. They are used so that we don’t have to repeat words. This helps our writing and speech flow much more smoothly.
• Verb: A verb is an action or ‘doing’ word. These are particularly important for your kids’ grammar lessons since you cannot have a complete sentence without a verb. After all, verbs can describe an action that’s doing something.
• Adjective: An adjective is also known as a describing word. An adjective usually comes before a noun to provide more detail or information.
• Prepositions: A preposition is a word that informs you where or when something is about something else.
• Conjunction: Conjunctions are different in every language, so conjunctions in English vary from conjunctions that you’ll come across in other languages. They primarily join words that connect two sentences, thoughts, or ideas.
• Interjections: Interjections are words utilized to express solid feelings or sudden emotions.

What are speeches, and when are they used

Speeches are the most common form of public address, politicians make them, and others are powerful and are usually made to change people’s minds. Speeches are a form of persuasive writing – look here to learn more about persuasive essays.

How do you start a speech in the English language?

How you begin your speech in English can set the tone for the rest of your speech. There are multiple ways for you to start speeches in your lessons this term. For instance, try some of these appealing speech in English language starters.

• Rhetorical questions: A rhetorical question is a figure of speech that comes in the form of a question that makes a point instead of seeking an answer. A rhetorical question may have an answer, but if someone asks it to emphasize the topic. Rhetorical questions can be an effective way for students to begin their speech in English. Opening your text can appeal to the audience and get them thinking about how they relate to your topic.
• Statistics: If you are writing an informative or persuasive speech in an English lesson, using statistics can reinforce the speaker’s authority and knowledge of a topic. Try using a surprising statistic or fact that will resonate with the audience to get your point across immediately and trigger an emotional response.
• Set up an imaginary scene: If you want to persuade your audience to agree with your speech, try creating a fictional scene in their minds. This way f, opening your speech helps each audience member visualize a great scenario you want to see become real.

How to write a good speech.

Do you want to change the world? If so, you’ll need all the tips and tricks to write the perfect speech. Here are some essential tips and techniques fantastic public speakers use.

Structure

When you’re writing a speech, you need to focus on structure. Great speechwriters compose their lessons in the same form as a narrative structure. The audience will be taken on a journey, and the speech will be the path they follow. Speeches will usually follow a set structure that comes in three parts. It would help if you had a captivating opener, a comprehensive middle, and an impactful ending.

Even if your speech is long, it’s one idea. Remember to stick to the story formula, and you won’t go far wrong. Adding transitions into your speech will help each point move from the next. You want to guide your audience through your argument.

The opening

This needs to be grabbing. Take people’s attention right away. The purpose of a speech is to engage people and convince them to think or act along with you. The best start is to create an opening line that states your intention, a question, or a shocking statistic.

The middle

The middle is where you get into the swing of your argument. It is the bulk of any speech. You should include a series of reasons and arguments for why the audience should agree with you.

A key feature of speech writing is objection handling. As a speech is a monologue, there isn’t room to take questions or objections. However, a powerful speech will be able to address any complaints that might arise in the speech itself. That way, you’re answering questions as they come to the audience.

There is a secondary use of objection handling, which gives you a sense of authority. To persuade an audience, they need to be able to see you as someone who has expertise. It would help if you resembled someone they want to follow.

The end

You want the audience to leave your speech remembering your message. Therefore, the end is usually the most memorable part of your speech. For example, you could end with a recap of the most critical points, link all your speech together, or end with a call to action.

A call to action can be powerful as it inspires the audience to do something. This can be framed as a question, such as “Will you help?” and is intended to make the audience agree. For example, for most political speeches, the call to action could be to vote in favor of a person or change. Remember, people will talk about the end of a speech, so make sure it’s something to talk about!

Language

The key to any tremendous persuasive and speech writing is to know who you’re talking to and to tailor your language to that person. If the audience is small, you can afford to be more specific, perhaps even name audience members. Choose words that will resonate with a larger audience if your audience is broad. Keep the message simple, and apply it to all types of listeners. This will increase your chances of changing people’s minds.

The language you can use in a speech differs from the audience to audience. A key point of speech writing is to know your audience. For example, academic speeches tend to use formal language. This means avoiding the use of “I” so the content of the speech is depersonalized. The persuasion comes from the work’s strength, not a personal plea.

Other speeches, where a unique idea or opinion is the focus, usually involve much more informal language. When these speeches are made, it can be necessary for the speaker to relate to the audience. In addition, it will make the call to action seem like a group effort.

Emotion language

Making your audience respond emotionally to your speech can be a compelling feature of speech writing. Choosing the right words will create a feeling in your listener. This is using emotional language.

Sometimes, if an audience feels empathy or emotional about a subject, this can trump their rational thinking. It’s a very persuasive technique to appeal to your listener’s thoughts and feelings. The strongest emotions can be things like sadness, anger, or happiness.

When an issue requires social change, indignant language can be moving – by describing injustices and sufferings in the world, there is an appeal to sympathy.

To ensure your audience feels the same way you do about your subject, use the pronouns we and our. This will help them to connect with your topic.

Rhetorical devices in persuasive writing that use emotive language are similes, metaphors, and anecdotes.

Questions

Questions are a powerful tool for getting your message across. They also can inspire thought from your audience. As the speaker does not intend to open a dialogue, questions are posed for the audience to respond intuitively with an answer. These questions could take the form of a literal or rhetorical questions.

The use of rhetorical questions is a common feature of speech writing. It encourages an audience to agree with the speaker on their own accord.

Quotes

Often speakers use quotes to reinforce the message of their speeches. Quotes are an excellent device for setting the tone of your speech or delivering an idea in the best words possible. If you can’t think of how to say your message, why not pick a phrase which can?

A quote can also add value to a speaker’s argument. If you use a quote from a highly respected source, this can give credibility to your voice.

It’s also another way to link your speech to what the audience already knows. If your audience recognizes the quote, they will connect how they feel or think about it to your speech. The desired impact can be achieved by carefully selecting the right quotes when speech writing.

Silence

When you are speech writing, it is crucial to remember how the words will sound off the page. One of the most commanding techniques public speakers use is silence. Sound simple right?

Pausing or eliciting silence within the flow of your speech can create a monumental impact. Choosing a silence at the correct time gives the listener a chance to absorb, reflect and review your message. This is a fantastic way of keeping the audience focused and engaged. It gives them time to rest and let the message sink in. There’s a reason for the phrase “dramatic pause.”

Conversely, saying nothing is the best way to keep your audience’s attention. With silence, you build anticipation in the audience. You’re provoking them to wonder what you’ll say next. Furthermore, silence installs the idea that your words are too important to be hurried; they deserve time and space to be told. This is why every great speechwriter will indicate where to add silence to their work.

Length is a measurement that identifies the distance between two points. It also measures an object’s length, height, and width.

Children will learn about length in maths lessons to help them solve practical problems in learning and life.

As part of the learning material, pupils will need to learn the different units of length measurement. So let’s look into this a bit further.

The Metric System: Units of Measurement of Length

Based on the metric system, the standard unit of length is a meter (m). But sometimes, the meter might not be suitable for measuring – for example; our fingers are much shorter than a meter! So that’s why there are other units we can convert a meter into to make it easier for us.

Here are some of the most common units of measuring length:

Millimeter (mm)

A millimeter is a tiny unit of length equal to 0.001 meters. Children can put 10-15 pieces of paper on each other to see how small a millimeter is!

Centimeter (cm)

The following unit of measuring length is a centimeter (cm). One centimeter is equivalent to 10 mm, so it’s a larger unit than millimeters. However, it’s equal to 0.01 meters, making it a relatively small unit. On average, mobile phones today are about 11-13 centimeters.

Meters (m)

When we have 100 centimeters, this makes 1 meter. This is the standard unit of length and is very often used daily. For instance, during the Covid-19 pandemic, we were told to keep a 2-meter distance.

Kilometer (km)

A kilometer is a large unit of measurement of length. It’s equal to 1000 meters. It’s often used when measuring the distance between cities and countries.

The Metric System: Converting between the Different Units

Here’s a handy reference guide on converting between the different units of measurement of length:

1. Millimetres to other units

• 1 millimetre = 0.1 centimetre
• 1 millimetre = 0.001 metre
• 1 millimetre =0.000001 kilometre

2. Centimetres to other units

• 1 centimetre = 10 millimetres
• 1 centimetre = 0.01 metre
• 1 centimetre = 0.00001 kilometre

3. Kilometres to other units

• 1 kilometre = 1000000 millimetres
• 1 kilometre = 100000 centimetres
• 1 kilometre = 1000 metres

Imperial Units of Measurement of Length

The imperial unit system, also known as the British Imperial, is a system of measuring length, which uses different units of measurement than the ones explained above. Here are a few of the common imperial units which are used today:

Inch (in)

An inch is about two and a half centimeters. For example, most pencils are 5 inches long.

Foot (ft)

A foot (not the body part!) is 12 inches or around 30.48 centimeters.

Yard (yd)

One yard equals 3 ft, and it’s a little less than a meter (precisely 0.9144).

Mile (mi)

A mile is equal to 1.6 kilometers. This unit is often used to measure distances in the United Kingdom. For example, if you travel from Manchester to Birmingham, the distance is 85 miles.

The Imperial Unit System: Converting between the Different Units

Here are the most common measures that pupils will need to learn to convert:

• 1 inch = 2.5 centimetres
• 1 foot = 12 inches
• 1 foot = 30.48 centimetres
• 1 yard = 3 feet
• 1 yard = 0.91 metres
• 1 mile = 1.6 kilometres

What are regular and irregular plural nouns?

Regular plural nouns are the group which most nouns fall under. These words can be turned from singular to plural by adding a suffix such as -es or -s to the end. These are just a few examples of regular plurals:

• Apple becomes ‘apples.’
• Potato becomes ‘potatoes.’
• The party becomes ‘parties.’

There are a few rules to follow with regular plurals, but generally speaking, you can figure out what suffix a noun needs by looking at the word ending. For example, words that end with a vowel followed by a ‘y’, such as ‘day,’ end with the suffix -s.

Irregular plural nouns are where things start to get complicated. These rulebreakers don’t follow the same spelling conventions as regular plurals and don’t become plural by adding a -s or -es suffix. So, for example, the plural for the word leaf is ‘leaves,’ not ‘leaves.’

Here’s the bad news; there’s no simple way to irregular plurals. The only way to learn many of these nouns is to memorize them. The good news is that irregular plural nouns fall into several groups. Knowing these groups will help make learning irregular plural nouns more manageable.

Unchanging Nouns:

Let’s start with the most specific group of irregular plurals that don’t change. Unchanging nouns are words where the spelling of their singular form is the same as its plural form. They’re often used in nouns that refer to animals and fish. Some examples of these are:

• Fish
• Sheep
• Rice
• Aircraft
• Pajamas
• Series
• Trout
• Tuna

Nouns with changing vowels:

Occasionally, irregular plural nouns keep the exact spelling, except one or all vowels are swapped. Here are just a few examples:

• Tooth – teeth
• Man – men
• Woman – women
• Foot – feet
• Oasis – oases
• Goose – geese

Nouns that break standard spelling rules:

Lastly, there are irregular plurals that don’t follow the same spelling conventions as a lot of other nouns. A lot of different words fall under this category. Here are a few examples that pupils might be likely to come across in day-to-day use:

• Mouse -mice
• Loaf – loaves
• Child – children
• Wolf – wolves
• Person – people
• Thief – thieves
• Scarf – scarves