Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

The Oxford English dictionary defines a riddle as ‘a question or statement intentionally phrased to require ingenuity in ascertaining its answer or meaning’. This definition, however, may still not have cleared up exactly what a riddle is, so here are some well-known examples:

‘What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?’

Answer: a towel

‘What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?’

Answer: a river

‘I have a tail, and I have a head, but I have no body. What am I?’

Answer: a coin

You can see from the examples above that riddles are most commonly posed as questions that often have a double meaning. Riddles are also a type of puzzle as they require a lot of thought and have, more often than not, an answer that you did not expect. This is why riddles are great for kids, as they challenge them to approach questions differently and not always go straight for the most obvious answers.

As with the second example above, riddles often rhyme and are seen as a form of poetry. Writing your puzzle can be difficult enough, so imagine how much thought, time, and attention must go into writing a riddle that rhymes!

Different types of riddle

There are two main types of riddles:

• An enigma is where a problem is proposed, and the solution is expressed metaphorically.
• A conundrum is a question that opens either the question or the answer

History of Riddles

The types of riddles in the examples above have their roots in old English poetry, specifically in the Anglo-Saxon period. It was considered a prestigious genre in Anglo-Saxon England, requiring much literary skill, wit, and intelligence to write and solve riddles.

Shakespeare was also a fan of riddles, using their characteristically symbolic and metaphorical nature in characters’ dialogue to convey feelings like love and hate in a more complex, poetic, and ethereal way.

Going further back

It’s possible to trace the origin of riddles even further back in history – there’s evidence of them being used by academics like Plato and Aristotle. Again, these riddles were regarded as having the same high-literary value as they did in Anglo-Saxon times and were used to demonstrate cunning and wisdom.

Tongue Twisters are phrases or sentences designed to be tricky or difficult to pronounce, especially when repeated several times or quickly.

Tongue twisters are a great way to practice and improve pronunciation and fluency. They can also help to improve accents by using alliteration, which is the repetition of one sound.

What are the best tongue twisters?

The best tongue twisters can help boost children’s and adults’ pronunciation through repetitive letters. For example, one of the most famous tongue twisters can perfect pupils’ P.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

What is the hardest tongue twister in the world?

All tongue twisters are designed to be tricky, but what is the hardest tongue twister ever written (or spoken)? Teams of researchers have been looking for the toughest tongue twister ever, and a team of psychologists in America thinks they’ve found it! This team has suggested that the tongue twister below is the hardest tongue twister to say out loud.

Pad kid poured curd-pulled cod

Researchers suggest that people who try to pronounce this sentence usually stop in the middle of saying it because it is too difficult or they could only get through it once and couldn’t repeat it. So, are your students up to the challenge? Present your little ones with this tongue twister to see if they can make it to the end.

Uses For Tongue Twisters In The Classroom

Tongue twisters are a fun way for kids to enjoy their spoken literacy skills, but did you know there are many other uses for tongue twisters in the classroom? For example:

• Tongue twisters are a fabulous way to play with language and how we speak. Young ESL students can see tongue twisters as a fun language challenge the whole class could get involved with.
• Tongue twisters can challenge children to get familiar with language patterns. So many words in the English language rhyme with one another and are alliterative or homophones; this can be for some incredibly interesting tongue twisters.
• Tongue twisters can help strengthen the muscles associated with speech and clear pronunciation.
• They can help teachers understand which letters, sounds, and words students struggle with. Tongue twisters can highlight which sounds you’re working with. You may get stuck on the same sound again and again. This is a sign to focus on that sound!
• Tongue twisters in English are a great way for your ESL class to have fun with language. They can be read out loud together as a class or individually to see who can say the tongue twisters in full, with no mistakes.

International Tongue Twisters Day

Get tongue-tied this International tongue twister day on November 8th, 2021. Tongue Twister Day encourages you to give your tongue a workout and challenge your friends to the most convoluted and difficult tongue twisters of the year.

Tongue Twisters For Kids

Ready to try out some fun tongue twisters for kids? Try:

Easy & Short Tongue Twisters For Young Students:

1. Red lorry, yellow lorry.
2. She sees cheese.
3. Sheep should sleep in the shed.
4. Greek grapes, Greek grapes, Greek grapes.
5. Lucky rabbits like to cause a ruckus.
6. Katie caught the kitten in the kitchen.
7. Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?
8. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!
9. Give papa a cup of proper coffee in a copper coffee cup.
10. Five frantic frogs fled from fifty fierce fishes.

Longer Tongue Twisters For Students:

1) Peter Piper:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers

Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

2) Wood Chuck:

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood

As a woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood

3) Betty’s Butter

Betty Botter bought some butter

But she said the butter’s bitter

If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter

But a bit of better butter will make my batter better

So ‘twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter

4) Silly Sally:

Silly Sally swiftly shooed seven silly sheep.

The seven silly sheep Silly Sally shooed

Shilly-shallied south.

These sheep shouldn’t sleep in a shack;

Sheep should sleep in a shed.

5) Proper Pot of Coffee:

All I want is a proper cup of coffee,

Made in a proper copper coffee pot

I may be off my dot

But I want a cup of coffee

From a proper coffee pot.

Tin coffee pots and iron coffee pots

They’re no use to me –

If I can’t have a proper cup of coffee

In a proper copper coffee pot

I’ll have a cup of tea.

6) Race horse

One-One was a racehorse.

Two-Two was one, too.

When One-One won one race,

To-Two won one, too.

7) I wish

I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish,

but if you wish the wish the witch wishes,

I won’t wish the wish you wish to wish.

8) Tree toad

A tree-toad loved a she-toad

Who lived up in a tree.

He was a two-toed tree-toad,

But a three-toed toad was she.

The two-toed tree-toad tried to win

The three-toed she-toad’s heart,

For the two-toed tree-toad loved the ground

That the three-toed tree-toad trod.

But the two-toed tree-toad tried in vain;

He couldn’t please her whim.

From her tree-toad bower,

With her three-toed power,

The she-toad vetoed him.

9) Mr. See

Mr. See owned a saw.

And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw.

Now, See’s saw sawed Soar’s seesaw

Before Soar saw See,

Which made Soar sore.

Had Soar seen See’s saw

Before See sawed Soar’s seesaw,

See’s saw would not have sawed

Soar’s seesaw.

So See’s saw sawed Soar’s seesaw.

But it was sad to see Soar so sore

just because See’s saw sawed

Soar’s seesaw.

10) Tutor Twister

A tutor who tooted the flute

tried to tutor two tooters to toot.

Said the two to their tutor:

“Is it harder to toot,

Or to tutor two tooters to toot?”

What is a metaphor?

A metaphor is a device in descriptive writing. It compares something directly to something else to create an image or resemblance (something which is similar). For example:

• Her cheeks were on fire.
• He had a heart of stone.

Metaphors are examples of figurative language, which means the language used is neither real nor literal, i.e., there is no real fire, nor is his heart made of actual stone.

What are other examples of metaphors for kids?

In addition to the two examples above, here are more examples of sentences containing metaphors.

• The moon was a white plate in the night sky.
• The train snaked along the narrow, winding tracks.
• He burned with embarrassment.
• The waves raced to the shore.
• The tsunami gobbled up everything in its path.

What is the difference between a simile and a metaphor?

A simile describes something by comparing it to something else using ‘like’ or ‘as,’ usually in an interesting or imaginative form. Some similes are well-known expressions in everyday spoken and written English, such as ‘as bright as a button,’ ‘as blind as a bat,’ or ‘as quiet as a mouse.’

Other examples of  similes include:

• Her hands were like ice.
• He ran from the others like a gazelle.

Metaphors compare one thing to another but do not contain the words ‘as’ or ‘like.’ For example

• The appeal for money caused a flood of donations.
• A blanket of thick snow fell quickly to the ground.

Why is it important to use metaphors?

Metaphors are one way in which many writers like to bring more color and artistry into their writing. It’s, therefore, important for your child to understand how metaphors are used in writing and how to write them themselves.

Your child will be able to create specific or powerful images that will make their writing more interesting. They’ll also discover how to identify examples of metaphors from the literature they read and be able to explain why the images created are effective.

When will pupils begin to learn about metaphors?

Children will likely begin learning about metaphors in Year 5 or Year 6, but teachers may decide to introduce them as early as Year 4.

Famous examples of metaphors

Metaphors are common in poetry and literature. Below are a few examples that children may come across at some point in their education:

• ‘The sun in the west was a drop of burning gold that slid near and nearer the sill of the world.’ – William Golding, Lord of the Flies.
• ‘Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
• Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.’ – Wilfred Owen, Dulce et Decorum Est.
• ‘I’m a riddle in nine syllables,
• An elephant, a ponderous house.’ – Sylvia Plath – Metaphors.

This a simple metaphor exercise you can do anywhere

Teachers or parents can ask pupils to identify metaphors in a poem or text. They can discuss in groups what they think the different images or phrases mean and why the author selected them.

As metaphors can have several meanings, they’re great for prompting discussion. In addition, they’ll spark pupils’ imagination and underline how pupils can be creative with their language.

Different types of metaphors for kids

Extended metaphor

Extended metaphors are when a metaphor is sustained for longer than a single word or phrase. Sometimes, extended metaphors are used throughout a whole poem.

Shakespeare employs an extended metaphor in Romeo and Juliet, comparing Juliet to the sun over a few lines:

‘But Soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Who is already sick and pale with grief,

That thou, her maid, art far fairer than she.’

Implied metaphor 

Implied metaphors are less direct, comparing two things without mentioning them explicitly. For example, the sentence, ‘The boss barked her orders at her employees, ’ reaches the boss to a dog without saying the word dog.

Mixed metaphor

Mixed metaphors involve mixing two or more metaphors that are incompatible or inconsistent. For example, you could combine the metaphors ‘flogging a dead horse’ and ‘noisy neighbors’ to make ‘flogging a dead noisy neighbor.’

The metaphor doesn’t make sense, but the fact that two recognizable metaphors have been taken out of context and combined can give rise to humor.

Dead metaphor

These are generally the best to avoid. Dead metaphors have been overused for years to the point that they’ve lost their vigor and excitement. Using them will risk ‘sounding like a broken record’ and becoming a ‘laughing stock.’

Animal metaphors

• Kangaroo court
• Wolf in sheep’s clothing
• Paper tiger
• Pull the cat out of the bag
• Monkey see monkey do

Nature metaphors

• Your mind is a garden
• He cried waterfalls
• A storm in a teacup
• Sea of love
• A flood of donations

Everyday metaphors

• Fit as a fiddle
• Time is money
• Heart of stone
• You are my sunshine
• Your brain is a computer

Tips for writing metaphors

When writing your metaphors, it’s important to remember that they should be image-driven, painting a vivid picture to illustrate your point. They should be original too. You don’t want to write a dead metaphor that bores your reader! Despite that, metaphors can be simple and don’t rely on overly complicated language.

Come up with your colorful metaphors with these five easy steps

• Choose an object to write about and come up with other things or ideas similar to it. To use a cliche example, we could compare the ups and downs of a particular job to a rollercoaster.
• Next, try and come up with a sentence or phrase that highlights the similarities between the two. In this case, we can say something like, ‘The year I spent in that job was a rollercoaster.’

• Now we can embellish the metaphor. If most of the job was unpleasant, we could say, ‘The year I spent in that job was a ramshackle rollercoaster with one peak and a hundred troughs.’ But, of course, the word ‘ramshackle’ describes the rollercoaster in a state of ruin, suggesting the job was anything but enjoyable. And while you’re unlikely to ever see a rollercoaster with one peak and a hundred troughs, the exaggeration paints a picture of the difficulties that arose throughout the job.

• So far, so good, so why not extend the metaphor further? Let’s build on the rollercoaster metaphor using more imagery from amusement parks. We could add a second sentence, like ‘The promotion ladder was a broken Ferris wheel.’ The image is more striking than simply describing how the rigid structure of the business doesn’t allow upward mobility.
• And to put the icing on the cake, turn it into an active metaphor by placing yourself or another character in the scenario as an active participant. For the final sentence, let’s go with ‘I could hear the tycoon in the top cart, laughing over the complaints of the disillusioned thrill-seekers as he cashed all the candy floss cheques for himself.’ Again, this is more vivid than saying, ‘ the boss held his employees in disregard and kept all the money to himself.’ Let’s have a look at the metaphor in full below:

The year I spent in that job was a ramshackle rollercoaster with one peak and a hundred troughs. The promotion ladder was a broken Ferris wheel. I could hear the tycoon in the top cart, laughing over the complaints of the disillusioned thrill-seekers as he cashed all the candy floss cheques for himself.

These simple tips can have amazing effects on children’s creative writing, so get them to try and come up with a few of their own in school or at home.

A red herring in literature is false information designed to mislead the reader. It is a literary device often used in mystery stories to distract the reader from important information, send them down the wrong path, or lead them to a false conclusion, making the ending a surprise.

Red herrings, or false clues, are frequently used in mysteries and detective stories to keep the reader guessing. Often one character will seem to be behaving in a way that makes them a key suspect, while it turns out another character committed the crime all along. For example, the suspicious behavior of the first character, in this case, would be a red herring.

Why do we use red herrings in literature?

Red herrings make mystery stories more interesting and engaging because they prevent the reader from guessing the ending too early. This keeps the reader invested in the story and makes them want to keep reading to find out whether their instincts are right or whether they’ve been thrown off the trail. A clever author will use a red herring to provide enough false clues to mislead the reader completely.

Sometimes a story may contain more than one red herring. This gives the reader several different conclusions when trying to guess how the story ends. It presents even more of a challenge to the reader because they want to solve the mystery correctly. For example, multiple red herrings are sometimes used in murder mystery stories where a group of characters is all suspects, and each has their motive for committing the crime. The reader then has to figure out which character’s motive is strongest and who could have been in the right place at the right time.

Red herrings in literature add depth to a story, building suspense by creating twists and turns in the plot. They’re part of the enjoyment of reading a mystery or crime novel, as they keep us guessing. If we think correctly, this gives us a sense of satisfaction and makes the ending a surprise if we don’t.

Red herrings aren’t only used in mystery and crime stories. However – they can be used in other types of literature, too. The term refers to false information, which can confuse readers and lead them to draw the wrong conclusion about a character or plot.

Why do we call it a red herring?

The term “red herring” is first thought to have been used in an 1807 news story by the English journalist William Cobbett. In his story, he accused the press of reporting prematurely that Napoleon had been defeated. Cobbett said they were using false information to mislead the public, and he compared this to the practice of using strong-smelling smoked fish to lure dogs away from following a scent. There is no evidence that this practice was used in training dogs. However, since Cobbett’s article was published, the term “red herring” has been used to describe any deliberate use of false or misleading information.

Interestingly, there is no such fish as a red herring. Instead, the term refers to a type of kipper cured in brine before being smoked. These kippers are often made from herrings and have a particularly strong smell. However, if enough brine is used, the fish also turns red.

How do red herrings compare to other literary devices?

Some people consider a red herring in literature to be a logical fallacy. A logical fallacy is an error in logic or reasoning which creates a faulty or unsound argument. Writers sometimes use deliberate logical fallacies to prevent readers from guessing the truth.

However, a red herring isn’t an example of faulty logic. On the contrary, a red herring is logically sound – it convincingly presents false or misleading information, leading people to the wrong conclusions. This makes a red herring an informal fallacy rather than a logical fallacy.

Some other examples of informal fallacies in the literature include:

• Straw man – this type of argument is often used in debates, whether in real life or fiction. A straw man argument distorts the other person’s point of view, deliberately misrepresenting them to create a stronger statement for yourself. However, unlike a red herring, a straw man argument doesn’t present false information; it just twists the information already there.

• A non sequitur is when a person jumps into an argument, so the point they’re making has no relevance to the previous issues. Like a red herring, a non sequitur is a way of using irrelevant information to distract the audience from what’s going on.

• Ad hominem is when someone uses someone’s characteristics to attack them instead of simply attacking the argument they’re making. Ad hominems are regularly used in literature to throw readers off the scent. For example, a character might be described as having a suspicious appearance or behaving unusually, instantly making the reader suspect them.

Another literary device similar to the red herring is foreshadowing. This is a technique in which an author clues what might happen later in the story. These clues can be symbolic, such as storm clouds gathering or a certain type of bird being seen as an omen. They can even be as simple as a character saying they feel uncomfortable about something.

Like red herrings, foreshadowing can be misleading – the author can deliberately give false clues to prevent the reader from guessing what will happen.

What are some red herring examples?

There are a huge number of examples of the red herring in literature. Some of the most famous examples include:

• A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle. This is the first Sherlock Holmes story, and Conan Doyle uses a red herring by having the murderer write the word “rache” at the crime scene. This means “revenge” in German, leading the reader to believe that the murderer must be German.

• The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. The main suspect throughout the novel is Bishop Manuel Aringarosa. However, the red herring is literally in his name – in Italian, the word “aringa” means “herring,” and “rosa” is “red.”

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. We learn in the novel that the main character, Pip, has a wealthy benefactor. Because of the prominence given to Miss Havisham and her unusual behavior, we assume she must be the benefactor. This prevents us from thinking about who else it could be.

• The Harry Potter books by JK Rowling. The character of Professor Snape is presented as looking creepy, acting intimidating, and having connections with Voldemort. Throughout the series, this leads us to believe that he must be working on the side of evil against Harry and his friends.

How to write a red herring

If you’re creating your red herring in literature, there are several elements it has to have to work properly:

1. It has to be believable. For example, if you’re setting up a character as a suspect in a murder case, that character must have a plausible motive for being the killer. They must also have been able to be at the crime scene at the right time.
2. It has to be subtle – but it can’t be too modest! If you make a clue so obvious that it shouts out at the reader too much, they’re likely to recognize it as a red herring and dismiss it. However, if your clue is too subtle, the reader might not notice it. So a red herring has to be noticeable but not recognizable as a red herring.
3. It has to relate to the plot. If you introduce a red herring that has no relevance to the rest of the story, you’re setting your readers up for disappointment, as the story won’t have a satisfying ending.

Another important thing to remember is that red herrings should only be used in fictional writing! They’re ideal for making your plots more interesting when writing fiction, particularly mystery stories. However, red herrings should never be used in factual or persuasive writing, as they seem unreliable, achieving the opposite effect of what you should strive for.

Explanation writing is a text that explains something. It sounds obvious, but it’s a little more complicated than it might at first appear. An explanation is normally a response to a question. It’s written very clearly with the mind reader.

If you’re ever in the position of having to write an explanation, it’s worth considering this very carefully. ‘Rugby in New Zealand’ would not make a very good title for an explanation text. It would probably work well as a general information page, but no question needs to be answered. If you know you need to write an explanation, a far better title for this topic would be ‘Why is rugby popular in New Zealand?’ Straight away, you know what the purpose of the text is. You need to explain why rugby is popular in New Zealand. This question will be the driving force behind your explanation – the purpose and reason you’re writing it. Having this focus should also make it easier to know which research is relevant, making your text easier and quicker to write.

Types of Explanation

There are several types of explanation writing designed to suit different purposes. Though they all answer questions, these questions seek different kinds of solutions.

For example, the question ‘How does the water in the sea turn into the rain?’ asks for the step-by-step stages in which something happens. Therefore, your answer must be sequential, putting the water cycle events in order. This means you need to write a sequential explanation.

Now consider the question, ‘How did the First World War start?’ At first, it might seem that a simple sequential might also be sufficient here. But this question is a little more involved. It’s asking why something happened. It’s asking for a factual explanation of the causes of the First World War. Something led to something else, which led to something else, which caused the outbreak of war. So when you write your explanation text, you must make sure it’s clear how things lead from one to the other and what causes the various stages in the process. We call this a causal explanation.

Sometimes, when someone’s asking a question, they’re asking for a theory. Some questions we can’t ever possibly have an exact answer to. This is normally because there’s too much we don’t know, and there’s no way of getting the information. This is often the case with questions about historical events. Though we’re unable to know exactly what it was like to be there, and we’re no longer able to interview the people involved because they were alive

How can you tell which type of explanation you need to write?

Before you start writing your explanation, you need to work out which kind of explanation it needs to be. The best way to determine this is to look closely at the question you’re being asked. You’ll need to imagine the question if you’re not being asked a question.

What does the asker want from you? Are they asking you for a simple step-by-step account of how something happens? If so, you’ll need to write a sequential explanation. Do they want you to explain why you think something happened? If so, they want you to present a theory, so you’ll need to write a theoretical explanation. Do they want you to provide a factual account of how something led to something else? If so, you need to write a causal description.

How can I structure a piece of explanation writing?

It’s normally a good idea to start your explanation with a statement. This statement should make it clear exactly what you’re explaining. For example, it might be a definition and contain contextual information about the topic.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to write the sequence of your explanation. How does the thing work? Why did something happen? Why do you think the thing happened the way it did? This is the part where you explain everything. Make sure you write it clearly, so it’s easy to read and understand.

Wrap up your explanation with a concluding statement. This is the moment when you return to your main point. If you’re writing an argument, this is your last chance to convince your reader, so you want it to be powerful.

You’ll find more tips on how to teach children to structure their writing in Twinkl’s explanation writing unit plans.

Common features of explanation writing

Use these common features of explanation writing to make your text clear.

• Language of cause and effect – phrases like ‘this leads to…’ and ‘this causes…’ can help make your writing flow. It’ll also make your sequence easier to follow.
• Language of time – phrases like ‘after that, ‘then,’ and ‘next’ will make it easier to understand the exact order of events in your writing.
• Language of condition – phrases like ‘if this happens, then it’s bound to lead to…’ will help you explain your theories.
• Technical language – the more specific your subject and explanation appear the more convincing your writing will be. If the reader thinks your answer is directly relevant to them, they’ll pay close attention (a sneaky use of the language of condition, there).
• Descriptions are also an important part of explanation writing. It would help if you described circumstances and situations to communicate cause and effect effectively.
• The timeless present tense – though not the case with all explanations, particularly those written about history, many causes are written in the present tense. However, they don’t just refer to things happening here this second. Statements written in the timeless present tense refer to processes that are continuous or happening all the time. They can also mean ‘whenever one thing happens, this happens too.’

Before you write – some points to consider

So you think you’re ready to write an explanation? Before you leap in, it’s worth checking a few things to ensure you know what you’re doing.

1. Identify the question you need to answer. Are you sure you need to write an explanation? Would a simple information page be more suitable? Is there a particular question being asked or an implied question you need to answer? If so, identify what that question is. As you write, continually check that your response delivers a satisfying answer.
2. Identify what kind of explanation you need to write. Though the type of explanation doesn’t change its structure, it’ll greatly impact how you write it. For example, if someone’s looking for an explanation of how a light bulb works, they want straight facts. Therefore, your sequential description should contain no trace of your opinion or speculative theorizing. Just tell them how a lightbulb works. You must be more theoretical if they ask you how lightbulbs have impacted your life. Though there are very clear ways lightbulbs affect all of us, you’re also given room to be more speculative here. You’ll have to consult your perspective and think of reasons independently. The research/imagination/analysis ratio is different; therefore, the writing experience will change.
3. Do you know the answer? Do you know the answer to the questions being asked? Do you have access to the information that will help you answer it?

Quick Tips

1. Start strong. Write a clear statement and continually refer back to it to that you know your writing is focused.
2. Proof-read. You don’t want your writing to be confusing or unconvincing because of a simple spelling error.
3. Make sure your research is right. When writing about something technical or specialized in some way, you must check that your statements are correct. You don’t want to give the reader incorrect information.
4. Use the language of cause and effect. Not only will this make your explanation easier to follow for the reader, but you might also find that giving it this sense of structure makes it easier to write.

The idea of writing a story in the future tense is highly unusual. Most stories are written in the past tense as if they happened. This even applies to stories set in the future – the narrator is writing as if they have already witnessed the events in the story.

The present tense is increasingly being used in novels. This device is often used when a story is set partly in the past and partly in the present. The author changes tenses to differentiate more clearly between the two-time settings.

But are stories ever written in the future tense? There’s no reason they can’t be, and several experimental authors have taken on this task. But if you want to know how to write a story in the future tense, you need to understand the different types of future tenses and how they work.

What are the different types of the future tense in English?

There are four types of the future tense in English. These are:

Future simple

The future simple tense describes something that will happen at some point in the future. It comprises a verb plus the modal verb ‘will.’ If we use the example of the verb ‘to go’ in the future simple tense, it becomes ‘I will go.’ You can also use the contraction ‘I’ll go.’ To form the negative, use ‘will not’ or ‘won’t’ (‘I won’t go’).

If you’re asking a question in the future simple tense, it takes the form ‘Will you go?’.

We can also form the future simple tense by using the modal verb ‘shall’ instead of ‘will’ (‘I shall go’).

Future continuous

The future continuous tense is formed by adding ‘will be’ to the ‘-ing’ form of a verb. We use the future continuous tense to talk about something that’s happening at a specific point in the future or within a definite time frame. Some examples of this are, ‘I will be going on holiday next week’ or ‘I’ll be working in the shop over the summer.’

We can form the negative future continuously in the same way, as in, ‘I won’t be going to the party tomorrow night,’ or use the end to continue to ask a question (‘Will you be having a party?’).

If we’re using the future continuous tense, it’s important to remember that we can’t use stative (non-action verbs) such as ‘be’ or ‘seem.’ ‘It will be being’ doesn’t make sense, so we need to use the future simple here.

Future perfect

The future perfect tense is used to talk about actions that will be completed by a particular time. We form this tense by using ‘will have’ with the past participle of the verb. For example, ‘I will have done my homework by dinner time’; or, in the negative, ‘I won’t have cleaned up by the time you get here.’ We can also ask questions in the future perfect tense (‘Will you have finished eating by seven?’).

Future perfect continuous

To form the future perfect continuous tense, we use the ‘will have been’ plus the present participle (‘-ing’) form of the verb. An example is, ‘I will have been traveling for six hours by the time I get there.’ In the negative, it looks like, ‘I won’t have been sleeping much because I’ll have been on holiday.’ An example of a question in the future perfect continuous would be, ‘Will you have been working that day?’.

As you can see from these examples, we use the future perfect continuous tense to talk about something that will happen until a particular time or to express cause and effect.

How to write a story in the future tense

Now you understand the different types of future tense; it’s time to put them into practice within your creative writing. But this task isn’t as easy as it sounds. It’s extremely rare to find a novel written entirely in the future tense simply because it’s hard to write. It can also be difficult for the reader to follow. As you’re writing about the future, you can’t describe anything that’s already happened. This makes it very difficult to add any exposition or backstory into your writing, so you must find different ways of fleshing out your characters and situations.

It would help if you also remembered that the events haven’t happened to your characters yet, so they can’t know anything about them. As the plot unfolds, it has to be as much a surprise to your feelings as it is to the reader.

These are a few reasons why writing a story in the future tense is very difficult. The plot and character development difficulties take so much effort to overcome that many writers wouldn’t even attempt it. However, there are several ways we can incorporate the future tense into a past or present tense narrative.

Ways to use the future tense in your writing

In speculation

Many characters think about the future, even when the story is set in the past or the present. So we can express our thoughts and worries by writing them in the future tense. This is a technique regularly employed by Jane Austen, as we can see in this quote from Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice:

‘And now here’s Mr. Bennet gone away, and I know he will fight Wickham, wherever he meets him, and then he will be killed, and what is to become of us all? The Collinses will turn us out before he is cold in his grave, and if you are not kind to us, brother, I do not know what we shall do.’

Mrs. Bennet is speculating about the future, and using the future tense here heightens the dramatic tone, illustrating her panic. But, again, this gives us a great insight into her character.

In prophecy

Many fantasy and science fiction books have a prophecy at the story’s core, which drives the action forward. These prophecies are often made by a character who predicts the events that will unfold. A famous example of this is the prediction made by Sybill Trelawney in the Harry Potter series:

‘The one with the power to defeat the Dark Lord approaches… Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies, and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have powers the Dark Lord knows not and either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives.’

Trelawny sees the future when she says this, so she’s talking naturally in the future tense. This device sets up the final battle between Harry and Voldemort, making us realize there’s no other way to resolve the conflict.

In poetry

Poetry lends itself particularly well to the future tense. Perhaps this is why Shakespeare chose to use rhyme when writing for the three witches in Macbeth, as we can see here:

First Witch: ‘When shall we three meet again?

In thunder, lightning, or the rain?’

Second Witch: ‘When the hurlyburly’s done,

When the battle’s lost and won.’

Third Witch: ‘That will be ere the set of sun.’

The future tense is used cleverly here, as the first witch is questioning while the second and third are making predictions. This shows us that the future tense can be used in several different ways within the same passage of text.

Whichever techniques you use, the important thing is to create an interesting narrative that readers can easily follow. This frees you up to use the future tense within your story to heighten the tension and progress the plot.

The Five Pillars of Islam are the most important Muslim practices. They’re five obligations that every Muslim must follow and meet to live a good and responsible life according to their religion, Islam.

The Five Pillars Of Islam are:

1. Shahadah
2. Salah
3. Sawm
4. Zakat
5. Hajj

The Five Pillars of Islam for Kids

Shahadah

The profession of Faith. To become a Muslim, you must be able to recite the phrase sincerely, ‘There is no god but God, and Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is the Messenger of God’ from the Qu’ran (Islam’s sacred text). This belief is central to Islam, which is why it’s one of the Five Pillars.

Salat

Prayer. Praying is another important part of Islam and one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which is why Muslims pray five times a day facing Mecca. They pray at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and after dark. Sometimes they pray alone, and sometimes they pray together in a mosque.

Zakat

Alms. Donating to charity and needy community members is essential to the Islamic faith. According to Islamic law, Muslims have to donate a portion of their income to those more in need. For this reason, many wealthy Muslims will build mosques, drinking fountains, hospitals, schools, and more for their community.

Sawm

Fasting. During Ramadan, all healthy Muslims will fast in the daytime. This means they don’t eat or drink until the sun goes down. The fast reminds them of everything God has done for their lives and encourages gratitude. It’s also a reminder to help those who are less fortunate.

Hajj

Pilgrimage. Every Muslim who is well enough to go must make at least one visit to the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in their lifetime. During this pilgrimage, they should visit the Haram Mosque, where the Ka’ba is. This is a cubical structure with black embroidered hangings. Muslims believe it is the house Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) built for God, so they face its direction when they pray. Believers of the Islamic faith have gathered around the Ka’ba since the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). There is a dedicated month for the pilgrimage, called Dhu al-Hijjah or Dhu Al-Hijra.

Why are the Five Pillars of Islam Important?

The Five Pillars are a set of religious duties that Muslims use as a framework for their belief and life. They weave these duties into their everyday activities and how they act to show their religious devotion and prove their sincere belief.

In Islam, belief alone isn’t enough, however. Muslims must show the sincerity of their faith through their actions, which is why they strictly follow the Five Pillars of Islam.

By carrying out the obligations outlined in the Five Pillars, Muslims show their dedication and devotion to Islam. They don’t simply fit their belief around a secular life; they value their faith and prioritize it in their daily actions.

Furthermore, the Five Pillars are the foundation of Islam. The concept is often seen as a metaphor that describes Islam as a monument held up by its Five Pillars.

Encoding means hearing a spoken sound and then writing it down using an appropriate symbol. Children are taught to encode sounds during their phonics education, and they’ll learn a multitude of graphemes (symbols) for each of the 44 phonics sounds.Top of Form

What is encoding in phonics?

To start with, just what is encoding in phonics?

Encoding means hearing a sound spoken out loud and writing it down using an appropriate written symbol (known as a grapheme). It can also mean listening to a spoken word, breaking that word down into its phonemes (units of sound), and writing each sound using graphemes.

Encoding is a valuable skill that helps children to make early attempts at writing and spelling words.

What is an example of encoding?

Now that we’ve answered the question of ‘what is encoding in phonics?’, let’s look at how it might work with the help of a few examples.

For instance, a child might hear the /i/ sound and write it down using the grapheme ‘i’. This shows that the child can encode this sound by recognizing and writing it down using a letter associated with it.

As we mentioned, encoding also helps kids make early spelling attempts. For example, let’s take the CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) word ‘red.’ Once children have developed their phonological awareness, they’ll be able to recognize three distinct sounds in this word: /r/, /e/, and /d/. They’ll then be able to write these sounds down using the appropriate symbols ‘r,’ ‘e,’ and ‘d’.

What is the difference between encoding and decoding?

But what is encoding in phonics about decoding? They’re both essential phonics skills for pupils to develop, but we must understand them before we read further!

Encoding, as we know, is where children hear a sound and write it down using an appropriate grapheme.

Decoding, however, is something a bit different. It’s where pupils will use their knowledge of letter-sound relationships to read or sound out an unfamiliar written word.

What is Labor Day?

Celebrated on the first Monday of September, many see Labor Day as a reason to invite friends and family to eat and celebrate. However, children can also be excused for not fully understanding its importance. After all, it’s easy to overlook this topic with school districts either starting classes after Labor Day or closing before Labor Day.

So, what is Labor Day? Labor Day is a federal holiday, often seen as symbolizing the end of summer. Not to be confused with Memorial Day, Labor Day has its significance.

The History of Labor Day

During the 19th century, working conditions in the United States were not how we know them today. Laborers were mistreated, often working 12-hour days, seven days a week. With such little concern for employee welfare, these laborers also operated in dreadful working conditions, all to earn an insufficient wage to the detriment of their families.

But it wasn’t just adults that suffered during the industrial revolution, as children from low-income families had to work too.

These harsh conditions caused laborers to riot and demand labor unions, which started the large-scale labor movement.

President Grover Cleveland and Congress created Labor Day to rebuild the relationship with workers. The bill that signed Labor Day into law was passed in 1894.

Today, it is easy to forget the sacrifices and hard work laborers endured during the Industrial Revolution. We must use Labor Day to honor these laborers and their contribution to society. Labor Day is celebrated annually, providing American citizens with the opportunity to recognize the contributions made by American workers and all that our country has achieved.

How is Labor Day Celebrated?

Since 1894, Labor Day has been celebrated within its federal holiday status by citizens across the country. From family gatherings to community activities and events, there are many ways to celebrate Labor Day.

As Labor Day is observed on the first Monday in September, the holiday is often celebrated as a long Labor Day weekend. Common neighborhood celebrations of Labor Day include parades, firework displays, local potlucks, and family and friends enjoying picnics.

Depending on where you live, you may also find other quirky traditions to celebrate the weekend. In Virginia, many people spend the long Labor Day weekend visiting the amusement park!

Our Top Labor Day Crafts for Kids: 

Kids learn best when they are engaged and having fun, so what better way to immerse them in the history and celebration of Labor Day than to get stuck into some amazing Labor Day crafts for kids?

Here are some of our favorite ideas to get your students working hard this Labor Day:

Community Helpers Split Pin Craft 

Our Community Helpers Split Pin Craft is a fun, hands-on way to learn more about the roles of community helpers. Print and distribute this resource to students to use their fine motor skills. They will need to cut each section. Once cut, students can use split pins to assemble their figures, ready for various educational and fun uses.

Paper Flower Bouquet Craft

This is the perfect craft project for a Friday afternoon before Labor Day weekend! To make this lovely handmade flower bouquet, print and distribute this resource to students and follow the easy-to-use guide to assemble it.

Once complete, choose a local community helper you would like to make happy and give them these flowers.

Mindfulness Thank You Cards

To get started, ask your child who they want to write their card for. Perhaps children would like to send a “Thank You” card to their local nurses, police, firefighters, and any other community helpers they can think of! If a child needs help selecting who to make a card for, ask them to think about whether they have any friends or family that work as community helpers to guide their choices.

Help children tailor their cards to the recipient with personalized messages specific to their line of work. To make this craft activity more special, encourage students to deliver their cards by hand on Labor Day weekend.

Design Your Own Face Mask Art Activity

Our Design Your Face Mask Art Activity allows students to design, decorate, and color in the blank mask template. Great as a discussion point on the work of essential workers during Labor Day and encourages creativity and imagination as your children develop their unique designs.

Once students have completed their design, they can practice their fine motor skills by cutting the masks. They can then be added to a display honoring Labor Day or used during dramatic play.

Vision Board

Learning about Labor Day is also a fantastic opportunity to get children thinking about their goals and aspirations. A great way to help inspire children to think about what they would like to be when they grow up is to task them with creating a vision board!

To complete this activity, provide children with access to the internet, magazines, and other media that they can use to cut out inspirational images about their dream profession. Encourage your students to explore as many careers as possible before deciding to help them develop their prospects.

Once you have discussed the chosen careers with students, they can paste their images onto their vision board and annotate their goals with marker pens. Be sure to use the internet to discover people with these jobs and what it takes to be like them!

American Flag Craft 

If you are looking for a flag template to make creating your American flag easy, check out our Flag Color and Cut Craft. This resource is a great way to observe Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Completed flag crafts can be used to create an eye-catching display all about Labor Day!

Fireworks in a Jar Science Experiment

What is Labor Day weekend without fireworks? You can make a bang in your classroom with our mesmerizing Fireworks in a Jar Science Experiment!

This engaging and fun science activity is the perfect way to celebrate Labor Day weekend at school or home.

This teacher-made resource provides students with step-by-step instructions and a list of materials needed so that you can make your scaled-down fireworks display inside a mason jar!

This will be an unforgettable way to celebrate Labor Day and teach your students how water and oil don’t mix!

A nursery rhyme is a traditional poem or song that originates from the UK and is also used in various countries. Though the term only dates back to the late 18th/early 19th century, nursery rhymes’ history spans much further. Nursery rhymes began to be recorded in English plays during the mid-16th century, and many of the most popular nursery rhymes originated from the 17th/18th century.

Many old nursery rhymes were first published in editions of Mother Goose’s Melody in 1780. Surprisingly, many nursery rhymes weren’t originally written for children; some have a dark history. Since many of these traditional tales stretch back to the 14th century, they have some very curious beginnings.

Given how old nursery rhymes are and how long they’ve been around, some traditional rhymes have lost all meaning to modern audiences, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the rhythmic pleasure and nostalgia that comes with passing favorite nursery rhymes from generation to generation. It also helps that nursery rhymes are super catchy; once you learn them, they’re difficult to forget! You probably haven’t heard Humpty Dumpty since you were a kid, but we bet you remember every word.

The benefits of learning nursery rhymes

Not only are nursery rhymes hugely entertaining, but they also offer many benefits for you and your class. Children are soaking up information like sponges from a young age, and everything they do adds to their physical and cognitive development. Here are just a few of the ways children benefit from learning nursery rhymes:

• Babies and young children will improve their pronunciation and develop auditory skills when singing nursery rhymes. They also might develop an ear for music and set a course for a creative musical career, all because of a love of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. In addition, singing rhymes will help little ones articulate and enunciate words and practice pitch, tone, and volume.
• Miming the actions from nursery rhymes is another great way to build on the educational capabilities of these songs and verses. Children learn to associate speaking words with physical activities and strengthen their muscle memory and brain cognition.
• Fine motor skills are developed with continual practice. So whether children are miming actions to their favorite rhymes, coloring in pictures of Incy Wincy Spider, or writing out verses, they’re always building important skills.