Book Five

English
Workbook
By Ronald Ridout

5
page

page

PROGRESS CHART
Name ......................................................................................................................................................
Age .....................................................................Class...........................................................................
School.....................................................................................................................................................
Your teacher will explain how this Progress Chart is to be used.
One way of using it is to take away one mark for each
mistake you make on a page. Suppose you make two mistakes on page three. You will score 8 out of 10, and eight
out of ten squares for page three can be shaded. The more
squares you are able to shade the better your work.
Try to work so well that every square is shaded.
3

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

10

32

11

33

12

34

13

35

14

36

15

37

16

38

17

39

18

40

19

41

20

42

21

43

22

44

23

45

24

46

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THE HOLIDAY

Write each of these sentences after the question it answers:

They are going to the seaside.
They are boarding into a taxi.
The Smiths are all boarding the train.
There are three children in the family.
Yes, it is in the front of the taxi.
No, it is on the sea front.
They have arrived at the hotel.
I know where they are going because the children are carrying buckets ad spades.
1. This is the smith family. How many children are there?
..........................................................................................................................................................
2. Where are they going?
..........................................................................................................................................................
3. How do you know where they are going?
..........................................................................................................................................................
4. What are the smiths doing in the first picture?
..........................................................................................................................................................
5. What are they doing in the second?
..........................................................................................................................................................
6. Have the smiths any luggage?
..........................................................................................................................................................
7. Where are they in the picture?
..........................................................................................................................................................
8. Is the hotel in the country?
..........................................................................................................................................................

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NOUNS
The following words are nouns (naming words). With the help of the little dictionary on page
48 write a sentence explaining each person or thing named.
1.

stable

3.

voyage

5.

garage

7.

pianist

2.

butcher

4.

cyclist

6.

kennel

8.

orphan

. A stable is a building in which horses are kept.

. ..........................................................................................................................................................
3. ..........................................................................................................................................................
4. ..........................................................................................................................................................
5. ..........................................................................................................................................................
6. ..........................................................................................................................................................
7. ..........................................................................................................................................................
8. ..........................................................................................................................................................
Rewrite thee sentences, replacing each group of words in italics by a single noun chosen from
this list.

cyclist

voyage

mountaineers

audience

thermometer

librarian

9.

Our journey by sea to New York lasted five days

..........................................................................................................................................................

10. The person in charge of the library was in his office.

..........................................................................................................................................................
12. The person who climb mountains camped at the foot.
..........................................................................................................................................................
13. The actress was applauded by the people who were listening.
..........................................................................................................................................................
14. The scientist read the instrument for measuring temperature.
..........................................................................................................................................................

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THE ALPHABET
B
a

D
c

Fill in the missing letters of the alphabet:

M
G H
J K
O
Q R S T U
i
l
n
p
v

Write each of these lists in alphabetical order:

ace

1..................................

Rat

5................................... rain

9.................................

king

2.................................

Fox

6................................... snow

10...............................

queen

3.................................

Dog

7................................... hail

11................................

jack
huge

4.................................
13...............................

Horse 8................................... sleet

county 17................................ devon

12...............................
21...............................

high

14..............................

city

18................................ dorset

22...............................

tall

15................................

town

19................................ surrey

23..............................

stout
16...............................
Greece 25................................

village 20............................... somerset 24..............................

Butcher 30................................. Leith
35...............................

Turkey 26...............................

Baker

India

27................................

Farmer 32................................. London 37...............................

Italy

28...............................

Actor

31................................ Luton

33................................. Lanark

36...............................

38...............................

Iceland 29...............................
Bolton 40...............................

Author 34................................. Lincoln 39...............................

sugar 46................................. Alison 52...............................

Bristol 41...............................

syrup

47................................. Adam

53...............................

Belfast 42...............................

stew

48................................. Abel

54...............................

Bangor 43...............................

soup

49................................. Archie

55...............................

Bury

scone

50................................. Agatha

56...............................

44...............................

Bilston 45...............................

sausage 51................................. Andrew 57...............................

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STORIES
Rewrite these stories with the sentences in the proper order.
1.

At half way he decided to take a short

When he reached the winning post the tortoise

nap. The race started and the tortoise

had already passed it. The hare raced swiftly

plodded off at his usual pace. Once a

ahead. But the hare slept too long.

tortoise and a hare ran a race.

1. Once a tortoise and a hare ran a race. The race
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
2.

He tried all ways of drinking that

only a little water at the bottom. But all

water. One day a thirsty crow saw a

his efforts were in vain, for his beak

pitcher in the distance. At last the crow

was not long enough. In this way the

was able to quench his thirst. Then

water rose to the top. He dropped a

he saw some pebbles on the ground

great many of them, one by one the

nearby. When he flew to it he found

pitcher.

2. One day. .......................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................

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QUESTIONS

From the list of sentences write the correct answer after each of the questions about the first picture.
Then write two or three questions about both the other pictures and answer you won questions
Some of the words listed may help you.
Sentences: He is emptying the letter box
He is watching the postman collect the letters.
This is the postman at work
Words:

Children, snowman, snowballing, built, bonfire, gut, fireworks, burning, Guy Fakes.

1. Who is this?
..........................................................................................................................................................
2. What is he doing?
..........................................................................................................................................................
3. What is the boy doing?
..........................................................................................................................................................
4. ......................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................

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WRITE IT ANOTHER WAY

Compete these sentences with the nouns on the right.
.

We make walls of .................................................................wood.

.

We make table of ..................................................................glass

3.

They make shoes of .............................................................bricks.

4.

The manufactures make mirrors of ......................................paper.

5.

The publishers make comic of ............................................leather.

Complete these sentences with the nouns on the left.

Walls 6. .......................................................................are made of wood.

Tables 7. .......................................................................are made of bricks
Shoes 8. .......................................................................are made of glass.
Mirrors 9. .......................................................................are made of paper.
Comics 10. .......................................................................are made of leather.
Now complete these sentences:
11.

The manufacturers usually make coats of ........................................................... flour

12.

They make needles of ......................................................................................... wool

13.

They make bottles of......................................................................................... bricks

14.

The carpenter makes desks of .............................................................................glass

15.

Mother makes a cake mostly of ......................................................................... steel.

16.

Bricklayers build houses of ...............................................................................wood

Rewrite the last six sentences in this way:

17. Coats are usually made of wool.
18. ..........................................................................................................................................................
19. ..........................................................................................................................................................
20. ..........................................................................................................................................................
21. ..........................................................................................................................................................
22. ..........................................................................................................................................................

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ADJECTIVES

Write each of these nouns under the proper picture:

Tunnel

door building

road stick baby

Remember that an adjective describes a noun. Now match each adjective below with the most
suitable noun and write a sentence. Begin like this:
.

This is a crooked stick ...................................................................................dark.

.

........................................................................................................................long

3.

........................................................................................................................open

4.

........................................................................................................................lofty

5.

........................................................................................................................crooked

6.

........................................................................................................................plump
Use each of these adjectives to complete one of the sentences below:
Plump

perfect

lofty

cloudy

fast

continuous

brutal

rare

7.

An express train is ...........................................................

8.

...............................................babies are pleasantly fat ones.

9.

On a rainy day the sky is..............................................

10. A ...................................................piece of material has no faults.

11. A ...................................................flower is one that is seldom seen.
12. ........................................................mountains are high indeed.
13. A ....................................................boy behaves like a brute.
14. A ....................................................performance is one that goes on without a stop.

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10

SHORT ANSWERS
Write a short answer to each of these questions in the form of a complete
sentences beginning with yes or no.

.

Do carrots even grow trees? No, they never do.

.

Are elephants film fans? No, they are not

3.

Is milk a drink? Yes, it is.

4.

Are oranges white? ___________________________________________________________

5.

Is two half of six? ____________________________________________________________

6.

Can a dog run?_______________________________________________________________

7.

Are stones good to eat?________________________________________________________

8.

Do ducks like swimming?______________________________________________________

9.

Do fish smoke cigars?_________________________________________________________

0.

Is the world squared?__________________________________________________________

.

Are tomatoes good to eat?______________________________________________________

.

Are plums vegetables?_________________________________________________________

3.

Do fish wear hats?____________________________________________________________

4.

Have Negroes white skins?_____________________________________________________

5.

Can a chef cook?_____________________________________________________________

6.

Are apples often green?________________________________________________________

7.

Is six more than five?__________________________________________________________

8.

Are three and four six?_________________________________________________________

9.

Does a kettle sing?____________________________________________________________

0.

Are ripe lemons always yellow?_________________________________________________

.

Do monkeys like nuts? ________________________________________________________

.

Are pigs good pianists? ________________________________________________________

3.

Does the world go round? ______________________________________________________

4.

Are boys allowed to drive cars? _________________________________________________

5.

Are cannibals meat eaters? _____________________________________________________

6.

Are we near the end? __________________________________________________________

7.

Are there any more? __________________________________________________________

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11

VERBS
Use the little dictionary to complete these sentences:
.

To appear means to .......................................................................................................................

.

To crouch means to .......................................................................................................................

3.

To descend means to .....................................................................................................................

4.

To despair means to ......................................................................................................................

5.

To scatter means to .......................................................................................................................

Use each of the following verbs (doing words) to complete one of he sentences below:
hinder

forget

inform

peer

enlarge

6.

To ..........................................................means to let go out of ones mind.

7.

To ......................................................... means to get in the way.

8.

To .........................................................means to make bigger.

9.

To ......................................................... means to look closely in order to see.

10. To .......................................................... means to supply with facts.

Rewrite the sentences below, replacing the part in italics with a single verb from this list.
waddled

crouched

forgot

revolves

descending

11. Bobby let go out of his mind what he had to buy.

12. Plump Mrs. Round walked like a duck down the road.
13. To avoid being seen, Alan stooped low on bent legs.
14. In coming down the hill, Jack tripped and fell.
15. The wheel of a moving car turns round its axis.

11. ..........................................................................................................................................................
12. ..........................................................................................................................................................
13. ..........................................................................................................................................................
14. ..........................................................................................................................................................
15. ..........................................................................................................................................................

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12

OPPOSITES
Pair off the adjectives in (a) with their opposites in the first list (1-6); then pair those in (b) with their
opposites in the second list (7-12); and so on.
(a) neat, dead, correct, shallow, feeble, last
(b) worse, dark, false, quiet, immense, stale
(c) mad, innocent, low, open, thin, singular
. wrong ................................

7. fair .....................................

3. closed .................................

. deep

................................

8. loud ....................................

4. lofty ...................................

3. untidy .................................

9. tiny .....................................

5. plural ..................................

4. alive ...................................

0. better ..................................

6. guilty ..................................

5. first ....................................

. fresh ...................................

7. plump .................................

6. strong .................................

. true .....................................

8. sane ....................................

Do the same with these verbs:

(d) loved, give, sold, appear, forgetting, whisper
(e) refused, answered, straighten, save, lost, received
19. take ............................................................

25. asked ..........................................................

20. bought ........................................................

26. spend ..........................................................

21. disappear ....................................................

27. discovered ..................................................

22. hated ..........................................................

28. gave ............................................................

23. remembering ..............................................

29. bend ...........................................................

24. shout ..........................................................

30. accepted .....................................................

Finally do the same with these nouns:

(f) beginning, weakness, noise, friend, ugliness
(g) freshness, success, politeness, dwarf, loss
31. silence ........................................................

36. rudeness .....................................................

32. foe ..............................................................

37. discovery ....................................................

33. end .............................................................

38. failure .........................................................

34. beauty .........................................................

39. staleness .....................................................

35. strength ......................................................

40. giant ............................................................

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13

OPPOSITE SENTENCES
For each sentences in the first group (1-10) there is one of opposite meaning in the second (a-j). Write
out the second group in the same order as the first.
.

Kathleen has a passion for rice puddling.

.

Kathleen knows the answers.

3.

Kathleen said she felt as fit as a fiddle.

4.

Kathleen stays in bed.

5.

Kathleen was thought to be a polite girl.

6.

Kathleen was as bold as brass.

7.

Kathleen reached the end of her journey successfully.

8.

Kathleen was as swift as a deer.

9.

Kathleen was guilty of a lie.

0. This is the last I want to hear of Kathleen.

a)

The answer is not known by Kathleen.

b)

People thought Kathleen a rude girl.

c)

Rice pudding is disliked by Kathleen.

d)

Kathleen was as timid as a mouse.

e)

Kathleen was as slow as a snail.

f)

I want to hear much more about Kathleen.

g)

Kathleen rises with the lark.

h)

I feel ill, said Kathleen.

i)

Kathleen spoke the truth.

j)

Kathleen failed to arrive.

. ..........................................................................................................................................................
. ..........................................................................................................................................................
3. ..........................................................................................................................................................
4. ..........................................................................................................................................................
5. ..........................................................................................................................................................
6. ..........................................................................................................................................................
7. ..........................................................................................................................................................
8. ..........................................................................................................................................................
9. ..........................................................................................................................................................
0. ..........................................................................................................................................................

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14

RIDDLES
Can you write some riddles of your own to tell your friends?
The first has been done for you. Remember to use complete sentences.
1. You can see through me, I am good to drink. People swim in
me. Sometimes I am salty. What am I? ___________________________
(I am water)
. _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(I am a bird)
3. _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(I am milk)
4. _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(I am niece)
5. _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(I am an aeroplane)
6. _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(I am an express train)
7. _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(I am a wireless set)
8. _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(I am a television set)
9. _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(I am a robin)

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15

STREET MAP

Brown

Williams

North
St.

Recreation
Ground
East St.

West St.
Sweet Shop

Bakers

Butchers

South
St.

Clock
Smith

Johnson

. Johnsons house is in ..............................................................street.

. Mr. Brown lives in .................................................................street.
3. Sally Williams lives in ............................................................street.
4. Smith lives next door to .................................................................
5. Mr. ............................................................is Mr. Smiths neighbour.
6. Donald Johnson lives opposite the ...................................................
7. The clock is on the corner of ............................................St. and ...............................St.
8. The bakers shop is in between the butchers and the .....................................................
9. Mr. .................................................lives opposite the sweet shop.
0. In what street is the Recreation Ground?
..........................................................................................................................................................
11. Who lives next to Mr. Smith?
..........................................................................................................................................................
12. Whose shop is next to the butchers?
..........................................................................................................................................................
13. Where does Mr. Brown live?
..........................................................................................................................................................
14. Between whose shops in the bakers?
..........................................................................................................................................................
15. Where is the clock?
..........................................................................................................................................................
16. What is opposite Mr. Johnsons house?
..........................................................................................................................................................

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16

JOINING WORDS
It was raining. My clothes were soaked.
These two sentences can be joined by and to make this one:
It was raining and my clothes were soaked.

Now suppose that the two sentences to be joined are contrasted like this:
It was raining. My clothes did not get wet.
These are better joined by and like this:
It was raining but my clothes did not get wet.

Join these sentences with but:

1. I am short. My brother is tall.
..........................................................................................................................................................
2. John ran to the bus stop. The bus had gone.
..........................................................................................................................................................
3.

June dropped a plate. It did not break.

..........................................................................................................................................................

4.

I bought a slab of chocolate. I meant to buy a box.

..........................................................................................................................................................

In three of these pairs join the sentences with and, and in three with but.
5.

Johns hands are cold. Mine are quite warm.

..........................................................................................................................................................

6.

Johns hands re cold. Mine are too.

..........................................................................................................................................................

7.

Eric ran to the station. He missed the train.

..........................................................................................................................................................

8.

Eric ran to the station. He just caught the train.

..........................................................................................................................................................

9.

Kate looked for her doll. She soon found it.

..........................................................................................................................................................

10. Kate looked for her doll. She could find it nowhere.
..........................................................................................................................................................

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17

AND or BUT

Use one of these to complete each sentence:

there is no horse

it is fine

and so it is in the second

not in the other

a town scene

and so has the second

1.

In the first picture it is raining, but in the other ______________________________________

2.

In the first picture there is a horse, but in the second __________________________________

3.

The first shows a country scene, but the second _____________________________________

4.

The load is coal in the first picture ________________________________________________

5.

The coal is in sacks in one picture, but ____________________________________________

6.

The first load has a driver _______________________________________________________

Now complete these sentences with your own words:

7.

The first picture shows a horse and cart, but ________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

8.

In the second it is fine, but ______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

9.

The driver of the first load can be seen, but ________________________________________

10. The first shows a country lane, but _______________________________________________

11. The first load is in sacks, but ____________________________________________________
12. The second load is on a lorry with four wheels, but __________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
13. We can see a load of coal in the first picture,

______________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
14. The road in the first is muddy, ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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18

DAIRY COWS
In Britain today we keep most of

unfortunately grass wont grow in the

our cows for the sake of their milk.

winter, so other food has to be found

Cows kept for his purpose are called

then. During the winter months the di-

dairy cows. Good juicy grass is the

ary farmer usually feeds his cows on

best of all foods for thee cows, as

hay or roots. Hay, of course, is made

well as being the cheapest. So it is

from dried grass stored for the winter,

little wonder that we find the greatest

mostly in hayricks. Roots consists of

number of cows in those parts of the

things like kale, mangels and swedes,

country where grass grows best. But

which are all grown on ploughed land.

Begin your answers to the first five with the words in italics.
1.

Most cows in Britain are kept for what purpose?

__________________________________________________________________________

2.

Say what cows kept for milk are called

__________________________________________________________________________

3.

What is the best food for dairy cows?

__________________________________________________________________________

4.

What do dairy cows in winter usually eat?

__________________________________________________________________________

5.

Tell why the farmer feeds his cows on hay and roots in winter.
__________________________________________________________________________

6.

What is hay?
__________________________________________________________________________

7.

What are roots?

__________________________________________________________________________

8.

Why are there most cows where the best grass grows?
__________________________________________________________________________

9.

Why are cows not fed on grass in the winter?

__________________________________________________________________________

10.

Write a sentence telling all the things cows eat.

__________________________________________________________________________

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19

TELL THE STORY

Four oclock

till half past

five

1.

few minutes quarter past

later

six

from seven
till bedtime

Tell the story of how Michael spends his time between coming out of school and going to
bed

At four oclock Michael comes out of school. Till

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

2. Tell this story of how Susan burnt the cakes

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

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20

SINGULAR AND PLURAL

We write one leaf, but two leaves. To make the plural (more than one) leaf we change the
f into v and es. We do this to most nouns ending in f. But there are some exceptions. To the
following nouns we simply add s:
roof

cliff

chief

proof

hoof

dwarf

cuff

roofs

cliffs

chiefs

proofs

hoofs

dwarfs

cuffs

Write out the following nouns as two equal groups:

knife

calf

thief

leaves

chief

wife

knives

thieves

half

chiefs

halves

roots

loaf

calves

leaf

wives

loaves

roof

scarf

scarves.

Singular nouns: Knife

________________________________________________________________________________
Plural nouns: thieves
________________________________________________________________________________
Pair these nouns and write their proper columns:
fly
leaf
donkeys
calf
chief
roofs
calves
wife
leaves
wives
penny
monkey
donkey
hoof
cherries
watch
loaf
dwarfs
holiday
glass
flies
scarf
leaves
dwarf

roof
hoofs
glasses
thrush
fairy
cliff

scarves
cliffs
cherry
monkeys
fairies

chiefs
pennies
holidays
watches
thrushes

Singular

Plural

Singular

Plural

1. fly

flies

11. ............................

.............................

2. Chief...................

.............................

12. ............................

.............................

3. ............................

.............................

13. ............................

.............................

4. ............................

.............................

14. ............................

.............................

5. ............................

.............................

15. ............................

.............................

6. ............................

.............................

16. ............................

.............................

7. ............................

.............................

17. ............................

.............................

8. ............................

.............................

18. ............................

.............................

9. ............................

.............................

19. ............................

.............................

10. ............................

.............................

20. ............................

.............................

page

21

SINGULAR AND PLURAL SENTENCES

These are divided sentences. Write out the complete sentences.
1.

Jeremys pocket

is as sharp as a razor.

2.

This knife

contains four pennies.

3.

These knives

is standing by its mother.

4.

A white calf

were feeding in the yard.

5.

Several calves

are very blunt.

1.

__________________________________________________________________________

2.

__________________________________________________________________________

3.

__________________________________________________________________________

4.

__________________________________________________________________________

5.

__________________________________________________________________________

Rewrite these sentences putting several instead of the italicized word, and making any other necessary changes.
6.

The pocket contains three pennies and a shilling.

7.

A donkey trots slowly.

8.

The roof leaks in stormy weather.

9.

This knife is extremely blunt

10.

A calf was feeding in the yard.

11.

The fly disappears as my hand comes near.

12.

A leaf is falling from the beech tree.

13.

A baby was crying upstairs.

14.

Here is a cherry that has a red skin.

6.

Several pockets contain three pennies and a shilling.

7.

__________________________________________________________________________

8.

__________________________________________________________________________

9.

__________________________________________________________________________

10.

__________________________________________________________________________

11.

__________________________________________________________________________

12.

__________________________________________________________________________

13.

__________________________________________________________________________

14.

__________________________________________________________________________

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22

IS and ARE

The elephant is in the ring

There is an elephant in the ring

The elephants are in the ring.

There are elephants in the ring.

Remember that we write is when we speak about one thing but we write are when we
are describing more than one thing.
We call is a singular verb, and are a plural verb.
Join these divided sentences correctly:
. The elephant
. There is
3. Huge elephants
4. There are
5. A clown is standing

an elephant in the ring

is in the ring
near the elephant
are performing in the ring.
several elephants in the ring.

. ..........................................................................................................................................................
. ..........................................................................................................................................................
3. ..........................................................................................................................................................
4. ..........................................................................................................................................................
5. ..........................................................................................................................................................
Rewrite these sentences, making the italicized noun plural.
Make any other necessary changes.
6.

The clown is a very comic actor.

7.

Here is the elephant we saw at the circus.

8.

There is the clown who acted so well.

9.

A boy is watching the elephant eat.

6.

........................................................................................................................

7.

........................................................................................................................

8.

........................................................................................................................

9.

........................................................................................................................

page

23

ANSWERING THE DOOR

Whenever the bell rings at our house I always

wonder who it is, 1 make a guess and run quickly
to open the door, for it would be unkind to keep
the person waiting.
1 am afraid my guesses are more often wrong than
right but it is good fun trying. Sometimes it is a
postman with a parcel for Mummy sometimes it
is Mr. Neighbour from next door coming to have
a chat with Dad. Once, but only once, thank goodness, it was the doctor coming to see my brother.
Quite often the caller is my friend Elizabeth who
comes to play with me.
When I open the door 1 say, how do you do? if it

is someone to see farther or Mother I say, Wont

you come in? Then 1 find a chair for the caller
and say sit down. I will call Mummy. If neither
of my parents at home I ask the caller if I can take
a message to them when they return. Sometimes I
write it down, If it is simple I just remember it.
My mother says it helps her a lot when I answer
the door like this. Do you help your mother in the
same way?
But I must admit I like best to open the door for
Elizabeth, come in Elizabeth, I cry. It is nice
of you. And off we run to play.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Does the first or second paragraph tell who the callers are?
Which paragraph tells about Margarets favourite visitor?
Why does Margaret run to open the door?
Who are the four callers Margaret mentions?
What does she do after offering the visitor a chair?
What does she do if her parents are not at home?
Which word in the last paragraph means to confess?

8.

Did Margarets mother like her to answer the door?

Written by Margret Deries,

1. ............................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................

page

24

A LETTER
22 Bath Street,
Tauntion,
Somerset.
th
27 March, 1976

Dear Ethel,
Will you come to tea on Saturday? I do hope you can. Come about four
oclock as usual and I will meet you at the bus at the end of the road. I shall be
pushing my dolls pram.

Mummie has promised to take us to the pictures after tea to see what is, I think, a
very funny Film. Do please ask your mother if you can come with us. You wil be able
to get home just after eight, I should think.
With love,
Betty
1
................................
2
................................

Here is a skeleton of the letter above

Each number stands for a part of the letter.
Here are the parts, in the wrong order: the
Date on which she wrote; her first paragraph;
Her greeting; her ending; her second paragraph;

3
..............................
4
..................................................
5
.............................................................
6
...........................................................

Her signature; her address.

7
.......................................

Now write a sentence saying what Betty wrote at each number.

. Betty wrote her address here.
. ..........................................................................................................................................................
3. ..........................................................................................................................................................
4. ..........................................................................................................................................................
5. ..........................................................................................................................................................
6. ..........................................................................................................................................................
7. ..........................................................................................................................................................

page

25

THE REPLY
This is how Betty addressed her envelope
to Ethel.
Now address the envelope below to Betty,
whose surname is Johnson. Then pretend
you are Ethel and write her reply to Betty.

Miss Ethel Stevens

15 Park Road
TAUNTON
Somerset

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

page

26

PHRASES
Rewrite these sentences, replacing the italicized phrase by a single word from this list:

headmaster

early

nowhere

jokingly

quietly

always

everywhere

colonel

1. In no place could the puppy be found.

2. We worked with very little noise.
3. David arrived before his time.
4. Harry said it only as a joke.
5. Christopher looked in all places for his book.
6. The man in charge of the school addressed his book.
7. The man in command of the regiment inspected his men.
8. Christine at all times whistled at her work.
1. ............................................................................................................................................................
2. ............................................................................................................................................................
3. ............................................................................................................................................................
4. ............................................................................................................................................................
5. ............................................................................................................................................................
6. ............................................................................................................................................................
7. ............................................................................................................................................................
8. ............................................................................................................................................................
Rewrite the phrases in the second list so that each one may pair with one of the same meaning
in the first.
9. at sunrise.......................................................................... in silence
10. in the beginning................................................................. at dawn
11. without a sound................................................................ on the ocean
12. at sea..............................................................................on the wireless
13. in fun..............................................................................at the start
14. over the air........................................................................as a joke
15. in this way.......................................................................after eating
16. after a meal........................................................................at all times
17. on all occasions...................................................................like this

page

RIDDLES

Write a complete sentence in answer to each of these riddles.
Here in the wrong order are short answers to help you.

a bed
its tail
an egg

the road
a match
silence

a chair

a sponge

a pair of crows

27

Rosemary
a potato
your breath

1. What has four legs and flies in the air?

2. What is broken if you name it?
3. What holds water though it is full of water?
4. What has four legs but never walks?
5. What cannot be held for long, though it is as light as air?
6. What runs from London to Glasgrow without moving?
7. What is most useful when broken?
8. What has a head but no face?
9. What has one head, one foot and four legs?
10. What always comes after a dog?
11. What has eyes but no head?
12. Which girl would you find in a herb garden?
1. A pair crows has four legs and flies in the air.

2. ............................................................................................................................................................
3..............................................................................................................................................................
4. ............................................................................................................................................................
5. ............................................................................................................................................................
6. ............................................................................................................................................................
7. ............................................................................................................................................................
8. ............................................................................................................................................................
9. ............................................................................................................................................................
10. ..........................................................................................................................................................
11. ..........................................................................................................................................................
12. ..........................................................................................................................................................

page

In woodland or in meadow

You can ..............................................................them every day,
Although you must be quiet

Or youll frighten ........................................................................

28

RABBITS

These rabbits with their .................................................................tails

Who ...................................................................along the ground,
Will rush into their burrows.................................................................
If you make the slightest ......................................................................

1. Use these words to complete the poem: sound, fluffy, away, hop, see.
2. After each of these words write a word meaning the same from the poem: still...............................
noise .............................................. field ....................................... scare ..........................................

downy ................................................................................................................................................
3. What sort of tails have these rabbits?
................................................................................................................................................................
4. What will the rabbits do if you make a noise?
................................................................................................................................................................
5. Where can you see them?
................................................................................................................................................................
6. Why must you be quiet?
................................................................................................................................................................
7. Which word rhymes with sound?
................................................................................................................................................................
8. Which word rhymes with away?
................................................................................................................................................................
9. What is the home of rabbits called?
................................................................................................................................................................
10. Are these eight or nine lines in the poem?

.........................................................................................................................................

page

Johnson
Cooper

29

COMMAS

Answer each of the following with a complete sentence.
Remember to put in all the commas.

Mary
Tom

John
Alice

Bob
Betty

Smith
Jones

Peter
Elsie

Sally
Richard

1. Which are girls?

Alice, Betty, Else and Sally are all girls
................................................................................................................................................................
2. Which are boys?

................................................................................................................................................................
3. Which are surnames?
................................................................................................................................................................
4. Which six names have o as the second letter?
................................................................................................................................................................
Liner
Farthing
London
Aunts

uncles
tea

carrots
water

steamer
shillings
coffee
cabbages

cousins
Glasgow
beans
cocoa

nieces
yacht
peas
Cardiff

cruiser
pennies
Dublin
florins

5. Which four are vegetable?

................................................................................................................................................................
6. Which four are drinks?
................................................................................................................................................................
7. Which four are relations?
................................................................................................................................................................
8. Which four are coins?
................................................................................................................................................................
9. Which four are cities?
................................................................................................................................................................
10. Which four are boats?
................................................................................................................................................................
11. Which four words end with r?
................................................................................................................................................................

page

Flowers
Furniture

30

CLASSES

Shorten these sentences by using one word from the list below
or each group in italics.

drinks
trees

towns
crockery

countries

shopkeepers

vegetables
relations

games
vehicles

1. Tea, coffee, cocoa, Ovaltine and Bovril were on sale at the cafe.
................................................................................................................................................................
2. Mother removed all the chairs, tables, stools, bookcases and cupboards.
................................................................................................................................................................
3. The garden contained many roses, pinks, daisies and beans.
................................................................................................................................................................
4. It also contained many roses, pinks, daisies and beans.
................................................................................................................................................................
5. Oaks, beeches, limes and elms crowed the wood.
................................................................................................................................................................
6. Numerous uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews attended the wedding.
................................................................................................................................................................
7. On the map Britain, France, India, America, etc. were coloured red and the seas were coloured
blue.
................................................................................................................................................................
8. Glasgrow, London, Southampton, Paris, new Yorks, etc., were marked by dots.
................................................................................................................................................................
9. Brenda helped to wash up the cups, plates, bowls and jugs.
................................................................................................................................................................
10. The draper, the butcher, the florist and the grocer all very polite.
................................................................................................................................................................
11. Buses, cars, trains, trams and tractors are not allowed along this lane.
................................................................................................................................................................
12. The guests enjoyed playing golf, tennis, darts, whist and chess.
................................................................................................................................................................

page

31

THE PRESENT

Angus is only an infant. Yesterday on His fifth

What is the matter, Angus? His mother asked

birthday he went to school for The first time.

him. When I went to school this morning,

He was rather bewildered by the experience.

piped Angus, the teacher told me to sit on a

When he arrived home that afternoon his moth-

chair and stay there for the present. Ive waited

er was alarmed to see he was weeping bitterly.

all day and she hasnt given me the present yet

Write in each gap the correct word used in the story:

1. Angus started school on his .......................................................birthday.
2. A school child between the ages of five and seven is an ......................................................
3. Angus was ...............................................by his first day at school.
4. The part of the day following midday is called the ...............................................................
5. An ..................................................................is what happens to you.
6. It ...................................................his mother to see Angus crying.
7. Angus wept .................................................on reaching home.
8. His mother ..................................................him what was wrong.
9. For the ..........................................................means the same as for the time being.
10. Another word for a gift is a ....................................................................
11. The anniversary of the day on which one is born is called ones .................................................
12. The joke is that Angus misunderstood the meaning of the word ...................................................
13. Tomorrow is the opposite of ............................................................ last of ..................................
departed of .........................................;laughing of ....................................................; and
received of ...........................................
14. Merely means the same as ............................................: confuses as ............................................;
demanded as .........................................; crying as ..............................................................; and
remain as .......................................;.......

page

CLUES

1. I am an adjective meaning hard.
2. I am a noun naming a huge man.
3. I am a verb meaning to leave.
4. I am the singular of cherries.
5. I am the plural lady.
6. I mean the same as to go back.
7. I mean the opposite of humorous.
8. I begin with land rhyme with sign.

9. A person having bad luck is this.

10. A thing that is not needed is this.
11. A thing that is shaky is this.
12. A thing that is bad for one is this.
13. A person who lies is this.
14. A person who is foolish is this.
15. Unsalted food is this.
16. A cherry that is still green is this.

F
A

L
P

T
Y
I
N

S
E

Y
N
S
W

Y
H
H

E
E

17. one who steers an aeroplane

18. one who attacks and robs ships
19. one who lives in a tent for ships
20. one who breaks into the house to steal
21. one who sings alone
22. one who takes a walk for pleasure
23. one who pries into peoples affairs
24. one who sells womens hats

32

L
R
R
O

Here are the answers in the wrong order:

Serious

line

Difficult

unsteady

unlucky

milliner

soloist

giant

unwise

unripe

camper

pirate

Return

cherry

unnecessary

unseasoned

pilot

stroller

Ladies

depart

unwholesome

untruthful

busybody

burglar

page

CROSSWORD

One day a hungry fox stole with joy into

a vineyard where many bunches of sweet
grapes hung ripe and ready for eating.

but as it happened, they were fastened to a
tall trellis just too high for Reynard to reach.
He jumped up, and paused, and jumped

Up again, in an attempt to get at them.

He tried a long while, but it was all in

vain. In the end he was quite tired out.
he was too self-important, however,
to admit defeat. Those who want them
can have them, he cried. The grapes
are sour!



Aesops Fables

All the words needed to solve this puzzle are used in the fable
above. Read the clues carefully.

Across

2
4

5. An adjective to describe what the

grapes really were.
6. The fox was this;
9. This is the colour of foxes.
10. What the fox did to reach the grapes
11. The singular of them.
12. What the fox called the grapes.

Down
1. To get at.
2. The place where grapes are grown.
3. A name for a fox.
4. Without success. The attempts of the
Fox were this.
7. The opposite of down
8. The fruit grown on vines
10. The feeling of pleasure with which the
fox entered the vineyard.
11. The initial of Ivor Reynard

9
10
11
12

33

page

34

A STRANGE CATCH

This was the first time Peter had been

by the fog, he drew in his lines. But his
on the sea. His father was skipper of a

catch was a heavy one and he had to call his
fishing boat, and Peter had been allowed to
father to help him. At last they pulled the
accompany him. They were fishing for
lines in.
cod.





It was not cod that made the lines so
One day when they were far out to sea

heavy. It was a boy of Peters own age
there was a thick fog. The pilot could
Roger had fallen off the the liner in the fog
hardly see to steer a course. Suddenly a

The solider gave him a hot drink and Peter
crash was heard and the fishing boat
lent him some dry clothes. Soon Roger
shuddered. A great liner had almost run

was quite recovered.
them down, Fortunately the steersman

For three weeks the two boys enjoyed
had nosed his boat away just in time, so

life together on board.
that the blow was a light on. No damage

You can imagine how pleased Rogers
was done





mother was to see him again, for she
Peters liner had been quickly swallowed up
thought he was drowned.

Each of these sentences tells us the main idea of one of the
paragraphs. Write them out in the same order as the paragraphs.

(a) He found he had caught a boy.

(b) The fishing boat was almost run down by a line in the fog
(c) At last they returned home.
(d) Peter accompanied his father on a fishing expedition.
(e) Peter pulled in his lines.
1.______________________________________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________________________________
3.______________________________________________________________________________
4.______________________________________________________________________________
5.______________________________________________________________________________

page

35

PARAGRAPHS
The king had one strange custom


every day at noon when the table was

cleared and no one was present, his trusty
servant had to bring him a covered dish,
no man knew what was in the dish, not

even the servant, for the king never ate

from it till he was quite alone.


So he cut a piece off and put it in his

mouth. At the sight of it he felt he must

taste it. But one day the servant, Filled with
curiosity, could not resist the temptation,
and took the dish to his own room. Having

carefully locked the door, he raised the

cover and there on the dish lay a white
Snake. He stood and listened. It was the
morsel of snake which had given him the
magic power of being able to understand
the speech of birds and animals. Scarcely
had he eaten when he heard beneath his
window a curious whispering of low voice
It was the sparrows who were talking to a
another and telling what they had seen in
field and wood.


Grimms Fairy Tales

First of all rewrite the second and third paragraphs with the
sentences in the right order. Then notice that each paragraph deals
with one idea or part story only. Here are the ideas.
Rewrite them in the same order as the paragraphs they refer to.

The result of eating the snake.

The kings odd habit.
The servant steals the dish.
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................

page

36

PLEASE CONTINUE
1. Add three sentences to the one below In the first
tell where Sylvia obtained the doll. In the second tell what she
calls it. And in the third how she dresses it. This will make a
paragraph about Sylvias doll.

This is one of Sylvias dolls.

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

2. Add four sentences to the one below, telling where

Alan went last year, some of the things he found there, how
he spent his time, what he liked doing best. This will make a
paragraph about Alans holiday.
Alan likes spending his holiday at the seaside.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

3. Add five sentences to the one below, telling what

time you got up, how quickly you dressed, what you had for
breakfast, how you said goodbye, how you came to school.
This will make a paragraph about getting ready for school.
I opened my eyes and found it was morning.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

page

37

COMPLETE THE PARAGRAPH

Choose any one of the sentences below as the beginning of a paragraph. You are told in the brackets what the
paragraph is to be about. When you have finished writing the
paragraph. Choose another sentence and do the same with that
1 It was a delightful picnic. (Describe it)
2. The robins worked hard to feed the cuckoo. (How they fed it)
3. The model plane was a beauty. (Describe it)
4. The dolls house delighted us. (How you played with it)
5. The pilots job is a skilled one. (What he has to do)
6. 1 enjoyed reading.................................. (Why?)
7. My favourite game is ............................ (Why do you like it ?)
8. When I awoke, the countryside was covered in snow. (Describe it)
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................

page

38

THE LOST PUPPY

Tony hurried home from school as fast as his

legs would carry him. It was a cold windy day,
and he thought it would be much pleasanter
by the living room fire. He was on the point
of turning down Alfred Road where he lived,
when he noticed that a pretty puppy with brown
patches was following close at his heels. He
had never set eyes on the puppy before.
Go back! cried Tony to the puppy

You must not follow me You will get lost.

But the puppy did not go back. No, off you
go back home.And Tony gave puppy a gentle
shove in the rig direction, It was no use. The
puppy turned round and once more followed
close at Tony heels.
When Tony reached his front door, the puppy
wanted to come into the house with him
It was shivering slightly from the cold. He
could not bear to see it left outside in the icy
wind You seem to be lost, little Brownie perhaps Mummie will let you come in and warm
yourself before the fire. Brownie wagged his
tail with delight and scampered inside. Mrs.
White gave the puppy some food. Brownie
seemed to like both Tony and his mother.

Complete these sentences:

1. __________________________________ was hurrying because it was cold
2. Tony lived in ____________________________________________
3. He noticed a puppy following close________________________________
4. The name_____________________________ gave the puppy was ________________________
5. ________________________________ gave the puppy some food and
6. Brownie liked both______________________________ and ____________________________
Complete each of these with the correct word or phrase:
7. If Tony hurried, he moved_____________________________________ (slowly, quickly, lazily)
8. If Brownie was at his heels, it was_____________________________ (in front of, behind) Tony.
9. To shiver slightly means to shiver__________________________________ (much, a little)
10. An icy wind is very____________________________________________ (warm, cold, rough)
11. With delight means with_________________________________________ (pleasure, dislike)
12. When Brownie scampered inside, he_________________________ (wandered, dashed, crept)
13. Before the fire means________________________________ (behind, in front of, near) the fire.
14. If Brownie wagged his tail he kept it_________________________ (still, motionless, moving)

page

39

1. How many paragraphs are there in this story?

................................................................................................................................................................
2. Which paragraph tells us that Brownie was given a welcome at Tonys house?
................................................................................................................................................................
3. Why did Tony hurry home?
................................................................................................................................................................
4. Where did Tony live?
................................................................................................................................................................
5. What did Tony hope his mother would allow Brownie to do?
................................................................................................................................................................
Now write a paragraph to continue the story. Describe
Brownies first evening at the Whites house. Or, if you prefer,
write a paragraph describing your own pet dog.
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................

page

40

PICTURE AND STORY

1. Draw a picture of a farmyard.
Then write a paragraph to explain
what is happening in your picture.

................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................

2. Draw a picture of an airport.

Put in such things as control
tower, windsock, airliner,
plane in the air. Then write a
paragraph to explain your picture.

................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................

page

41

SPELLING
Notice what happens when you add ing or ed to these verbs.
sit - sitting

stop - stopped

hope hoping

bake - baked

tip - tipping

tap - tapped

rake

raking

tire - tired

rot - rotting

nod - nodded

write

writing

tap -tapping

fit

tire - tiring

- fitted

plan - planned
date - dated

Write down the verb from which each of these is formed.
1 batting ............................

8. planning ....................

15. rubbed ..............................

2. slipped ..........................

9. baking ......................

16. jammed ............................

3. nodded ..........................

10. taking .....................

17. slotted ..............................

4. writing ..........................

11. hoped .....................

18. winning. ...........................

5. tired ..............................

12. fitting ......................

19. canned. ............................

6. sitting ............................

13. tapped ....................

20. caned ...............................

7. Stopping ........................

14. running...................

21. planning. ..........................

These are jumbled words, with the real letters in the wrong order. Write out the jumbled words correctly.
22. mmlsdea slammed

tapped

30. nnwiign..................... robbed

23. ppedat ...................

stopped

31. bbeor........................ dipping

24. ppstode..................

slammed

32. strade........................ winning

25. gintirw...................

hoping

33. ginojk........................ planned

26. edttro.....................

hoped

34. ttdeap......................... purring

27. ginpho....................

Staring

35. ppidgin........................ patted

28. edhpo....................

rotted

36. ednnapl........................joking

29. gnirats...................

Writing

37. rrupgin......................... stared

43.

slot

........................ .......................

44.

rub

........................ ......................

Complete this table :

38.

rap

rapping

rapped

39.

joke

joking

.............................

40.

slip

..................... .............................

45. prop ....................... ......................

41.

tire

..................... .............................

46.

drag ....................... .....................

42.

wrap ..................... .............................

47.

rage

....................... ......................

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42

THE NESTING BOX

that the top of the nesting box had come off. I
made up my mind to tall it down for repairs at
the next week-end
But when, on Saturday afternoon, I went to
carry out my purpose, I found, To my great
delight, that the bottom of the little open box
It was because I realized that the birds liked

was already filled with moss and leaves so, lest I

our lime tree that I put up a nesting box there.

should scare the new tenants away 1 left the box

I fixed it to the main stem of the tree, about

as it was without a roof.

eight feet from the ground, where it was well

During the next few days I watched the pair of

screened by the first drooping branches.

robins, who had built this snap little bed, com-

To my great disappointment, no birds came to it

ing and going with leaves and hair and feathers

the first year. I supposed that the cat next door

in their beaks to finish it off. And then, one fine

had frightened them away

afternoon, when both birds were out having

One afternoon in the following spring when I

their dinner, I peeped into the nest again.

was pottering about in my garden 1 discovered

Listen and Look, J. D. Bevington

(Collins)

1. What is the title of the book from which this story is taken?
2. What is the name of the author?
3. How high up did he place the nesting box?
4. Why did no birds nest there the first year?
5. Why did the box need repairing?
6. What material did the robins use to finish their nest?
7. Which paragraph tells us that the box needed mending?
8. Which one tells us of the discovery of the nest?
1. .........................................................................................................................................................
2. .........................................................................................................................................................
3. .........................................................................................................................................................
4. .........................................................................................................................................................
5. .........................................................................................................................................................
6. .........................................................................................................................................................
7. .........................................................................................................................................................
8. ..........................................................................................................................................................

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43

PEOPLE
Use each of these nouns to complete a sentence;
cakes towels, stationer, fishmonger, baker, butter, dairy, greengrocer
1.

Bread is sold by the .........................................................................

2.

He also sells .................................................and buns.

3.

Milk can be bought at a .................................................

4.

.......................................is made from a cream of milk.

5.

The ................................... will serve you with tomatoes

6.

At the drapers shop you will find.....................................

Herrings are sold-by the

8.

A ................................................sells writing paper, blotting paper, and pens.

Use the following material to write a sentence to explain what each person does.
9. ironmonger

dealer in cloth goods

10. nurse

person in charge of a train

11. detective

person in charge of a post office

12. guard

man who cuts down trees

13. draper

man who grows young plants

14. postmaster

dealer in ironware and hardware

15. nurseryman

man who tracks down criminals

16. lumberman

woman who looks after the sick

9. An ironmonger is a dealer in ironware and hardware.

10. ..........................................................................................................................................................
11. ..........................................................................................................................................................
12. ..........................................................................................................................................................
13. ..........................................................................................................................................................
14. ..........................................................................................................................................................
15. ..........................................................................................................................................................
16. ..........................................................................................................................................................

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44

DESCRIPTIONS
his name? Of course you have! But can you
write descriptions which the rest of the class can
recognize as quickly? Before you start did you
notice that each sentence began in a different
way? Only one began with he. Just see how
dull the description would have been if we had
This worker is usually a man. He wears a blue
uniform and cap in our town he calls at the
houses in the morning and again in the afternoon. Over his shoulder he carries a bag. In this
bag are letters and postcards. Usually he walks.
Sometimes, though, he rides a bike, and occasionally he arrives in a van. Have you guessed

written it like this :

He is usually a man. He wears a blue uniform
and cap. He calls in the morning and again in
the after noon. He carries a bag over his shoulder. He has letters and postcards in the bag. He
usually walks he sometimes rides on a bike,
though, and occasionally arrives in a van.

Now write a description of one of the people in the list below.

Try to begin every sentence in a different way. Begin only one with he or she
the milk man

the coalman

an airman

a dentist

the baker

the guard

a policeman

a doctor

the butcher

a sailor

a nurse

my mother

the paperboy

a soldier

a teacher

my father

................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................

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45

RHYMES
The north wind doth below
1. ............................................................................................................................................................
And what will the robin do then, poor thing?
Oh, hell come to no harm,
2. ............................................................................................................................................................
Hell hide his head under his wing, poor thing,
The north wind doth blow
And we shall have snow,
And what will the dormouse do then, poor thing?
3. ............................................................................................................................................................
In his nest snug and small
4. ............................................................................................................................................................
The north wind doth blow
And we shall have snow.
And what will the children do then, poor things ?
5. ............................................................................................................................................................
6. ............................................................................................................................................................
And play till they make themselves warm, poor things.
Complete the poem by writing these lines in the right places :

Rolled up in a ball
For to keep himself warm
And we shall have snow
Oh, when lessons are done
Theyll hop, skip and run
Hell sleep till the winter is past, poor thing.

Now pair the words in the second list to rhyme with those in the first do the same with the third and
fourth lists.
(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

7. know ...............ago.................sky

13. Kate................................write

8. done........................................ago

14. sight................................stuff

9. see...........................................Reap

15. ride..................................weight

10. hay.........................................run

16. flea...................................tied

11. sleep.......................................tea

17. made................................Key

12. high. .....................................Weigh

18. rough................................weighed

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46

TESt YOURSELF
Pair these words with their meanings :
a pirate 1. ............................................................. one who sings alone
continous 2. ............................................................. the people who are listening
a soloist

3. .............................................................a man who attacks and robs ships

a draper

4. ............................................................. a child whose parents are dead

an orphan

5. .............................................................going on without a stop

an audience

6. ............................................................. a dealer in cloth goods

Write a complete sentence in answer to each question :

7. How old are you?

8. What is the time now?
9. Does soup come before sausage alphabetically?
10. What word rhymes with enough?
1 1. What holds water though full of holes?
12. What happens when you add ing to stop?

7 .............................................................................................................................................................
8 .............................................................................................................................................................
9 .............................................................................................................................................................
10 ...........................................................................................................................................................
11 ...........................................................................................................................................................
12 ...........................................................................................................................................................
Rewrite the sentences correctly, putting in one fill stop, two question marks, five commas and thirteen
capital letters.
13. gasgow dublin and pans are all cities
14 where do John betty ron and susan live
15. where do the french the danes and the russians come from
13 ...........................................................................................................................................................
14 ...........................................................................................................................................................
15 ...........................................................................................................................................................

page
THE LITTLE DICTIONARY
Accepted, the opposite of refused
Admit, to confuse
Always, at all times
Answered, the opposite of asked
Appear, to come into sight, opposite to disappear
Audience, people who learn
Beginning, the opposite of end
boats, liner, yacht
Burglar, a person who breaks into a house
Busy body, one who pries in peoples affairs
Butcher, a man who sells meat
Camper, one who lives in a tent for a time
Cherry, singular of cherries
Coins, pence two, five ten etc
Colonel, a man in command of a regiment
Confused, bewildered
Correct, not wrong
Countries, Britain, France etc
Crockery, cups plates etc
Crouch, To stoop low with bent legs
Crying, weeping
Cyclist, a person who rides a bicycle
Dark, the opposite of fair
Dead, the opposite of alive
Delight, pleasure
Demanded, asked
Depart, to leave
Departed, the opposite of arrived
Descend, to come down
Despair, to lose hope
Detective, a person who tracks down criminals
Difficult, hard
Downy, fluffy
Draper, a dealer in cloth goods
Drinks, water, coffee
Dwarf, the opposite of giant
Early, before time
Enlarge, to make bigger
Everywhere in all places
False, the opposite of true
Feeble, the opposite of strong
Field, a meadow
Flowers, pink, daisies, etc
Forget, to let go out of ones mind
Forgetting, the opposite of remembering
Freshness, the opposite of staleness
Friend, the opposite of foe
Furniture, chairs, table, etc
Garage, a place where cars are kept
Giant, a huge man
Gift, a present
Give, the opposite of a take
Guard, the person in charge of a train
Headmaster, a man in charge of a school
Hinder, to get in the way
Hurried, moved quickly
Icy, very cold
Immense, the opposite of tiny
Inform, to supply with facts
Innocent, the opposite of guilty
Iron monger, a dealer in ironware and hardware
Jokingly, as a joke
Kennel, a house for dogs

Ladies, plural of lady

Last, the opposite of first
Librarian, a person in charge of a library
Line, rhymes with sign
Loss, the opposite of discovery
Lost, the opposite of discovered
Loved, the opposite of hated
Low, the opposite of lofty
Lumberman, a man who cuts down trees
mad, not sane
merely. only
milliner, one who sells womans hats
mountaineer, person who climbs mountains
open, not closed
orphan, a child whose parents are dead
peer, to look closely
pianist, a person who plays the piano
pilot, one who steers an aero plane
Pirate, one who attacks and robs ships
politeness, the opposite of rudeness
postmaster, a person in charge of a port office
quiet, the opposite of loud
quietly, with very little noise
received, the opposite of gave or given
refused, the opposite of accepted
relations, uncles, aunts, etc
remain, to stay
return, to go back
revolves, turns round an axis
save, not to spend
Scampered, dashed
Scare, to frighten
scatter, to throw here and there
serious, not humorous
Shallow, not deep
shopkeeper, butcher, grocer, etc
singular, the opposite of plural
sold, the opposite of bought
soloist, one who sings alone
stable, a building in which horses are kept
still, quiet
straighten, the opposite of bend
stroller, one who takes a quiet walk for pleasure
success, the opposite of failure
thermometer, an instrument to measure temperature
thin, not plump
tomorrow, the opposite of yesterday
trees, elm, oaks, etc
Ugliness, the opposite of beauty
unlucky, having bad luck
unnecessary, not needed
unripe, still green
Unseasoned, unsalted
unsteady, shaky
untruthful, telling lies
unwholesome, bad for one
unwise, foolish
Vehicles, cars, trains, etc
voyage, a journery by sea
waddled, walked like a duck
Weakness, the opposite of strength
whisper, the opposite of shout
worse, the opposite.

47

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48