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Year 9 English — Reading: why the writer wrote it

Work out why a piece was written and who it was written for, and say what a particular sentence in it is doing.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.Answer in one word. The lake piece says a plastic bag thrown into the lake stays there for a hundred years. Which single word does the piece itself use for that length of time?

  2. 2.Sort each piece of writing by why it was written.

    Groups: To tell you how to do something · To make you agree or act · To explain how something works

    • A leaflet asking you to give blood
    • A page explaining why the sky looks blue
    • The steps for mending a bicycle chain
    • A poster urging people to save water
    • An article on how a monsoon forms
    • A recipe for lemon rice

  3. 3.The coriander piece reads: "To grow coriander on a windowsill, fill a shallow tray with loose soil. Scatter the seeds thinly and press them down with your palm. Water the tray until the soil is damp but not wet. Keep the tray where the morning sun reaches it, and cut the leaves when they are the length of your thumb." Which of these does it NOT tell you?

    • a) How wet the soil should be.
    • b) When to cut the leaves.
    • c) How deep to plant the seeds.
    • d) Where to keep the tray.

  4. 4.The lake piece ends: "The lake cannot clean itself." What is that last sentence doing?

    • a) Describing the colour of the water.
    • b) Telling the reader what time to arrive.
    • c) Naming the people who will be there.
    • d) Reminding the reader why their help is needed.

  5. 5.Sort each sentence from the lake piece by what kind of sentence it is. "The lake behind the school has shrunk to half its size in ten years. Every plastic bag thrown into it stays there for a century. On Sunday morning, twenty of us will meet at the east gate with gloves and sacks. Bring a friend. The lake cannot clean itself."

    Groups: A statement · An instruction to the reader

    • Every plastic bag thrown into it stays there for a century.
    • Bring a friend.
    • The lake behind the school has shrunk to half its size in ten years.
    • On Sunday morning, twenty of us will meet at the east gate with gloves and sacks.

  6. 6.The coriander piece tells you to press the seeds down with your palm. Why is that there?

    • a) To tell the reader exactly what to do at that step.
    • b) To explain why seeds are small.
    • c) To persuade the reader that coriander tastes good.
    • d) To describe the writer's own hands.

  7. 7.Read this. "To grow coriander on a windowsill, fill a shallow tray with loose soil. Scatter the seeds thinly and press them down with your palm. Water the tray until the soil is damp but not wet. Keep the tray where the morning sun reaches it, and cut the leaves when they are the length of your thumb." Why was this written?

    • a) To describe a garden the writer once saw.
    • b) To tell the reader how to grow coriander.
    • c) To argue that coriander is the best herb to grow.
    • d) To warn the reader about damp soil.

  8. 8.In the lake piece — "The lake behind the school has shrunk to half its size in ten years. Every plastic bag thrown into it stays there for a century. On Sunday morning, twenty of us will meet at the east gate with gloves and sacks. Bring a friend. The lake cannot clean itself." — which sentence tells the reader to do something, rather than telling them something?

    • a) Bring a friend.
    • b) The lake behind the school has shrunk to half its size in ten years.
    • c) Every plastic bag thrown into it stays there for a century.
    • d) The lake cannot clean itself.

Answer key — Year 9 English — Reading: why the writer wrote it

  1. 1. century
  2. 2. A leaflet asking you to give blood → To make you agree or act; The steps for mending a bicycle chain → To tell you how to do something; An article on how a monsoon forms → To explain how something works; A recipe for lemon rice → To tell you how to do something; A poster urging people to save water → To make you agree or act; A page explaining why the sky looks blue → To explain how something works
  3. 3. c) How deep to plant the seeds.
  4. 4. d) Reminding the reader why their help is needed.
  5. 5. The lake behind the school has shrunk to half its size in ten years. → A statement; Every plastic bag thrown into it stays there for a century. → A statement; On Sunday morning, twenty of us will meet at the east gate with gloves and sacks. → A statement; Bring a friend. → An instruction to the reader
  6. 6. a) To tell the reader exactly what to do at that step.
  7. 7. b) To tell the reader how to grow coriander.
  8. 8. a) Bring a friend.