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Term pack

Grade 6 English Language Arts

Name: ________________________

Skills in this pack

  • Agreement with a tricky subject
  • Conjunctions and connectors
  • Vocabulary in context
  • Subject, object and possessive pronouns
  • Reading: why the writer wrote it

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Grade 6 English Language Arts · 1 of 5

Agreement with a tricky subject

Make the verb agree with its real subject, even when other words come in between.

  1. 1.Write "is" or "are": The bunch of keys ____ missing.

  2. 2.Mathematics ____ my favorite subject.

    • a) is
    • b) were
    • c) have
    • d) are

  3. 3.The box of old books ____ on the floor.

    • a) have
    • b) are
    • c) is
    • d) were

  4. 4.Neither Ravi nor his brothers ____ coming.

    • a) are
    • b) was
    • c) is
    • d) has

  5. 5.Write "has" or "have": Every one of the players ____ arrived.

  6. 6.The list of items ____ been checked twice.

    • a) has
    • b) were
    • c) are
    • d) have

  7. 7.Each of the students ____ a copy of the map.

    • a) are
    • b) have
    • c) has
    • d) were

  8. 8.Ten years ____ a long time to wait for a reply.

    • a) have
    • b) were
    • c) are
    • d) is

Agreement with a tricky subject · Grade 6 English Language Arts · www.arenapublications.com/learn

Grade 6 English Language Arts · 2 of 5

Conjunctions and connectors

Join clauses with the right conjunction, and link sentences with the right connector.

  1. 1.Sort each connector by the relationship it shows.

    Groups: Adds a point · Shows a contrast · Shows a result

    • moreover
    • nevertheless
    • therefore
    • in addition
    • however
    • as a result

  2. 2.The match was canceled ____ the ground was flooded.

    • a) but
    • b) or
    • c) because
    • d) although

  3. 3.Match each joining word to the job it does.

    • because
    • although
    • so
    • or
    • however
    • moreover
    • signals the opposite of what came before
    • gives the result
    • admits a contrast
    • adds a further point
    • gives the reason
    • offers a choice

  4. 4.Sort each joining word by the kind of join it makes.

    Groups: Joins two equal parts · Starts a part that depends on the other

    • although
    • and
    • if
    • but
    • because
    • or

  5. 5.Put the sentences in order. The time words will tell you where each one belongs.

    • Next, we soaked them in water overnight.
    • Finally, we placed the pots on the sunny window ledge.
    • First, we collected the seeds from the garden.
    • Then we pressed each seed into a small pot of soil.

  6. 6.Which sentence uses "unless" in a way that makes sense?

    • a) We will go out unless it is sunny.
    • b) Unless it rains, we will carry our umbrellas.
    • c) Unless we go out, it rains.
    • d) We will go out unless it rains.

  7. 7.Write one word: She was tired, ____ she finished the work anyway.

  8. 8.The library was closed. ____, we studied at home.

    • a) Therefore
    • b) Although
    • c) Moreover
    • d) However

Conjunctions and connectors · Grade 6 English Language Arts · www.arenapublications.com/learn

Grade 6 English Language Arts · 3 of 5

Vocabulary in context

Work out what an unfamiliar word means from the sentence around it.

  1. 1."The noise was so persistent that we could not sleep all night." What does "persistent" mean?

    • a) very soft
    • b) going on and on
    • c) far away
    • d) stopping quickly

  2. 2.Match each term to its meaning.

    • a synonym
    • an antonym
    • context
    • a definition
    • a word with the opposite meaning
    • a word with almost the same meaning
    • a statement of exactly what a word means
    • the words around a word that hint at its meaning

  3. 3."The judge was impartial and favored neither side." Which single word in that sentence means "fair to both sides"?

  4. 4.Match each word to its meaning.

    • reluctant
    • abundant
    • vivid
    • fragile
    • weary
    • cautious
    • very tired
    • careful about danger
    • unwilling to do something
    • bright and clear
    • easily broken
    • present in large amounts

  5. 5.Sort each word by the feeling it carries.

    Groups: Describes something pleasant · Describes something unpleasant

    • dreadful
    • cheerful
    • delightful
    • gloomy
    • cruel
    • generous

  6. 6."The room was immaculate — not a speck of dust anywhere." What does "immaculate" mean?

    • a) very dark
    • b) perfectly clean
    • c) newly built
    • d) very large

  7. 7."The monsoon brought a deluge that flooded the fields for weeks." A deluge is ____.

    • a) a great flood of water
    • b) a long dry spell
    • c) a light shower
    • d) a strong wind

  8. 8."The instructions were ambiguous, so half the class did the wrong task." What does "ambiguous" mean?

    • a) spoken loudly
    • b) written down
    • c) very clear
    • d) open to more than one meaning

Vocabulary in context · Grade 6 English Language Arts · www.arenapublications.com/learn

Grade 6 English Language Arts · 4 of 5

Subject, object and possessive pronouns

Choose the right pronoun for the job it does in the sentence.

  1. 1.Match each pronoun that does the action to the one that receives it.

    • I
    • we
    • he
    • she
    • they
    • her
    • me
    • them
    • us
    • him

  2. 2.This umbrella is ____; the blue one is yours.

    • a) I
    • b) my
    • c) me
    • d) mine

  3. 3.In "They gave us the tickets", which pronoun is on the receiving end of the action?

    • a) us
    • b) tickets
    • c) They
    • d) gave

  4. 4.One word, please. The sentence is about a girl: Please help ____ with the heavy bag.

  5. 5.The teacher praised ____ for the neat work.

    • a) we
    • b) our
    • c) us
    • d) ours

  6. 6.Sort each pronoun by the job it does.

    Groups: Does the action · Receives the action · Shows who it belongs to

    • I
    • us
    • me
    • mine
    • them
    • theirs
    • they
    • ours
    • we

  7. 7.Which sentence is correct?

    • a) The parcel was for they.
    • b) The parcel was for she.
    • c) The parcel was for hers.
    • d) The parcel was for her.

  8. 8.Sort each word: does it need a noun straight after it, or can it stand on its own?

    Groups: Needs a noun after it · Stands on its own

    • our
    • my
    • your
    • yours
    • ours
    • mine

Subject, object and possessive pronouns · Grade 6 English Language Arts · www.arenapublications.com/learn

Grade 6 English Language Arts · 5 of 5

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.

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

  2. 2.The lake piece names a meeting place, a morning and what to bring, and ends "Bring a friend." Who is it written for?

    • a) Scientists who study lake water.
    • b) People near the lake who could come along on Sunday.
    • c) Small children learning to swim.
    • d) Shopkeepers who sell plastic bags.

  3. 3.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

    • 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.
    • Bring a friend.
    • Every plastic bag thrown into it stays there for a century.

  4. 4.Read this. "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." Why did the writer write this?

    • a) To persuade readers to come and help clean the lake.
    • b) To argue that the school should be moved elsewhere.
    • c) To explain how lakes are formed.
    • d) To describe a lake the writer visited long ago.

  5. 5.Put the steps of working out why a piece was written in the right order.

    • Next, look at what kind of sentences it is made of — statements, instructions or questions.
    • First, read the whole piece once through without stopping.
    • Then ask what the writer wants you to do or think by the end of it.
    • Last, check your answer against the piece itself, line by line.

  6. 6.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

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

  7. 7.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 persuade the reader that coriander tastes good.
    • c) To explain why seeds are small.
    • d) To describe the writer's own hands.

  8. 8.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?

Reading: why the writer wrote it · Grade 6 English Language Arts · www.arenapublications.com/learn

Answer keys — Grade 6 English Language Arts

In the same order as the worksheets.

Agreement with a tricky subject

  1. 1. is
  2. 2. a) is
  3. 3. c) is
  4. 4. a) are
  5. 5. has
  6. 6. a) has
  7. 7. c) has
  8. 8. d) is

Conjunctions and connectors

  1. 1. moreover → Adds a point; however → Shows a contrast; therefore → Shows a result; in addition → Adds a point; nevertheless → Shows a contrast; as a result → Shows a result
  2. 2. c) because
  3. 3. because → gives the reason; although → admits a contrast; so → gives the result; or → offers a choice; however → signals the opposite of what came before; moreover → adds a further point
  4. 4. and → Joins two equal parts; because → Starts a part that depends on the other; but → Joins two equal parts; although → Starts a part that depends on the other; or → Joins two equal parts; if → Starts a part that depends on the other
  5. 5. 1. First, we collected the seeds from the garden. 2. Next, we soaked them in water overnight. 3. Then we pressed each seed into a small pot of soil. 4. Finally, we placed the pots on the sunny window ledge.
  6. 6. d) We will go out unless it rains.
  7. 7.
    • but
    • yet
  8. 8. a) Therefore

Vocabulary in context

  1. 1. b) going on and on
  2. 2. a synonym → a word with almost the same meaning; an antonym → a word with the opposite meaning; context → the words around a word that hint at its meaning; a definition → a statement of exactly what a word means
  3. 3. impartial
  4. 4. reluctant → unwilling to do something; abundant → present in large amounts; vivid → bright and clear; fragile → easily broken; weary → very tired; cautious → careful about danger
  5. 5. delightful → Describes something pleasant; dreadful → Describes something unpleasant; cheerful → Describes something pleasant; gloomy → Describes something unpleasant; generous → Describes something pleasant; cruel → Describes something unpleasant
  6. 6. b) perfectly clean
  7. 7. a) a great flood of water
  8. 8. d) open to more than one meaning

Subject, object and possessive pronouns

  1. 1. I → me; we → us; he → him; she → her; they → them
  2. 2. d) mine
  3. 3. a) us
  4. 4. her
  5. 5. c) us
  6. 6. I → Does the action; me → Receives the action; mine → Shows who it belongs to; we → Does the action; us → Receives the action; ours → Shows who it belongs to; they → Does the action; them → Receives the action; theirs → Shows who it belongs to
  7. 7. d) The parcel was for her.
  8. 8. my → Needs a noun after it; mine → Stands on its own; our → Needs a noun after it; ours → Stands on its own; your → Needs a noun after it; yours → Stands on its own

Reading: why the writer wrote it

  1. 1. b) How deep to plant the seeds.
  2. 2. b) People near the lake who could come along on Sunday.
  3. 3. 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
  4. 4. a) To persuade readers to come and help clean the lake.
  5. 5. 1. First, read the whole piece once through without stopping. 2. Next, look at what kind of sentences it is made of — statements, instructions or questions. 3. Then ask what the writer wants you to do or think by the end of it. 4. Last, check your answer against the piece itself, line by line.
  6. 6. 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
  7. 7. a) To tell the reader exactly what to do at that step.
  8. 8. century

Grade 6 English Language Arts · www.arenapublications.com/learn