Sam wants to take his dog Pip to the park, but his coat zip sticks, his laces knot and a storm arrives. This three-page Year 1 sheet teaches that un- means not or the opposite. Pupils fill ten gaps in Sam's Big Day from a bank of twelve words, which pairs root words like tie and safe with untie and unsafe. Two words, well and unwell, are extras. The key gives all ten answers in order. It matches England National Curriculum grammar.
Writing - vocabulary, grammar and punctuation
“Learning the grammar for year 1 in English Appendix 2”
Adding un- to change a word's meaning is one of the Year 1 items in English Appendix 2, and every gap tests it.
Writing - vocabulary, grammar and punctuation
“Use the grammatical terminology in English Appendix 2 in discussing their writing.”
The sheet uses the word prefix for un-, which is terminology pupils can use when they talk about their writing.
A short rule for un- and a bank of twelve words, six roots and six with un- added.
A story with ten gaps. Pupils choose between pairs such as zip and unzip, kind and unkind, and safe and unsafe.
Grammar lesson
Act out tie and untie with a real shoe before pupils read the story.
Paired reading
One pupil reads the story aloud while the partner chooses the word for each gap.
Word wall
Add the six un- words to the class word wall afterwards. Point to unsafe and unkind when they come up in stories.
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