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Year 4

Writing the opening of 'The Happy Prince'

I can write the opening of 'The Happy Prince'.

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Year 4

Writing the opening of 'The Happy Prince'

I can write the opening of 'The Happy Prince'.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The purpose of the opening is to engage the reader and introduce the setting and characters.
  2. Using a range of sentence types (simple, compound and complex) improves text flow for the reader.
  3. Direct speech is punctuated using inverted commas. Dialogue moves the action forward.
  4. An adverbial clause is joined with a main clause to form an adverbial complex sentence.
  5. Notes from the plan are used to form full sentences.

Keywords

  • Text flow - how a text is written to keep the reader engaged

  • Fronted adverbial - a sentence starter followed by a comma

  • Past tense - shows that the action happened before now

  • Direct speech - shows that a character is speaking out loud in a text

Common misconception

Pupils may struggle with remembering the comma rule in an adverbial complex sentence.

Provide a visual scaffold of an adverbial complex sentence. Ask children to identify the subordinating conjunction that begins the adverbial clause and ensure that the visual highlights the comma rule.


To help you plan your year 4 english lesson on: Writing the opening of 'The Happy Prince', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Refer to the Year 4 Grammar unit 'Apostrophes and speech punctuation' to support pupils with writing direct speech correctly. Remind pupils to start a new line each time there is a new speaker.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is a simple sentence?
Correct answer: a sentence made of just one main clause
a sentence with two main clauses and a joining word
a sentence with a subordinating conjunction
Q2.
Order the four key moments of the opening chronologically.
1 - A statue of a prince was overlooking the city
2 - One night, a bird was flying alone looking for somewhere to rest
3 - The bird perched on the statue’s feet and noticed he was crying
4 - The statue explained his sorrows and asked the bird to help him
Q3.
Fill in the missing word. Figurative language is the use of metaphor, simile and personification to paint vivid pictures for the ...
writer
Correct answer: reader
illustrator
Q4.
What is a compound sentence?
a sentence formed of one main clause and a joining word
a sentence formed of two main clauses
Correct answer: a sentence formed of two main clauses and a co-ordinating conjunction
Q5.
Which of the following are true about dialogue?
It gives factual information
Correct answer: It is the written conversation between two characters in a narrative
It builds up suspense
Correct answer: It helps move the story forward
It describes a verb in further detail
Q6.
What is an adverbial complex sentence?
a sentence formed of two main clauses
Correct answer: a sentence formed of one main clause and an adverbial subordinate clause
a sentence formed of two main clauses and a co-ordinating conjunction

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Fill in the missing word: The __________ is the first section of a story where the writer describes the setting and main characters.
resolution
climax
Correct answer: opening
build-up
Q2.
True or false? 'A complex sentence is a sentence consisting of a main clause and a subordinate clause.'
Correct Answer: true, True
Q3.
What is the name of the punctuation mark that indicates where the words the character said begin and end?
comma
Correct answer: inverted commas
question mark
exclamation mark
full stop
Q4.
Which direct speech sentence is correctly punctuated?
''Will you help me? asked the prince.
Correct answer: ''Will you help me?'' asked the prince.
Will you help me? ''asked the prince''.
Will you help me?'' asked the prince.
Q5.
Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
In the middle of the vast city the golden statue guarded the streets.
Correct answer: In the middle of the vast city, the golden statue guarded the streets.
In the middle, of the vast city, the golden statue guarded the streets.
In the middle of the vast city the golden, statue guarded the streets.
Q6.
Which sentence includes an example of figurative language?
Correct answer: A serene sky held a luminous moon in its hand.
The sky was dark and filled with stars.
The bird flew through the night sky.
The statue was golden and covered in jewels.

Additional material

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