English for the 11+.
Reading, spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary, and in some papers a short piece of writing. A guide to every kind of question in the 11+, SATs, the ISEB Pre-Test and Common Entrance.
- 6 topics, each with a guide
- 6 Rush games
Rush’s word games practise spelling, grammar and vocabulary.Every English topic.
11+ English usually means a reading passage with questions, plus short questions on spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary. Some tests add a cloze passage or a piece of writing. We list 7 types, including cloze, whose guide sits with verbal reasoning. Lists differ mostly on two things: whether cloze counts as English or verbal reasoning, and whether grammar is one type or is split into word classes, tenses, prefixes and the rest.
- ComprehensionRead a passage, then answer questions on what it says, what it suggests and why the writer chose certain words.
- SpellingSpot the misspelt word in a sentence, or choose the right spelling, including homophones such as there and their.In Rush: Spelling, Tricky Words
- PunctuationFind the part of a sentence with a punctuation or capital letter mistake, or say there isn't one.In Rush: Punctuation, Tricky Words
- GrammarWord classes such as nouns, verbs and adverbs, tenses, plurals, and prefixes and suffixes.In Rush: Word Types, Word Forms
- VocabularyKnowing what words mean, and choosing the word that matches a meaning.In Rush: Word Meanings
- Creative writingWrite a story or a description from a prompt, in a set time.
Types Rush practises show the games that practise them. Synonyms, antonyms and words with two meanings are on 11+ verbal reasoning.
How each exam tests English
- 11+
- A reading passage with questions, plus spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary. Some papers add a short piece of writing.
- KS2 SATs
- A reading paper, and a grammar, punctuation and spelling test, in May of Year 6.
- ISEB Pre-Test
- Reading, spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary questions, on screen.
- Common Entrance
- Reading and writing papers set by ISEB and marked by the senior school, at 11+ or 13+.
- CAT4
- No English. Its verbal part is reasoning with words.
Good places to start
The rules behind the short questions, then reading a passage, which every English paper sets.
- GrammarWord classes such as nouns, verbs and adverbs, tenses, plurals, and prefixes and suffixes.
- SpellingSpot the misspelt word in a sentence, or choose the right spelling, including homophones such as there and their.
- ComprehensionRead a passage, then answer questions on what it says, what it suggests and why the writer chose certain words.
The four kinds of comprehension question.
Rush doesn’t practise comprehension, because it needs a whole passage. Most questions about a passage are one of four kinds, and each kind is tackled a little differently.
- Find itThe answer is written in the passage. Go back and find the line before answering, even if your child thinks they remember it: the answer has to match what the passage says, not what they expected it to say.
- Work it outThe passage hints at the answer rather than saying it. “She slammed the door and didn’t look back” never says she is angry, but it shows it. A good answer names the feeling and points to the words that show it.
- A word in its lineMany words have several meanings, and the question wants the one in that line. Put your child’s answer in place of the word and read the sentence again: “bright” in “a bright pupil” means clever, not shining. More on the vocabulary page.
- The writer’s choiceSay what the word makes the reader picture or feel. “The fox crept” makes the movement slow and secret in a way “the fox walked” doesn’t. Comparing the writer’s word with a plainer one is a quick way to start.
Questions.
How is 11+ English different from verbal reasoning?
English tests reading and writing: understanding a passage, and spelling, punctuation and grammar. Verbal reasoning uses short word puzzles with no long reading. The two share some questions, such as cloze, which is why cloze has its page under verbal reasoning.
Is there an 11+ English word list?
No test publishes one. The nearest are the National Curriculum’s statutory spelling lists (the words state schools teach) for Years 3 and 4 and for Years 5 and 6. Rush’s Spelling game asks almost all the words on both lists. For meanings, a wide everyday vocabulary from reading counts for more than any list.
How can my child get better at comprehension?
Read together and ask questions as you go: what just happened, how a character feels and how you can tell, what a word means in that line, and why the writer chose it. Those are the four kinds of question set out above, and answering them aloud gets your child used to pointing at the words that prove it.
Does Rush practise comprehension or writing?
No. Both need a whole passage or a longer answer, which doesn’t fit Rush’s ten-second questions. Rush practises the short ones: spelling, punctuation, grammar, vocabulary and cloze.
Rush: 11+ Practice & KS2 SATsPractise English in Rush.
- Spelling, grammar and vocabulary games, 100 seconds each, easy at first and harder as your child improves
- Every miss kept with the right answer and why
- Free to start, with a new family game every day
On the App Store for iPhone and iPad
Six games are free, plus a new family game every day. All 41 games are £24.99 a year after a free week1, or £3.99 a month.