Alphabet
The alphabet is the set of 26 letters we use to write English, from a to z, each with a name, a sound and a capital and lowercase shape.
English · Ages 5–6 · 45 minutes
Question marks and exclamation marks
Children recognise question marks and exclamation marks in a text, read them with the right voice, and end their own questions and exclamations correctly.
Success criteria
- I can spot a question mark and an exclamation mark
- I can read them with the right voice
- I can write a question that ends with a question mark
Key vocabulary
- question
- question mark
- exclamation mark
- full stop
- sentence
- ask
You will need
- large cards showing . ? and !
- a puppet or toy
- a picture of a busy scene
- mini whiteboards
Curriculum links
- Year 1· England
- Kindergarten· United States
Practice sheets
Generated fresh each time you press a button, and marked instantly on screen.
Where Is Pip?
Mateo’s First Day
Build a sentence
1.Starter
6 minutesBring in a puppet. "Puppet has come to visit, and you can ask it anything. What would you like to know?"
Children ask: "What's your name?" "Where do you live?" "Do you like pizza?" Have the puppet answer each one.
"You all did something clever. You asked. When we ask, our voice goes up at the end. Listen: Do you like pizza? We are waiting for an answer."
2.Teach
12 minutesShow the three cards: . ? !
"We know the full stop. It ends a telling sentence. Today we're meeting two more ways to end a sentence."
Question mark (?): "This ends a sentence that asks something. It needs an answer. Lots of questions start with a question word."
Write the question words on the board as children say them: who, what, where, when, why, how. Then show that questions can start other ways too: Can you swim? Is it raining? Do you like cats?
Exclamation mark (!): "This shows a big feeling: surprise, excitement, fear, or something said loudly."
Model reading three versions of the same words:
- It is a dog. (calm)
- Is it a dog? (voice goes up)
- It is a dog! (surprised, wide eyes)
Children copy each voice.
Share Where Is Pip? (the first practice text), reading it aloud with expression: Is Pip behind the haystack? No! It is the brown hen.
"What did you hear my voice do? Who can find a question mark? An exclamation mark?"
