The Secret Garden 11+ English comprehension study pack
A printable 8-page A4 PDF: a short retelling of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, a 22-mark study pack and a parent answer guide, in a dyslexia-friendly layout.
£3.49 instant PDF download
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Quick facts
- Format
- 1 printable PDF, 8 A4 pages, instant download
- Price
- £3.49, or £14.99 for all 8 books
- For
- Year 5 and Year 6, 11+ English comprehension practice
- Marks
- 22 marks across 5 tasks
- Vocabulary
- Imperious, Subservience, Countenance, Hypochondriacal, Vigour
- Devices
- simile, personification
- Layout
- Verdana, left-aligned, 1.5 line spacing, cream background, no italics
- Spelling
- British English
What's inside
1. Storybook (4 pages)
Discover the transformative magic hidden behind a locked, ivy-covered door on the sprawling, untamed Yorkshire moors. A cover page plus 3 short chapters, with key vocabulary in bold:
- Chapter I: The Desolate Manor
- Chapter II: The Hidden Key
- Chapter III: The Magic of Spring
2. Study pack (2 pages, 22 marks)
| Task | Marks | What your child does |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Contextual vocabulary | 5 | Five bold words from the storybook. Your child works out each meaning from the sentence, then checks it with a dictionary. |
| 2. Evidence hunting (find and copy) | 3 | Three questions where your child finds and copies the exact phrase that proves a point. |
| 3. Deconstructing long sentences | 4 | Two longer sentences from the story. Your child finds the main subject and the main verb in each. |
| 4. Literary device spotting | 6 | Three tasks on the writer's descriptive choices, asking your child to identify the device and explain its effect. |
| 5. Reading between the lines (inference) | 4 | Two questions, worth 2 marks each, where the answer isn’t written down and has to be worked out from clues in the text. |
3. Parent answer guide (2 pages)
Model answers and marks for every question, so you can mark it together and talk through anything tricky.
Sample pages
About the original book
Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel was first published in 1911. Mary Lennox, a spoilt and lonely girl, is sent to live in her uncle's house on the Yorkshire moors, where she discovers a locked, neglected garden.
Why it works for 11+ practice: The setting changes with the seasons and mirrors how the characters change, which gives good material for questions on description, mood and character development.
How to use it
- Read the storybook together or independently.
- Work through the study pack, looking back at the story to find evidence.
- Mark it with the answer guide and talk through any tricky questions.
- Use the 22-mark total to track progress across books.
Printing tip: print on A4 and choose "Actual size" or "100%", not "Fit to page", so the writing lines stay the right size.
Questions and answers
What is in the The Secret Garden 11+ study pack?
One printable A4 PDF of 8 pages: a 4-page storybook (a cover page plus 3 short chapters retelling The Secret Garden), a 2-page study pack with 5 tasks worth 22 marks, and a 2-page parent answer guide with model answers.
Is this the full The Secret Garden novel?
No. It is a short, readable retelling of Frances Hodgson Burnett's story written for 11+ practice. It's a good way in to the original, which we'd encourage your child to read too.
What age is it for?
It is aimed at children in Year 5 and Year 6 (roughly ages 9 to 11) preparing for 11+ English comprehension, and it also suits confident younger readers or older children who want extra practice.
Does it include answers?
Yes. The answer guide gives model answers and marks for every question, so a parent or tutor can mark it confidently.
How do I get it?
Buy it on Payhip and you'll get a download link straight away on screen and by email. Nothing is posted.
Can I print it more than once?
Yes, for your own family, or for your own students if you're a tutor. Please don't share the file with other families, schools or tutors.
Want all eight?
The All 8 Books Bundle is £14.99 instead of £27.92 for the eight packs bought separately.
Helpful guides
More study packs
These materials were created with the help of AI tools and then checked, corrected and edited by us. Licence: personal use by one family, or one tutor with their own students.