Guides for parents
Practical, plain-English guides to 11+ English comprehension, with free practice questions on eight classic books.
Comprehension skills and technique
11+ inference questions: how to read between the lines
What 11+ inference questions are, how to spot them, and a simple Point, Evidence, Explain method for answering them, with a worked example.
Vocabulary in context: working out unfamiliar words in 11+ comprehension
Help your child work out unfamiliar words from the sentence around them, a key 11+ comprehension skill, with a simple four-step method and examples.
Similes, metaphors and personification for 11+ English
Simile, metaphor, personification and adjective choice explained for 11+ comprehension, plus how to explain a device's effect for full marks.
How to answer 1, 2, 3 and 4-mark 11+ comprehension questions
Use the marks to plan each answer: a clear point for 1 mark, point and evidence for 2, Point-Evidence-Explain for 3, and two developed points for 4.
10 common 11+ comprehension mistakes, and how to fix them
The mistakes that most often cost marks in 11+ comprehension, from answering from memory to over-long quotations, with simple fixes to practise at home.
11+ English glossary: literary and grammar terms explained
Plain-English definitions, with examples, of 35 terms children meet in 11+ English: simile, metaphor, personification, inference, clauses, prefixes and more.
Planning, the exam and support
How to prepare for 11+ English comprehension at home
A step-by-step plan for parents helping a Year 5 or 6 child prepare for 11+ English comprehension: reading habits, question types, answer technique, marking.
Classic children's books for 11+ reading practice
Why classic children's books help with 11+ English comprehension, and a guide to eight well-loved classics, from Oliver Twist to The Secret Garden.
Dyslexia and the 11+: practical ways to help your child prepare
Calm, practical advice for parents of dyslexic children preparing for 11+ English: reader-friendly materials, reading strategies and access arrangements.
11+ English timeline: from Year 5 to offer day
A month-by-month plan for 11+ English from Year 5 to offer day, with the official application dates and an example registration timeline. Check your own area.
11+ English: the questions parents ask most, answered
Clear, sourced answers to common 11+ English questions: what's tested, GL and CEM, timing, multiple choice, independent schools and extra time.
Book reading guides
Oliver Twist for 11+: themes, characters, vocabulary and practice questions
A parent's guide to Oliver Twist for 11+ English: plot, themes, characters, tricky words and 6 free practice questions with model answers.
A Christmas Carol for 11+: themes, characters, vocabulary and practice questions
A parent's guide to A Christmas Carol for 11+ English: plot, themes, characters, tricky words and 6 free practice questions with model answers.
Alice in Wonderland for 11+: themes, characters, vocabulary and practice questions
A parent's guide to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland for 11+ English: plot, themes, characters, tricky words and 5 free practice questions with model answers.
Black Beauty for 11+: themes, characters, vocabulary and practice questions
A parent's guide to Black Beauty for 11+ English: plot, themes, characters, tricky words and 5 free practice questions with model answers.
Peter Pan for 11+: themes, characters, vocabulary and practice questions
A parent's guide to Peter Pan for 11+ English: plot, themes, characters, tricky words and 5 free practice questions with model answers.
The Railway Children for 11+: themes, characters, vocabulary and practice questions
A parent's guide to The Railway Children for 11+ English: plot, themes, characters, tricky words and 6 free practice questions with model answers.
The Secret Garden for 11+: themes, characters, vocabulary and practice questions
A parent's guide to The Secret Garden for 11+ English: plot, themes, characters, tricky words and 5 free practice questions with model answers.
The Wind in the Willows for 11+: themes, characters, vocabulary and practice questions
A parent's guide to The Wind in the Willows for 11+ English: plot, themes, characters, tricky words and 5 free practice questions with model answers.