How to Prepare for 11 Plus English
If your child can read for pleasure, write a structured paragraph, hold a wide vocabulary, and notice how a writer is using language, they are well on the way to a strong 11+ English result. The trouble is, none of those skills can be cobbled together in a few weeks. They are built slowly, through exposure, through good teaching, and through habits that start years before the exam itself.
Here is how I think about preparing children for 11+ English, year by year, skill by skill.
What 11+ English actually tests
Different schools and exam boards test different things, but most 11+ English papers cover four areas:
1. Reading comprehension
A passage of fiction, non fiction or sometimes poetry, followed by questions. Question types range from simple retrieval (“what colour was the door?”) to inference (“how do you know the narrator was nervous?”) to language analysis (“why has the writer chosen the word ‘slithered’?”). The hardest comprehension marks are at the inference and language end.
2. Vocabulary
Either tested directly (synonyms, antonyms, definitions) or implicitly through comprehension and writing. A child with a thin vocabulary will be capped on every other element of the paper.
3. Grammar, punctuation and spelling
Often called SPAG. Word classes, sentence types, punctuation rules, common spelling patterns. Heavily tested by GL papers, often less so by independent school written papers, although they expect accurate grammar in the writing itself.
4. Writing
Set by some grammar schools (Latymer English paper, Henrietta Barnett round 2) and most selective independents. Either creative (a story, a description) or discursive (an opinion piece, a letter). Marked on idea, structure, language, and accuracy.
The foundations: long before Year 5
I will say this every chance I get: 11+ English is built before Year 5, not in it. Two habits matter most.
Daily reading
If your child reads for 20 to 30 minutes a day from Year 2 onwards, with you talking to them about what they read, you have done more for their 11+ English than any course can do. Reading builds vocabulary in context, sentence rhythm, narrative structure, and comprehension stamina simultaneously. Nothing else does all four.
Books to chase: a mix of classic fiction (David Walliams gives way to Roald Dahl gives way to C.S. Lewis gives way to Philip Pullman, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Eva Ibbotson). Modern literary fiction for children (Katherine Rundell, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Onjali Q. Rauf). Some non fiction. Some poetry. Variety matters more than literary worthiness.
Vocabulary in conversation
Use grown up words around your child. Explain the ones they do not know. Look words up together. “Mum, what does ‘reluctant’ mean?” is a moment, not an interruption. Children whose parents talk to them in rich language consistently outperform those who do not, regardless of how much formal vocabulary work they later do.
Year 4: the gentle on ramp
In Year 4, structured English work should be light.
Weekly aim:
- One short comprehension passage per week, with discussion afterwards
- One short piece of writing per week (a paragraph, then a page, by end of year)
- Vocabulary games: word of the day, synonyms races, dictionary scavenger hunts
- Grammar in context, taught lightly through their own writing
Year 5: the proper start
Year 5 English is where systematic skill building begins. By the end of Year 5, your child should be able to:
- Read a 600 to 800 word passage and answer 15 to 20 mixed comprehension questions in 30 to 40 minutes
- Identify and explain a writer’s use of language (simile, metaphor, personification, sensory detail)
- Write a structured creative piece in 25 to 30 minutes, with a clear beginning, middle and end
- Hold a vocabulary of around 5,000 words including the more sophisticated tier 2 words
- Spell accurately at Year 5 to Year 6 level
Weekly rhythm in Year 5:
- One full English lesson, 60 to 90 minutes, covering one comprehension and one writing element
- Comprehension homework: one passage with questions, fully marked and discussed
- Writing homework: one piece per week or fortnight, with feedback that focuses on a specific skill (openings, sentence variety, paragraph structure, ending strongly)
- Vocabulary work: 5 to 10 new words per week, used in context, revisited regularly
- Continued daily reading, ideally 30 minutes
Year 6: refinement and exam fitness
Year 6 is about consolidating and sharpening:
- Full timed comprehensions weekly, marked and reviewed
- Writing under timed conditions, building toward 30 minute creative pieces
- Past papers from your target schools (Latymer English, Habs Boys creative writing, Henrietta Barnett round 2) where available
- Targeted vocabulary work on common 11+ word lists
- Grammar and spelling drills only on weak spots, not blanket revision
Common gaps I see, and how to fix them
Gap 1: surface comprehension only
The child can answer the retrieval questions (“what colour was the door?”) but loses marks on inference (“why do you think the narrator hesitated?”). Fix: teach the language of inference explicitly. “What is the writer suggesting? What can you tell from this? How do you know?” Practise on short passages. Get the child to explain their reasoning, not just the answer.
Gap 2: thin vocabulary
The child uses the same five adjectives (good, bad, big, sad, happy). Fix: read more, talk more, and practise active replacement. “Can you find a stronger word than ‘good’ here?”
Gap 3: writing without structure
Ideas, but no shape. The piece sprawls or fades. Fix: explicit teaching of openings, paragraph structure, and endings. Use a simple plan template (idea, characters, setting, problem, action, resolution) and stick to it for several weeks.
Gap 4: technical accuracy
Ideas are strong, but spelling and punctuation drag marks down. Fix: targeted spelling lists (the Y5 to Y6 statutory words are a good start), explicit punctuation drills, and editing of the child’s own writing as a separate exercise from composing.
What the most selective schools want
There is a quality I look for in children doing well at the very top of the 11+ English market. It is voice.
Schools like NLCS, Habs Girls, St Paul’s, City of London, Westminster, Latymer, Habs Boys are not just looking for a child who can structure a paragraph. They are looking for a child who has something to say, and who has been read to widely enough to know how to say it interestingly.
Voice is built by reading and being read to. It is built by being asked your opinion at the dinner table. It is built by writing about things that matter to you. It cannot be built by drilling specimen papers.
Need help structuring your child’s English preparation? Our weekly workshops cover comprehension, writing, vocabulary and grammar systematically, with our Sunday English Masterclass for writing focused schools.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important thing my child can do for 11+ English?
Read for pleasure every day, ideally with conversation about what they have read. This single habit improves comprehension, vocabulary, writing fluency, and grammar at the same time. Nothing else does all four.
How important is grammar?
Important but not overwhelming. GL papers test it explicitly. Independent school papers expect accuracy in writing rather than abstract drills. Cover the basics solidly but do not let grammar become the centrepiece of preparation.
How do I help my child with creative writing?
Read good writing together. Talk about what makes a piece interesting (a vivid opening, sensory detail, character through action). Use a simple plan template. Edit one specific element at a time, not the whole piece. Most importantly, write about things they actually care about.
My child reads but does not enjoy it. What can I do?
Find different books. Audiobooks are real reading too. Comics and graphic novels are real reading too. The aim is reading regularly and with engagement; the form matters less than parents think. Once the habit is in, you can stretch the material.
When should we start working on writing under timed conditions?
Spring of Year 5 for short pieces, summer of Year 5 for full 25 to 30 minute creative writing. Earlier than that and you build dread of the form rather than skill in it.
