Year 5 English: what your child learns
Many children speak well but lose marks when they write: spelling, capital letters, full stops and grammar. Our English practice works on exactly that. Spelling words return again and again until they stick; sentence practice builds the habit of capital letters and correct punctuation; reading questions check understanding. Practice is matched to your child’s year and the National Curriculum, from Year 1 phonics to Year 6 SATs spelling, punctuation and grammar.
What Your Child Will Learn in Year 5 English
Spelling
Over 360 questions covering the Year 5 statutory spelling list, spelling rules, homophones, and suffixes and prefixes.
The Year 5 statutory word list is set out in the national curriculum and directly feeds the Year 6 spelling list.
Grammar & punctuation
Sentence-level grammar and punctuation practice for Year 5.
Grammar covered here is one year away from the Year 6 KS2 SATs grammar and punctuation test.
Writing sentences
Finding and correcting sentence-level mistakes.
Accurate, varied sentence construction is a Year 5 writing expectation.
Reading & comprehension
Comprehension passages with retrieval questions, plus a large vocabulary-building word-bank.
Reading comprehension skills practised now are tested directly the following year in the Year 6 KS2 SATs reading paper.
How You Can Help at Home
Start thinking about Year 6 now
Year 5 is the year to close any remaining spelling or grammar gaps, before Year 6 piles on new content.
Read above your child’s comfort level sometimes
Year 5 comprehension passages are longer and more demanding — stretching reading at home helps build stamina for this.
Review topic-by-topic progress monthly
A monthly check-in using the parent dashboard helps catch small gaps before they become Year 6 problems.
Year 5 & KS2 SATs Relevance
There are no SATs in Year 5, but it is widely considered the most important preparation year — the spelling list, grammar rules and comprehension skills tested in Year 6 are almost entirely introduced the year before.
Example Homework Questions
Question
Which word is spelled correctly: neccessary / necessary?
Expected Answer
necessary
Skill Tested
Year 5 statutory spelling
Question
Choose the correct word: The weather forecast was ___. (accurate / akurate)
Expected Answer
accurate
Skill Tested
Spelling rules
Question
Find and fix the mistake: me and him went to the park
Expected Answer
He and I went to the park.
Skill Tested
Sentence correction
Make Year 5 the Year Gaps Get Closed, Not Carried Forward
See exactly which spelling and grammar skills are secure and which need attention before Year 6 SATs preparation begins in earnest.