11 Plus English Exam- What You Need To Know

One of the main things for the 11 Plus English exam is understanding what to expect. Localities may have different exam paper formats. Additionally, some schools prefer to conduct their own 11 Plus tests. So their exam patterns may differ from those of traditional exam boards.

To pass the 11 Plus English test successfully, students must clearly understand what they must do. Therefore, this blog will discuss how to prepare your child for the 11 Plus English exam. 

What is the Major Element of the 11 Plus English Exam?

There is no difference in what exam board your child is taking for the 11 Plus English exam; your child will need to master the following topics to score excellent marks in 11 Plus exams. 

• Spelling
• Punctuation
• Grammar
• Vocabulary
• Literacy
• Comprehension
• Creative writing

How to Prepare for the English 11 Plus Exam?

It is best to start early preparation for the 11 Plus English Exam. You should create a study timetable with your child for the few months before the exam. Allocate specific time for 11 Plus revision. However, the study timetable must be simple as an 11 Plus English worksheet or wall planner. 

Before allocating any specific topic, it must be beneficial to know the strengths and weaknesses of your child. Hence in this way, you can spend more time on weak areas.

Moreover, you may want your child to receive guidance from qualified instructors. Students perform better when they have someone to help them through 11 Plus exam challenges. Therefore, finding the right and qualified  11 Plus tutors near you in London can be helpful for your child entrance exam preparation.

1- Core Skills Improvement

In Key Stage 2, students mainly study English exam core skills. A sound understanding of KS2 in English is essential for scoring well in the 11 Plus English Exam. You should help your child stay focused on their academic work by encouraging them to take the time to read curriculum texts. 

When answering standard-style questions in the exam, knowing the fundamentals of English will be very helpful. It is a good idea to check spelling, grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure mistakes in your child’s writing which will thoroughly prepare them for 11 Plus exams. 

2. Double Check Spelling

In the Eleven-Plus exam, spelling mistakes do not go unnoticed. Hence, it is imperative to ensure your child writes without spelling mistakes. Spelling games and tests offer engaging ways to prepare for exams. 

A child’s knowledge of literary techniques is beneficial. Therefore some concepts which your child needs to revise are as follows: 

• Antonyms
• Synonyms
• Compound words
• Word groups

3. The Utilisation of Proper Punctuation

In creative writing and comprehension, your child must punctuate correctly. So here are some important aspects of punctuation.

• Colons
• Apostrophes
• Commas
• Semi-colons
• Capitalisation
• Ellipses (hyphens, brackets, dashes)

Try to pinpoint any common punctuation errors your child makes in schoolwork or homework and evaluate how they might be corrected.

4- Sentence Structure

Your child must be capable of constructing correct sentence forms. You must ensure that your child understands the different types of senses. The sentences can be written in a simple, compound, or complex manner.

5-Literacy and Vocabulary Skills

These skills go hand in hand. If your child loves reading, then there are chances that they have a broad vocabulary. However, if your child tends to be shy about reading text, encourage them to develop reading habits and instil confidence building approach with the support of 11 Plus English tutors in London who offer personalised, subject-specific lesson plans to develop your child exam-taking strategies to boost their language skills with one-to-one and small group sessions. 

6- 11 Plus English Exam Comprehension Test

Students in most schools already do comprehension exercises in which they are given texts and then asked inquiries about them. Eleven Plus English exams usually include a comprehension test involving a fictional writing piece.

So your child needs to read the text carefully, understand the questions and then answer them. Sometimes there are some clues mentioned in the text for answers. Each question has different marks. 

7- Creative Essay Writing

Eleven-Plus English contains creative writing papers. However, this test asks the students to write from a personal perspective and explain the topic. The topics may differ from school to school. 

Some topic examples could include:

• Inspiring places 
• An adventure
• A favourite memory
• Family Importance

8- 11 Plus English Exam Past Papers

Past English examinations are one of the efficient methods to pass the 11 Plus English exam; they will help the students be accustomed to exam patterns and polish their time management. Therefore regularly practising them is a great way to succeed.

Conclusion

English is the core subject included in the National Curriculum. Hopefully, by reading our 11 Plus English exam blog, you must be familiar with all the essential information. Your exam success depends on considering all these points.