Pi Leo Academy · Year 4 English

Writing and editing

28 questions and practical tasks · Victorian Curriculum English Version 2.0 · Level 4 · VC2E4LE05

Questions with a separate answer key and review guidance.

Circle one option for multiple-choice questions. Use the response spaces or extra paper for longer work.

Name: ________________________________   Date: __________________

Answers and review guidance

Open responses, handwriting and spoken tasks need adult review. The models are examples; different responses may meet the criteria.

Question 1

Example response / review guidance: Cold wind rattled the school gate. Amira pulled her jumper over her fingers as the smell of rain drifted across the oval. Everyone else had gone home. Then a tiny squeak came from the locked sports shed.

A setting becomes a story opening when it gives a character something to investigate.

Review criteria
  • Adult checks that the place and character are clear.
  • At least two sensory details establish the stormy setting.
  • The last sentence introduces a story possibility.

Question 2

Example response / review guidance: Leo waited outside the library, turning the book over in his hands. The bent cover would not flatten, however hard he pressed it. What if he was never allowed to borrow again? He took one slow breath and walked to the desk. 'I need to tell you what happened,' he said.

A reader can infer a feeling from a character's actions and thoughts.

Review criteria
  • Adult identifies the feeling from clues in the writing.
  • Actions and thoughts both reveal the character.
  • The scene has a clear situation and a purposeful final action.

Question 3

Example response / review guidance: 'It might open a treasure chest,' said Evie. 'It looks more like a shed key,' replied Ben. 'But whose shed?' Evie asked. 'Let's ask the gardener before we try it anywhere,' Ben said.

Different suggestions reveal character; speech marks distinguish the spoken words from the narrator's words.

Review criteria
  • Adult checks the characters offer different ideas.
  • Speech marks enclose each spoken turn and punctuation suits statements/questions.
  • A new speaker begins a new paragraph.

Question 4

Example response / review guidance: After the bus left, Nisha stood beside the school office and checked the time. While she waited with a teacher, they phoned her dad. He was working nearby and could collect her. Eventually, she spotted his blue car and thanked the teacher for helping.

Time connectives help a reader follow the sequence without changing who does each action.

Review criteria
  • Events form a plausible sequence with a safe solution.
  • All three connectives fit their meanings.
  • Adult can follow the paragraph without guessing what happened between events.

Question 5

Example response / review guidance: The ball brushed Maya's sleeve before it rolled out. Nobody else seemed to notice. If she stayed quiet, her team would keep the ball. 'It touched me,' she called. The other team took the throw, but Maya's teammate gave her a thumbs-up.

A dilemma gives a character a meaningful decision and lets the action express a value.

Review criteria
  • Adult can identify two competing choices.
  • The character makes a decision rather than being rescued by coincidence.
  • The consequence follows from the choice.

Question 6

Example response / review guidance: Something scraped behind the old tent. Arun tugged it aside and found a metal box tied with string. He held his breath. Inside, something rattled. He slowly lifted the lid. There lay a collection of spoons, each labelled with a different holiday town. Grandpa's treasure was stranger than Arun had expected.

Delaying a reveal and varying sentence length can build gentle suspense.

Review criteria
  • The object is not revealed immediately.
  • Adult notices at least two clues or suspense-building choices.
  • The reveal is believable and connects with earlier details.

Question 7

Example response / review guidance: Looking forward: The bright goalposts stood ready at the end of the oval. There was room for a huge game today. Missing a friend: The goalposts looked far apart without Sam between them. Even the wide oval felt too quiet.

The setting stays the same, but selected details and word choices communicate different viewpoints.

Review criteria
  • Both descriptions clearly refer to the same place.
  • Adult can distinguish the two moods.
  • Details reflect each child's viewpoint rather than just naming a feeling.

Question 8

Example response / review guidance: Profile: Tessa is patient with machines but reluctant to ask for help. She sorts screws into jar lids and wants to fix the class fan. Scene: Tessa fitted every part carefully, but one screw remained. She checked the diagram again instead of calling her partner. By lunchtime, the fan was still in pieces.

A useful profile supplies traits that affect events, rather than a list of appearances alone.

Review criteria
  • The profile contains all four requested elements.
  • The scene demonstrates the weakness through an action.
  • Adult can connect the scene's problem with the profile.

Question 9

Example response / review guidance: Ending 1: Ruby spread the clue cards out to dry. She could still read enough words to work out the trail. She led the group to the final clue and promised to bring a waterproof folder next time. Ending 2: Ruby admitted that the trail was unreadable. The group used the blank backs to invent new clues together. Their unexpected treasure hunt became the best part of the picnic.

A resolution may solve the original problem or show a character finding a worthwhile alternative.

Review criteria
  • Each ending responds to the wet clue cards.
  • The outcomes are meaningfully different.
  • Adult checks that neither ending introduces an unrelated magical rescue.

Question 10

Example response / review guidance: The dog stopped outside the bakery and sniffed the doorway. Its muddy paws left small prints on the tiles. A baker read the number on its collar and rang the owner. When Mr Lee arrived, the terrier wagged its tail so hard that everyone laughed.

Related vocabulary and clear references hold a paragraph together.

Review criteria
  • The paragraph has a clear sequence.
  • Adult identifies at least three useful related words.
  • Pronouns and alternate references clearly identify the same animal.

Question 11

Example response / review guidance: The path lies pale beneath the sun. Tap, tap—the first drops run. Rain drums on the waiting tin, Cool air tumbles softly in. The thirsty garden lifts its face, And silver beads fill every space.

Poetry can use sound patterns, comparisons and images to shape a reader's experience.

Review criteria
  • Adult checks that the poem develops the rain-after-heat idea.
  • A deliberate comparison or personification creates an image.
  • A sound pattern or repetition supports the poem; rhyming is optional.

Question 12

Example response / review guidance: 'I'm happy to go first,' said Oliver. He gripped the edge of his notes until the paper curled. At the front of the room, he looked at the clock instead of the audience. 'Just give me a second,' he added. His friend smiled, and Oliver finally unfolded his page.

The contrast between speech and action lets readers infer an unspoken feeling.

Review criteria
  • The dialogue and actions suggest different feelings.
  • Adult can explain the implied feeling using a clue.
  • Speech marks and accompanying punctuation are clear.

Question 13

Example response / review guidance: Beginning: A class prepares a surprise welcome for a new student. Complication 1: The welcome banner is accidentally taken to the hall. Complication 2: While retrieving it, the children discover the new student is already at the classroom. Ending: They invite the student to help finish the surprise, turning it into a shared activity.

A familiar experience can support an original storyline when complications and consequences connect.

Review criteria
  • The plan has all four requested stages.
  • Complications grow from the situation rather than unrelated accidents.
  • Adult checks that the ending resolves the central problem.

Question 14

Example response / review guidance: I spend my mornings wedged between a maths book and a jumper. Today, however, I could hear music outside the bag. Was it excursion day? My lid clicked with excitement. Then I remembered the banana hiding in my smallest compartment. I hoped we would reach lunchtime soon.

An unusual narrator works when its observations remain connected to what it could experience.

Review criteria
  • The lunchbox narrates consistently in first person.
  • Details suit its location and experiences.
  • Adult can identify a personality from the voice or actions.

Question 15

Example response / review guidance: If the rain stopped, the family could hold Grandma's birthday tea in the garden. Unless the path dried, however, they would need to carry the chairs through the house. Mia checked the clouds, then laid the table indoors. She could move the cups later, but the cake needed somewhere safe now.

Conditional connectives show how one event depends on another.

Review criteria
  • Both conditional sentences express clear, sensible relationships.
  • The conditions influence the character's actions.
  • Adult can follow the paragraph as a connected scene.

Question 16

Example response / review guidance: At the school concert, Ava guarded the seat beside her for her cousin. The hall filled quickly. A younger child stood near the door with his grandmother, looking for two seats together. Ava glanced at her empty chair and then at her watch. Her cousin had sent a message: the train was late. Ava could stay where she was, or move to the back where there were single seats. She picked up her program and offered both places to the family. Later, her cousin found her beside the sound desk. They could see the whole stage from there. When the choir began, Ava waved at the child, who waved back with both hands.

A complete narrative links its resolution to a character's decision.

Review criteria
  • Adult checks for an orientation, a connected problem and a resolution.
  • The main character makes a meaningful choice.
  • Paragraphs and details help a reader follow the story.

Question 17

Example response / review guidance: Zac had drawn a perfect map for the class garden hunt. Just before lunch, his teacher handed him a note: 'The garden is closed while a fallen branch is removed.' Zac stared at his carefully drawn arrows. 'We can use the library,' suggested Priya. 'But the clues all mention plants!' Zac replied. Priya pointed at the shelves. There were books about trees, flowers and insects everywhere. Together they rewrote the clues to lead to book covers instead of garden beds. When the class arrived, Zac explained the new rules. His map no longer matched the room, but the hunt still worked. He pinned the unexpected message beside it as a reminder to leave room for a second plan.

A change of plan creates a complication that characters can resolve through purposeful action.

Review criteria
  • The message directly changes the plan.
  • Dialogue contributes to the solution.
  • Adult checks that the ending connects to the opening.

Question 18

Example response / review guidance: Lina tied a yellow ribbon to her backpack so she could spot it among the class bags. At the museum, everyone left their bags in a long row. After lunch, Lina reached for her ribbon and found a different backpack beneath it. The knot had slipped, and someone had tied the loose ribbon to the wrong bag. Lina asked the group to check their belongings. Soon a child held up the correct backpack. Before leaving, Lina tied the ribbon firmly around the handle and added a name label inside. This time, the ribbon helped her find the right bag in seconds.

Reusing an earlier detail can make a resolution feel connected and purposeful.

Review criteria
  • The chosen object matters at two points in the story.
  • The problem and solution remain believable.
  • Adult can explain how the ending uses the opening detail.

Question 19

Example response / review guidance: Possible final story: Ella planted the bean beside a short stick instead of the tall stake. After two weeks, the vine curled around the stick and reached into empty air. Ella wondered whether it needed something else to climb. She placed a longer stake beside the plant and loosely guided the stem towards it. Within days, the vine had begun to wind around its new support. Ella labelled the pot 'Climber' and checked the other plants. Her small mistake had helped her notice how differently plants grew. Possible edits: add 'reached into empty air'; delete an unrelated sentence about her breakfast.

Revising should improve what the reader understands, not simply make the text longer.

Review criteria
  • The mistake leads logically to the discovery.
  • The added detail clarifies the story.
  • Adult sees a deletion with a sensible explanation.

Question 20

Example response / review guidance: At lunchtime, the children built a town from blocks. Grace made a tall library, and Hamish built a bridge. Noor watched from the edge of the mat. 'You can build a house,' Grace suggested. Noor shook her head and pointed to the toy wheelchair beside her. Every doorway in the town was too narrow for it. Grace looked at her library steps. 'We forgot a way in,' she said. The children moved the blocks apart and built a wide ramp. Hamish widened his bridge too. Noor rolled the little chair across it, then built a park with smooth paths. By the bell, their town had fewer towers but many more places to go. They left the wheelchair at the library entrance, ready for the next visitor.

Concrete events and dialogue can express a theme more clearly than an unrelated moral at the end.

Review criteria
  • The story suits a younger audience and has a complete structure.
  • Characters act to include someone.
  • Adult checks that details, dialogue and ending support the same theme.

Question 21

Example response / review guidance: Suri stepped into the dim storeroom. Stacked chairs leaned against one wall. Behind a cardboard box, she spotted a small brass bell and lifted it carefully.

Precise nouns and details give a reader a clearer picture without changing the event.

Review criteria
  • The character still enters a room and finds an object.
  • At least two vague words have more precise replacements.
  • Adult checks the new setting detail supports the scene.

Question 22

Example response / review guidance: Hana noticed that the model bridge sagged in the middle. She and Callum folded two spare strips of card into strong supports and fixed them underneath. They tested the bridge with one block, then two. This time it held, and they carried it carefully to the display.

A convincing resolution shows the actions that produce success.

Review criteria
  • The solution addresses the sagging bridge.
  • At least two purposeful actions explain the success.
  • Adult checks that the ending follows from the problem rather than coincidence.

Question 23

Example response / review guidance: 1. Wide view: a hat lies under a playground bench. 2. Close-up: the inside label reads 'Sam'; this lets the reader discover the clue. 3. Medium view: the child asks, 'Sam, is this yours?' 4. Wide view: Sam smiles and puts the hat on. 'Thanks for finding it!'

Changing the frame can direct attention to a clue that matters to the storyline.

Review criteria
  • All four panels form a complete sequence.
  • The close-up reveals something useful.
  • Adult checks the words and images work together without unnecessary repetition.

Question 24

Example response / review guidance: Scene 1: The kite climbs above the oval; light wind and cheerful footsteps suggest excitement. Scene 2: The string catches on a branch; a brief twang followed by quiet makes the problem noticeable. Scene 3: An adult safely retrieves the kite using suitable equipment; relieved voices and returning birdsong create a calm ending.

Sound and deliberate silence can change the mood and emphasise a turning point.

Review criteria
  • Every sound or silence has a stated purpose.
  • Sound choices match the events and intended mood.
  • Adult checks the ending models seeking suitable adult help rather than unsafe climbing.

Question 25

Example response / review guidance: Lonely image: Use a wide frame with the child small at one end of an empty bench. Muted afternoon light leaves a large quiet space around them. Hopeful image: Move closer and place the child looking towards a friend entering the edge of the frame. Brighter light near the arriving friend directs attention to the change.

Framing and placement influence how viewers interpret the same character and setting.

Review criteria
  • Both images relate to the same situation.
  • Each mood is supported by specific visual choices.
  • Adult checks the explanation links choices to an intended viewer response.

Question 26

Example response / review guidance: 1. Wide shot: children work at separate desks. 2. Close-up: a note reads 'Your drawing helped me understand'. 3. Medium shot: the writer folds the note into a plane. 4. Medium shot: they hand the plane to the artist: 'This is for you.' 5. Close-up: the artist unfolds it and smiles: 'Thank you!' 6. Wide shot: both children work on a new drawing together. The note close-up lets viewers read the message that changes the relationship.

A storyboard plans how visual details and words carry the narrative across frames.

Review criteria
  • The sequence has a clear beginning, meaningful action and ending.
  • Two captions and both required shot types are present.
  • Adult checks that the close-up reveals important story information.

Question 27

Example response / review guidance: The class model was due after lunch, and Niko's cardboard roof kept sliding off. Everyone else seemed busy. He tried another strip of tape, but it curled away from the edge. 'Could someone hold this while I attach it?' he finally asked. Asha looked up. 'I can hold it, but perhaps it needs a wider support too.' Together they folded two tabs beneath the roof and fixed them to the walls. This time, the roof stayed in place. Niko thanked Asha and helped her carry a tray of model trees. When the teacher admired the finished building, Niko explained both contributions. Asking for help had made the model stronger and left time for him to help someone else. Possible revision: clarify what the tabs attach to.

A narrative's theme emerges through connected choices, actions and consequences.

Review criteria
  • The request for help affects the resolution.
  • Dialogue is clearly punctuated and advances the story.
  • Adult reviews a specific revision for reader understanding.

Question 28

Example response / review guidance: 1. Text: The class wanted a path through its pretend town. Image: wide view of scattered block buildings. 2. Text: One road was too narrow for the toy bus. 'It cannot fit,' said Kim. Image: close-up of the blocked bus. 3. Text: Jo suggested moving the library. Kim worried it would hide the park. Image: both proposed places. 4. Text: Together they turned the library sideways. A space opened beside it. Image: hands repositioning blocks. 5. Text: The bus rolled through, and the park stayed visible. Image: bus travelling along the new road. 6. Text: They named it Together Street. There was room to keep building. Image: wide view of the finished town. Revision: make page 4 show exactly how the space is created.

A picture-book plan distributes story information across words, images and page turns.

Review criteria
  • All six pages form a complete, connected story for younger readers.
  • Illustrations contribute information rather than merely decorating the text.
  • Adult checks that a revision strengthens clarity or the relationship between image and words.