The beginner's guide to the 11+ English task

The English aspect of the 11+ aims to test children on the skills they should have acquired as part of the school curriculum. English is a key part of your child’s everyday learning so they should be familiar with many of the topics that are covered in the 11+ English exams.

'The exams will assess your child’s command of the English language and test their comprehension, grammar, spelling and punctuation, and in some cases, their writing ability too,' says Jennie Varley, Vice Chairman of the National Grammar Schools Association (NGSA). Your child’s writing is likely to be assessed on its composition and style, grammar, punctuation, spellings, sentence structure and vocabulary.

In the writing task, children are typically asked to write a story, script or diary entry or produce a leaflet, letter or news report. Some areas give children a choice, while others expect them to complete a set task.

A reading comprehension test will ask questions based on a long or short piece of fiction or non-fiction to assess how well your child has understood the text. There may also be questions based on punctuation, parts of speech and English grammar.

The verbal reasoning test has typically 21 different question types, and the English-based questions include finding the odd word, finding words with similar or opposite meanings, and finding the appropriate word to complete the sentence. Your child will need a wide vocabulary and a good grasp of grammar to do well.

Most of the 11+ exams are either set by GL Assessment or CEM (University of Durham) but some grammar schools choose to write their own exams. It's quite common for schools to use one of the exam boards for their reasoning tests, but produce their own English task.

It goes without saying that your child needs to have a good grasp of the English language, be confident with spelling and punctuation and have a wide vocabulary to do well in the English test. But equally important is their ability to be able to read the question, work within the time limits, and remain calm. 'If your child is an avid reader with a wide vocabulary, they will be better equipped to interpret what the question is asking of them,' explains Jennie Varley of the NGSA. 'This should give them the confidence they need in a situation that can feel very pressured.'

Not all grammar schools set a specific English test, and as a rule, the schools that set extended writing tests are those in areas where competition for places is fierce, like Kent, for example.

In some areas, the English paper is only taken into consideration if your child is a borderline case or in an appeal situation. But virtually all grammar schools expect the children to take a verbal reasoning test, part of which will assess your child’s skills in English. 

'A large vocabulary is hugely beneficial when sitting English or verbal reasoning tests,' explains Jennie Varley, 'so just encourage your child to read, read and read some more!' It’s also a good idea to encourage your child to have a go at writing in different styles as writing stories, leaflets or newspaper reports require different skills and techniques.

'Having a look at practice papers can certainly help to familiarise your child with what to expect from the 11+, but a parent's priority should be to keep things as calm as possible,' adds Jennie. 'It’s so important to establish a good balance between work and leisure, keep an eye on computer time and make sure they get plenty of sleep.'