Year 3 English articles

Picture books aren't only for young children who haven't learnt to read yet! These beautiful, thought-provoking and complex picture books are perfect for seven year olds (and their adults!).

Make the events of 1665 and 1666 come to life for children (and for you!) with teacher Ashley Booth's pick of the best children's fiction about the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. From KS1 early readers to chapter books, there's a historical fiction option for all ages.

World War II was a pivotal time in British history. These page-turning reads will give your children a real insight into what life was like for both children and adults, on the battle field and on the Home Front. By Ashley Booth

Feeling out of touch with your child's literacy learning? We look at how times have changed in the classroom since you were at school yourself.

There's no better way to while away the long summer holidays than getting lost in a book. From beautiful picture books to pore over to thrilling adventures and historical tales to savour, we pick some of the best new kids' books for summer 2017.

Introduce the whole family to the achievements of female scientists, explorers, artists, physicians, writers and more in our round-up of the best girl-empowering books for kids. From KS1 picture books and tales to inspiring grown-up "bedtime stories", we love these girl-power celebrations of outstanding people.

Turn the weekly spelling test preparation from chore into challenge with our pick of the best spelling board games for children and families. From brand-new readers and writers to spelling bee champions, there's plenty for even the most competent speller to enjoy!

Children learn to use irregular verbs naturally as they speak and write English, but will also understand more about them during their time at primary school. We explain how irregular verbs are introduced in the classroom in our guide for parents.

Standard English is accepted as the "correct" form of English, used in formal speaking or writing. In primary school children are expected to learn to write according to the rules of Standard English.

Witches and werewolves and vampires, oh my! Help your child get into the Halloween spirit with our round-up of the best ghost stories, haunted-house thrillers and supernatural tales for children. Not recommended for after-dark reading...

Could songs and music help your child learn and remember English, maths and science facts? We pick our favourite learning songs, covering everything from adverbs and angles to onomatopoeia and photosynthesis.

Do you know the difference between the subject and the subjunctive? Can you identify a relative clause or find a phrase? From active voice to verb tense, TheSchoolRun's primary-school grammar glossary offers a complete guide to all the grammatical concepts children are taught in EYFS, KS1 and KS2 English. As well as basic definitions we offer more detailed explanations, teachers' tips and examples for each grammar term.

We use the present perfect and past perfect verb tenses when talking or writing about actions that are completed by the present or by a specific moment in the past or future. In our parents' guide to the perfect verb tenses we explain what children are taught in the primary-school classroom as part of the grammar curriculum.

We use the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs to compare things, people, actions and states in our writing. Find out how your child is introduced to this concept, how they will learn to form the comparative and superlative and how they will practise using them in the primary-school classroom.

Collective nouns explained for primary-school parents, including examples of collective nouns and how they are used.

Every parent looks forward to their child graduating from reading scheme books, but how and when do they make the leap? We explain what a 'free reader' is and when your child is likely to graduate from reading schemes.

Looking for the perfect books for your child to find under the tree? Whatever their interests or reading ability, there's a fantastic selection on offer this Christmas, from the latest Rick Riordan blockbuster to new classics, non-fiction treasures to pore over and laugh-out-loud funny reads. The holidays will be story-filled!

Earning a pen licence is a proud moment for many primary-school children, but what does your child need to do to achieve this milestone?

Does your child’s writing lack a certain spark? We asked the experts for their top tips for injecting some colour into primary-school children's prose.