All About English Creative Writing

[jasmineong]

Hi TAS,


Can you provide more examples on using extracts from storybooks to
help write like you did before…tks!

[Hellokitty2]

Hi TAS,


Could I make a request that you do a grammar workshop for us parents, I did ask one of your teachers about it during the other workshop and she said it might not happen this year, but could you seriously consider it, I find myself getting lost in some of the finer points of grammar and am at a lost as to how to explain the rules.

Your creative writing workshop was really good, detailed, and also it gave a very comprehensive overview as to how to go about teaching writing to my kids. I learnt so much in just those 2 lessons. I know the grammar workshop would also be very good. And if possible, could my child join in as well?

[The Alternative Story]

jasmineong:

Hi TAS,


Can you provide more examples on using extracts from storybooks to
help write like you did before...tks!

Hi Jasmine,

Sure, we can do so.

Extract:

The streetdoor was still open, just a little, where the knife and the man
who held it, had slipped in, and wisps of nighttime mists slithered and
twined itself into the house through the open door.

- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Application:

I ran through the alley, it was dark and forbidding. Wisps of
night mist slithered and twined itself into the lonely alley.
Dark shadows lurked in the hidden corners of the alley,
opening traps for me to fall into. Stumbling on a stone, I fell
to my knees.

Extract:

The grass was the colour of honey and the hawthorn trees were heavy
with crimson berries. Mathonwy rested on a fallen tree but the king
stood looking through the bare branches. The sky had turned a burning
red but, in a high band of the deepest blue, the first star showed.

- Charlie Bone and the hidden king (book 5) by Jenny Nimmo

Application:

After setting up camp, we took our pails to the riverside to take
some water. Laughing and running, we rushed to the water, happy
that we were free at last- our examinations were finally over.

The grass was the colour of honey and the trees
were heavy with frangipani flowers, the air was filled with
their sweet perfume.

I rested on a fallen tree while James started to fill the
pails with water. Looking through the bare branches,
I saw that the sky had turned a burning red, the sun was
setting, but in a high band of the deepest blue, the first star
showed.


Extract:

I threw myself back into the freezing water and forced the burning
muscles in my leg to kick, swimming diagonally through the current,
trying to stop it from dragging me downstream. As I got closer,
I became convinced it was Gabbi. The outline became more and more
familiar with each frantic second. The current was set on stopping me
from reaching her.

- Conspiracy 365- September by Gabrielle Lord

Application:

I threw myself into the murky waters of the canal and forced myself
to swim through the swirling muck. I swam diagonally through the
current, trying to stop it from dragging me downstream. I had to
get to the boy in the water, I had to. However, much as I swam with
all my strength, the current was set on stopping me from reaching him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can use the creative writing phrases from our books to guide
your child in his or her writing and show them how to apply
the phrases in their own writing. They have to 'localize'
the phrases- meaning that if the phrases talk about trees
being heavy with cherries, they just have to change it to a local
fruit or flower. They also need to make the phrases
relevant to the context of their writing.

Where to get these books: We have all of them except of
Conspiracy 365 - September. Conspiracy 365 is a series and
we carry the earlier books.

This is the link for the books:
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7586&start=20

TAS

[The Alternative Story]

Hellokitty2:

Hi TAS,


Could I make a request that you do a grammar workshop for us parents, I did ask one of your teachers about it during the other workshop and she said it might not happen this year, but could you seriously consider it, I find myself getting lost in some of the finer points of grammar and am at a lost as to how to explain the rules.

Your creative writing workshop was really good, detailed, and also it gave a very comprehensive overview as to how to go about teaching writing to my kids. I learnt so much in just those 2 lessons. I know the grammar workshop would also be very good. And if possible, could my child join in as well?

Hi Hellokitty2,

Thank you for your feedback on the writing workshop. We
might not have the time to do a grammar workshop these few weeks,
we could be doing one in November at the earliest or early next year.
We will post up information on that once we do confirm the dates
(if we do have a grammar workshop)

TAS

[jasmineong]

The Alternative Story:

Hi Jasmine,

Sure, we can do so.

Extract:

The streetdoor was still open, just a little, where the knife and the man
who held it, had slipped in, and wisps of nighttime mists slithered and
twined itself into the house through the open door.

- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Application:

I ran through the alley, it was dark and forbidding. Wisps of
night mist slithered and twined itself into the lonely alley.
Dark shadows lurked in the hidden corners of the alley,
opening traps for me to fall into. Stumbling on a stone, I fell
to my knees.

Extract:

The grass was the colour of honey and the hawthorn trees were heavy
with crimson berries. Mathonwy rested on a fallen tree but the king
stood looking through the bare branches. The sky had turned a burning
red but, in a high band of the deepest blue, the first star showed.

- Charlie Bone and the hidden king (book 5) by Jenny Nimmo

Application:

After setting up camp, we took our pails to the riverside to take
some water. Laughing and running, we rushed to the water, happy
that we were free at last- our examinations were finally over.

The grass was the colour of honey and the trees
were heavy with frangipani flowers, the air was filled with
their sweet perfume.

I rested on a fallen tree while James started to fill the
pails with water. Looking through the bare branches,
I saw that the sky had turned a burning red, the sun was
setting, but in a high band of the deepest blue, the first star
showed.


Extract:

I threw myself back into the freezing water and forced the burning
muscles in my leg to kick, swimming diagonally through the current,
trying to stop it from dragging me downstream. As I got closer,
I became convinced it was Gabbi. The outline became more and more
familiar with each frantic second. The current was set on stopping me
from reaching her.

- Conspiracy 365- September by Gabrielle Lord

Application:

I threw myself into the murky waters of the canal and forced myself
to swim through the swirling muck. I swam diagonally through the
current, trying to stop it from dragging me downstream. I had to
get to the boy in the water, I had to. However, much as I swam with
all my strength, the current was set on stopping me from reaching him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can use the creative writing phrases from our books to guide
your child in his or her writing and show them how to apply
the phrases in their own writing. They have to 'localize'
the phrases- meaning that if the phrases talk about trees
being heavy with cherries, they just have to change it to a local
fruit or flower. They also need to make the phrases
relevant to the context of their writing.

Where to get these books: We have all of them except of
Conspiracy 365 - September. Conspiracy 365 is a series and
we carry the earlier books.

This is the link for the books:
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7586&start=20

TAS

Hi TAS,

For Graveyard book-what age group is it suitable for? Is it about ghosts?

[BigDad]

Hi TAS,


I came across this statement in DS’s assessment book in a comprehension passage. Can you help to explain?

- I requested that he come for the party.

Why is it come and not comes. The word he is used so shouldnt it be comes?

[jeestan]

Hi TAS,


I remember if I am not wrong, someone mentioning about their child’s work
coming out in your writing book. Are you going to publish it and is it open for sale to outsiders? Or is it only for TAS parents and students?

[The Alternative Story]

jasmineong:

Hi TAS,

For Graveyard book-what age group is it suitable for? Is it about ghosts?

Hi Jasmine,

It is suitable for children between the ages of 10 - 13.

It is not really about ghosts in a frightening way. It is very
interesting and the plot is different from most other books.

It is an award winning book and the author Neil Gaimon also wrote
'Coraline' which has been made into a movie recently.

The Graveyard Book is about a little boy whose family is killed one
night by an assassin. He crawls to a nearby cemetery. There, some
motherly and fatherly ghosts take him in and he grows up together
with the ghosts, happy and carefree. Then, one day, he wants
to find out what happened to his family and find his family's
killer. He leaves the safety of the cemetery and has to make
his way in the real world to find out the truth behind his family's
killing.

TAS

[The Alternative Story]

BigDad:

Hi TAS,


I came across this statement in DS's assessment book in a comprehension passage. Can you help to explain?

- I requested that he come for the party.

Why is it come and not comes. The word he is used so shouldnt it be comes?

Hi BigDad,

The sentence is in the subjunctive form.

The subjunctive form is used usually when you are talking about
events that are:
a) not likely to happen but which you wish, demand or
want it to happen.

OR

b) possible to happen but there is a strong wish or desire or
command underlying it.

Usually, the subjunctive is used after such words or expressions:

- demand, insist, propose, recommend, request, suggest + that

- it is desirable, essential, important + that

Things to take note:

1) The subjunctive does not change according to the person
(I, you, he, she)

2) The subjunctive verb is the root form of the verb (no 's',
no 'ing', no 'ed')

Examples of subjunctive verbs:

1) The manager demanded that he turn up for work.

2) It is vital that she bring her passport with her.

For sentences starting with 'if', when it is something that
is impossible, the subjunctive form is also used.

However, here the subjunctive verb would be: were

Example:

1) If he were a prince, he would not marry the spoilt princess.


Hence for your question, as it is in the subjunctive form
(I requested that...), the verb will be in the root form- come.

TAS

[The Alternative Story]

jeestan:

Hi TAS,


I remember if I am not wrong, someone mentioning about their child's work
coming out in your writing book. Are you going to publish it and is it open for sale to outsiders? Or is it only for TAS parents and students?

Hi jeestan,

We are going to publish a writing book in which we will talk about
creative writing strategies and show children how to employ them in writing.

Children's work will be featured in the book as well. It will be for anyone
- both TAS students and non TAS students or parents.

We are still in the midst of working out the publishing details, once
the pricing and book is out, we will let you know. But it should be soon
as the book is already completed.

TAS