ENGLISH YEAR 9 - Mini - Lessons (J u ne 2026 Chapters) Topics 1. Present Tense and Verb Choices in Poetry 2. Biased Texts - Unfair Representation of People and Ideas 3. Verb Choices - Describing Events, Characters, and Creating Effects 4. Making Inferences and Using Evidence 1 Present Tense & Verb Choices in Poetry What do poets do? Poets carefully choose their verbs to create vivid pictures and strong emotions. They often use the present tense to make the action feel as though it is happening right now. Example 1 A. The wind blows through the trees. B. The wind tears through the trees. Which verb creates a stronger image? What does tears suggest? The wind is powerful and violent. It makes the reader imagine a storm. Example 2 A. The rain fell on the roof. B. The rain drums on the roof. Which sentence makes the sound easier to imagine? Which verb creates imagery? “ Drums ” helps us hear the rain. It creates stronger imagery than “ fell ” Key Takeaway Present tense makes writing feel immediate. Strong verbs create vivid imagery and stronger emotions. 2 Biased Texts What is Bias? Bias means presenting something in a way that favours one opinion or point of view. Writers often use emotional or judgemental words to influence the reader. Version A - The dedicated students stayed after school to complete their project. Version B - The students were forced to remain after school because they had failed to finish their project on time. Which sounds more positive? Which sounds more negative? Which words influence the reader? Positive bias - dedicated Negative bias - forced , failed Both sentences describe the same event, but the writer's word choices change how we feel about the students. Is this biased? The canteen serves lunch at 12:30. No. Because it is simply a fact. Key Takeaway Facts inform. Opinions persuade. Emotional words often show bias. 3. Verb Choices Why are strong verbs important? Strong verbs help readers picture actions, understand emotions and imagine characters more clearly. The man walked into the room. / The man stormed into the room. What does “ stormed ” tell us? Angry / Frustrated / In a hurry She said hello. / She whispered hello. What does “ whispered ” tell us? Quiet / Nervous / Secretive The dog went across the field. / The dog raced across the field. Which sentence sounds more exciting? Strong verbs help writers: show emotion , describe characters , create excitement , build atmosphere Key Takeaway Instead of using weak verbs like: went , looked , said , walked Try stronger verbs like: raced , stared , whispered , stormed 4. Making Inferences & Using Evidence Three Levels of Comprehension Type What it means Ask Yourself Literal The answer is directly in the text. What does the text say? Inferential You work out the answer using clues. What clues can I find? Evaluative You give your opinion using evidence. Do I agree? Why? Sam stared at the floor and quietly packed his bag while everyone else laughed together. Literal Question - What was Sam doing? Answer - Packing his bag. (The answer is directly stated.) Inferential Question - How is Sam probably feeling? Possible answer - Left out or upset. Evidence - "Stared at the floor. ” / "Quietly packed his bag." Evaluative Question - Do you think the writer successfully shows Sam's emotions? Possible answer - Yes, because the description of Sam looking at the floor and staying quiet helps the reader understand that he may feel lonely or embarrassed. The PEE Method for Inference Point - Give your answer. Evidence - Use words from the text. Explain - Explain how the evidence supports your answer. Example: Point: Sam feels left out. Evidence: He "stared at the floor" and "quietly packed his bag." Explain: These actions suggest he is avoiding others and does not feel included.