Boost students’ understanding of grammar and punctuation to improve their writing and their GCSE results.

Each of the thirty-six tutorials explains a key aspect of grammar, spelling or punctuation within a GCSE or IGCSE writing context. By exploring the choices other writers make, students will learn how to strengthen their own writing at a word, sentence, paragraph and whole text level.

• Recap the basics of word classes; sentence grammar, including tenses and mood; punctuation and paragraphing in Chapter 1.
• Focus on the specifics of writing to inform and explain; writing to summarise; writing to argue and persuade; writing to explore and analyse; and writing to describe and narrate in dedicated chapters.
• Explore the sample answers in the final chapter on proofreading and editing to understand how you can check and improve your work in exams and controlled assessments.

This explicit, purposeful teaching of grammar, spelling and punctuation in GCSE and IGCSE writing contexts will help students obtain the marks available for accuracy and access the wider range of marks available for effective expression.

These one-off tutorials can be used in regular grammar sessions or as an intensive intervention programme as part of your GCSE course or as a preparation for key stage 4 in Year 9.

• “I would be very keen to use the book with my students to help them develop a more crafted approach to their writing. It covers all the key grammatical areas and in a clear and systematic way.”

Naomi Hursthouse, Head of English, Ormiston Six Villages Academy, Chichester

• “This is the most useful book of its kind I’ve seen and exactly what I need to support my own IGCSE students. There’s something slightly ‘old-fashioned’ about it but I mean this as a compliment. My generally high-achieving, switched-on students will appreciate something that doesn’t patronise them but does just show them what they need to do to get the grades!”

Chris Green, Head of English and Drama, The Perse School, Cambridge

• “This text is a very good idea. While many of my students have a good understanding of texts and a flair for writing, their grammar and punctuation needs a lot of work.

The idea of grouping word, sentence and paragraph levels into GCSE relevant topics will be very useful for my classes. I could focus on one chapter every half term, depending on the topic I was teaching. The chapters are clearly laid out and easy to navigate due to this grouping.

There are quite a few books on the subject of grammar and punctuation, but these are not targeted to GCSE English and the topics studied within it. That’s what would set this book apart from the others. This book is a good way to show SPAG in context, and any further intervention could be explained by the teacher or taken from other resources if necessary.”

Bridget Young, English and Humanities teacher at the Holmewood School, London

Mike Gould is a former Head of English and an experienced author who has written over 150 books and other resources for teachers and students, including GCSE and IGCSE textbooks and digital support material. He has also been a Senior Lecturer in English and Education, teaching the history of the English language, creative writing and how to apply new technologies to the English classroom.

Paul Higgins was chair of the National Association of Advisers in English and led a national programme of continuing professional development in teaching grammar.

Beth Kemp is an experienced teacher and examiner of GCSE and A Level English Language, and has contributed to textbooks and teaching resources for KS3-5 in English. She is qualified in and has taught in MFL as well as English.