You will learn
- Sort words into categories.
- Find part-whole links.
- Order words by degree.
- Complete word analogies.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Look at the pair.
- Find the link.
- Apply the same link.
- Check it makes sense.
Words to know
a group of things that belong together
a link where one thing is part of another
how strong a word is
a comparison showing the same link between two pairs
1. Discover: The word puzzle
Ms. Bello writes pairs on the board. Mango is to fruit as carrot is to vegetable. The link is category. Page is to book as petal is to flower. The link is part to whole. Warm, hot, scorching. The words go up in degree. The class finishes: Dog is to puppy as cat is to ___.
Think: What fills the gap?
2. Understand: How words connect
Idea 1: Categories
A category groups things: mango and orange belong to fruit.
Idea 2: Part to whole
A part-whole link: page → book; petal → flower; wheel → car.
Idea 3: Degree and analogy
Words differ in degree: warm, hot, scorching. An analogy repeats a link: dog is to puppy as cat is to kitten.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Category
What category holds mango and orange?
- Group.
Answer: fruit
Example 2 (We do it together): Part
Page is to book as petal is to ___.
- Part to whole.
Answer: flower
Example 3 (You try): Analogy
Dog is to puppy as cat is to ___.
Show the steps and answer
- Young animal.
Answer: kitten
Did you know?
Analogies appear in thinking tests because they show how well you see connections.
Why this matters
Seeing word relationships grows vocabulary and thinking skills.
4. Explore: Link it
Create analogies.
- Choose a pair.
- State the link.
- Make a second pair with the same link.
- Challenge a friend.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can see word relationships.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- ___ belongs to the category of ___.
- ___ is part of ___.
- The words go from ___ to ___.
- ___ is to ___ as ___ is to ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. A group of things that belong together is a ___.
category
Question 2. A link where one thing is part of another is a ___ link.
part-whole
Question 3. How strong a word is is its ___.
degree
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- A group of things that belong together is a ___.
- A link where one thing is part of another is a ___ link.
- How strong a word is is its ___.
- A comparison showing the same link between pairs is an ___.
- A petal is part of a ___.
Level 2: Grow
- Mango is to fruit as carrot is to ___.
- Page is to book as wheel is to ___.
- Dog is to puppy as cat is to ___.
Level 3: Stretch
- Is scorching stronger than hot?
- Is a petal part of a flower?
- Is a carrot a fruit?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Write four analogies of your own with different links.
Show a sample answer
four analogies
Another one. Make a word web of five words and name the link for each pair.
Show a sample answer
a completed task
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Slow down and check your work.
Fix: Study the example first, then try.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can sort words into categories.
- I can find part-whole links.
- I can order words by degree.
- I can complete word analogies.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Look at the pair.
- Find the link.
- Apply the same link.
- Check it makes sense.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Prefixes and suffixes. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is a category? Give an example. [2 marks]
- Give a part-whole pair. [1 mark]
- Put in order of degree: scorching, warm, hot. [1 mark]
- Complete: Bird is to nest as bee is to ___. [1 mark]
- Explain how to solve an analogy. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- a group of things that belong together [1]; e.g. fruit [1]
- e.g. page and book [1]
- warm, hot, scorching [1]
- hive [1]
- find the link in the first pair [1]; apply the same link to the second pair [1]; check it makes sense [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- A group of things that belong together is a ___.
- A link where one thing is part of another is a ___ link.
- How strong a word is is its ___.
- A comparison showing the same link between pairs is an ___.
- A petal is part of a ___.
- Mango is to fruit as carrot is to ___.
- Page is to book as wheel is to ___.
- Dog is to puppy as cat is to ___.
- Is scorching stronger than hot?
- Is a petal part of a flower?
Homework
Make a word web of five words and name the link for each pair.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A group of things that belong together is a ___. | category | 1 |
| 2. A link where one thing is part of another is a ___ link. | part-whole | 1 |
| 3. How strong a word is is its ___. | degree | 1 |
| 4. A comparison showing the same link between pairs is an ___. | analogy | 1 |
| 5. A petal is part of a ___. | flower | 1 |
| 6. Mango is to fruit as carrot is to ___. | vegetable | 1 |
| 7. Page is to book as wheel is to ___. | car | 1 |
| 8. Dog is to puppy as cat is to ___. | kitten | 1 |
| 9. Is scorching stronger than hot? | yes | 1 |
| 10. Is a petal part of a flower? | yes | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 category; 2 part-whole; 3 degree; 4 analogy; 5 flower. Level 2: 1 vegetable; 2 car; 3 kitten. Level 3: 1 yes; 2 yes; 3 no.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Sort words into categories | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Find part-whole links | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Order words by degree | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Complete word analogies | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child practises a key Grade 3 English skill with clear examples and a quiz. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Listen while your child explains the idea.
- Ask for one new example.
- Praise effort and careful work.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: sort words into categories; find part-whole links; order words by degree; complete word analogies.
Prerequisite knowledge. Synonyms and antonyms.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Introduce the idea with the opening example.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the key words.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise together.
Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding with the quiz.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is the key idea? Can I give my own example?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use the sentence frames and work with a partner. Extension. Create a harder example of your own.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames. Enrichment. Make up your own example and teach it to someone at home. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 4 » Language. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core L.4.5 (demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings); Cambridge Primary English Stage 4 (vocabulary). These sources informed the lesson.