My daughter is currently in KS2 and will be sitting her SATs this Spring. I really struggle with revision and homework! It seems it’s been a while since I sat my exams and a refresher of terms is needed. This glossary provides definitions of key English terms that children in Key Stage 2 (KS2) may encounter in their SATs in the UK. It is designed to help parents support their children in revision, I hope it helps!
English Language Terms
Adjective
A word that describes a noun (a person, place, or thing). Example: The red ball bounced high.
Adverb
A word that describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It often tells us how, when, where, or to what extent something happens. Example: She ran quickly to catch the bus.
Alliteration
The repetition of the same initial letter or sound in closely connected words. Example: The slimy, slippery snake slithered silently.
Apostrophe
A punctuation mark used for possession (e.g., Tom’s book) or contraction (e.g., can’t for cannot).
Clause
A group of words containing a subject and a verb.
- Main Clause: Can stand alone as a sentence. Example: I went to the park.
- Subordinate Clause: Cannot stand alone. Example: Because it was sunny.
Conjunction
A word that connects words, phrases, or clauses.
- Coordinating Conjunctions: Join two independent clauses (and, but, or, so, yet).
- Subordinating Conjunctions: Introduce dependent clauses (because, although, if, when).
Determiner
A word that introduces a noun and specifies it. Example: The cat sat on a mat.
Fronted Adverbial
An adverbial phrase placed at the beginning of a sentence, often followed by a comma. Example: Before sunrise, we set off on our journey.
Homophone
Words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Example: There, their, and they’re.
Metaphor
A figure of speech where something is described as something else to suggest a resemblance. Example: His room was a pigsty.
Modal Verb
A verb that expresses possibility, necessity, or ability (can, could, shall, should, may, might, must, will, would).
Noun
A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
- Common Noun: General name (dog, table, school).
- Proper Noun: Specific name, capitalised (London, James, Tesco).
- Abstract Noun: Idea or feeling (happiness, bravery).
- Collective Noun: Group (flock, team).
Onomatopoeia
A word that imitates a sound. *Example: Bang, buzz, crash.
Paragraph
A section of writing focused on a single topic, marked by a new line.
Personification
Giving human qualities to non-human things. Example: The wind whispered through the trees.
Prefix
A group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. Example: Unhappy, disagree.
Preposition
A word that shows the relationship between a noun/pronoun and another word. Example: The book is on the table.
Pronoun
A word that replaces a noun. Example: He, she, it, they.
Simile
A comparison using like or as. Example: As brave as a lion.
Subordinate Clause
A clause that does not make sense on its own and relies on a main clause. Example: I stayed inside because it was raining.
Suffix
A group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning. Example: Kindness*, hopeful.*
Synonym & Antonym
- Synonym: A word with a similar meaning (happy – joyful).
- Antonym: A word with an opposite meaning (big – small).
Verb
A word that expresses an action or state. Example: Run, jump, is, was.
I hope other parents found this SATs English glossary of terms useful!
