Year 5 English: figurative language & structured writing
Year 5 pushes past the basics into why a text is written the way it is — author’s purpose, figurative language, and more deliberate writing structures. Here’s what your child covers, the topics that matter most, and how to help at home.
Year 5 English is about reading with a critical eye and writing with more structure — author’s purpose, figurative language, and persuasive letters. A child who can spot why a text was written and organise a paragraph is ready for the analytical work ahead.
In this guide
What Year 5 English covers
Reading & Comprehension 4
Reading beyond the literal — why the author wrote it, and how the language creates effect.
- Author’s purpose (inform, entertain, persuade)
- Text features: headings, subheadings, captions
- Comparing two texts
- Figurative language: simile, metaphor, personification
Writing 4
Longer, more structured pieces across a wider range of text types.
- Expanded narratives with developed characters
- Persuasive letters
- Information reports
- Poetry (haiku, cinquain, free verse)
Grammar & Punctuation 5
More complex sentence building and reported speech.
- Pronouns (personal, possessive, reflexive)
- Conjunctions (coordinating & subordinating)
- Complex sentences
- Direct & indirect speech
- Paragraphing
Spelling & Vocabulary 4
- Word origins (Latin & Greek roots)
- Synonyms & antonyms
- Homophones & commonly confused words
- Context clues for meaning
The topics most Year 5 kids struggle with
If your child is finding English hard this year, it’s very often one of these — and they’re all fixable with targeted practice:
- Figurative language — spotting a simile or metaphor but not explaining the effect it creates.
- Persuasive writing — stating an opinion without backing it up with reasons.
- Complex sentences — joining ideas with “and” instead of using conjunctions properly.
How to tell if your child has gaps
Report cards and “they seem fine” aren’t always reliable — kids can keep up in class while quietly missing foundations. Warning signs:
- Can identify a simile but can’t explain why the author used it.
- Persuasive writing is just opinion, with no supporting reasons.
- Struggles to summarise a text’s main purpose.
- Homework takes far longer than it should, or brings stress.
The fastest way to know for sure is a short placement check that tests across all the Year 5 topics and shows you exactly where the gaps are — strand by strand.
A free 10-minute check across the Year 5 topics. You get a clear gap report: what’s strong, what to focus on. No credit card. Start the free check →
How to help at home
- Talk about purpose. When reading anything — ads, articles — ask “why do you think this was written?”
- Play with language. Spot similes and metaphors in books, songs and ads together.
- Build the paragraph. Practise one point, one piece of evidence, one explanation.
- Make them explain. “Talk me through it” reveals real understanding versus copying.
This is exactly how Summit Learn works: we place your child precisely, then build a daily plan around their gaps — at the right level, with worked feedback on every question, and progress you can see.
Every Year 5 English topic, step by step
Free step-by-step guides — the method, a worked example and practice for each topic. No sign-up needed.
Build the analytical skills Year 6 needs
Free placement check first — then a personalised weekly plan. Both subjects, all of Years 4–10. From $24/mo, cancel anytime.
See where my child is — free →This guide is a general overview for parents and reflects the broad scope of Year 5 English in the Australian curriculum. Exact content can vary by state and school.