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.
What Year 5 English covers
Reading & Comprehension
Reading beyond the literal – why the author wrote it, and how the language creates effect.
Writing
Longer, more structured pieces across a wider range of text types.
Grammar & Punctuation
More complex sentence building and reported speech.
Spelling & Vocabulary
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.
See exactly where your child is – free
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 →Takes about 10 minutes · Years 4–10 · Australian curriculum
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 Learning 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.
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.