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Watch: Bullet points

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Bullet points can be used to:

  • break up complicated information
  • make it easier to read
  • turn it into a list

Don't forget to add a colon before the list.

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Using bullet points to make your writing clearer.

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Examples

An illustration of two young boys playing computer games.

Let's look at an example.

I visited my friend and we played computer games, football, a board game, chess and the piano.

Could become:

I visited my friend and we played:

  • computer games

  • football

  • a board game

  • chess

  • the piano

An illustration of two young boys playing computer games.

Top tip!

  • You always need an introductory sentence (punctuated with a colon) to let the reader know what your list is about. This is sometimes called the 'stem'.

  • You do not need to include the word ‘and’ in a bullet point list.

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Watch: Bullet points with Super Movers

Learn about bullet points with Geordie the Pigeon

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Activity 1

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Activity 2

Bullet points are often used in non-fiction writing to explain information clearly to the reader.

Watch the following non-fiction clip to learn about ‘The Human Body’.

Listen carefully to the information that you are being told. Which parts could be written using bullet points?

Learn all about what makes up the human body.

An illustration of a young girl thinking.

Write a bullet point list of all the things you can find inside the human body.

You need to include:

  • An introduction sentence explaining what the list is about.

  • A colon (:) in the right place.

  • Each thing inside the body on a new line.

Top tip!

You could start by writing: 'Inside the human body, there is:'

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Activity 3

An illustration of a young girl thinking with question marks around her.

Convert these sentences into bullet point lists.

1. Humans have five senses which are sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste.

2. To help some bodies to work their best we use glasses, hearing aids and wheelchairs.

3. The human body is strong, hard-working and comes in all shapes and sizes.

An illustration of a young girl thinking with question marks around her.
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Play our fun English game Crystal Explorers. game

Use grammar, punctuation and spelling skills to explore jungles, caves and tombs on your mission!

Play our fun English game Crystal Explorers
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