Mark Two Paragraph Clues Before You Write Because

Primary 4 inference across paragraphs fails the one-sentence shortcut. Motive sits in one paragraph. Result sits in another. Underlining a single nearby sentence gives half an answer. Tonight, mark two clues, say the link aloud, then write one because-sentence. Keep the P3 habit of answering with because. Add the second clue.

Some P4 questions hide the answer in two places

P4 passages get longer. A character looks worried in paragraph two and only acts in paragraph four. A one-sentence method, which is useful for many P4 items, stops working when the question asks why, how, or what the character will do next. Not every question needs two paragraphs. Who, where, and how many are often literal. Do not force a join onto those.

If the child already uses a sentence-to-clue habit, keep it for one-place questions. This page is only for the items that still look wrong after one underline.

Mark clue A and clue B before writing

1. Number the question in the margin so the child can find it again.
2. Mark clue A in the paragraph that shows feeling, reason, or earlier fact.
3. Mark clue B in the paragraph that shows the action, result, or later fact.
4. The child says the link aloud: “A because B” or “B happened after A.” If they cannot say it, they are not ready to write.
5. Only then write. Do not copy both paragraphs into the answer.

The second clue is often earlier, not later. Children scan forward and miss the setup. If paragraph four is empty of motive, look back.

Write one because sentence that names both clues

Answer the question word first. Then because. Then clue A and clue B in the child's words.

Question: Why did Mei leave the hall early?

Weak: “She was sad.” (one feeling word, no join)

Still weak: “Paragraph 2 said she was worried and paragraph 4 said she left.” (copied addresses, no link)

Stronger: “Mei left early because she had been worrying about the lost pass since the start, and she saw the teacher collecting passes at the door.”

Do not start with “I think”. The answer is in the passage join, not in a guess. Short phrases beat long quotes. Long quotes hide whether the child joined anything.

This is not the P3 one-clue why-answer

P3 why-answers often rest on one nearby sentence. That because + clue shape still matters. P4 across-paragraph items fail if the child stops at the nearest sad word. Keep the because habit. Add the second clue. If two weeks of joins still fail, a small-group mark on a live P4 paper is the next check. iWorld Learning's Primary School English page is the verified course to evaluate. Confirm live terms. No class guarantees open-ended marks.

FAQ

Should the child quote both paragraphs?

No. Use short phrases in the child's words. Long quotes hide the join. One or two borrowed words are enough to show the clue was in the passage.

What if the question is only 'who' or 'where'?

That is usually literal. Do not force a two-paragraph join. Underline the one sentence that names the person or place and write that.