Report Writing Skills – A KS2 English Learning Resource

English Quiz - Writing Reports (Questions)

Writing reports teaches pupils how to share information clearly. This KS2 English quiz explains how to use facts, formal language, and logical order in report writing.

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Fascinating Fact:

Reports love facts and details, but they do not like exaggeration, no “the biggest volcano ever in the universe.”

In KS2 English, pupils learn that reports are factual pieces of writing used to inform the reader about a topic. They often include headings, subheadings, and carefully chosen facts. Good reports use formal language, present tense, and logical structure so that readers can find and understand information easily.

Key Terms

Report: A factual piece of writing that gives information about a topic in an organised way.
Formal Language: Language that sounds professional and polite, avoiding slang or exaggeration.
Subheading: A smaller title that divides a report into clear sections for easier reading.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is a report in KS2 English?

A report is a non-fiction piece of writing that gives clear, factual information about a topic, often organised under headings and subheadings.

How is a report different from a story?

A report gives real facts and details, while a story is imaginative and tells events in order. Reports focus on information, not action or characters.

What should a good report include?

A good report includes a title, clear sections, accurate facts, and formal language so the reader can learn from it easily.

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What is the purpose of a report?

[ ]	To explain how something works.
[ ]	To describe the way things are.
[ ]	To teach you how to do something.
[ ]	To persuade you to change your mind about an issue.

What information is given by the title of a report?

[ ]	An alphabetical list of the key words contained in the report.
[ ]	The number of pages contained in the report.
[ ]	The name of the story.
[ ]	The subject of the report.

Why should sub-headings and paragraphs be used in a report?

[ ]	They organise the information.
[ ]	They keep the information in chronological order.
[ ]	They help the reader to follow instructions.
[ ]	All of the above.

Reports contain ____.

[ ]	opinions
[ ]	facts
[ ]	fiction
[ ]	instructions

How are reports organised?

[ ]	Alphabetically.
[ ]	Chronologically.
[ ]	Reports are just lists of facts - they are not organised.
[ ]	Sub-topics keep related material together.

Reports are written in ____.

[ ]	first person
[ ]	second person
[ ]	third person
[ ]	both first and second person

Which tense would be used in a report about the planets?

[ ]	Mainly past tense.
[ ]	Mainly present tense.
[ ]	Mainly future tense.
[ ]	Passive tense only.

Which of the following can be used in a report to add more information?

[ ]	Diagrams.
[ ]	Pictures.
[ ]	Tables.
[ ]	All of the above.

Which of the following is NOT an example of a report?

[ ]	An encyclopedia entry.
[ ]	An article on 'How to grow vegetables'.
[ ]	An article on the history of the potato.
[ ]	A scientific article about snails.

10.

Where would you find a report's summary?

[ ]	At the beginning.
[ ]	In the middle paragraph.
[ ]	At the end.
[ ]	In a diagram.

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Writing a report

English Quiz - Writing Reports (Answers)

What is the purpose of a report?

[ ]	To explain how something works.
[x]	To describe the way things are.
[ ]	To teach you how to do something.
[ ]	To persuade you to change your mind about an issue.

Think of a school report.

What information is given by the title of a report?

[ ]	An alphabetical list of the key words contained in the report.
[ ]	The number of pages contained in the report.
[ ]	The name of the story.
[x]	The subject of the report.

The title tells the reader what the report's subject is. A report about leopards will include the word 'leopards' in the title. For example, such a report might be called: 'Leopards and their habitat'.

Why should sub-headings and paragraphs be used in a report?

[x]	They organise the information.
[ ]	They keep the information in chronological order.
[ ]	They help the reader to follow instructions.
[ ]	All of the above.

One huge block of text is off-putting for a reader.

Reports contain ____.

[ ]	opinions
[x]	facts
[ ]	fiction
[ ]	instructions

Reports are factual. People read reports in order to learn facts.

How are reports organised?

[ ]	Alphabetically.
[ ]	Chronologically.
[ ]	Reports are just lists of facts - they are not organised.
[x]	Sub-topics keep related material together.

The subject will be divided into several sub-topics. For example, when writing about penguins, you might include these sub-topics: diet, habitat, life cycle, types of penguins, etc.

Reports are written in ____.

[ ]	first person
[ ]	second person
[x]	third person
[ ]	both first and second person

Reports should use 'he', 'she', 'it', or 'they'. You should avoid using 'I'. Some reports for children are written in a very chatty manner. These might also use the second person 'you', as well as the third person.

Which tense would be used in a report about the planets?

[ ]	Mainly past tense.
[x]	Mainly present tense.
[ ]	Mainly future tense.
[ ]	Passive tense only.

Unless they are about a historical topic, reports are written in the present tense. For example, a report about the Romans would be written in the past tense.

Which of the following can be used in a report to add more information?

[ ]	Diagrams.
[ ]	Pictures.
[ ]	Tables.
[x]	All of the above.

Glossaries and graphs can also be used in reports.