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Y.1 Things that can happen in real life

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Understanding Real Life and Fiction

When we read stories, some are about real life and some are fiction. Real life stories tell about things that can really happen. Fiction stories are made up by the author, even if they sometimes feel real.

Examples:
  • A story about a girl going to school is probably real life.
  • A story about a talking dog is fiction.
  • A story about planting a garden could be real life.
  • A story about flying to the moon in a cardboard box is fiction.
Helpful Hint

Ask yourself: Could this really happen in the world? If yes, it’s real life. If not, it’s fiction.

Clues That Help Us Tell the Difference

Writers give clues that tell us if a story is real life or fiction. We can look at the characters, events, and settings to decide.

Examples:
  • If the character is a child who plays at the park, it might be real life.
  • If the character is a superhero who can fly, it is fiction.
  • If the setting is a classroom, it might be real life.
  • If the setting is under the sea with talking fish, it is fiction.
Helpful Hint

Look for clues: Can people really do this? Can animals really talk? Is the place real or made up?

Why It Matters

Knowing the difference between real life and fiction helps us understand stories better. We learn what is true about the world and what comes from imagination.

Examples:
  • A real life story can teach us how to share or be kind.
  • A fiction story can take us on an adventure with dragons and castles.
  • Both real life and fiction stories can show us how characters solve problems.
Helpful Hint

Both types of stories are important. Real life stories help us learn, and fiction stories help us imagine.

Comparing Real Life and Fiction

Sometimes, stories have parts of both real life and fiction. Comparing them helps us understand how authors mix imagination with real ideas.

Examples:
  • A story about children playing soccer (real life) but their ball can talk (fiction).
  • A story about a family eating dinner (real life) with a friendly ghost guest (fiction).
  • A story about school rules (real life) with a wizard as the teacher (fiction).
Helpful Hint

Sometimes authors mix real life and fiction. Look closely at each part to see what is real and what is pretend.

Practice Ideas

We can practice telling real life from fiction by reading, drawing, and acting out stories.

Practice Ideas:
  • Draw two pictures: one showing something real, one showing something pretend.
  • Make a list of things that happen in real life and things that happen only in stories.
  • Act out a real life scene (like brushing your teeth) and a fiction scene (like flying on a broomstick).
  • Talk with a partner about how you know if a story is real life or fiction.
Helpful Hint

Pay attention to details. The more we practice, the easier it is to tell real life from fiction when we read.

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