Introduction
William Adelin was the only male heir to the throne of his father, King Henry I. On a journey back from France in 1120, William was lost at sea, throwing the country into turmoil.
IN 1120, when William Adelin* was sixteen, his father King Henry I took him across the Channel to be married to Matilda of Anjou, daughter of a powerful rival in northern France.
After the wedding, Henry went on ahead, leaving his son to sail home in the White Ship, the newest and fastest vessel in the royal fleet. When they finally sailed, night was closing in and the crew were in high spirits. They thought it would be fun to overtake the King, but the helmsman steered into a rock in the dark. The ship sank almost immediately. Of three hundred passengers, only one made it ashore. William himself swam back to rescue his young half-sister, Matilda FitzRoy, and was drowned with her.
Henry was heartbroken, and after he died in 1135 England was plunged into a succession crisis which was not resolved until his daughter’s son Henry II inherited the crown in 1154.
‘Adelin’ is a later version of the Anglo-Saxon word Ætheling, meaning ‘prince’.
Précis
After his marriage to Matilda of Anjou in Normandy, the young Prince William set off back to England in the brand new White Ship. Tragically, the over-excited crew steered the ship onto the rocks. William died trying to rescue his half-sister, and only one other passenger survived to tell the tale. (51 / 60 words)
After his marriage to Matilda of Anjou in Normandy, the young Prince William set off back to England in the brand new White Ship. Tragically, the over-excited crew steered the ship onto the rocks. William died trying to rescue his half-sister, and only one other passenger survived to tell the tale.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 45 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: besides, if, just, may, or, otherwise, since, who.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Fast. Heartbroken. She.
2 After. Father. Ship.
3 Channel. Closing. Crisis.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homophones Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Verb and Noun Find in Think and Speak
Many words can serve as noun or verb depending on context: see if you can prove this with the examples below. Nouns go well with words such as the/a, or his/her; verbs go well after I/you/he etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Back. 2 Make. 3 Swim. 4 Sink. 5 Ship. 6 Spirit. 7 Leave. 8 Sail. 9 Rock.
Variations: 1.if possible, use your noun in the plural, e.g. cat → cats. 2.use your verb in a past form, e.g. go → went. 3.use your noun in a sentence with one of these words: any, enough, fewer, less, no, some.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
gnt (6)
agent. gaunt. gent. giant. gnat. ignite.
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