Elementary Writing & Grammar

The big picture

Welcome, young writer! Today we learn about the sentence. A sentence is the little building block of all writing. When you can write good sentences, you can write anything, and that is a lot of fun!

What a sentence is

A sentence is a group of words that tells one whole idea. It starts with a capital letter. It ends with a mark like a period. Example: The dog ran.

A whole idea is also called a complete thought. A complete thought makes sense all by itself. It does not leave you wondering, "Wait, what happened?"

Key idea: A sentence tells one whole idea.

A complete thought

Read these words: The puppy barked. Does it make sense by itself? Yes! You know who (the puppy). You know what happened (it barked). That is a complete thought. So it is a sentence.

Now read these words: The fluffy little. Does it make sense? No. It leaves you hanging. The fluffy little what? This is not a sentence. The thought is not finished.

Key idea: A complete thought makes sense on its own.

A simple check

Here is an easy trick. After you read some words, ask yourself one question: "Does this tell a whole idea, or does it leave me wondering?"

If it tells a whole idea, it is a sentence. If it leaves you wondering, it needs more words.

• We ate lunch. This is a sentence. It is a whole idea.
• Ran to the park. This is NOT a sentence. Who ran? A part is missing.
• My sister and I. This is NOT a sentence. What did they do? A part is missing.
• My sister and I played tag. Now it is a sentence! It tells a whole idea.

Key idea: Ask, "Does it leave me wondering?" to check a sentence.

Make a weak one strong

Let us fix a group of words together. Watch how we make it a real sentence.

Weak: The big cat. (This leaves us wondering. The big cat did what?)

Strong: The big cat slept. (Now it tells a whole idea. Nice!)

Try one more in your head. Weak: Under the tree. Can you add words to make it a whole idea? You could say: We sat under the tree. Great job!

Key idea: Add the missing words to make a whole idea.

Sentences you can copy

Here are short sentences you can read and copy. Each one tells a whole idea.

• I like to run.
• The sun is warm.
• My mom made soup.
• Birds sing in the morning.

Now try writing your own. Think of something you did today. Tell a whole idea in a few words. Read it out loud. Does it make sense? If yes, you wrote a sentence!

Key idea: Copy good sentences, then try your own.

Sentences are everywhere

Once you start looking, you will see sentences all around you. They are in books. They are on signs. They are in notes and texts. Every one of them shares a whole idea.

When you write, your job is to share your idea so clearly that the reader gets it. That is what a sentence does. Ready? Let us write!

Key idea: Sentences help you share your ideas with others.

Sort these yourself

Here is a quick game. Read each line. Say "sentence" or say "not yet." Then check the answers.

• The bus stopped.
• A big red.
• My cat sleeps on my bed.
• Two silly ducks.
• We won the game!
• Ran very fast.

Answers: "The bus stopped" is a sentence. "A big red" is not yet, because a big red what? "My cat sleeps on my bed" is a sentence. "Two silly ducks" is not yet, because the ducks do not do anything. "We won the game!" is a sentence. "Ran very fast" is not yet, because we do not know who ran.

Did you miss one? That is fine. Missing one shows you where the tricky spots are.

Key idea: Sorting words into "sentence" and "not yet" trains your ear.

Fix them one at a time

Now watch me fix a group of words. I will think out loud so you can copy my steps.

Before: Three yellow ducks.

Step 1. Does this leave me wondering? Yes. The ducks do not do anything.

Step 2. What could they do? Maybe they swim.

Step 3. Add it. After: Three yellow ducks swim in the pond. Now it tells a whole idea.

Your turn. Fix these three in your head. Then read my answers.

• Before: Sat on the swing. After: My brother sat on the swing. I added who.
• Before: The old brown dog. After: The old brown dog barked. I added what happened.
• Before: In the kitchen. After: Dad cooks in the kitchen. I added who and what.

Your words do not have to match mine. If your fix tells a whole idea, it is right.

Key idea: To fix broken words, add the missing who or the missing what happened.

Grow a sentence step by step

A sentence can start tiny and then grow. Watch this one grow, line by line.

• Birds fly.
• Two birds fly.
• Two birds fly over the pond.
• Two little birds fly over the quiet pond.

Every line is a real sentence. Even "Birds fly" is complete. It tells who (birds) and what they do (fly).

So a sentence does not have to be long to be good. Short ones are strong and clear. Longer ones give more detail. You get to choose.

Key idea: Short sentences count too. Length is your choice, not a rule.

Say it before you write it

Here is a habit that helps a lot. Before you write, say your sentence out loud. Your ears often catch a missing part before your eyes do.

Try it now. Say, "The kite." Feel how your voice waits for more? Now say, "The kite flew high." That one lands and finishes. The landing feeling means you have a whole idea.

Key idea: Say it out loud first. Your ears catch missing parts.

Write four of your own

Now it is your turn. Finish each starter so it tells a whole idea.

• My favorite food is ___.
• Today I ___.
• My friend ___.
• The best game is ___.

Read each one out loud. Then ask your check question: "Does it leave me wondering?" If it does, add the missing part.

Do not worry about spelling right now. Getting the whole idea down is today's job.

Key idea: Write it, read it out loud, then check for missing parts.

Watch out for

• Groups of words that stop too soon, like "The little red." A part is missing.
• Forgetting the capital letter at the start.
• Forgetting the period at the end.
• Words with no action, like "The tall dog." What did the dog do?
• Thinking a sentence must be long. "I ran." is a fine sentence.

Recap

• A sentence tells one whole idea, called a complete thought.
• It starts with a capital and ends with a mark like a period.
• Check it by asking, "Does it leave me wondering?"
• If words are missing, add the who or the what happened.
• Say your sentence out loud before you write it.
• Short sentences are real sentences too.

Sources

1. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 1, Standard 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 2, Standard 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
3. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
4. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Sentence combining. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
5. Sedita, J. (2019). The writing rope: The strands that are woven into skilled writing. Reading Rockets. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
6. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Dictation. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
7. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Classroom resources: Printouts. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org

The big picture

Every sentence has two jobs. One part names who or what. One part tells what happens. Today we find both parts. This makes your sentences strong and clear!

Two parts work together

Grown-ups sometimes call these parts the subject and the predicate. But we can use easy names. We will say the naming part and the telling part.

When you put the two parts together, you get a whole idea. That is a sentence!

Key idea: A sentence has a naming part and a telling part.

The naming part

The naming part tells who or what the sentence is about. It answers the question, "Who or what?" Example: In "The happy dog wagged its tail," the naming part is The happy dog.

Ask, "Who or what is this about?" The answer is your naming part.

Key idea: The naming part is who or what.

The telling part

The telling part tells what happens. It answers the question, "What happens?" Example: In "The happy dog wagged its tail," the telling part is wagged its tail.

Ask, "What happens?" The answer is your telling part.

Key idea: The telling part is what happens.

See the two parts

Here is a picture of how the two parts fit together to make one sentence.

Key idea: Naming part plus telling part makes a sentence.

Find both parts

Let us practice. The naming part is who or what. The telling part is what happens. The line shows where they split.

• My little brother | ate all the crackers.
• The red balloon | floated away.
• Our whole class | went to the zoo.

See how each sentence needs both parts? If you only have the naming part, like "My little brother," the reader wonders what he did. If you only have the telling part, like "ate all the crackers," the reader wonders who did it.

Key idea: A sentence needs both parts to be whole.

Build your own

You can make a sentence by picking a naming part and adding a telling part. Try it!

• Naming part: The cat. Telling part: sat on the mat. Sentence: The cat sat on the mat.
• Naming part: My friend. Telling part: waved at me. Sentence: My friend waved at me.

Now think of a naming part, like "The bus." Add a telling part, like "stopped at the corner." You just built a sentence. Well done!

Key idea: Pick a naming part, add a telling part, and you have a sentence.

Cut a sentence in two

Let me show you how I find the split. I will use this sentence: The yellow school bus stopped at my corner.

Step 1. I ask, "Who or what is this about?" The answer is The yellow school bus. That is the naming part.

Step 2. I ask, "What happens?" The answer is stopped at my corner. That is the telling part.

Step 3. I draw a line between them. The yellow school bus | stopped at my corner.

Now try these four. Say where the line goes. Then check my answers.

• Two ants carried a crumb. Split: Two ants | carried a crumb.
• My grandpa tells funny jokes. Split: My grandpa | tells funny jokes.
• The rain fell all night. Split: The rain | fell all night.
• A tiny green frog hopped away. Split: A tiny green frog | hopped away.

Key idea: Ask "who or what?" and then "what happens?" The split will show up.

Parts can be short or long

A naming part can be one word. It can also be many words.

• Dogs bark. Here the naming part is just Dogs. One word!
• Big dogs bark. Now the naming part is Big dogs.
• The three big dogs next door bark. Now it is The three big dogs next door.

All three are correct sentences. The naming part grew, but its job stayed the same. It still tells who or what.

Telling parts work the same way. She sang. is fine. She sang a silly song in the car. is also fine.

Key idea: A part can be one word or many words. Its job does not change.

Mix and match game

Here is a fun game. Pick one naming part. Pick one telling part. Put them together.

• Naming parts: My silly cat, The old truck, Three noisy birds, My best friend
• Telling parts: hid under the bed, rolled down the hill, sang in the tree, shared her snack

You could make My silly cat hid under the bed. You could also make a funny one, like The old truck sang in the tree.

Silly is allowed! It is still a real sentence, because it has both parts. Make four sentences this way and read each one out loud.

Key idea: Any naming part plus any telling part makes a sentence, even a silly one.

Which part is missing?

When words are not a sentence, one part is missing. Your job is to spot which one.

• The tall red barn. The telling part is missing. Fix: The tall red barn needs paint.
• Splashed in the puddle. The naming part is missing. Fix: My little sister splashed in the puddle.
• All the hungry kittens. The telling part is missing. Fix: All the hungry kittens ate fast.
• Flew over the house. The naming part is missing. Fix: A blue plane flew over the house.

Do you see the pattern? If you know who but not what, add a telling part. If you know what but not who, add a naming part.

Key idea: Spot the missing part first. Then you know just what to add.

Watch out for

• A naming part with no telling part, like "The tall tree." What did the tree do?
• A telling part with no naming part, like "ran very fast." Who ran?
• Thinking a long group of words is always a sentence. Check for both parts.
• Splitting in the wrong spot. The line goes right before what happens.

Recap

• The naming part tells who or what.
• The telling part tells what happens.
• A whole sentence has both parts.
• Check by asking, "Who or what?" and "What happens?"
• Parts can be one word or many words.
• To fix broken words, add the part that is missing.

Sources

1. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 2, Standard 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
3. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
4. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Sentence combining. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
5. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Possible sentences. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
6. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Strategy guides. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org
7. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Writing. Reading Topics. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org

The big picture

Words have jobs, just like people do. Today we meet nouns. A noun names things. Nouns help you tell the reader the who, the where, and the what. That is a big help in writing!

What a noun is

A noun is a word that names a person, a place, a thing, or an animal. Example: dog, park, cup, and teacher are all nouns.

Here is a quick test. If you can put the word "a" or "the" in front of it, it is usually a noun. You can say "a cup" and "the dog." So cup and dog are nouns.

Key idea: A noun names a person, place, thing, or animal.

Four kinds of nouns to spot

Kind	Examples
Person	teacher, friend, doctor, mom
Place	park, school, kitchen, beach
Thing	ball, book, table, apple
Animal	dog, tiger, fish, bird

Key idea: Nouns can be a person, place, thing, or animal.

Find the nouns

Read this sentence: The girl put her book on the table. Which words name something? Girl (a person), book (a thing), and table (a thing). Those three are nouns.

See how each one is a thing you could point to or picture in your mind? That is a good way to find a noun.

Key idea: A noun is something you can point to or picture.

Special naming words: proper nouns

Some nouns name one special person, place, or thing, like Maria, Texas, or Monday. These are called proper nouns. A proper noun always begins with a capital letter.

A regular noun like "girl" is not capitalized. But the name "Maria" is. Look at the difference.

• dog (any dog) but Rex (the dog name) with a capital R
• city (any city) but Chicago (one special city) with a capital C
• month (any month) but July (one special month) with a capital J

Key idea: A proper noun names something special and starts with a capital.

Use nouns in a sentence

Nouns make your writing clear. Watch how nouns fill in a sentence.

Not clear: I saw it there. (What did you see? Where?)

Clear: I saw a deer at the pond. (Now the nouns deer and pond tell us more.)

Try it yourself. Think of two nouns, like "cat" and "yard." Put them in a sentence: The cat ran across the yard. Great naming!

Key idea: Nouns make your writing clear.

Go on a noun hunt

Stop reading for one minute and look around the room you are in. Point at five things and say their names out loud.

Maybe you said chair, window, lamp, floor, and door. Every one of those is a noun! Nouns are not a school thing. They are everywhere, all day long.

Now look for a person noun (like sister or teacher) and an animal noun (like dog or bug). If you have a pet, its name is a proper noun, so it gets a capital.

Key idea: You can find nouns anywhere by pointing at things and naming them.

Sort them into four baskets

Imagine four baskets: person, place, thing, and animal. Here are eight nouns. Which basket does each one go in?

• beach, horse, spoon, nurse, tiger, library, uncle, hat

Here are the answers. Person: nurse, uncle. Place: beach, library. Thing: spoon, hat. Animal: horse, tiger.

Some words could fit in more than one basket, and that is okay. What matters is that all of them name something. That is what makes them nouns.

Key idea: Every noun names a person, place, thing, or animal.

One or more than one

A noun can name one thing or many things. A noun that names more than one is called a plural noun.

Most of the time you just add s.

• one cat becomes two cats
• one book becomes ten books
• one tree becomes six trees

If the word ends in s, x, ch, or sh, you add es instead. Say them out loud and you will hear why.

• one bus becomes three buses
• one box becomes two boxes
• one dish becomes four dishes

A few nouns change in their own way, like one child and two children, or one mouse and two mice. Those you learn by heart.

Key idea: Add s for most plurals, and es after s, x, ch, or sh.

Common noun or proper noun?

Try sorting these six. Say "common" for any one, or "proper" for one special one.

• river, Ohio River, girl, Amina, holiday, Thanksgiving

Answers: river, girl, and holiday are common nouns. Ohio River, Amina, and Thanksgiving are proper nouns, so they get capitals.

Here is a helpful test. Ask, "Is this the one and only one with that name?" If yes, it is proper. A river is any river. The Ohio River is one special river.

Key idea: If the noun names one special one, capitalize it.

Count the nouns

Ready for a challenge? Find every noun in each sentence. Count them, then check.

• My uncle drove the truck to the farm. Nouns: uncle, truck, farm. That is three.
• The bird dropped a seed on the porch. Nouns: bird, seed, porch. Three again.
• Sofia packed apples, bread, and cheese in her bag. Nouns: Sofia, apples, bread, cheese, bag. That is five, and one is proper.

Here is a hint that helps. Read the sentence slowly and stop at each word. Ask, "Can I point at this or picture it?" If yes, it is probably a noun.

Key idea: Go word by word and ask, "Can I picture this?"

Watch out for

• Forgetting the capital on a name. Sam, not sam.
• Mixing up an action word with a noun. "Run" is an action, but "runner" is a noun.
• Leaving out nouns, so the reader does not know the who or the what.
• Adding just s to a word that ends in ch or sh. It is benches, not benchs.

Recap

• A noun names a person, place, thing, or animal.
• You can often put "a" or "the" in front of a noun.
• A proper noun names something special and starts with a capital.
• Add s for most plurals, and es after s, x, ch, or sh.
• Nouns tell the reader the who, the where, and the what.

Sources

1. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 1, Standard 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 2, Standard 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Concept sort. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Word walls. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
5. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Word maps. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
6. National Center on Improving Literacy. (n.d.). Literacy glossary. NCIL. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. improvingliteracy.org
7. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Classroom resources: Printouts. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org

The big picture

If nouns are the naming stars, then verbs are the doing stars. A verb shows action. Every sentence needs a verb. Verbs make your writing move!

What a verb is

A verb is a word that shows action or being. When you run, jump, eat, sing, or think, you are doing verbs!

The verb is the heart of the telling part. Without a verb, a sentence cannot tell what happens.

Key idea: A verb shows action or being.

Action verbs

Most verbs are action verbs. An action verb tells what someone or something does.

Read this sentence and find the action: The rabbit hopped across the yard. What did the rabbit do? It hopped. That is the verb. Here are more action verbs in bold.

• The bird flew to its nest.
• We painted a big picture.
• My dad cooked dinner.
• The children laughed at the joke.

Key idea: An action verb tells what someone does.

Being verbs

A few special verbs do not show action. Instead, they tell what something is or how it feels. These are called being verbs. The most common ones are am, is, are, was, and were.

• I am happy.
• She is tall.
• They were tired.

Nobody is running or jumping in those sentences. But am, is, and were are still verbs. They tie the sentence together.

Key idea: Being verbs like is and are tell what something is.

Find the verb

To find the verb, ask, "What is happening?" or "What is the naming part doing?" The answer is the verb.

• The fish swims. The verb is swims.
• My baby sister claps. The verb is claps.
• The rain fell all night. The verb is fell.

Key idea: Ask "What is happening?" to find the verb.

Strong verbs make writing better

Here is a secret that great writers know. Choosing a strong verb makes your writing more exciting. A strong verb is an exact action word that paints a clear picture.

Weak: The dog went down the street.

Strong: The dog raced down the street.

The word raced paints a clearer picture than plain old went. You can almost see the dog run! Other strong choices are dashed, trotted, or zoomed.

As you write, ask, "Is there a more exciting verb I could use?" Picking the perfect action word is one of the most fun parts of writing.

Key idea: A strong verb paints a clearer picture.

Act it out

Verbs are easy to feel in your body. Stand up and try these, one at a time.

• Hop three times. You just did the verb hop.
• Clap twice. That is the verb clap.
• Stretch up tall. That is the verb stretch.
• Now sit still and think about lunch. Even think is a verb, and nobody can see it!

Some verbs you can see, like hop and clap. Some happen inside you, like think, hope, and remember. Both kinds are real verbs.

Key idea: Verbs can be things you do outside or inside your head.

Find the verb in each one

Read each sentence. Ask, "What is happening?" Say the verb out loud, then check.

• The kettle whistled on the stove. Verb: whistled.
• Grandma knits warm socks. Verb: knits.
• Our team won the game. Verb: won.
• The kitten is sleepy. Verb: is. This one is a being verb.
• Snow covered the whole yard. Verb: covered.

Did the being verb trip you up? It trips up lots of people. Just remember that am, is, are, was, and were are verbs even though nothing moves.

Key idea: Ask "what is happening?" and do not forget being verbs.

Verbs tell you when

Verbs also show when something happens. Right now, or before now?

• Right now: I walk to school. Before: I walked to school.
• Right now: She jumps high. Before: She jumped high.
• Right now: We play outside. Before: We played outside.

Do you see the pattern? Adding ed usually means it already happened.

Some common verbs do not follow the ed rule. We say ran, not runned. We say ate, not eated. We say went, not goed. These are worth learning by heart, and everyone mixes them up at first.

Key idea: Adding ed usually means it already happened, but some verbs change instead.

Trade up your verbs

Here is a game called Trade Up. Take a plain verb and swap in a stronger one.

• Before: The girl said her answer. After: The girl shouted her answer.
• Before: The boat went across the lake. After: The boat glided across the lake.
• Before: I ate my sandwich. After: I gobbled my sandwich.
• Before: The leaves moved in the wind. After: The leaves danced in the wind.

Notice that we changed only one word each time. One word can change the whole picture in the reader's mind.

One warning. Do not trade up every single verb. Sometimes plain said is exactly right. Save your strongest verbs for your most important moments.

Key idea: Swapping one plain verb for a strong one can lift a whole sentence.

Put the verb back in

Each group below is missing its verb. Say a verb that would fit, then compare with mine.

• The tall giraffe ___ the leaves. Mine: nibbled.
• My baby brother ___ in his crib. Mine: giggled.
• Cold rain ___ on the roof. Mine: drummed.
• The old gate ___ when I pushed it. Mine: creaked.

Your verbs are probably different from mine, and different is fine. What matters is that the sentence now tells what happens.

Key idea: Without a verb, a sentence cannot tell what happens.

Watch out for

• Sentences with no verb, like "The tall dog." Add a verb: The tall dog barked.
• Using plain verbs over and over, like went or got. Try a stronger one.
• Forgetting that am, is, are, was, and were are verbs too.
• Saying "runned" or "goed." Those verbs change to ran and went.

Recap

• A verb shows action or being.
• Action verbs tell what someone does, like run and jump.
• Being verbs like is and are tell what something is.
• Adding ed usually shows it already happened.
• Strong verbs make your writing exciting.

Sources

1. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 2, Standard 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 3, Standard 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
3. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
4. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Descriptive writing. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
5. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Sentence combining. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
6. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Semantic gradients. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
7. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Strategy guides. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org

The big picture

You know nouns (naming words) and verbs (action words). Now meet adjectives. Adjectives add color and detail. They help the reader see the picture in your writing. This is fun and easy!

What an adjective is

An adjective is a word that describes a noun. It tells what kind, how many, or which one. Example: In "the fluffy cat," the word fluffy describes the noun cat.

Adjectives are like sprinkles on ice cream. They make everything more interesting!

Key idea: An adjective describes a noun.

What adjectives tell us

• What kind: a fluffy cat, a loud noise, a sweet apple
• How many: three dogs, many stars, few cookies
• Which one: this book, that chair
• Color or size: a red ball, a tiny ant, a huge mountain

Key idea: Adjectives tell what kind, how many, or which one.

See the difference adjectives make

Compare these two sentences.

Plain: The dog ran to the house.

Colorful: The big, brown dog ran to the little red house.

The second sentence lets you picture so much more! The words big, brown, little, and red are all adjectives. They describe the nouns dog and house. Now you can really see the picture in your mind.

Key idea: Adjectives help the reader picture things.

Where adjectives go

Most of the time, an adjective goes right before the noun it describes. Look: a happy child, a warm blanket, a shiny coin.

You can use more than one adjective. Put a comma between them: a tall, green tree.

Key idea: An adjective usually goes right before its noun.

Sensory words

Some of the best adjectives are sensory words. Sensory words tell how something looks, sounds, feels, smells, or tastes. They help the reader use their five senses.

• Looks: shiny, bright, dark
• Sounds: loud, quiet, crunchy
• Feels: soft, bumpy, cold
• Smells and tastes: sweet, sour, fresh

Try this: The soft, warm cookie smelled sweet. Can you feel and smell it? That is the power of sensory words!

Key idea: Sensory words help the reader use their senses.

Do not add too many

Here is a tip. Do not add too many adjectives at once. One or two well-chosen adjectives are usually better than five.

Good: A fluffy white kitten.

Too much: A fluffy, white, small, soft, cute, tiny kitten.

Choose the adjectives that matter most, and your writing will shine.

Key idea: One or two good adjectives beat five.

Describe one thing many ways

Pick one object. I will pick an apple. Now let me describe it with a different adjective each time.

• a red apple (color)
• a huge apple (size)
• a crisp apple (how it feels and sounds)
• a sour apple (taste)
• a bruised apple (what shape it is in)

Same apple every time. Five different pictures in your head. That is what adjectives do.

Now you try. Pick something near you, like a shoe or a cup. Say five different adjectives for it. There is no wrong answer here.

Key idea: One noun can be described many different ways.

Watch a sentence grow

Let me build one sentence step by step, adding one adjective at a time.

• Start: The dog waited by the door.
• Add one: The wet dog waited by the door.
• Add another: The wet, shivering dog waited by the front door.

Each new word tells the reader something they did not know before. That is the test of a good adjective. If it adds nothing new, leave it out.

Compare: "The big large dog." Big and large mean almost the same thing, so the second one is wasted. Pick one and move on.

Key idea: A good adjective adds something new the reader did not know.

Pick the better adjective

Read each pair and decide which adjective helps the reader more.

• A nice day, or a sunny day? Sunny wins, because you can picture it.
• A bad smell, or a rotten smell? Rotten wins, because your nose almost knows it.
• A good cookie, or a warm, chewy cookie? Warm and chewy win.
• A big noise, or a crashing noise? Crashing wins, because you can hear it.

Words like nice, good, bad, and big are not wrong. They are just blurry. When you have time to choose, pick the sharper word.

Key idea: Sharp adjectives beat blurry ones like nice, good, and bad.

Your turn to add color

Here are four plain sentences. Add one or two adjectives to each one.

• The cat slept on the chair.
• I ate a sandwich.
• A bug crawled across the leaf.
• The wind shook the tree.

Here is one way to do the first: The striped cat slept on the soft chair. Your answer will be different from mine, and that is exactly right. Writers make different choices.

Read your new sentences out loud. If one sounds crowded, take an adjective back out. Taking words out is a real writing skill too.

Key idea: Add adjectives, read out loud, then take out any that crowd the sentence.

The mystery bag game

Here is a game to play with a friend or a grown-up. Put one small object in a paper bag so the other person cannot see it.

Now describe it using only adjectives. Do not say the noun! You might say, "It is round, smooth, cold, and shiny." Can they guess it is a coin?

This game shows why adjectives matter so much. The listener has no picture at all until your describing words give them one. Trade places and play again.

Key idea: Adjectives build the picture in the listener's mind.

Watch out for

• Piling up too many adjectives on one noun.
• Forgetting the comma between two adjectives, like "a tall, green tree."
• Using a plain word when a sensory word would help, like "good" instead of "warm" or "sweet."
• Using two adjectives that mean the same thing, like "big large."

Recap

• An adjective describes a noun.
• It tells what kind, how many, or which one.
• It usually goes right before its noun.
• Sensory words help the reader see, hear, feel, smell, and taste.
• A good adjective adds something new, and sharp beats blurry.

Sources

1. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 1, Standard 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 3, Standard 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Descriptive writing. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Semantic gradients. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
5. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Word maps. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
6. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
7. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Classroom resources: Printouts. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org

The big picture

Today we learn about capital letters. Capital letters are like little signs in your writing. They show where things begin and which words are special. Using them makes your work neat and correct!

Big letters and small letters

A capital letter is a tall, uppercase letter, like A, B, C, and D. A lowercase letter is a smaller letter, like a, b, c, and d.

Both kinds are useful. The trick is knowing when to use each one. The rules below are easy to remember!

Key idea: Capital letters are the tall letters; lowercase are the small ones.

Rule 1: Start every sentence with a capital

The very first letter of every sentence must be a capital. It is like a signal that says, "A new sentence begins here!"

• Correct: The sun is bright today.
• Wrong: the sun is bright today. (the T needs to be capital)

Key idea: Every sentence starts with a capital.

Rule 2: Always capitalize the word I

When you write the word I (meaning yourself), it is always a capital. It does not matter where it is in the sentence. You are important, so your I stands tall!

• Correct: My friend and I went home.
• Wrong: My friend and i went home.

Key idea: The word I is always a capital.

Rule 3: Capitalize names and special words

Names of people, places, days, and months get a capital letter. These are the proper nouns you met before. A proper noun names one special thing.

Capitalize	Example
People names	Emma, Mr. Lopez, Grandpa Joe
Days of the week	Monday, Friday, Sunday
Months	January, June, October
Places	Ohio, Main Street, Paris

Key idea: Names, days, months, and places get a capital.

Fix these sentences

Can you spot what needs a capital? Try fixing each one in your head. Then check.

• Weak: my dog max is funny. Fix: My dog Max is funny. (start of sentence, and Max is a name)
• Weak: on friday i go to school. Fix: On Friday I go to school. (start, Friday is a day, and I is always capital)

Key idea: Check the start, names, days, months, and the word I.

Write your own

Now you try. Write a sentence about a friend. Use their name. Watch your capitals!

Example plan: Start with a capital. Add your friend name with a capital. End with a period. Sentence: My friend Ava is kind. Well done!

Key idea: Plan your capitals before you write.

Words that are tricky

Some words get a capital sometimes and not other times. Here is the trick that sorts them out.

If the word is being used as the person's name, capitalize it. If you are just talking about that kind of person, do not.

• I asked Mom for help. (Here Mom is her name, so it is capital.)
• I asked my mom for help. (Here it comes after "my," so it is lowercase.)
• We visited Grandpa Ray. (His name, so capital.)
• We visited my grandpa. (Not his name, so lowercase.)

Here is a quick test. Try swapping in a real first name. If "I asked Sara for help" sounds right, then Mom needs a capital.

This one confuses many grown-ups too, so do not worry if it takes practice.

Key idea: Capitalize a family word only when it is used as the person's name.

Capitals in titles

Book titles, song titles, and movie titles get capitals too. The rule is simple. Capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between.

Small words like a, an, the, of, and, in, and to stay lowercase, unless they come first.

• Charlotte's Web
• The Cat in the Hat
• Where the Wild Things Are

Look at The Cat in the Hat. The first "The" is capital because it starts the title. The second "the" is lowercase because it is a small word inside.

Key idea: In a title, capitalize the first word, the last word, and the important words.

Be the capital detective

Each sentence below has capital mistakes. Fix them in your head, then check my answers.

• my birthday is in april. Fix: My birthday is in April. (start of sentence, and a month)
• Last summer sam and i swam in lake erie. Fix: Last summer Sam and I swam in Lake Erie. (a name, the word I, and a place)
• we read charlotte's web on tuesday. Fix: We read Charlotte's Web on Tuesday. (start, a title, and a day)
• Did you see MY new Bike? Fix: Did you see my new bike? (my and bike are not special, so no capitals)

The last one is a good reminder. Extra capitals are a mistake too. Capitals mean something, so use them only when there is a reason.

Key idea: Too many capitals is a mistake, just like too few.

Write a note with capitals

Here is a real writing job. Write a short thank-you note to someone. Use their name, one day of the week, and the word I.

Here is my example. Dear Grandma Ruth, thank you for the puzzle. I worked on it all day Saturday. Love, Jonah.

Count my capitals. Dear starts the sentence. Grandma Ruth is her name. I is always capital. Saturday is a day. Love starts a new line. Jonah is a name.

Now write your own note and check every capital when you finish.

Key idea: Real notes are a great place to practice capitals.

Watch out for

• A lowercase letter at the start of a sentence.
• Writing the word i (yourself) with a small letter.
• Forgetting to capitalize a name, a day, or a month.
• Adding capitals in the MIDDLE of a word for no reason.
• Capitalizing the seasons. Spring, summer, fall, and winter stay lowercase.

Recap

• Start every sentence with a capital.
• Always capitalize the word I.
• Capitalize names, days, months, and places.
• Capitalize Mom or Grandpa only when it is used as a name.
• In a title, capitalize the first word, the last word, and the important ones.
• Check your capitals when you finish writing.

Sources

1. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 1, Standard 2. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 2, Standard 2. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Dictation. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
5. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Writing conferences. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
6. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Classroom resources: Printouts. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org
7. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Writing. Reading Topics. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org

The big picture

Every sentence needs an end mark. An end mark is a little mark that tells the reader the sentence is done. There are three end marks. Each one has its own job. Picking the right one helps your reader!

What an end mark is

An end mark is a punctuation mark that shows a sentence is finished. The three end marks are the period ( . ), the question mark ( ? ), and the exclamation point ( ! ).

Without an end mark, a sentence feels like it never stops. That can confuse your reader.

Key idea: Every sentence needs an end mark.

The period ( . )

A period ends a telling sentence. A telling sentence shares a fact or an idea. The period is the calm, everyday end mark. When your sentence just tells something, use a period.

• The cat is sleeping.
• I like to read books.
• We went to the park.

Key idea: A telling sentence ends with a period.

The question mark ( ? )

A question mark ends an asking sentence. An asking sentence is a question. If your sentence asks something and wants an answer, it needs a question mark.

Questions often start with words like who, what, where, when, why, how, or do.

• Where are my shoes?
• Do you want to play?
• Why is the sky blue?

Key idea: An asking sentence ends with a question mark.

The exclamation point ( ! )

An exclamation point shows strong feeling or excitement. Use it when a sentence is exciting, surprising, or said in a loud voice.

Be careful. If you use it too much, it stops feeling special. Save it for the truly exciting moments!

• Watch out!
• We won the game!
• What a beautiful day!

Key idea: An exclamation point shows strong feeling.

Which end mark fits?

Read each group of words. Decide which mark it needs.

• The dog ran away needs a period (it tells something): The dog ran away.
• Can I have a snack needs a question mark (it asks): Can I have a snack?
• I am so happy could take an exclamation point (strong feeling): I am so happy!

Key idea: Match the end mark to the kind of sentence.

Try a few yourself

Think about each one. What end mark would you add?

• The bus is here (this tells, so a period)
• Are you ready (this asks, so a question mark)
• Look at that (this is exciting, so an exclamation point)

Great choosing! You are learning to end every sentence the right way.

Key idea: Ask if the sentence tells, asks, or shows excitement.

Same words, different mark

Here is something amazing. The very same words can mean three different things, just because of the end mark.

• You are here. This tells a fact. Your voice stays calm and drops at the end.
• You are here? This asks. Your voice goes up, like you are surprised.
• You are here! This shouts. Your voice gets loud and happy.

Say all three out loud right now. Can you hear how different they feel? You did not change a single word. You only changed one tiny mark.

That is why end marks matter so much. They carry the feeling.

Key idea: One little mark can change the whole meaning of a sentence.

Let your ears choose

When you are unsure which mark to use, read the sentence out loud and listen to your voice.

• If your voice goes flat and stops, use a period.
• If your voice lifts up at the end, use a question mark.
• If your voice gets loud or fast, use an exclamation point.

Try it with these. Read each one out loud, then choose. Is it raining lifts up, so it takes a question mark. The soup is hot stays flat, so it takes a period. Ouch that is hot gets loud, so it takes an exclamation point.

Key idea: Read it out loud and let your voice pick the mark.

Punctuate a little story

Here is a short story with the end marks taken out. Read it and decide what each sentence needs.

Maya opened the box ___ What was inside ___ It was a puppy ___ She could not believe it ___ Is he really mine ___ she asked

Here is one good way to mark it. Maya opened the box. What was inside? It was a puppy! She could not believe it. "Is he really mine?" she asked.

Notice that not every sentence gets an exclamation point, even in an exciting story. The one big exclamation point stands out because the others are calm.

Key idea: Calm sentences make your one exciting sentence stand out.

Do not shout every time

Look at what happens when a writer uses too many exclamation points.

Too much: I woke up! I ate toast! I put on my shoes! I walked to school! A dog chased me!

Better: I woke up. I ate toast. I put on my shoes. I walked to school. Then a dog chased me!

In the second one, only the surprising part shouts. That makes the surprise land. In the first one, everything shouts, so nothing feels special.

Key idea: Save the exclamation point for the one moment that really deserves it.

Watch out for

• Forgetting the end mark, so the sentence never stops.
• Using a period on a question, like "Where are you.".
• Using an exclamation point on every sentence, so it loses its power.
• Using more than one mark, like "Really???" One is enough.

Recap

• A period ends a telling sentence.
• A question mark ends an asking sentence.
• An exclamation point shows strong feeling.
• The same words can change meaning when the end mark changes.
• Read out loud and let your voice choose the mark.
• Every sentence needs one of these end marks.

Sources

1. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 2, Standard 2. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 3, Standard 2. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Reader's theater. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Choral reading. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
5. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
6. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Classroom resources: Printouts. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org
7. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Reading: Foundational skills, Grade 2. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org

The big picture

Now let us put it all together. Today we make sure our sentences are whole and correct. When you can write a complete sentence, your reader always understands you. That feels great!

What a complete sentence has

A complete sentence has four things: a naming part (who or what), a telling part (what happens), a capital letter at the start, and an end mark at the finish.

When a group of words is missing one of these, it is called a fragment. A fragment is a broken piece of a sentence, not a whole one.

Key idea: A complete sentence has both parts, a capital, and an end mark.

What makes a fragment

A fragment is missing something it needs. Usually it is missing the naming part or the telling part. Look at these fragments and see what is missing.

• Ran across the field. Missing the naming part. Who ran?
• The little green frog. Missing the telling part. What did the frog do?
• After school. Missing both! Who, and what happened?

Key idea: A fragment is missing a needed part.

How to fix a fragment

To fix a fragment, add the missing part. Ask "Who or what?" and "What happens?" Then fill in whatever is missing. Watch.

Fragment	Fixed sentence
Ran across the field.	The dog ran across the field.
The little green frog.	The little green frog jumped.
After school.	After school, we played outside.

See how adding the missing part turns a broken piece into a whole idea? Now each one makes sense on its own.

Key idea: Fix a fragment by adding the missing part.

A checklist for every sentence

Before you say a sentence is finished, run through this quick checklist.

1. Does it have a naming part (who or what)?
2. Does it have a telling part (what happens)?
3. Does it start with a capital letter?
4. Does it end with an end mark ( . ? or ! )?

If you can answer yes to all four, you have a complete sentence! If any answer is no, you have a fragment, and now you know just how to fix it.

Key idea: Use the four-step checklist on every sentence.

Practice fixing together

Let us fix two more. Add the part that is missing.

• Fragment: The bright red car. Fix: The bright red car zoomed by.
• Fragment: Sang a happy song. Fix: The class sang a happy song.

Now try one on your own. Take the fragment "In the tall tree." Add a who and a what. You could write: A bird sat in the tall tree. Wonderful!

Key idea: With practice, fixing fragments gets easy.

The other problem: squished sentences

A fragment is too little. There is also a problem where a writer puts too much in one sentence. We call that a run-on. A run-on is two or more sentences squished together with no end mark between them.

Run-on: I fed the cat she was hungry.

Read it out loud. Did you feel yourself trip? That trip is the clue. Two whole ideas are stuck together.

There are two easy fixes.

• Split them up: I fed the cat. She was hungry.
• Join them with a joining word: I fed the cat because she was hungry.

Joining words like and, but, so, and because are helpful glue. Just remember that the glue has to be there. Without it, the ideas crash into each other.

Key idea: A run-on has two ideas squished together. Split them or glue them properly.

Spot the problem in a paragraph

Here is a short piece of writing with three problems in it. Can you find them?

My family went camping. In the woods. We put up the tent it started to rain. We ate marshmallows.

Here is what I found. "In the woods." is a fragment, because nobody is doing anything. "We put up the tent it started to rain." is a run-on, because two ideas are squished. "My family went camping." and "We ate marshmallows." are both fine.

Here is the fixed version: My family went camping in the woods. We put up the tent, and then it started to rain. We ate marshmallows.

Key idea: Fragments and run-ons often hide in the middle of good writing.

Six to fix on your own

Read each one. Say fragment, run-on, or complete. Then fix the broken ones.

• The tiny brown mouse. Fragment. Fix: The tiny brown mouse hid in the wall.
• We ran fast we were late. Run-on. Fix: We ran fast because we were late.
• My cousin plays the drums. Complete. No fix needed.
• Waited at the bus stop. Fragment. Fix: Twelve kids waited at the bus stop.
• The soup is hot let it cool. Run-on. Fix: The soup is hot, so let it cool.
• Bees buzz. Complete. It is short, but it has both parts.

How did you do? If some were tricky, read them out loud. Your ears will find the trip.

Key idea: Reading out loud helps you feel both fragments and run-ons.

Watch out for

• A group of words with no verb, like "The red car."
• A group of words with no naming part, like "Sang a song."
• Words that start with a capital but are still not whole, like "After lunch."
• Two ideas squished together with no end mark or joining word.
• Forgetting the end mark, even when both parts are there.

Recap

• A complete sentence has a naming part, a telling part, a capital, and an end mark.
• A fragment is missing a needed part.
• A run-on has two ideas squished together.
• Fix a fragment by adding the missing part, and fix a run-on by splitting or gluing.
• Use the four-step checklist every time.

Sources

1. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 2, Standard 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Writing, Grade 2, Standard 3. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Sentence combining. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Framed paragraphs. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
5. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Revising. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
6. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
7. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Strategy guides. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org

The big picture

A sentence can be complete but still be a little boring. Today we learn to write a strong sentence. A strong sentence gives clear details and a good picture. This is where writing gets really fun!

What a strong sentence is

A strong sentence is a sentence with clear details that gives the reader a good picture. It helps the reader see what you mean.

We will learn two easy ways to make any sentence stronger. One is adding details. One is combining short sentences.

Key idea: A strong sentence gives clear details.

Add details to answer questions

A plain sentence like "The dog barked" is fine. But you can make it stronger by answering questions like what kind, when, where, and how.

Plain: The dog barked.

Stronger: The big brown dog barked loudly at the mail truck.

Now the reader knows what kind of dog (big, brown), how it barked (loudly), and at what (the mail truck). You do not need to answer every question. One or two good details make a sentence come alive.

Key idea: Add a detail or two to make a sentence stronger.

Combine short, choppy sentences

Sometimes writing has too many short sentences in a row. It sounds choppy, which means bumpy. Like this: I have a cat. My cat is black. My cat is soft.

You can combine these into one smooth, strong sentence.

• Choppy: I have a cat. My cat is black. My cat is soft.
• Smooth: I have a soft, black cat.

Words like and, but, and because help you combine, too.

• Two sentences: I wanted to play. It was raining.
• Combined: I wanted to play, but it was raining.

Key idea: Combine short sentences to make writing smooth.

Show, do not just tell

Strong writers show instead of only telling. This means you describe actions and feelings so the reader can picture them.

Telling: It was cold.

Showing: I shivered and pulled my coat tight.

Telling: She was happy.

Showing: She jumped up and down and cheered.

Showing gives the reader a picture and a feeling. It is one of the best writing tricks there is.

Key idea: Show a feeling instead of just naming it.

Try it step by step

Let us grow a plain sentence together.

1. Start plain: The girl ate.
2. Add what kind: The hungry girl ate.
3. Add how and what: The hungry girl quickly ate a warm slice of pizza.

Look how much clearer it got! Now take a plain sentence of your own and add one or two details. Little by little, your sentences will grow stronger.

Key idea: Grow a sentence one detail at a time.

The four detail questions

When a sentence feels thin, ask it these four questions. Answer one or two, not all four.

1. What kind?
2. Where?
3. When?
4. How?

Watch me use them on the sentence A bird sang.

• What kind? A small gray bird sang.
• Where? A small gray bird sang outside my window.
• When? Early this morning, a small gray bird sang outside my window.

I stopped at three. If I added "how" too, the sentence would start to sag. Three details is plenty here.

Now try the four questions on The truck stopped. Pick any two and see what you get.

Key idea: Ask what kind, where, when, and how, then pick just one or two.

Combine in more than one way

There is never only one right way to combine sentences. Look at these three short ones.

I have a bike. My bike is old. My bike is red.

Here are three good combinations.

• I have an old red bike.
• My bike is old, but I love its bright red paint.
• I have a bike, and even though it is old, it is still bright red.

All three are correct. The first is short and clean. The last one gives more feeling. You choose based on what you want the reader to notice.

Key idea: There are many right ways to combine. You get to pick.

Show, do not tell: your turn

Read each telling sentence. Think of a showing sentence. Then compare with mine.

• Telling: He was scared. Mine: He froze and held his breath.
• Telling: The soup was too hot. Mine: I blew on my spoon three times.
• Telling: She was tired. Mine: Her eyes kept closing during the movie.
• Telling: The room was messy. Mine: Socks and books covered the whole floor.

Yours will be different from mine. That is what makes writing yours.

One tip. Showing takes more words, so do not show everything. Show the moments that matter most, and tell the rest quickly.

Key idea: Show the big moments and tell the small ones.

Do not overload

A strong sentence can go too far. Here is one that fell over.

Too much: The very big, very brown, very fluffy, very loud dog barked loudly and noisily and quickly at the shiny red mail truck that was driving slowly down the long street.

Better: The big brown dog barked at the mail truck.

Read the long one out loud. Did you run out of breath? That is a sign. If you cannot say a sentence in one comfortable breath, try splitting it in two.

Key idea: If you run out of breath reading it, the sentence is too long.

Watch out for

• Too many short, choppy sentences in a row.
• Adding so many details that the sentence gets very long and hard to read.
• Only telling feelings ("she was mad") instead of showing them.
• Using the same detail twice, like "very big, very large."

Recap

• A strong sentence gives clear details and a good picture.
• Ask what kind, where, when, or how, then add one or two answers.
• Combine short sentences to fix choppy writing.
• Show actions and feelings instead of only telling.
• If you run out of breath reading it aloud, split it.

Sources

1. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Sentence combining. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
2. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Descriptive writing. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Revising. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Writing, Grade 3, Standard 4. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
5. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
6. Sedita, J. (2019). The writing rope: The strands that are woven into skilled writing. Reading Rockets. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
7. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Strategy guides. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org

The big picture

You can already write strong sentences. Now we group them into a paragraph. A paragraph lets you share a bigger idea, not just one sentence at a time. This is a big step, and you are ready!

What a paragraph is

A paragraph is a group of sentences that are all about one main topic. Every sentence in it works together to tell about that one idea.

Learning to write a paragraph is powerful. It lets you explain, describe, and share much more.

Key idea: A paragraph is a group of sentences about one topic.

The parts of a paragraph

A good paragraph has three parts, like a sandwich.

Key idea: A paragraph has a top, a middle, and a bottom, like a sandwich.

1. The topic sentence

The topic sentence is usually the first sentence. It tells the reader the main idea of the whole paragraph. It is like a title in sentence form.

For a paragraph about why dogs are great pets, the topic sentence might be: Dogs make wonderful pets.

Key idea: The topic sentence tells the main idea.

2. The detail sentences

Next come the detail sentences. They give reasons, facts, or examples that tell more about the topic sentence. For our dog paragraph:

• They are loyal and always happy to see you.
• Dogs can learn tricks like sit and fetch.
• They love to play and go for walks.

Key idea: Detail sentences tell more about the topic.

3. The closing sentence

The closing sentence wraps up the paragraph. It often says the main idea again in a fresh way: That is why a dog is such a great friend.

Key idea: The closing sentence wraps up the paragraph.

Put it all together

Here is the whole paragraph.

Dogs make wonderful pets. They are loyal and always happy to see you. Dogs can learn tricks like sit and fetch. They love to play and go for walks. That is why a dog is such a great friend.

See how every sentence sticks to one topic? That is the golden rule: stay on topic. If you suddenly wrote "I like pizza" in the middle, it would not belong, because it is off topic.

Key idea: Keep every sentence about your main idea.

Plan before you write

A quick plan makes a paragraph easy. Try a word web in your head. Put your topic in the middle. Then think of two or three details around it.

Topic in the middle: My favorite season is summer. Details around it: warm days, swimming, ice cream. Now you can write your paragraph!

Key idea: Plan your topic and details before you write.

Build one with me, sentence by sentence

Let us write a whole paragraph together about recess. I will add one sentence at a time and tell you what I am thinking.

Sentence 1, the topic sentence: Recess is the best part of my school day. I want the reader to know my big idea right away.

Sentence 2, a detail: I get to run around after sitting all morning. That is my first reason.

Sentence 3, another detail: My friends and I play four square by the fence. That gives the reader a picture.

Sentence 4, one more detail: Fresh air helps me think better in class afterward. That is a different kind of reason.

Sentence 5, the closing: Twenty minutes outside makes the whole day better. This wraps it up without copying sentence 1 word for word.

Now read the five sentences together as one paragraph. Every one stays on topic, and it builds.

Key idea: Write the topic sentence first, then add one detail at a time.

Find the sentence that does not belong

Read this paragraph. One sentence wandered off topic. Can you find it?

Penguins are amazing swimmers. Their wings work like flippers in the water. They can dive very deep to catch fish. My uncle has a boat. Thick feathers keep them warm in cold water.

Did you spot it? "My uncle has a boat" does not belong. The paragraph is about penguins swimming, and the boat has nothing to do with that.

Off-topic sentences are easy to write and easy to miss. Here is how to check your own. Read your topic sentence, then read each detail and ask, "Does this tell more about that?"

Key idea: Check each sentence against your topic sentence.

Words that link your sentences

Little linking words help your paragraph flow. They tell the reader what is coming next.

• To start: First, To begin
• To add: Also, Next, Another reason
• To finish: Finally, Best of all, That is why

Watch how they smooth out our recess paragraph. Recess is the best part of my school day. First, I get to run around after sitting all morning. Also, my friends and I play four square. Best of all, fresh air helps me think better afterward.

Do not use one in front of every sentence, though. Two or three in a paragraph is plenty.

Key idea: Linking words like first, also, and finally guide your reader.

Your turn to plan and write

Pick one of these topics, or choose your own.

• Why my favorite animal is amazing
• The best game to play with a friend
• How to make my favorite snack

First write your topic sentence. Then list three details on scratch paper. Then write your closing sentence. Only after that do you write the paragraph out.

Planning first feels slow, but it saves time. Writers who plan do less erasing.

Key idea: Plan the parts first, then write the paragraph.

Watch out for

• A sentence that goes off topic in the middle of the paragraph.
• Forgetting a topic sentence, so the reader does not know the main idea.
• Giving no details, so the paragraph is too short and empty.
• Making the closing sentence exactly the same as the topic sentence.

Recap

• A paragraph is a group of sentences about one topic.
• The topic sentence tells the main idea.
• Detail sentences give reasons, facts, or examples.
• The closing sentence wraps it up in a fresh way.
• Linking words like first, also, and finally help it flow.
• Stay on topic in every sentence.

Sources

1. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Paragraph hamburger. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
2. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Framed paragraphs. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Transition words. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Graphic organizers to help kids with writing. Reading Rockets. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
5. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Writing, Grade 2, Standard 2. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
6. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
7. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Strategy guides. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org

The big picture

Two small marks do big jobs in writing. They are the comma ( , ) and the apostrophe ( ' ). They look tiny, but they make your writing clear and correct. Let us learn the most useful rules!

What these marks do

A comma is a mark that shows a short pause. An apostrophe is a mark that shows owning or joins two words. Each one has a job, and both are easy to use.

Key idea: Commas pause; apostrophes show owning or join words.

Commas in a list

When you list three or more things, put a comma between them. The comma tells the reader to pause a little between the items in a list.

• Without commas: I bought apples bananas and grapes. (confusing!)
• With commas: I bought apples, bananas, and grapes. (clear!)

Notice the commas after apples and after bananas. The word and comes before the last item.

Key idea: Put commas between items in a list of three or more.

Commas after a beginning word

Use a comma after certain words that start a sentence, like Yes, No, and Well. You can also use a comma after a beginning phrase that tells when.

• Yes, I would love to come.
• After lunch, we went outside.
• First, mix the flour and sugar.

Key idea: A comma can follow a beginning word or phrase.

Apostrophes to show owning

An apostrophe plus the letter s shows that something belongs to someone. This is called owning (grown-ups say possession).

• The toy that belongs to the dog = the dog's toy
• The hat that belongs to Sam = Sam's hat
• The room that belongs to my sister = my sister's room

Key idea: Apostrophe plus s shows that something belongs to someone.

Apostrophes in contractions

An apostrophe also joins two words into one shorter word, called a contraction. The apostrophe takes the place of the missing letters.

Two words	Contraction
do not	don't
I am	I'm
it is	it's
can not	can't
we are	we're

Key idea: A contraction joins two words, and the apostrophe holds the empty spot.

Fix these sentences

• Weak: I like red green and blue. Fix: I like red, green, and blue. (commas in a list)
• Weak: That is Marias book. Fix: That is Maria's book. (apostrophe for owning)
• Weak: We dont have any milk. Fix: We don't have any milk. (apostrophe in a contraction)

Key idea: Read your sentence and add the mark it needs.

A comma can change the meaning

Commas are small, but they really do change what a sentence says. Look at this pair.

• Without commas: My favorite things are reading my dog and pizza. That sounds like you read your dog!
• With commas: My favorite things are reading, my dog, and pizza. Much better. Now it is a list of three things.

Here is another one.

• Look at that Ben. Without the comma, it sounds like there are several Bens and you mean that one.
• Look at that, Ben. With the comma, you are talking straight to your friend Ben.

That second comma has a rule. When you speak straight to someone by name, put a comma before their name.

Key idea: A comma tells the reader where to pause, and that pause carries meaning.

When NOT to use an apostrophe

Here is the most common apostrophe mistake, and it is an easy one to fix.

An apostrophe does not make a word plural. To say there is more than one, you just add s. No apostrophe at all.

• Wrong: I saw three dog's. Right: I saw three dogs.
• Wrong: We ate two apple's. Right: We ate two apples.
• Wrong: The banana's are ripe. Right: The bananas are ripe.

So ask yourself one question: does something belong to someone here? If the answer is no, skip the apostrophe.

• Three dogs barked. (just more than one, so no apostrophe)
• The dog's bowl is empty. (the bowl belongs to the dog, so use one)

Key idea: No apostrophe for more than one. Use it only for owning or contractions.

Its and it's

This pair confuses almost everybody, so here is a trick that always works.

Say "it is" out loud in place of the word. If the sentence still makes sense, use it's with the apostrophe. If it sounds silly, use its with no apostrophe.

• It's raining. Try it: "It is raining." That works, so it's is right.
• The cat licked its paw. Try it: "The cat licked it is paw." That sounds silly, so its is right.
• I think it's cold. Try it: "I think it is cold." That works.

Take your time with this one. Even grown-up writers stop and test it.

Key idea: Say "it is" out loud to test which one you need.

Six to fix

Fix each sentence in your head, then check my answers.

• We packed socks shirts and shoes. Fix: We packed socks, shirts, and shoes.
• Thats Emmas jacket. Fix: That's Emma's jacket.
• The three cat's slept. Fix: The three cats slept.
• Yes I would like more. Fix: Yes, I would like more.
• The bird built it's nest. Fix: The bird built its nest.
• Come here Ravi. Fix: Come here, Ravi.

If you got four or more, that is strong work. If not, go back and read the rule for the ones you missed. That is exactly how learning works.

Key idea: Practice fixing real sentences, and the rules start to feel automatic.

Watch out for

• Forgetting the commas in a list, so words run together.
• Leaving out the apostrophe in a contraction, like dont instead of don't.
• Mixing up its and it's. Use it's only when you mean "it is."
• Adding an apostrophe just to make a word plural, like apple's.

Recap

• Put commas between items in a list.
• A comma can follow a beginning word like Yes or First.
• Put a comma before a name when you speak straight to someone.
• Apostrophe plus s shows owning.
• A contraction joins two words with an apostrophe.
• Never use an apostrophe just to mean more than one.

Sources

1. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 2, Standard 2. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 3, Standard 2. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Dictation. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Revising. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
5. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
6. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Classroom resources: Printouts. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org
7. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Writing. Reading Topics. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org

The big picture

One of the most fun kinds of writing is a story. Today we learn the three parts of a story and how to plan one. When you can tell a story, you can share your imagination with the whole world!

What a story is

A story is a piece of writing that tells about characters and events. It is often made up from your imagination. Every good story has three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Key idea: A story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

The beginning

The beginning introduces the character (who the story is about) and the setting (where and when it happens). It often hints at what the character wants.

Example: Once there was a little turtle named Tia who lived by a quiet pond. More than anything, Tia wished she could win the pond swimming race.

Key idea: The beginning shows the character and the setting.

The middle

The middle is where the problem happens and the character tries to solve it. This is the most exciting part! The problem is the trouble or challenge the character faces.

Example: On race day, Tia jumped in, but the other animals swam far ahead. She felt like giving up. Then she remembered to kick her strong back legs and swim steady, not fast.

Key idea: The middle is where the problem happens.

The end

The end shows the solution, which is how the problem is solved. It wraps up the story with a satisfying finish.

Example: Slow and steady, Tia caught up and touched the finish rock first! She had won the race. From that day on, Tia knew that trying her best mattered most.

Key idea: The end shows the solution and wraps up the story.

A plan makes writing easier

Before you write a story, it helps to make a quick plan. Just jot down these four things.

1. Character: Who is the story about? (Tia the turtle)
2. Setting: Where and when? (a quiet pond)
3. Problem: What goes wrong? (the other animals are faster)
4. Solution: How is it fixed? (Tia swims slow and steady and wins)

With a plan like that, writing your story becomes easy, because you already know what happens!

Key idea: A four-part plan makes a story easy to write.

Make your story shine

Use fun details and strong verbs. Give your character feelings so the reader cares. Try a mix of short and long sentences.

Then read your story out loud. If it has a clear beginning, middle, and end, you have written a real story. How exciting!

Key idea: Details, strong verbs, and feelings make a story come alive.

Make the middle try, fail, then try again

Here is a trick that makes any story better. In the middle, let your character try something that does not work. Then let them try again.

Compare these two middles.

• Flat: Tia wanted to win, so she swam fast and won.
• Better: Tia swam as fast as she could, but she fell behind. She tried again and splashed even harder, and she fell further behind. Then she remembered to swim slow and steady.

The second one keeps you reading, because you do not know yet if she will make it. A story with no trouble is not much of a story.

So when you plan your middle, write down one thing that goes wrong first.

Key idea: Let your character fail once before they succeed.

Read a whole short story

Here is a complete story. As you read, see if you can find the beginning, the middle, and the end.

Milo the mouse lived under the porch steps. He wanted to reach the birdseed on the high shelf, but it was much too tall for him.

First he tried jumping. He landed with a thump and missed. Then he tried climbing the wall, but his paws slipped right off. Milo sat down and sighed.

Then he looked at the stack of old flowerpots by the door. One by one, he pushed them into a little staircase. Up he went, step by step, until he reached the shelf. That night Milo had the best dinner of his life.

Did you find the parts? Paragraph one is the beginning, with the character, the setting, and what he wants. Paragraph two is the middle, with two tries that fail. Paragraph three is the end, with the solution.

Key idea: A short story can be just three paragraphs long.

Story starters to try

Pick one of these and plan your four parts. Do not write the story yet. Just fill in the plan.

• A kid finds a key in the backyard.
• A dog gets loose on the first day of school.
• Two friends build something that keeps falling apart.
• Someone wakes up and everything in the house is upside down.

Write down four lines: character, setting, problem, solution. Add one thing that goes wrong before the solution.

Then, and only then, write your story. Having the plan in front of you makes the writing part much easier.

Key idea: Plan the four parts first, then write.

Start in an interesting spot

Where you begin matters. Look at these two first sentences for the same story.

• Plain: One day a boy went outside.
• Better: Jonah was halfway up the tree when he heard the branch crack.

The second one drops you right into something happening. You want to know what comes next.

You do not have to explain everything first. Start close to the exciting part and fill in the rest as you go.

Key idea: Start your story close to the interesting part.

Watch out for

• A story with no problem, so nothing exciting happens.
• An ending that stops too fast, with no solution.
• Forgetting to tell who the character is or where the story happens.
• Ending with "and then I woke up." That takes away the whole story.

Recap

• A story tells about characters and events.
• The beginning shows the character and setting.
• The middle has the problem, and a try that does not work.
• The end shows the solution.
• Plan four parts before you write, and start near the action.

Sources

1. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Writing, Grade 2, Standard 3. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Writing, Grade 3, Standard 3. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Story maps. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Story sequence. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
5. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). First lines. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
6. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
7. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Classroom resources: Lesson plans. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org

The big picture

Not all writing tells a story. Sometimes we write to explain something. Sometimes we write to share an opinion. These are two important kinds of writing you will use all your life. Let us learn both!

Writing to explain

When you write to explain, your job is to teach the reader facts or show them how to do something. This is called informative writing, because it gives information.

Two common kinds are:

• Explaining facts: telling true things about a topic, like "Bees make honey."
• Explaining how-to: telling the steps to do something, like how to make a sandwich.

Key idea: Informative writing gives the reader facts or information.

Order words guide the steps

When you explain how to do something, use order words like first, next, then, and last. Order words show the steps in the right order.

Here is a how-to explanation.

Making a sandwich is easy. First, get two slices of bread. Next, spread peanut butter on one slice. Then add jelly on the other slice. Last, press the slices together. Now your sandwich is ready to eat!

See how the order words guide the reader step by step? Good explaining is clear, in order, and sticks to the facts.

Key idea: Order words show the steps in the right order.

Writing an opinion

An opinion is what you think or feel about something. It is not right or wrong. It is your own view.

When you write an opinion, you should always give reasons to explain why you feel that way. A reason is a "why" that supports your opinion.

Key idea: An opinion is your own view, and it needs reasons.

The parts of an opinion

A good opinion paragraph has three parts.

1. State your opinion: "I think recess should be longer."
2. Give reasons: "Recess helps us get exercise. It gives our brains a break. We come back ready to learn."
3. Wrap it up: "For these reasons, a longer recess would be great."

Key idea: State your opinion, give reasons, then wrap it up.

Opinion words

Certain words signal an opinion: I think, I believe, in my opinion, the best, my favorite, and I feel. Reasons often use the word because.

Example: Summer is the best season because I can swim and play outside. The word because connects your opinion to your reason.

The strongest opinions always have good reasons. Anyone can say "Pizza is the best food." A strong writer adds "because it is warm, cheesy, and you can add your favorite toppings."

Key idea: The word because helps you give a reason.

Fact or opinion?

A fact is something you can check and prove. An opinion is what someone thinks. Both are useful, but they are not the same.

Read each one and decide.

• Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. That is a fact. You can check it.
• Winter is the best season. That is an opinion. Someone else might disagree.
• A giraffe is taller than a horse. Fact.
• Giraffes are the coolest animals. Opinion.
• Our school has four hundred students. Fact.
• Our school lunch tastes great. Opinion.

Here is a quick test. Ask, "Could two people disagree and both be reasonable?" If yes, it is an opinion.

Key idea: A fact can be checked. An opinion is what someone thinks.

Write a how-to with me

Let us write a how-to together. Our topic is brushing your teeth.

Step 1. I list the steps in order, before I write any sentences: wet the brush, add toothpaste, brush all the teeth, spit, rinse.

Step 2. I write a beginning sentence that tells the topic: Brushing your teeth takes only two minutes.

Step 3. I turn each step into a sentence with an order word: First, wet your toothbrush. Next, squeeze a small dot of toothpaste on it. Then brush the front, back, and top of every tooth. After that, spit into the sink. Last, rinse your brush and put it away.

Step 4. I add a closing: Now your teeth are clean and your mouth feels fresh.

Notice that I listed the steps before writing sentences. That is why they came out in the right order.

Key idea: List the steps first, then turn each one into a sentence.

Strong reasons and weak reasons

Not all reasons help the same amount. Compare these.

• Opinion: Dogs make great pets. Weak reason: Because they are good. (This does not tell us anything new.)
• Same opinion. Strong reason: Because they help you get exercise every day when you walk them.
• Opinion: Our class should have a garden. Weak reason: Because I want one.
• Same opinion. Strong reason: Because we could grow vegetables and learn how plants really work.

A strong reason gives the reader something they did not already know. A weak reason just says the opinion again in different words.

After you write a reason, ask yourself, "Did I add new information?" If not, dig a little deeper.

Key idea: A strong reason adds new information, not just the same idea again.

Build an opinion paragraph

Try this one. The topic is whether kids should have a class pet.

Here is my paragraph. I think our class should have a pet fish. First, taking care of it would teach us to be responsible. Also, we could watch how a fish really behaves instead of just reading about it. Best of all, a fish is quiet, so it would not bother our work. For all of these reasons, a class fish would be a great addition.

Count the parts: one opinion, three reasons, one wrap-up. That is the whole shape.

Now write your own about something you actually care about. Real opinions are much easier to write than pretend ones.

Key idea: Opinion, three reasons, wrap-up. That is the whole shape.

Watch out for

• An opinion with no reasons, so it is not convincing.
• Mixing up the steps in a how-to, so the reader gets confused.
• Leaving out order words, so the steps are hard to follow.
• Writing an opinion when the reader wanted facts, or the other way around.

Recap

• Informative writing gives the reader facts or steps.
• Order words show the steps in order.
• A fact can be checked, and an opinion is what someone thinks.
• An opinion is your own view.
• Give reasons, often with the word because, and make each one add something new.

Sources

1. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Writing, Grade 2, Standard 1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
2. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Writing, Grade 2, Standard 2. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Persuasive writing. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Framed paragraphs. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
5. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Transition words. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
6. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
7. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Strategy guides. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org

The big picture

Here is a happy secret: nobody gets it perfect the first time. Even famous authors go back and fix their writing. Today we learn to edit, which is what all good writers do. It is fun and it makes your work shine!

What editing is

Fixing your writing to make it better is called editing. When you make bigger changes to your ideas, it is called revising.

Editing is not a sign that you did something wrong. It is exactly what good writers do!

Key idea: Editing means fixing your writing to make it better.

Reread out loud

The best editing trick is to reread your writing out loud. To reread means to read it again, slowly. When you hear your own words, you catch mistakes your eyes might skip.

If a sentence sounds strange, or you run out of breath, it probably needs fixing.

Key idea: Read your writing out loud to catch mistakes.

An editing checklist

Use this editing checklist to polish any piece of writing. Read through your work once for each item.

Check	Ask yourself
Capitals	Does every sentence start with a capital? Are all names capitalized?
End marks	Does every sentence end with . ? or ! ?
Complete sentences	Does each sentence have a naming part and a telling part?
Spelling	Are the words spelled correctly? Circle any that look wrong.
Spaces	Is there a space between each word?
Makes sense	Does it all make sense and stay on topic?

Key idea: A checklist helps you fix one thing at a time.

Fix these sentences

Each sentence below has mistakes. Can you find and fix them?

• Weak: my friend and i went to the park. Fix: My friend and I went to the park. (capital M, capital I, and a period)
• Weak: The dog run fast. Fix: The dog ran fast. (the verb should be ran, not run)
• Weak: we saw a big bear. Fix: We saw a big bear. (capital W and an end mark)
• Weak: i like apples oranges and pears. Fix: I like apples, oranges, and pears. (capital I, commas, and a period)

Key idea: Small fixes make a big difference.

Editing feels great

When you edit, you turn good writing into great writing. It is like cleaning up a drawing by erasing smudges and adding final touches.

Always leave a little time to edit before you say a piece is finished. Your reader will get your very best work, and you will feel proud. Every great writer is really a great editor too!

Key idea: Always leave time to edit before you finish.

Revising and editing are two jobs

Revising means changing your ideas and words. Editing means fixing the little mistakes. Do the big job first.

Here is a sentence going through both jobs.

• First draft: the dog was nice
• After revising (better ideas): the dog wagged his whole body when he saw me
• After editing (fixed mistakes): The dog wagged his whole body when he saw me.

See the order? Revising made it interesting. Editing made it correct. If you edit first and revise second, you end up fixing sentences you later throw away.

Key idea: Revise your ideas first, then edit your mistakes.

Edit in passes

Do not try to catch everything in one read. Your brain cannot look for six things at once. Instead, read your work several times and hunt for one thing each time.

1. Read once, looking only at capitals.
2. Read again, looking only at end marks.
3. Read again, checking that every sentence is whole.
4. Read one last time, circling words that look misspelled.

It sounds slower, but it is actually faster, because you catch far more. Try it on your next piece and see.

Key idea: Hunt for one kind of mistake at a time.

Edit a whole paragraph

Here is a messy paragraph. Read it, find the mistakes, then check my fixed version.

my family went to the beach on saturday. we built a big sandcastle. The waves knocked it down we built it again. my sister found a shell.

Here is the fixed version. My family went to the beach on Saturday. We built a big sandcastle. The waves knocked it down, so we built it again. My sister found a shell.

The fixes were: three sentences needed capitals at the start, Saturday is a day so it needs a capital, and one run-on needed the word "so" with a comma.

Did you find all five? If you found three or four, that is already good editing.

Key idea: Real editing means finding several small things, not one big thing.

Helping a friend edit

Sometimes you get to read a classmate's writing. Being helpful is a skill, and here is how to do it kindly.

• Start with something true that you liked. "Your first sentence made me want to keep reading."
• Ask instead of telling. "Did you mean to end this one with a question mark?"
• Point at one or two things, not twenty. Nobody can fix twenty things at once.
• Remember it is their writing. You give ideas. They decide.

And when someone edits your work, try to hear it as help, not as criticism. Every published book you have ever read was edited by someone else too.

Key idea: Kind, specific feedback helps a writer more than a long list.

Watch out for

• Saying you are done before you reread your work.
• Checking only for spelling and forgetting capitals and end marks.
• Reading only in your head. Reading out loud catches more.
• Editing before you have revised, so you polish sentences you will cut anyway.

Recap

• Editing means fixing mistakes to make writing better.
• Revise your ideas first, then edit your mistakes.
• Reread out loud, and hunt for one kind of mistake per pass.
• Use a checklist: capitals, end marks, complete sentences, spelling, spaces, and sense.
• Great writers are great editors.

Sources

1. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Revising. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
2. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Writing conferences. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Prewriting. Reading Rockets. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Writing, Grade 4, Standard 5. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
5. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers (NCEE 2012-4058). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
6. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Exit slips. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
7. National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Strategy guides. ReadWriteThink. readwritethink.org

The big picture

Spelling is putting the right letters in the right order to make a word. Some words are easy. Some are tricky. Today we learn smart tools that help you spell almost any word. Let us fill your spelling toolbox!

What spelling is

Spelling means using the right letters, in the right order, to write a word. Good spelling helps your reader understand you.

The good news is that smart spelling strategies make spelling easier. A strategy is a helpful plan or trick.

Key idea: Spelling strategies are tricks that help you spell.

Strategy 1: Sound it out

For many words, you can sound it out. Say the word slowly. Listen for each sound. Then write a letter for each sound.

Try cat: the sounds give you c-a-t. Try splash: the sounds give you s-p-l-a-s-h. Stretching a word out like a rubber band helps you hear all the sounds.

Key idea: Sound it out by writing a letter for each sound.

Strategy 2: Break it into chunks

A chunk is a small part of a word that is easier to spell. Break a long word into chunks, spell each chunk, then put them together.

• sunset = sun + set
• rainbow = rain + bow
• basket = bas + ket

Key idea: Break a big word into small chunks.

Strategy 3: Use word families

A word family is a group of words that end the same way. If you can spell one, you can spell them all by changing the first letter.

• The -ight family: light, night, right, sight, bright
• The -ake family: cake, lake, make, bake, snake
• The -all family: ball, call, fall, tall, small

Key idea: A word family shares the same ending.

Strategy 4: Learn tricky words by heart

Some words do not follow the usual rules. We call these tricky words, and we practice them until we know them. Words like said, because, friend, they, would, and people are tricky.

A fun trick is to make a saying to remember the letters. To spell because, some kids say: Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants. Silly sayings help the letters stick!

Key idea: Practice tricky words until you know them by heart.

Strategy 5: Look, cover, write, check

This is a great way to practice any spelling word.

1. Look at the word carefully.
2. Cover it with your hand.
3. Write it from memory.
4. Check it against the real word. If it is wrong, try again!

Key idea: Look, cover, write, check helps you practice any word.

Be patient and keep going

Nobody spells every word perfectly, and that is okay. When you are not sure, sound it out, use your strategies, or ask for help or a word wall.

The more you read and write, the better your spelling gets. Be patient with yourself, keep practicing, and your spelling will grow stronger every single day!

Key idea: Reading and writing a lot makes spelling grow.

Strategy 6: think about word parts

Many long words are just a small word with a part added on the end. If you can spell the small word, you are most of the way there.

• jump becomes jumps, jumped, jumping
• help becomes helps, helped, helping, helpful
• play becomes plays, played, playing, player

There are two spelling rules worth knowing here.

If the word ends in a silent e, drop the e before adding ing. So bake becomes baking, not bakeing.

If a short word ends in one vowel and one consonant, double the last letter before adding ing or ed. So hop becomes hopping, and run becomes running. Without the double letter, "hoping" is a completely different word.

Key idea: Spell the little word first, then add the ending.

Words that sound the same

Some words sound exactly alike but are spelled differently. These are called homophones. You cannot sound these out. You have to know which one you mean.

• to means toward, as in "go to school." too means also or very, as in "me too" and "too hot." two is the number 2.
• there is a place, as in "over there." their means it belongs to them. they're is short for "they are."
• your means it belongs to you. you're is short for "you are."

Here is a memory helper. Too has an extra o because it means extra. Two starts with tw, like twin and twice, which are both about 2. And there has the word here hiding inside it, and here is a place.

Everybody mixes these up sometimes. Slow down and pick on purpose.

Key idea: Homophones sound alike, so choose by meaning, not by sound.

Try these with a strategy

For each word, decide which strategy fits best. Then spell it.

• flag. Sound it out: f-l-a-g.
• cupcake. Chunk it: cup + cake.
• bright. Word family: it is in the -ight family with light and night.
• friend. Tricky word. Learn it by heart. Some kids remember that a friend is there to the end.
• skipping. Word parts: skip plus ing, and double the p.
• because. Tricky word. Use your silly saying.

Notice that different words need different tools. That is why you keep several in your toolbox.

Key idea: Pick the strategy that fits the word in front of you.

Keep your own word list

Here is a habit that really works. Get a small notebook and start a personal spelling list.

Every time you misspell a word in your writing, add the correct spelling to the list. Do not add words you already know. Only the ones that tripped you.

Then practice five of them a day with Look, Cover, Write, Check. In a few weeks, look back at your list. You will be surprised how many are easy now.

A misspelled word is not a failure. It is just a word that has not moved into your memory yet.

Key idea: Keep a list of the words that trip you, and practice a few each day.

Watch out for

• Guessing at a tricky word instead of using a strategy.
• Forgetting silent letters, like the k in know.
• Writing "hoping" when you mean "hopping." Remember to double the letter.
• Mixing up to, too, and two, or there, their, and they're.
• Giving up. Try Look, Cover, Write, Check instead.

Recap

• Sound out a word by writing a letter for each sound.
• Break big words into chunks.
• Use word families that share an ending.
• Spell the little word first, then add the ending.
• Homophones sound alike, so choose by meaning.
• Practice tricky words with Look, Cover, Write, Check.

Sources

1. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Spelling and word study. Reading Topics. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
2. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Word hunts. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
3. Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Elkonin boxes. Classroom Strategies. WETA Public Broadcasting. readingrockets.org
4. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Language, Grade 2, Standard 2. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. thecorestandards.org
5. Foorman, B., Beyler, N., Borradaile, K., Coyne, M., Denton, C. A., Dimino, J., Furgeson, J., Hayes, L., Henke, J., Justice, L., Keating, B., Lewis, W., Sattar, S., Streke, A., Wagner, R., & Wissel, S. (2016). Foundational skills to support reading for understanding in kindergarten through 3rd grade (NCEE 2016-4008). What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide. Institute of Education Sciences. ies.ed.gov
6. Florida Center for Reading Research. (n.d.). Student center activities. FCRR. Florida State University. fcrr.org
7. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching children to read. National Institutes of Health. nichd.nih.gov