General Information
Test Item Specifications
- Requires the student to select the appropriate replacement for an ungrammatical word or phrase.
- Requires the student to select the correct version of a word or phrase to be used in a sentence.
- Requires the student to select the appropriate usage of grade-appropriate conventions.
- Requires the student to select the correct spelling of a word.
Items may ask the student to evaluate and correct errorsthat focus on grammar and usage or capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Items should assess on-grade-level errors; however, once a Language Standard is introduced, grade-appropriate items may be written to assess continued mastery ofstandard conventions of English.
Items assessing these standards will be used with a three- or four- paragraph text containing possible errors in capitalization, usage, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. The editing taskwill be similar to a student’s essay in quality and difficulty. The text should be accessible for the grade and should assess the student’s knowledge of grammar, usage, and language conventions. Texts will be between 200 and 250 words.
These standards will be assessed using the Editing Task Choice item type. Descriptions of these item types can be found in the Enhanced Item Descriptions section on page 3.
Task Demand
Apply standard English grammar and usage.
Sample Response Mechanisms
Editing Task Choice
Apply standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Sample Response Mechanisms
Editing Task Choice
Related Courses
Related Resources
Lesson Plans
| Name | Description |
| Decisions, Decisions! | In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will research a list of companies to invest in through purchasing stocks. Students will calculate the amount invested and readjust their investment choices. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Lola's Landscaping MEA | In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students are asked to develop a procedure to fit the most amount of rectangular prism plant packages on one sheet of cardboard, using nets and surface area. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Moon Light Through the Month | Students will work in small groups to arrange moon phase cards into the correct sequence. |
Original Student Tutorials
| Name | Description |
| Investigating Essential and Nonessential Elements: Part Two | Investigate essential and nonessential elements in a sentence. In Part Two, you'll learn about essential and nonessential phrases and clauses and how to use commas with nonessential phrases and clauses in a sentence. This is Part Two of a two-part tutorial series. Click HERE to launch Part One. |
| Investigating Essential and Nonessential Elements: Part One | Investigate essential and nonessential elements in a sentence in this two-part tutorial series. In Part One, you'll learn about appositives and how to use commas with appositives when they provide nonessential information in a sentence. When you're done, make sure to complete Part Two. Click HERE to launch Part Two. |
| Mysterious Punctuation: The Dash – Part Two | Investigate a mysterious punctuation mark--the dash--in this interactive two-part tutorial. In this series, you'll learn about two types of dashes and their different uses. In Part Two, you'll learn about the em dash and practice using it correctly. We recommend that you complete Part One first! Click HERE to launch Part One. |
| Mysterious Punctuation: The Dash – Part One | Investigate a mysterious punctuation mark—the dash—in this interactive two-part tutorial. In this series, you'll learn about two types of dashes and their different uses. In Part One, you'll learn about the en dash and practice using it correctly. In Part Two, you'll learn about the em dash and practice using it correctly. We hope by the end of this series that the dash will no longer be quite so mysterious! Make sure to complete Part Two! Click HERE to launch Part Two. |
| Mysterious Punctuation Marks: Commas | Don't be mystified by commas! This interactive tutorial will help you better understand how to correctly use this often mysterious punctuation mark. You'll learn several ways commas are commonly misused to help make sure you don't make these same mistakes in your own writing. Then, you'll learn several ways to correctly use a comma. |
| Mysterious Punctuation Marks: Apostrophes | Check out a mysterious punctuation mark—the apostrophe—in this interactive tutorial. You'll learn several important rules and guidelines to help you demystify this punctuation mark so you can use it correctly in your own writing.
|
| Mysterious Punctuation: Investigating Commas | Learn a number of important rules that will help you master the mysterious comma. In this interactive tutorial, you'll learn how commas are used to separate three or more items in a series and to “set off” certain aspects of a sentence. |
| Fixing Run-on Sentences | Learn to recognize and fix one of the most common grammar errors—the run-on sentence—as you complete this interactive tutorial. |
| Capitalization: A Crash Course | Take a crash course to learn the rules of capitalization in this interactive tutorial. |
| Commas, Commas, Everywhere! | Review common uses of the comma and learn how it can be properly used to set off nonrestrictive elements--like phrases and words--in a sentence. This interactive tutorial will also give you the chance to complete practice activities to check your understanding. |
| Learning the Ropes: Applying Comma Rules | Learn how to use commas to connect two sentences, how to use commas with coordinate adjectives, and how to use the Oxford comma. In this interactive tutorial, you will complete practice exercises and read several short passages about primates, including gorillas and baboons. |
Tutorials
| Name | Description |
| Grammar Bytes! Exercise 4: Using Commas Correctly | This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice using commas correctly in sentences. For each practice item, you must use commas in a sentence only where appropriate. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. |
| Grammar Bytes! Exercise 3: Using Commas Correctly | This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice using commas correctly in sentences. For each practice item, you must use commas in a sentence only where appropriate. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. |
| Grammar Bytes! Exercise 2: Fixing Comma Errors in Sentences | This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice fixing comma errors in sentences. For each practice item, you must select the best choice to revise a sentence so that it uses commas correctly. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. |
| Grammar Bytes! Exercise 1: Fixing Comma Errors in Sentences | This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice fixing comma errors in sentences. For each practice item, you must correct the comma error in a sentence. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. The site also provides an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked "Comma Tip” that appears with feedback. |
Student Resources
Original Student Tutorials
| Name | Description |
| Investigating Essential and Nonessential Elements: Part Two: | Investigate essential and nonessential elements in a sentence. In Part Two, you'll learn about essential and nonessential phrases and clauses and how to use commas with nonessential phrases and clauses in a sentence. This is Part Two of a two-part tutorial series. Click HERE to launch Part One. |
| Investigating Essential and Nonessential Elements: Part One: | Investigate essential and nonessential elements in a sentence in this two-part tutorial series. In Part One, you'll learn about appositives and how to use commas with appositives when they provide nonessential information in a sentence. When you're done, make sure to complete Part Two. Click HERE to launch Part Two. |
| Mysterious Punctuation: The Dash – Part Two: | Investigate a mysterious punctuation mark--the dash--in this interactive two-part tutorial. In this series, you'll learn about two types of dashes and their different uses. In Part Two, you'll learn about the em dash and practice using it correctly. We recommend that you complete Part One first! Click HERE to launch Part One. |
| Mysterious Punctuation: The Dash – Part One : | Investigate a mysterious punctuation mark—the dash—in this interactive two-part tutorial. In this series, you'll learn about two types of dashes and their different uses. In Part One, you'll learn about the en dash and practice using it correctly. In Part Two, you'll learn about the em dash and practice using it correctly. We hope by the end of this series that the dash will no longer be quite so mysterious! Make sure to complete Part Two! Click HERE to launch Part Two. |
| Mysterious Punctuation Marks: Commas: | Don't be mystified by commas! This interactive tutorial will help you better understand how to correctly use this often mysterious punctuation mark. You'll learn several ways commas are commonly misused to help make sure you don't make these same mistakes in your own writing. Then, you'll learn several ways to correctly use a comma. |
| Mysterious Punctuation Marks: Apostrophes: | Check out a mysterious punctuation mark—the apostrophe—in this interactive tutorial. You'll learn several important rules and guidelines to help you demystify this punctuation mark so you can use it correctly in your own writing.
|
| Mysterious Punctuation: Investigating Commas : | Learn a number of important rules that will help you master the mysterious comma. In this interactive tutorial, you'll learn how commas are used to separate three or more items in a series and to “set off” certain aspects of a sentence. |
| Fixing Run-on Sentences: | Learn to recognize and fix one of the most common grammar errors—the run-on sentence—as you complete this interactive tutorial. |
| Capitalization: A Crash Course: | Take a crash course to learn the rules of capitalization in this interactive tutorial. |
| Commas, Commas, Everywhere!: | Review common uses of the comma and learn how it can be properly used to set off nonrestrictive elements--like phrases and words--in a sentence. This interactive tutorial will also give you the chance to complete practice activities to check your understanding. |
| Learning the Ropes: Applying Comma Rules: | Learn how to use commas to connect two sentences, how to use commas with coordinate adjectives, and how to use the Oxford comma. In this interactive tutorial, you will complete practice exercises and read several short passages about primates, including gorillas and baboons. |
Tutorials
| Name | Description |
| Grammar Bytes! Exercise 4: Using Commas Correctly: | This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice using commas correctly in sentences. For each practice item, you must use commas in a sentence only where appropriate. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. |
| Grammar Bytes! Exercise 3: Using Commas Correctly: | This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice using commas correctly in sentences. For each practice item, you must use commas in a sentence only where appropriate. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. |
| Grammar Bytes! Exercise 2: Fixing Comma Errors in Sentences: | This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice fixing comma errors in sentences. For each practice item, you must select the best choice to revise a sentence so that it uses commas correctly. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. |
| Grammar Bytes! Exercise 1: Fixing Comma Errors in Sentences: | This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice fixing comma errors in sentences. For each practice item, you must correct the comma error in a sentence. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. The site also provides an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked "Comma Tip” that appears with feedback. |