Improving Writing Skills and Techniques

Read the following paragraph written by a student and answer the question:

"My favorite season is summer. I like summer because you can go swimming. Also you can eat ice cream. Summer is hot and sunny. The days are longer in summer. Summer is the best season ever!"

Which improvement would make this paragraph more organized and effective?

• Add more exclamation points

• Add transition words to connect ideas

• Make all sentences longer

• Change the topic to winter

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

Read this student's topic sentence: "Dogs make great pets because they are loyal, playful, and smart." What should the writer include in the next three sentences to support this topic sentence?

• Information about cats and other pets

• Stories about wild animals

• Examples of each characteristic mentioned (loyal, playful, smart)

• Different breeds of dogs

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.1

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.2

Look at this student’s word choice:

"The girl walked to the store." Which revision would create a more vivid image?

• The girl went to the store

• The girl moved to the store

• The young girl skipped cheerfully to the corner store

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

Read this student's conclusion:

"That's why I think recess is important."

Which would be a stronger conclusion?

• The end.

• Recess is fun and that's all I have to say.

• Therefore, recess helps students stay healthy, make friends, and learn better.

• I love recess a lot.

Which sentence has the best word choice for a formal writing assignment?

• The stuff in the science experiment was really cool

• The results of the science experiment were fascinating

• The science experiment was like super awesome

• The things we did in science were nice

Tags

CCSS.L.2.3

CCSS.L.4.3C

CCSS.SL.4.6

CCSS.SL.5.6

CCSS.W.6.2E

Read this student's paragraph opening:

"One day, something happened."

Which revision would create a more engaging beginning?

• One day, a thing occurred

• During a day, something took place

• On a bright Monday morning, our class got an unexpected surprise

• Something happened one day to someone

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.10

CCSS.RL.3.6

CCSS.RL.4.10

CCSS.RL.4.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

Which sentence uses punctuation correctly?

• The boy ran fast he won the race

• The boy ran fast, and he won the race

Tags

CCSS.L.2.1F

CCSS.L.3.1H

CCSS.L.3.1I

CCSS.L.4.2C

CCSS.L.5.1E

Read these sentences from a student's story:

"The dog barked. The dog ran. The dog played."

How could these sentences be combined to improve the writing?

• The dog barked and ran and played and barked

• The energetic dog barked, ran, and played in the yard

• The dog he barked and he ran and he played

• The dog did three things he barked and ran and played

Tags

CCSS.L.1.1C

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.3.1F

CCSS.L.3.1H

CCSS.L.3.1I

Which sentence would be best to add details to a story?

• It was a good day

• The weather was nice

• The warm sunshine sparkled on the calm lake

• Things were happening outside

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

Read this student's sentence:

"Me and my friend went to the park."

Which is the correct way to write this sentence?

• Me and my friend went to the park

• My friend and me went to the park

• My friend and I went to the park. the park.

• I and my friend went to the park

Tags

CCSS.L.1.1D

CCSS.L.3.1A