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Improve your Writing and Grammar

Why is writing important?

Writing is a skill that is highly sought after by employers. Text messaging does not count! You need to learn how to write, and speak, in formal English. However, writing is not something that you can learn overnight. You have to build upon your writing; it is a skill.

Question: If an athlete wants to become better by running faster, throwing further, or shooting more precisely, what does he or she have to do?

Answer: Learn what to do to become better and then practice it.

Question: If you want to learn how to play an instrument, what do you have to do?

Answer: Learn the fundamentals for playing the instrument and then practice them.

Question: If you want to learn how to drive, what do you have to do?

Answer: Learn driving rules and then practice driving.

Are you getting the point? To become better at a certain skill, you need to learn the rules and fundamentals and then practice them. The same goes for writing!

Question: How do you become a better writer?

Answer: Learn the rules of grammar and writing, then practice writing!

My suggestions:

1) Pay attention to your teachers when they teach you grammar. Trust me, in the professional world, grammar counts!

2) Study grammar and writing on your own. If you can, buy and read a Writer's Reference Book. 

3) Read, read, read as much literature as you can in order to familiarize yourself with good writing.

4) Write, write, write, and have others edit your writing. Ask your teachers, parents, or peers to review your writing.

Grammar

Interactive Grammar Practice
Grammar Glossary 


If you need an overview on the 8 parts of speech, here it is:

Nouns

Adjectives

Pronouns

Verbs I

Verbs II

Adverbs

Prepositions

Conjunctions

Interjections


Sentence Structure and Sentence Combining

Complete Sentences: 

Subject, Predicate, Fragment

Notes fill-in for C. Sentences                

C. Sentences Exercises

Clauses Notes

Sentence Combining Notes 




Additional Grammar Lessons

Active vs. Passive Voice   

Transition Word List                     

Transition Word Story

Objects of Verbs

Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement
 
What constitutes a complete sentence?

Subject Verb Agreement

Tricky Subject Verb Agreement

Clauses and Fragments

Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement

Possessive Nouns

Verb Tenses

Commonly Misused Words (their/there/they're; your/you're/; a/an; and more)



Punctuation

  • Punctuation Notes
  • Punctuation Pyramid
    will help you review the rules for all the different types of punctuation marks.
Picture

Six Traits of Writing

The 6 Traits of Writing are as follows:
  1. Ideas
  2. Organization
  3. Word Choice
  4. Voice
  5. Sentence Fluency
  6. Conventions
The 6 traits are important to learn to become a good writer. These are the building blocks that kids need to learn to develop proper writing skills. Writing skills are very important for every aspect of life. Give your kids a great start by teaching them these writing traits before your teacher does.
Also, I cannot stress this enough. A student (or anyone aspiring to gain proper writing skills) is never to old to learn the 6 traits of writing. Whether it is a grade school age, college student or someone just wanting to write Blog posts, articles, short stories, or a complete book. To do anything with writing, learning these 6 writing traits is very important.

See the Youtube video below.

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