Punctuation, Mechanics, Writing Conventions
|Apostrophes|
|Commas|
|Quotation Marks|
|Semicolons|
|Practice with Multiple Punctuation Marks|
Apostrophe Abuse
Photos of misused apostrophes, a constantly changing collection.
Apostrophes
The exercise on this page offers 20 sentences in need of apostrophes. Follow the link at the bottom for the answers. Designed for high school and older.
The Apostrophe Protection Society
Rules for the correct use of apostrophes and — more important and much more fun — photographs of misused apostrophes.
Capitalization and Washington, D.C.
In this unit, students learn and practice capitalizing names of cities, states, countries, streets, buildings, bridges, and geographical places around the theme of Washington, D.C. This lesson is designed for grades 3-5 and could be modified for any city.
English Grammar: Commas
Interactive practice with commas, appropriate for elementary students and older, and addressing these specific skills:
Commas
Follow the links to several traditional comma exercises. Designed for high school and older.
Pasta Punctuation
In this lesson 3rd and 4th graders glue elbow macaroni in sentences to indicate the location of commas and quotation marks in dialogue.
Conversing with an Object
This lesson from the Smithsonian Museum combines practice in writing dialogue with history and creative writing. It includes a forum for sharing exemplary student work.
Dear John
This activity challenges students to punctuate the same "Dear John" letter to produce 2 different meanings.
Fun with Quotations
This lesson is designed as an introduction to quotation marks in dialogue. It is designed for 4th graders.
Pasta Punctuation
In this lesson 3rd and 4th graders glue elbow macaroni in sentences to indicate the location of commas and quotation marks in dialogue.
Puns and Punctuation
Students will examine some Tom Swiftie puns, paying special attention to their dialogue punctuation.
Quotation Marks
The exercise at this site offers a dozen sentences for students to punctuate. Follow the link for the answers. Designed for high school and older.
Quoting from a Poem
Examples of how students should quote from a poem using William Stafford's "Fifteen." Students practice using Sylvia Plath's "Mirror."
Using Comic Strips to Teach the Use of Quotation Marks
Students convert speech from bubbles to written sentences. This activity is designed for grades 1-3.
Every Punctuation Mark Matters: A Mini-Lesson on Semicolons
This lesson, designed for grades 6-8, uses "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and online resources to explore to use of the semicolon. Students also practice with their own writing.
How to use a Semicolon: The most Feared Punctuation on Earth
What do a semicolon and hairy knuckles (and dinosaurs) have in common? Your kids will love this!
Pause for Punctuation
Students play with several methods to help them identify, use, and correct the improper use of punctuation.
Semicolons
This student handout is designed to accompany study of N. Scott Momaday's The Way to Rainy Mountain; however, it can be used independently. It emphasizes the use of semicolons to replace conjunctions when joining two independent clauses. Adobe Reader required for access.
Be the Editor!
Students search for capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors in a work sheet about famous African-Americans. Designed for grades 3-8.
Be the Sentence
Students take on the roles of different words and punctuation and work collaboratively to create a complete sentence using correct parts of speech, word order, and punctuation. Students progress from simple sentences to more complex sentences. This lesson is designed for grade 4.
Choosing Punctuation
Students punctuate stories that have had all punctuation removed. At first they work individually; then they collaborate on a best draft.
Grammar Girl
This series of podcasts provides "quick and dirty tips" for specific writing issues. Since the target audience is the general public, preview to make sure the podcast is appropriate for your classroom.
Making a Successful Punctuation Lesson
Central to this teacher's article is the "Holistic Punctuation Chart" that approaches punctuation by purpose.
Punctuation Scavenger Hunt
In this activity very young writers identify specific punctuation marks.
The Tongue Untied: A Guide to Grammar, Punctuation, and Style
Explanations, worksheets with answer keys, interactive quizzes, and a 10-week curriculum pacing guide. This site is designed for college students but is appropriate for high school and possibly middle school.
