CCRA.L.2: Capitalization, Punctuation and Spelling
In plain English: CCRA.L.2 is the Common Core College and Career Readiness anchor standard for language that asks students to use standard English capitalization, punctuation and spelling correctly when they write. In grades 6-12 it is carried by L.6.2 through L.11-12.2, moving from commas, parentheses and dashes in grade 6 to semicolons, colons and hyphenation in high school.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy · Domain: College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Language · Cluster: Conventions of Standard English Also written as CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.2 · Official standard
CCRA.L.2 asks students to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation and spelling when they write. These are the conventions a reader sees before anything else, and they carry meaning: a pair of commas can change which cousin a sentence means, and a missing apostrophe can turn a contraction into a possessive. Command means using the marks on purpose while drafting and catching errors while proofreading. Where conventions allow a choice, such as the serial comma, the lesson treats the choice as a matter of style sheet, not of right and wrong.
This page teaches the anchor as a progression for grades 6-12: commas, parentheses and dashes in grade 6, coordinate adjectives in grade 7, ellipses and dashes in grade 8, semicolons and colons in grades 9-10, and hyphenation in grades 11-12, with spelling at every grade. The texts, all written for this page, are a lighthouse visitor guide with planted errors, the newsletter's style sheet, and a volunteer notice for homework. Every activity has a grades 6-8 version and a grades 9-12 version.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Capitalize proper nouns, names and titles, and leave general words lowercase
Use commas, dashes and parentheses to set off nonrestrictive elements, and a comma between coordinate adjectives
Use semicolons, colons, ellipses and hyphens according to standard conventions
Spell correctly, using patterns, a dictionary and a slow proofreading pass
Follow a style sheet where conventions allow more than one choice
Prior Knowledge Required
Students should already be comfortable with:
Capitalizing the first word of a sentence and the names of people and places
Using end punctuation and commas in a series
Recognizing an independent clause and a dependent clause CCRA.L.1
"Read these two signs: 'Slow children crossing' and 'Slow, children crossing.' What does each one tell a driver? Then read this one: 'We're going to eat, Grandpa.' What happens if the comma disappears?"
Take answers. Without the comma, the first sign seems to describe the children as slow; with it, the sign tells drivers to slow down. Without its comma, the last sentence makes Grandpa the meal. Point out that punctuation carries meaning that a speaker would carry with pauses and tone. CCRA.L.2 asks students to command capitalization, punctuation and spelling when they write, because on the page the reader has only the marks.
Direct Instruction15-20 minutes
Terms for the whole period.
Proper noun: the name of a particular person, place, organization, day, month or holiday; it is capitalized. A general word used alone (the bay, the society) is not.
Nonrestrictive element: a word group that adds information but is not needed to identify what it describes; it is set off with commas, dashes or parentheses.
Independent clause: a group of words with a subject and verb that can stand alone as a sentence.
Homophones: words that sound alike but differ in spelling and meaning (its and it's, their, there and they're). A spell-checker cannot tell which one you meant.
Style sheet: a list of choices a school, publisher or workplace makes where conventions allow more than one option, such as whether to use the serial comma.
Progression of CCRA.L.2 in grades 6-12
Grade-level standard
Band
What this band adds
L.6.2
Grade 6
Commas, parentheses and dashes to set off nonrestrictive or parenthetical elements; spell correctly
L.7.2
Grade 7
A comma between coordinate adjectives (adjectives that each modify the noun on their own); spell correctly
L.8.2
Grade 8
A comma, ellipsis or dash to show a pause or break; an ellipsis to show an omission; spell correctly
L.9-10.2
Grades 9-10
A semicolon, perhaps with a conjunctive adverb, to link closely related independent clauses; a colon to introduce a list or quotation; spell correctly
L.11-12.2
Grades 11-12
Hyphenation conventions; spell correctly
Read the table with one note. The anchor names capitalization, but the grades 6-12 standards add no new capitalization skill: students keep applying the rules they learned earlier while the punctuation tools grow, from commas around extra information in grade 6 to hyphenation in grades 11-12. Spelling stays on every grade's list, which is why the lesson treats it as a habit of proofreading and looking up, not a one-time unit.
Model texts. Text 1 was written for this page; the lighthouse, the people and the newsletter are invented. It is a draft visitor guide with ten planted errors in capitalization, punctuation and spelling. Text 2 is the newsletter's house style sheet. Today the class corrects the five errors in paragraphs 1-4 of Text 1. Leave paragraphs 5 and 6 for the quiz.
1Corrigan Point Lighthouse Open House: Saturday, june 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
2For the first time in 10 years, visitors can climb the 96 steps to the top of the tower. The lighthouse which was built in 1871 still guides ships past the rocks at the mouth of Harbor bay.
3Inside the lamp room, you will see the original lens, a tall, glittering beehive of glass prisms made in France in 1870. The lens bends the light of a single lamp into a beam that ships can see from 20 miles away. Guides will explain how the keepers recieved oil by boat and kept the lamp lit every night, even during storms.
4Please note the following rules; children under 12 must climb with an adult, bags must stay at the gate, and the tower closes during thunderstorms.
5The keeper's cottage now holds a small museum. It's exhibits include the keepers' logbooks, a brass foghorn and a seperate room of photographs. Visitors are definately welcome to take pictures, but please dont use a flash near the logbooks.
6The open house is free. Volunteers from the Seaview historical club will lead tours every hour. In the words of Ada Morrow, the last keeper, "The light was never just a lamp. It was a promise to every ship ... that someone was awake."
SVHS (original model draft with planted errors), Text 1: Draft visitor guide for the Harbor Light Newsletter, "Corrigan Point Lighthouse Open House" (written for this page; the lighthouse, people and newsletter are invented; it contains ten planted errors in capitalization, punctuation and spelling, plus one place where it does not follow the newsletter's style sheet). Original passage written for this page.
11. Serial comma: we use it. In a list of three or more items, put a comma before the and or or: "maps, photographs, and logbooks." Other publications may choose differently, so always follow the style sheet of the place you are writing for.
22. Times: write a.m. and p.m. in lowercase letters with periods.
33. Dates: write the month as a word, as in June 14, not 6/14.
44. Names of places and organizations: capitalize every important word in the full name, as in Pell Island Ferry Company. Do not capitalize a general word used alone, as in "the company" or "the island."
55. Numbers: spell out one through nine, and use numerals for 10 and above.
66. Compound adjectives: hyphenate them before a noun (a two-hour tour), but not after a verb (the tour lasts two hours).
SVHS (original model style sheet), Text 2: Harbor Light Newsletter house style sheet (written for this page; the newsletter is invented). Original passage written for this page.
Capitalize names, not general words (capitalization)
We swam in Lake Erie. The lake was cold. My aunt met Aunt Lucia at the dock.
Result: Lake Erie is a proper name, so both words are capitalized; "the lake" is a general word used alone, so it is lowercase. Aunt is capitalized in "Aunt Lucia" because it is part of her name, and lowercase in "my aunt," where it only describes a relationship.
Set off a nonrestrictive element (grade 6 punctuation)
Compare: "My cousin who lives in Ohio sent a postcard" and "My cousin, who lives in Ohio, sent a postcard."
Result: Without commas, the clause is restrictive: it tells which cousin, so the writer has more than one. With commas, the clause is nonrestrictive: it adds information about the only cousin the sentence could mean. A pair of commas, a pair of dashes or parentheses can all set off a nonrestrictive element; dashes add emphasis and parentheses play it down.
Test for coordinate adjectives (grade 7 punctuation)
Which needs a comma: "a cold windy morning" or "a heavy iron door"?
Result: Try reversing the adjectives and putting and between them. "A windy and cold morning" sounds natural, so the adjectives are coordinate: "a cold, windy morning." "An iron and heavy door" does not, because iron door works as a unit, so there is no comma: "a heavy iron door."
Link clauses with a semicolon (grades 9-10 punctuation)
The fog rolled in at noon. The ferry kept to its schedule.
Result: The clauses are closely related and both independent, so a semicolon can join them; a conjunctive adverb shows the relationship: "The fog rolled in at noon; however, the ferry kept to its schedule." Note the comma after however. A comma alone in that spot would make a comma splice.
Hyphenate a compound modifier (grades 11-12 punctuation and spelling)
Is a hyphen needed in each? (a) a little known island (b) a recently repaired dock (c) the dock was repaired recently
Result: (a) Yes: "a little-known island," because little and known work together as one modifier before the noun, and without the hyphen a reader could think the island is small. (b) No: an adverb ending in -ly is not hyphenated to the word after it. (c) No: nothing comes before a noun. When a dictionary shows a compound as one word or with a hyphen, follow the dictionary.
Guided Practice15 minutes
Proofread paragraphs 1-4 of Text 1 together, in the three passes of Diagram 1. Students mark each error in the color for its pass (capitals, punctuation, spelling) and name the rule before fixing it.
Pass 1, capitals. Teacher note: paragraph 1, "june" becomes "June" (months are proper nouns). Paragraph 2, "Harbor bay" becomes "Harbor Bay," because bay is part of the full name. Ask why France in paragraph 3 is already right: it names a country.
Pass 2, punctuation. Teacher note: paragraph 2, "The lighthouse which was built in 1871 still guides ships" needs a pair of commas, "The lighthouse, which was built in 1871, still guides ships," because there is only one lighthouse and the clause adds information. Paragraph 4, the semicolon after rules should be a colon, because what follows is a list, not a second independent clause.
Check what is already right. Ask students about "a tall, glittering beehive" in paragraph 3. Teacher note: the comma is correct, because tall and glittering each describe the beehive and could be reversed ("a glittering, tall beehive"). Point out that a.m. and p.m. in paragraph 1 follow rule 2 of the style sheet.
Pass 3, spelling. Teacher note: paragraph 3, "recieved" becomes "received." The pattern "i before e except after c" fits this word, but the rule has many exceptions (weird, their, science), so the dictionary is the final check.
Style sheet check. Ask: "Text 1 writes '10 years' and '20 miles' as numerals. Does that follow Text 2?" Teacher note: yes, rule 5 uses numerals for 10 and above. Another publication could make a different choice; neither is an error of standard English.
Grades 6-8: the teacher models the capitals pass; pairs do the punctuation and spelling passes and compare. Grades 9-12: pairs do all three passes before the class discussion, then write the rule for each correction in one line, as an editor would in a margin note.
Independent Practice15 minutes
Write the lighthouse guide's next section. Students write a paragraph of five or six sentences titled "Getting to Corrigan Point," with invented details (a ferry, a parking lot, a walking path). Then they proofread it in three passes and trade with a partner for a second proofread.
Grades 6-8: include at least two proper nouns, one nonrestrictive element set off by commas, dashes or parentheses, and one pair of coordinate adjectives with a comma.
Grades 9-12: include a semicolon with a conjunctive adverb, a colon introducing a list, and a hyphenated compound adjective before a noun; follow every rule of the style sheet in Text 2.
The partner circles anything to check and writes the rule, but does not correct it; the writer makes the fix. The teacher conferences with three or four writers about one convention each.
Closure5 minutes
Exit ticket: Write one sentence about the lighthouse that contains a proper noun, a nonrestrictive element set off by commas, and a word you had to look up to spell. Underline the word you looked up.
For homework: Text 3, below, was written for this page. It is a volunteer notice from the invented Corrigan Point Historical Society, and it contains eight planted errors in capitalization, punctuation and spelling. The notice is not part of the newsletter, so the style sheet in Text 2 does not apply to it. Teacher note: none of the texts uses dated or offensive language.
1The Corrigan Point Historical Society needs volunteers for the summer season, which runs from memorial day to Labor Day.
2Volunteers greet visitors, answer questions, and count the people who climb the tower. No experience is necesary; we will train you.
3Volunteers must be at least sixteen years-old. Each shift lasts four hours. You can choose a morning shift, which starts at 9 a.m. or an afternoon shift, which starts at 1 p.m.
4To sign up, bring the following to the gift shop, a signed form, a photo ID, and a water bottle.
5Our volunteers say the work is rewarding. "I have met visitors from all fifty states," says Tom Reyes, a retired teacher who has volunteered for six summers. "Its a great way to spend a saturday."
6Questions? Call the society office or stop by the cottage any weekend. We look forward to working with you, and we are greatful for your help.
SVHS (original model draft with planted errors), Text 3: Homework draft, volunteer sign-up notice from the Corrigan Point Historical Society (written for this page; the society and people are invented; it contains eight planted errors in capitalization, punctuation and spelling). Original passage written for this page.
Differentiation Strategies
For Struggling Students
Give a one-page checklist for each proofreading pass, with one example per item
Have students proofread a single paragraph at a time, with a ruler under each line during the spelling pass
Offer a personal spelling list where students record each word they misspell and the pattern behind it
For Advanced Students
Ask students to rewrite Text 3 for the newsletter, following every rule of the Text 2 style sheet, and list each change the style sheet required
Have students write a short style sheet for the class magazine and justify two choices where conventions allow options
Ask students to collect three signs or notices whose punctuation changes their meaning and explain each
Assessment Guidance
What to Look For
Strong work names the rule with each correction and leaves correct marks alone, such as the comma in "a tall, glittering beehive." Watch for apostrophes added to plain plurals or possessive pronouns, commas placed between cumulative adjectives, and semicolons used before lists. Tell errors of standard English apart from style-sheet choices: a student who omits the serial comma has made a style choice, not an error, unless a style sheet requires it.
02
Classroom Activities
3 Activities
1
Punctuation Choices
15 minPairs
Pairs punctuate sentence strips that have had their internal punctuation removed. Some strips allow more than one correct answer; for those, pairs write each version and explain how the meaning or emphasis changes.
Grades 6-8 Version: 6 Strips
The ferry captain a former fisher knows every rock in the channel
Our guide who had climbed the tower a thousand times never looked down
It was a long dusty walk to the gate
She wore a bright yellow raincoat
I think that's the light no it's the moon
We waited and waited and finally the fog lifted
Grades 9-12 Version: 6 Strips
The keeper's log was short it said only Fog all night
The tower was closed for repairs nevertheless the museum stayed open
Bring three things water sunscreen and a jacket
The map shows a well marked trail to a little used beach
Ms. Cho wrote in her report The lens is in excellent condition
The fog came in fast the boats came in faster
Teacher Key
Grades 6-8: 1. "The ferry captain, a former fisher, knows every rock in the channel" (commas around a nonrestrictive appositive; dashes would add emphasis, parentheses would play it down). 2. Commas around "who had climbed the tower a thousand times" if the class had one guide; no commas if the clause tells which guide. Accept either with the matching explanation. 3. "a long, dusty walk" (coordinate adjectives). 4. No comma: bright tells how yellow the coat is, so the adjectives are not coordinate. 5. An ellipsis or a dash marks the break where the speaker changes her mind: "I think that's the light ... no, it's the moon"; the dash version shows a sharper break. A comma after no sets off the interjection. 6. An ellipsis or a dash can show the pause: "We waited and waited ... and finally the fog lifted."
Grades 9-12: 1. "The keeper's log was short: it said only, 'Fog all night.'" A colon can introduce the explanation, and quotation marks set off the words. 2. "The tower was closed for repairs; nevertheless, the museum stayed open." 3. "Bring three things: water, sunscreen and a jacket" (with or without the serial comma, by style sheet). 4. "a well-marked trail to a little-used beach." 5. "Ms. Cho wrote in her report: 'The lens is in excellent condition.'" A comma before the quotation is also standard; the colon gives the quotation more weight. 6. "The fog came in fast; the boats came in faster." A semicolon links two closely related independent clauses.
Discussion Questions
Which strips had only one correct answer, and which had several?
When two versions were both correct, how did you decide which one to use?
Which mark changed the meaning of a sentence the most?
2
Spelling Pattern Sort
15 minGroups of 3-4
Groups sort 12 misspelled words by the pattern behind the error, correct each with a dictionary, and write a strategy card for each pattern. The goal is a habit: noticing why a word is hard so the fix lasts.
The 12 Word Cards
beleive
wierd
begining
hopeing
stoped
noticable
enviroment
goverment
calender
occured
truely
libary
Grades 6-8 Version
Sort the cards into four patterns: ie or ei; doubling a final consonant; dropping or keeping a silent e; letters skipped in speech
Correct each word with a dictionary
Write one sentence per pattern explaining how to remember it
Grades 9-12 Version
Sort and correct the cards, then add a fifth pattern of your own: words often confused (affect and effect, principal and principle, complement and compliment)
Write a two-sentence paragraph that passes a spell-checker but contains two wrong homophones, and trade it with another group
Explain in one sentence why a spell-checker cannot replace a proofreading pass
Teacher Key
Corrections: believe, weird, beginning, hoping, stopped, noticeable, environment, government, calendar, occurred, truly, library. ie or ei: believe, weird (weird is an exception to "i before e"). Doubling: beginning, stopped, occurred (the final syllable is stressed and ends in one vowel and one consonant). Silent e: hoping drops the e before -ing; noticeable keeps it, to keep the c soft; truly is an exception that drops it. Letters skipped in speech: environment, government, library. Calendar fits no pattern: its unstressed vowel sounds the same as in many other words, so it must be learned or looked up, which is a useful point to make.
3
Capitals and Style Sheets
15 minPairs
Pairs fix the capitalization in a short paragraph, then edit the same paragraph to two invented style sheets that make different choices, to see the difference between an error and a style choice.
The Paragraph
"on the first friday in may, the pell island ferry company runs a special trip for students. last year, ms. adebayo's class sailed past the lighthouse, read the poem "the keeper's lamp," and ate lunch on the island. the trip lasts 3 hours and costs 8 dollars."
Grades 6-8 Version
Correct every capitalization error and name the rule for each
Underline two words that stay lowercase and explain why
Rewrite the paragraph to follow the Text 2 style sheet for numbers
Grades 9-12 Version
Correct the capitalization, then edit the paragraph twice: once to the Text 2 style sheet, and once to an invented Style Sheet B that omits the serial comma and uses numerals for all numbers
Mark each change as a correction (standard English) or a style choice (style sheet)
Write one sentence on why publications keep a style sheet
Teacher Key
Capitals: On, Friday, May, Pell Island Ferry Company (the full name of an organization), Last, Ms. Adebayo's, "The Keeper's Lamp" (the first word and the important words of a title; the class should agree on a rule for short words, because style guides differ on capitalizing short prepositions in titles). Lowercase: lighthouse, island and students are general words. Text 2 style sheet: "3 hours" and "8 dollars" become "three hours" and "eight dollars," and the list keeps its serial comma. Style Sheet B: "3 hours," "8 dollars," and no comma before and. Only the capitals are corrections; the number and comma changes are style choices.
Discussion Questions
Which changes would every careful editor make, and which depend on the publication?
Why might a newspaper and a science journal choose different rules for numbers?
03
Diagrams & Visual Aids
1 diagrams
Diagram 1: Proofreading for Capitalization, Punctuation and Spelling in Three Passes
A single read for "everything" tends to drift toward meaning, which is when small errors slip by. Distinct passes give each convention in CCRA.L.2 its own read. Spelling goes last and slowest because the eye fills in familiar words; reading from the end of a line back to its start is one way to slow down.
04
Homework Assignment
~30 min
CCRA.L.2 Homework: Proofreading a Volunteer Notice
Directions: Use the volunteer notice (Text 3) at the end of the lesson plan, in Closure. It contains eight planted errors: two in capitalization, four in punctuation and two in spelling. For Problems 1-3, quote each error, correct it and name the rule or strategy. Problem 4 has a grades 6-8 version and a grades 9-12 version; answer the one for your grade. Use a dictionary for any word you are unsure of.
Part 1: Proofread the Notice (Problems 1-3)
Find the two capitalization errors in Text 3. Quote each, correct it, and name the rule.
Find the four punctuation errors in Text 3. Quote each, correct it, and name the rule. One of them involves a hyphen.
Find the two misspelled words in Text 3. Correct each, and name a strategy that would help you remember the correct spelling.
Part 2: Apply the Conventions (Problems 4-6)
Grades 6-8: Write three sentences about the lighthouse: one with a nonrestrictive clause set off by commas, one with a parenthetical element in parentheses or dashes, and one with coordinate adjectives. Grades 9-12: Write three sentences about the lighthouse: one with a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb, one with a colon introducing a quotation, and one with a hyphenated compound adjective before a noun.
Correct the capitalization in this sentence and explain each change, including any word you left lowercase: "on monday, aunt rosa and my uncle visited the old lighthouse on tern island, which stands on the east side of the harbor."
A spell-checker accepted every word in this sentence: "The horn's loud blast had a strong affect on the visitors, who's ears rang for an hour." Find the two errors it missed, correct them, and explain why a spell-checker cannot catch them.
Rubric
Criterion
Full Credit (2 pts)
Partial Credit (1 pt)
No Credit (0 pts)
Capitalization
Both errors in Text 3 and all errors in Problem 5 are fixed, with the rule named; general words stay lowercase
Most capitals are fixed, or a general word is wrongly capitalized
Few capitals are fixed
Punctuation
All four punctuation errors are fixed with the rule named, and the Problem 4 sentences use each mark correctly
Two or three are fixed, or one Problem 4 sentence misuses a mark
Fewer than two are fixed
Spelling
Both misspellings and both homophone errors are corrected, each with a strategy or explanation
Corrections are right but strategies are missing
Errors remain
Explaining Rules
Every explanation is accurate and specific
Explanations are vague ("it looked wrong")
No explanations
05
Quiz: 20 Questions
Interactive, with answers
Instructions
Questions 1-5 use paragraphs 5 and 6 of the visitor guide (Text 1), and Questions 5 and 15 use the style sheet (Text 2); both texts are in Direct Instruction. The other questions include everything they need. Your score updates as you answer, and Reset quiz clears everything.
Multiple choice: pick an option to check it. Short answer: write your answer, then reveal the model answer.
0 of 20 answered · 0 correct
Question 1 of 20 · Multiple Choice
The second sentence of paragraph 5 of Text 1 begins, "It's exhibits include the keepers' logbooks." Which correction is needed?
Answer: B
The exhibits belong to the cottage, so the sentence needs the possessive its, which never takes an apostrophe; it's always means it is or it has. Choice D makes that very confusion, and choice A invents a form that does not exist.
Question 2 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Paragraph 5 of Text 1 contains two misspelled words. Which pair shows both words spelled correctly?
Answer: C
The correct spellings are separate and definitely. Both are often misspelled because their unstressed vowels sound alike in speech; one memory aid is that separate has "a rat" in it and definitely contains the word finite. Choices A and B each fix only one word.
Question 3 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which word in the last sentence of paragraph 5 of Text 1 needs an apostrophe?
Answer: A
An apostrophe marks the letter left out of a contraction: do not becomes don't. Choices B, C and D are plain plurals, which take no apostrophe; adding one to a plural is a common error.
Question 4 of 20 · Multiple Choice
How should "the Seaview historical club" in paragraph 6 of Text 1 be written?
Answer: D
Every important word in the full name of an organization is capitalized, which is also rule 4 of the style sheet (Text 2). Choice A drops capitals from a proper noun. Club is part of the full name here, so choice C is wrong too; it would stay lowercase only if used alone, as in "the club."
Question 5 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Rule 1 of the style sheet (Text 2) covers lists. What should the editor do with the list of three exhibits in paragraph 5 of Text 1?
Answer: A
Rule 1 says, "Serial comma: we use it," so the list needs a comma before and. This is a style-sheet choice, not an error of standard English, which is why Text 1's title counts it separately. Choice D reverses the rule, and a list of three always needs at least one comma (B).
Question 6 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which sentence punctuates its adjectives correctly?
Answer: B
Narrow and winding each describe the stairs and can be reversed ("winding and narrow"), so they are coordinate adjectives and take a comma. In choice A, iron door is a unit and the adjectives are not coordinate. Choices C and D put a comma between an adjective and its noun or between a and its noun.
Question 7 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?
Answer: D
A semicolon links two closely related independent clauses, and both halves of choice D can stand alone. Choice A adds and, which with two short clauses like these calls for a comma instead (some style guides allow a semicolon before and only when the clauses are long and already contain commas); in choice B the first half is a dependent clause; and in choice C the second half is not a clause.
Question 8 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which sentence uses a colon correctly?
Answer: C
A colon can introduce a quotation after a complete independent clause, as in choice C. In choices A, B and D, the colon interrupts a sentence in the middle, between words that belong together.
Question 9 of 20 · Multiple Choice
A student shortens a sentence from an invented keeper's log, "The wind rose at dusk, and by midnight the waves were breaking over the lower rocks," to "The wind rose at dusk ... the waves were breaking over the lower rocks." What do the three dots tell the reader?
Answer: B
In a quotation, an ellipsis marks an omission: here "and by midnight" was cut. An ellipsis can show a pause in dialogue (A), but in a shortened quotation from a written source it signals that words are missing. Choices C and D are not uses of the mark.
Question 10 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which sentence follows hyphenation conventions?
Answer: C
Two-page works as one modifier before the noun report, so it takes a hyphen. Choice A hyphenates an -ly adverb, which is not done; choice B needs hyphens in forty-five-minute; and choice D hyphenates a phrase that does not come before a noun.
Question 11 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which words in this sentence need capital letters? "in the spring, my aunt drove to the lighthouse on gull rock."
Answer: D
In starts the sentence, and Gull Rock is a place name, so both of its words are capitalized. Seasons are not proper nouns (A and C), aunt after my is a general word (B and C), and lighthouse is not part of a name here (B and C).
Question 12 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which sentence spells every word correctly?
Answer: A
Argument drops the e of argue before -ment, and surprise has an r in its first syllable that speakers often skip. Choice B skips that r, and choice C keeps the e.
Question 13 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which sentence uses the correct homophones?
Answer: B
They're is the contraction of they are, and whether introduces a choice. Choices A and D use the possessive their and the place word there; choice C uses weather, the word for rain and wind. A spell-checker would accept all four sentences.
Question 14 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Under the title rule that capitalizes the first word and all nouns, verbs and adjectives but lowercases articles and short prepositions, which words of the book title "the keeper of the light" should be capitalized?
Answer: C
The first word, The, and the nouns Keeper and Light are capitalized: The Keeper of the Light. The short preposition of and the article the inside the title stay lowercase. Choice A leaves the first word lowercase, and choice B capitalizes every word. Style guides differ on some short words in titles, so follow the one your class uses.
Question 15 of 20 · Short Answer
Using rules 5 and 6 of the style sheet (Text 2), correct this sentence for the newsletter, and name the rule behind each change: "The tower tour is a 45 minute climb for groups of 8."
Model answer: "The tower tour is a 45-minute climb for groups of eight." Rule 6: 45-minute is a compound adjective before the noun climb, so it takes a hyphen. Rule 5: 45 stays a numeral because it is 10 or above, and 8 becomes eight because numbers from one through nine are spelled out. Rubric: full credit makes both changes and names both rules; partial credit makes one change with its rule.
Question 16 of 20 · Short Answer
Explain the difference in meaning between these two sentences: "The guides who know the history lead the tours." and "The guides, who know the history, lead the tours."
Model answer: Without commas, the clause is restrictive: only the guides who know the history lead tours, which suggests some guides do not. With commas, the clause is nonrestrictive: all the guides lead tours, and the clause adds that they all know the history. Rubric: full credit explains both meanings and links the difference to the commas; partial credit explains one meaning.
Question 17 of 20 · Short Answer
Rewrite "The lens which arrived by ship in 1870 still turns every night" twice: once with the nonrestrictive clause set off by commas, and once with it set off by parentheses. Explain how the choice of marks changes the emphasis.
Model answer: "The lens, which arrived by ship in 1870, still turns every night." "The lens (which arrived by ship in 1870) still turns every night." Commas present the clause as ordinary added information. Parentheses play it down, like an aside. A pair of dashes would do the opposite and call attention to it. Rubric: full credit gives both correct versions and explains the difference in emphasis; partial credit gives the versions without the explanation.
Question 18 of 20 · Short Answer
Why is forgetting spelled with a double t, but limiting with a single t? State the pattern and give one more word that follows each half of it.
Model answer: When a word ends in one vowel and one consonant and its final syllable is stressed, the consonant doubles before an ending that starts with a vowel: for-GET becomes forgetting, and re-FER becomes referring. When the stress falls on an earlier syllable, the consonant does not double: LIM-it becomes limiting, and VIS-it becomes visiting. Rubric: full credit states the stress pattern and gives a correct example of each; partial credit states the pattern without examples, or gives examples without the pattern.
Question 19 of 20 · Short Answer
Correct the capitalization and explain each change: "my science teacher, mr. ortiz, speaks spanish and teaches biology and Chemistry."
Model answer: "My science teacher, Mr. Ortiz, speaks Spanish and teaches biology and chemistry." My starts the sentence. Mr. Ortiz is a title and name. Spanish is the name of a language, which is always capitalized. Biology and chemistry are general school subjects, so they stay lowercase unless they are the name of a specific course, such as Chemistry 101. Rubric: full credit makes all changes and explains why biology and chemistry are lowercase; partial credit misses one change or the explanation.
Question 20 of 20 · Short Answer
Grades 11-12: Explain why a hyphen appears in one of these and not in the others: "It was a twelve-hour shift." "The shift lasted twelve hours." "She was a highly trained keeper."
Model answer: In the first sentence, twelve and hour work together as one modifier before the noun shift, so they are hyphenated. In the second, the words follow the verb and twelve hours is a plain noun phrase, so there is no hyphen. In the third, highly is an adverb ending in -ly, and convention does not hyphenate an -ly adverb to the word it modifies, because its role is already clear. Rubric: full credit explains all three; partial credit explains two.
0 of 20 answered · 0 correct
06
Frequently Asked Questions
10 Questions
What does CCRA.L.2 mean?
It means students should be able to use standard English capitalization, punctuation and spelling correctly when they write. The standard covers using these conventions while drafting and catching errors while proofreading, and it applies to every kind of writing, from a lab report to a narrative.
Why does CCRA.L.2 say "when writing" but CCRA.L.1 says "writing or speaking"?
Because capitals, punctuation and spelling exist only on the page. Grammar and usage show up in speech too, so CCRA.L.1 covers both; CCRA.L.2 is about what a reader sees.
Which punctuation marks does each grade focus on?
Grade 6 uses commas, parentheses and dashes to set off nonrestrictive elements; grade 7 adds commas between coordinate adjectives; grade 8 adds the ellipsis and the dash for pauses and the ellipsis for omissions; grades 9-10 add semicolons and colons; and grades 11-12 add hyphenation. Every grade also lists "spell correctly."
Is capitalization taught in middle and high school?
Yes, though the grades 6-12 standards name no new capitalization skill. Students keep applying the rules from earlier grades, and the anchor still expects command of them, so proofreading for capitals belongs in every editing pass.
Is the serial comma (Oxford comma) required?
It depends on the style guide. Some publications and style guides use a comma before and in a list of three or more, and others leave it out unless it is needed to prevent confusion. Follow the style sheet of the class or publication you are writing for, and be consistent within one piece.
Can students rely on spell-checkers?
Not completely. A spell-checker catches many misspellings, but it accepts real words used in the wrong place, such as its for it's or principal for principle. A slow proofreading pass and a dictionary are still needed.
What is the difference between a semicolon and a colon?
A semicolon joins two closely related independent clauses, each of which could stand alone. A colon comes after a complete clause and introduces something that explains or lists, such as a list, an explanation or a quotation.
How is CCRA.L.2 assessed?
Usually through editing tasks, in which students find and correct errors and name the rule, and through scoring the conventions in students' own writing. Many standardized English tests include punctuation questions of the first kind. This page's quiz and homework use both.
How can families help with spelling and punctuation at home?
Ask your child to read a draft aloud slowly while you both listen for places where a pause or stop is needed, and keep a dictionary within reach. A short list of the words your child often misspells, reviewed now and then, can help more than long lists of new words.
How does CCRA.L.2 connect to other anchor standards?
CCRA.L.2 and CCRA.L.1 together make up the conventions of standard English. CCRA.W.5 places proofreading inside the writing process, as the editing step, and CCRA.L.3 asks students to use conventions to make choices for meaning and style.
07
Related Standards
8 standards
These are the grade-level standards that carry anchor CCRA.L.2 in grades 6-12, plus closely related anchors.
Grades 6-8
L.6.2Grade-band standard
Grade 6: commas, parentheses and dashes for nonrestrictive elements; spelling
