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B. Foundations of Language · Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation

Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation: Unit Review

A1.2 A3.1 B2.1 B2.2 B3.1 B3.2 B3.3 D2.2 D2.6About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can write fluent cursive and type with growing speed and accuracy.
  • I can spell complex words using Latin roots, Greek parts, related words and endings clues.
  • I can build complex sentences with adjective clauses and combine sentences to show relationships.
  • I can use gerunds, active and passive voice, consistent tenses and linking verbs correctly.
  • I can use colons in letters, memos and scripts, commas after transitions, and edit my digital writing.

Words to know

schwa
A lazy /uh/ vowel in an unstressed syllable.
adjective clause
A dependent clause that describes a noun, starting with who, whom, whose, which, that, where or when.
gerund
An -ing verb form used as a noun.
passive voice
The subject receives the action: The dam was built by the beaver.
linking verb
A verb that connects the subject to a word that renames or describes it.
transition
A word or phrase, like however, that connects ideas.

Let's review!

In this unit you built your cursive and keyboarding, spelled big words with roots, Greek parts, related words and ending clues, sorted out confused words, wrote complex sentences, learned about gerunds, active and passive voice and linking verbs, and used colons and commas in new ways. This review has a few questions from every lesson. Write your answers on paper, then press Show answer. If a section feels tricky, go back to that lesson.

Spelling, Grammar and PunctuationSpellingLatin rootsGreek partsschwa wordstricky endingsconfused wordsGrammaradjective clausescombining sentencesgerundsactive / passivetense, linking verbsPunctuationcolons: letters, memoscolons: scriptscommas aftertransitionsToolscursivekeyboardingdigital editing
The whole unit on one page. Use it to choose which sections of the review to try first.
Colon ( : )Dear Mayor Thompson:TO: All studentsMAYA: Where's my toque?Bring three things: ...3:30 p.m.Comma ( , )Dear Grandma,Sincerely,However, the bus was late.My sister, who is twelve, ...Because it was icy, ...
A colon-or-comma cheat card with examples from this unit. Formal greetings, memo headings and script names take a colon.

Fluent Cursive and Keyboarding Proficiency

1

Kai typed 400 characters in 4 minutes. What is his speed in wpm?

2

What does Ctrl + Z do?

3

Which should come first when you practise typing: speed or accuracy?

Latin Roots for Spelling: Believe, Carry, Turn, Put, Take and Come

1

What does cred mean? vert/vers?

2

Spell the noun from receive.

3

What is a conifer?

Greek Word Parts for Science: Air, Sailors, Power, Universe and Together

1

What does aero mean? naut?

2

Explain chlorophyll using its parts.

3

Why is it sympathy, not synpathy?

Spelling the Schwa: Use a Related Word

1

Fill in the vowel: def_nite. What related word helps?

2

Fill in the vowel: comp_tition. What related word helps?

3

Fill in the vowel: gramm_r.

Tricky Endings: -cial or -tial? -cious or -tious? -ary, -ery or -ory?

1

Choose -cial or -tial: par___.

2

Choose -cious or -tious: cau___.

3

Choose -ary, -ery or -ory: bak___.

Commonly Confused Words: Principal or Principle?

1

Choose: Honesty is an important (principal / principle).

2

Choose: I bought new (stationary / stationery) for my letters.

3

Choose: The town (council / counsel) voted on the new park.

Complex Sentences with Adjective (Relative) Clauses

1

Find the adjective clause: The dog that lives next door barks at night.

2

Choose: The girl (who / which) won is my cousin.

3

Add commas: Toronto which is Ontario's capital is on Lake Ontario.

Combining Sentences to Show How Ideas Are Related

1

What relationship does unless show?

2

Combine to show contrast: It was sunny. It was very cold.

3

Add a comma: Because the road was icy we drove slowly.

Gerunds: When -ing Words Act as Nouns

1

Find the gerund: Snowboarding is my favourite sport.

2

Gerund or verb? She is snowboarding today.

3

Choose: Making snowmen (is / are) fun.

Active and Passive Voice

1

Active or passive? The cookies were baked by Grandma.

2

Change to active: The cookies were baked by Grandma.

3

Change to passive: The class will plant a garden.

Verbs That Work Well: Consistent Tense and Linking Verbs

1

Fix the tense shift: We went to the park and play tag.

2

Action or linking? The bread smells fresh.

3

Choose: I feel (bad / badly) that I was late.

Colons in Formal Letters and Memos

1

Punctuate the formal salutation: Dear Mayor Brown

2

Punctuate the friendly salutation: Dear Nana

3

Name the four memo headings.

Punctuating Dialogue in Scripts and Stories

1

Turn into a script line: "I can't find my skates," said Jen.

2

Where do stage directions go?

3

Turn into story dialogue: DAD: Check the closet.

Commas After Transition Words and Phrases

1

Add the comma: Unfortunately the game was cancelled.

2

Add the commas: The movie however was too long.

3

Fix the comma splice: We were tired, however we kept going.

Editing Digital Texts for Accuracy and Style

1

Name the four kinds of errors to check for when editing.

2

Why might a spell-checker miss its used for it's?

3

Edit for style: The goal was scored by Mia.

Just for fun

Riddle: What's the difference between a cat and a comma?

A cat has claws at the end of its paws, and a comma is a pause at the end of a clause.

How to use this review

  • Try each section before you open the answers.
  • Say grammar sentences aloud to hear how they sound, and write spelling words on paper.
  • Put a check mark beside each section you got mostly right.
  • If a section was tricky, go back to that lesson and redo its More practice questions.
  • You don't have to do it all at once. Three or four sections a day is fine!
Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which spelling is correct?

2.

What does naut mean in astronaut?

3.

Which word helps you spell history?

4.

Which spelling is correct?

5.

Which sentence is correct?

6.

Which sentence uses commas correctly?

7.

Which sentence has a gerund?

8.

What is the passive form of The dog chased the ball?

9.

Which script line is correct?

10.

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

For parents and teachers

Use mistakes to choose what to revisit. Each review section matches one lesson.

  • Slow or hard-to-read notes, low typing accuracy, or doesn't know shortcuts: revisit Fluent Cursive and Keyboarding Proficiency.
  • Can't use roots like cred, fer, vert, pos, cept, ven to spell or explain words: revisit Latin Roots for Spelling: Believe, Carry, Turn, Put, Take and Come.
  • Writes fotosynthesis or synpathy, or can't explain science words: revisit Greek Word Parts for Science: Air, Sailors, Power, Universe and Together.
  • Writes definate, grammer, compatition: revisit Spelling the Schwa: Use a Related Word.
  • Writes provintial, ambicious, bakary: revisit Tricky Endings: -cial or -tial? -cious or -tious? -ary, -ery or -ory?.
  • Mixes up principal/principle, stationary/stationery, council/counsel: revisit Commonly Confused Words: Principal or Principle?.
  • Writes the girl which, or misses commas around extra clauses: revisit Complex Sentences with Adjective (Relative) Clauses.
  • Uses and for everything, or picks a joining word with the wrong meaning: revisit Combining Sentences to Show How Ideas Are Related.
  • Can't spot gerunds, or writes Collecting stamps are: revisit Gerunds: When -ing Words Act as Nouns.
  • Can't tell or convert active and passive voice: revisit Active and Passive Voice.
  • Shifts tense mid-story, writes we was or feel badly: revisit Verbs That Work Well: Consistent Tense and Linking Verbs.
  • Uses commas after formal greetings or forgets memo colons: revisit Colons in Formal Letters and Memos.
  • Puts quotation marks in scripts, or colons in story dialogue: revisit Punctuating Dialogue in Scripts and Stories.
  • Writes comma splices with however, or forgets commas after transitions: revisit Commas After Transition Words and Phrases.
  • Trusts the checker completely or edits only spelling: revisit Editing Digital Texts for Accuracy and Style.

Expectations in this unit: B2.1 (using morphemes to spell complex words), B2.2 (vocabulary), B3.1 (sentence structure), B3.2 (grammar: gerunds, active and passive voice), B3.3 (capitalization and punctuation: colons in letters, memos and scripts; commas after transitions), D2.2 (cursive and keyboarding), D2.6 (editing digital texts), with Strand A (A1.2, A3.1) woven in. The sibling unit Foundations of Reading covers oral language (B1), reading fluency (B2.3) and more vocabulary and morphology for reading.