CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.1h
The Standard
Use determiners (e.g., articles, demonstratives).
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
What This Standard Means
Students need to use words like a, an, the, this, that, these, and those correctly before nouns. They should understand that these words help show which thing, how many, or whether the noun is specific or general.
Mastery looks like speaking and writing sentences such as “I see a dog,” “The dog is brown,” and “These pencils are sharp.” Students often mix up a and an, use this with plural nouns, or leave the determiner out completely, especially in quick writing.
Ways to Teach It
- Hands-on: Give students picture cards and noun cards, then have them match each noun with a, an, the, this, that, these, or those.
- Prompt: Ask students to write two sentences about classroom objects, using this for one object and these for more than one.
- Quick assessment: Show five object pictures and have students orally complete sentence frames like “I see ___ apple” and “___ books are red.”
- Real-world connection: During cleanup, ask students to name items using determiners, such as “those crayons,” “the glue,” or “these folders.”
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.1h
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1a
Use relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where, when, why).
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.1b
Use common, proper, and possessive nouns.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.1d
Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1d
Order adjectives within sentences according to conventional patterns (e.g., a small red bag rather than a red small bag).