CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.1e

ELA5th GradeConventions of Standard English

The Standard

Use correlative conjunctions (e.g., either/or, neither/nor).

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students connect equal words, phrases, or clauses with paired conjunctions such as both/and and either/or. They choose a matching pair and place each word correctly.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student writes complete sentences using matching conjunction pairs. The connected words, phrases, or clauses follow the same grammatical pattern and express the intended choice or relationship.
Common Misconceptions: Students may mix pairs, writing either/nor or neither/or. They may omit one half of the pair. They may also join unlike structures, such as a noun with a full clause.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Combine “Maya can bring markers” and “Leo can bring markers” using either/or, then write one original sentence with neither/nor.

Lesson moves

Give pairs of students sentence strips labeled both, and, either, or, neither, and nor to build and read matched sentences.
Ask, “How does the meaning change when both/and becomes either/or?” Students explain, then revise one sentence.
Play Conjunction Match: students draw pair cards, complete a sentence stem correctly, and earn a point for parallel wording.
Have students write lunch-choice signs using either/or and club advertisements using both/and, then check each conjunction pair.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.1e, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Learning progression

Mastery here sets students up for these next.

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