CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.1

ELA8th GradeConventions of Standard English

The Standard

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Language Standards

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students use verbals correctly and explain their roles in sentences. They choose active or passive voice, control verb mood, and avoid confusing shifts when writing or speaking.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students can explain how a verbal works in a sentence. They can choose an effective voice and verb mood, then revise sentences with confusing shifts.
Common Misconceptions: Students often confuse passive voice with past tense or label every “-ing” word as a verb. They may also shift voice or verb mood without a clear reason.
How to Assess It: Give an exit ticket with four sentences. Ask students to identify one verbal, revise a passive sentence to active voice, and correct an unclear shift in verb mood.

Lesson moves

Give groups sentence strips with gerunds, participles, and infinitives, then have them sort and label each verbal’s job.
Ask students to compare active and passive versions of a sentence and write which version fits a news report better.
Play a revision relay where teams correct sentences containing mixed verb moods or unnecessary shifts between active and passive voice.
Examine school announcements, recipes, and news headlines to identify verb moods and explain why each writer chose them.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.1, 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

See the whole path on the Language progression map.

If students are struggling here, check these first.

Mastery here sets students up for these next.

Keep exploring

Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.