6.10.D.ix
The Standard
correct spelling, including commonly confused terms such as its/it's, affect/effect, there/their/they're, and to/two/too
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading · The student uses the writing process recursively to compose multiple texts that are legible and uses appropriate conventions.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students use context, meaning, and grammar to choose among commonly confused words. They edit drafts to find and correct these spelling and usage errors.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students consistently choose the correct word based on meaning and sentence structure. They also find and fix these errors when editing their own drafts.
Common Misconceptions
- Students often use apostrophes to show possession in "it's," although "it's" means "it is" or "it has." They may choose words by sound instead of checking meaning and grammar.
How to Assess It
- Give students four sentences with one blank each, using its/it's, affect/effect, there/their/they're, and to/two/too. Ask them to fill each blank and explain one choice.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Place word cards beside matching definition and sentence cards, then have pairs explain why each match works.
Give students the prompt, "How can you test whether it's or its belongs in a sentence?" and require an example.
Play a team relay where students select the correct word for projected sentences and earn a point only with a valid explanation.
Have students proofread a mock text message, school announcement, or online review for confused-word errors before publishing it.
Keep exploring
Related Standards
- 4.11.D.xi
correct spelling of words with grade-appropriate orthographic patterns and rules and high-frequency words; and
- 8.10.D.vii
The 8th Grade version of this standard.
- 3.11.D.xi
correct spelling of words with grade-appropriate orthographic patterns and rules and high-frequency words; and
- 7.10.D.ix
correct spelling, including commonly confused terms such as its/it's, affect/effect, there/their/they're, and to/two/too
Turn this exact standard into a lesson
Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.