Virginia SOL 12.W.3.C
The Standard
Edit writing for appropriate conventions, style, and language in informal and formal contexts. (See Language Usage for grade level expectations)
Virginia Standards of Learning for English
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students edit drafts for correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and usage. They choose words, sentence patterns, and tone that fit a formal or informal audience.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students correct errors in grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and word use. They also adjust tone, sentence structure, and vocabulary to fit the audience and purpose without changing the meaning.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat formal writing as writing with longer words and longer sentences. They may also use texting abbreviations, slang, vague pronouns, or casual punctuation when the audience calls for precision.
How to Assess It
- Give students a casual message with five usage or style problems. Ask them to revise it as an email to a principal and explain two changes.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs printed sentences to cut, sort into formal and informal groups, then revise two sentences that do not fit their assigned context.
Ask students to rewrite the same request for a close friend, a teacher, and a scholarship committee, then explain their language choices.
Run an editing relay where teams correct one convention or style issue at each station before passing the paragraph to the next team.
Compare a workplace email with a group chat message, then have students revise each for the other audience without losing the main point.
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Printable 12.W.3.C Worksheet
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Related Standards
- 11.W.3.C
Edit writing for appropriate conventions, style, and language (See Language Usage for grade level expectations).
- 9.W.3.C
Edit writing for appropriate conventions, style, and language (See Language Usage for grade level expectations).
- 10.W.3.C
Edit writing for appropriate conventions, style, and language (See Language Usage for grade level expectations).
- 1.W.3.A
With guidance and support from adults, edit writing for conventions e.g., spelling, capitalization, usage, punctuation). (See Language Usage for grade level exp...
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