Virginia SOL 9.W.3.C
The Standard
Edit writing for appropriate conventions, style, and language (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 reread drafts and make corrections to grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. They also adjust word choice, sentence structure, and tone to fit the purpose and audience.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students independently find and correct errors in grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. They improve unclear wording, sentence flow, and tone without changing the writer's meaning.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may add commas wherever they hear a pause or assume every short sentence is a fragment. They may replace simple words with awkward thesaurus choices or make every piece sound overly formal.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Edit a five-sentence paragraph containing a fragment, comma error, vague word, repeated phrase, and tone problem. Rewrite the corrected paragraph.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs a printed paragraph and three highlighters to mark convention errors, unclear wording, and style problems, then revise it.
Show two versions of a paragraph and ask students to write which better fits a school audience, citing three language choices.
Run an editing relay where teams correct one numbered sentence at a time and explain each change before passing the paper.
Have students edit a poorly written email to a coach or employer, focusing on correctness, clear wording, and respectful tone.
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Printable 9.W.3.C Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 9.W.3.C, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
- 11.W.3.C
The 11th Grade version of this standard.
- 10.W.3.C
The 10th Grade version of this standard.
- 12.W.3.C
Edit writing for appropriate conventions, style, and language in informal and formal contexts. (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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