Standard
Knowledge
Reasoning
Performance Skill
1: Demonstrate command of
the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.
a. Apply the understanding
that usage is a matter of
convention, can change over
time, and is sometimes
contested.
b. Resolve issues of complex
or contested usage,
consulting references (e.g.,
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary
of English Usage, Garner’s
Modern American Usage) as
needed.
Recognize that usage is a
matter of convention, can
change over time, and is
sometimes contested
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard
English grammar and usage
when writing:
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard
English grammar and usage
when speaking
I can recognize that word
usage is a matter of context,
can change over time, and is
sometimes questioned
I can show understanding of
the rules of standard English
grammar and usage when
writing
I can show control of the rules
of standard English grammar
and usage when speaking
Identify issues of complex or
contested usage, consulting
references (e.g., MerriamWebster’s Dictionary of
English Usage, Garner’s
Modern American Usage) as
needed
Apply understanding that
usage is a matter of
convention, can change over
time, and is sometimes
contested
I can identify issues of a
difficult or arguable usage by
referring to reference
materials
I can understand that usage is
based on rules/situations, can
change over time, and is
sometimes questioned
Resolve issues of complex or
contested usage, consulting
references (e.g., MerriamWebster’s Dictionary of
English Usage, Garner’s
Modern American Usage) as
needed
I can solve problems of
difficult or tricky usage using
references as needed
2: Demonstrate command of
the conventions of standard
English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
a. Observe hyphenation
conventions.
b. Spell correctly.
Apply correct capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling
when writing
I can use correct
capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling when writing
Know punctuation rules for
Product
hyphen usage
I know punctuation rules for
hyphen usage
Use hyphens in phrases and
clauses
I can use hyphens in phrases
and clauses
Recall and apply spelling
rules
I can recall and apply spelling
rules
Identify and correct
misspelled words
I can identify and correct
misspelled words
3: Apply knowledge of
language to understand how
language functions in different
contexts, to make effective
choices for meaning or style,
and to comprehend more fully
when reading or listening.
a. Vary syntax for effect,
consulting references (e.g.,
Tufte’s Artful Sentences) for
guidance as needed; apply an
understanding of syntax to the
study of complex texts when
reading.
Understand how language
functions in different contexts
I can understand how
language works in different
situations
Understand:
- style
- syntax
I can understand style/author
technique and word
arrangement/sentence
structure
Apply knowledge of language:
- to determine how language
functions in different contexts
- to make effective choices for
meaning or style
- to comprehend more fully
when reading or listening
I can use knowledge of
language to:
- decide how language works
in different situations
- make effective choices for
meaning or style
- better understand when
reading/listening
Vary syntax for effect when
writing, consulting references
when needed
I can change word
arrangement/sentence
structure for effect when
writing using references when
needed
Apply knowledge of syntax to
the study of complex texts
when reading
I can apply what I know about
word arrangement/sentence
structure to the study of
difficult texts when reading
4: Standard: Determine or
clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiplemeaning words and phrases
based on grades 11-12
reading and content, choosing
flexibly from a range of
strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., the
overall meaning of a
sentence, paragraph, or text;
a word’s position or function
in a sentence) as a clue to the
meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Identify and correctly use
patterns of word changes that
indicate different meanings or
parts of speech (e.g.,
conceive, conception,
conceivable).
c. Consult general and
specialized reference
materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both
print and digital, to find the
pronunciation of a word or
determine or clarify its precise
meaning, its part of speech,
its etymology, or its standard
usage.
d. Verify the preliminary
Recognize context clues (e.g.,
the overall meaning of a
sentence, paragraph, or text;
a word’s position or function
in a sentence)
I can recognize context clues
to determine the overall
meaning of a sentence,
paragraph or text; a word’s
position or function in a
sentence
Identify words and phrases
that have multiple meanings
I can identify words and
phrases that have multiple
meanings
Recognize patterns of word
changes that indicate
meaning or part of speech
(e.g., conceive, conception,
conceivable)
I can recognize word patterns
that indicate parts of speech
Consult specialized and
general print and digital
Use context (e.g., the overall
meaning of a sentence,
paragraph, or text; a word’s
position or function in a
sentence) as a clue to the
meaning of a multiple
meaning or unknown word or
phrase
I can use context as a clue to
the meanings of unknown
words or phrases
Use patterns of word changes
to determine meaning (e.g.,
conceive, conception,
conceivable)
I can use word patterns to
determine meanings of
unknown words
Choose flexibly from a range
of vocabulary strategies to
determine or clarify the
meaning of an unknown or
multiple-meaning word or
phrase
I can employ various
determination of the meaning
of a word or phrase (e.g., by
checking the inferred meaning
in context or in a dictionary).
reference materials to find:
- word pronunciation
- meaning
- part of speech
- etymology
- standard usage
I can use various print and
digital materials to find word
pronunciation, meaning, part
of speech, etymology (history
of the word), and standard
usage
5: Demonstrate
understanding of figurative
language, word relationships,
and nuances in word
meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech
(e.g. hyperbole, paradox) in
context and analyze their role
in text.
b. Analyze nuances in the
meaning of words with similar
denotations.
vocabulary strategies to
determine the meanings of
words
Verify preliminary
determination of the meaning
of a word or phrase
I can confirm my predictions
of word meanings
Define figures of speech (e.g.
hyperbole, paradox)
Interpret figures of speech
(e.g. hyperbole, paradox)
I can define figures of speech
(non-literal use of language)
I can interpret figures of
speech
Recognize figures of speech
within the text
Analyze the role of figurative
language within the text
I can find examples of figures
of speech (non-literal use of
language) within the text
I can examine the use of and
reasons for figurative/nonliteral language within a text
Identify words with similar
denotations
Determine how figurative
language impacts a text’s
purpose
I can identify words with
similar literal/dictionary
meanings
Recognize nuances in the
meaning of words with similar
meanings
I can find small differences in
the meaning of similar words
I can decide how
figurative/non-literal language
impacts the purpose of a text
Analyze nuances in the
meanings of words with
similar denotations
I can break down and study
small differences in the
meanings of words with
similar literal/dictionary
meanings
6: Acquire and use accurately
general academic and domain
-specific words and phrases
sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking and listening at the
college and career readiness
level; demonstrate
independence in gathering
vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension
or expression.
Identify academic and
domain-specific words and
phrases sufficient for:
- reading
- writing
- speaking and listening
I can identify situationally/
environmentally appropriate
words or phrases in reading,
writing, speaking, and
listening
Recognize and gather words
and phrases important to
comprehension or expression
Make meaning and use
accurately words and phrases
important to the
comprehension of academic
and domain-specific words
through:
- reading
- writing
- speaking and listening
I can use situationally/
environmentally appropriate
words or phrases in reading,
writing, speaking, and
listening
Use general academic and
domain-specific words and
phrases at the college and
career readiness level,
sufficient for:
- reading
- writing
- speaking and listening
I can use situationally/
environmentally appropriate
words or phrases in reading,
writing, speaking, and
listening
Use appropriate contextual
clues when demonstrating
independence in gathering
vocabulary knowledge
I can recognize and gather
words and phrases important
to comprehension or
expression
Acquire and use appropriate
contextual clues when
demonstrating independence
in gathering vocabulary
knowledge
Identify appropriate resources
to aid in gathering vocabulary
knowledge
I can independently gather
vocabulary knowledge
through context clues
I can identify appropriate
resources to aid in gathering
vocabulary knowledge
Select appropriate resources
to aid in gathering vocabulary
knowledge
Demonstrate independence in
gathering vocabulary
knowledge by:
- contextual clues
- references/resource
I can select appropriate
resources to aid in gathering
vocabulary knowledge
I can select appropriate
resources to aid in gathering
vocabulary knowledge
I can independently gather
vocabulary knowledge
through context clues