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B. Foundations of Language · Cursive, Spelling and Sentences

Cursive, Spelling and Sentences: Unit Review

A1 B2.1 B2.2 B2.3 B2.4 B3.1 B3.2 B3.3 D2.2About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can begin to write in cursive, joining letters with the right size and slant.
  • I can spell long words using syllable types, spelling patterns, prefixes and suffixes.
  • I can write simple, compound and complex sentences and use many kinds of words.
  • I can use capitals, commas, quotation marks and apostrophes correctly.

Words to know

cursive
Joined-up writing.
syllable
A beat in a word, with one vowel sound.
morpheme
The smallest part of a word that has meaning, like a base, prefix or suffix.
complex sentence
A main idea plus a clause that can't stand alone, starting with a word like when or because.
contraction
Two words joined with an apostrophe where letters are missing, like don't.

Let's review!

In this unit you began cursive writing, became a stronger speller, and learned new ways to build sentences and use punctuation. This review has a few questions from every lesson. Try each one (say spelling words out loud and have someone check your writing), then press Show answer. If a section feels tricky, go back to that lesson.

Doubleshort vowel + one consonantsun + ysunnyDrop the esilent e + vowel suffixshine + yshinyChange y to iconsonant + yhappy + nesshappiness
Three spelling changes to check before you add a suffix.
Simplesubject+predicateCompoundcomplete idea+, and / but / so+complete ideaComplexmain idea+when / because / if... clauseThe dashed part can't stand alone.
Recipes for the three sentence forms. Using all three makes your writing sound smooth and interesting.

Beginning Cursive Writing

1

Name the four cursive strokes.

2

Which four letters end up high and join with a bridge?

3

Write it in cursive. When do you dot the i and cross the t?

Spelling Long Words with Syllable Types

1

Spell robot. What kind is the first syllable?

2

Spell kitten.

3

Spell maple.

4

Is happy or hapy correct? Why?

Choosing the Right Spelling for Long Vowel Sounds

1

Spell play and rain.

2

Spell light.

3

Spell funny. Why is the end spelled y?

Consonant Spelling Patterns: c, k or ck, -le, ph and -tion

1

Spell music and truck.

2

Why does have end with an e?

3

Spell station.

Suffixes: Meanings and Spelling Changes

1

What does washable mean?

2

Add -ness to happy.

3

Write the plurals of leaf, berry and child.

Prefixes, Bases and Word Families

1

What does misread mean?

2

Spell mis + spell.

3

Write two words in the agree word family.

Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences

1

Find the subject and predicate: The red canoe floated down the river.

2

Join with but: I like snow. My dog doesn't.

3

Add a comma: When the bell rang we went outside.

4

Simple, compound or complex? We cheered because our team won.

Possessive Nouns: One Owner or Many?

1

Write it short: the tails of the cats (many cats).

2

Write it short: the coats of the children.

3

Fix it: The apple's are on sale.

Linking Verbs and the Progressive Tense

1

Action or linking? The soup smells good.

2

Write in the past progressive: We (skate) on the pond.

3

Fix it: They was running.

Question Words, Prepositions and Interjections

1

Fill in: ______ hat is this? (asking who owns it)

2

Find the prepositional phrase: The owl sat in the tree.

3

Punctuate: Wow that was fast

Capitals in Titles, Dialogue and Quotations

1

Capitalize: the day it snowed in june

2

Punctuate: where are my skates asked Tom

3

Punctuate: Mom said dinner is ready

Contractions and Sound-Alike Words

1

Write the contractions for did not and they are.

2

Choose: The fox ran to (its / it's) den.

3

Choose: (Your / You're) my best friend.

Just for fun

Why did the speller bring a ladder to the spelling test?

To reach the high marks! (And yes, high spells long i with igh.)

How to use this review

  • Do the review in two short sittings if your child gets tired. Each section matches one lesson.
  • For spelling, say the word and have your child write it. Then check together.
  • For cursive, watch how letters are formed (starting point, joins), not only how they look.
  • After each answer, ask "How did you know?" Naming the rule ("two syllables, so c at the end") matters as much as the answer.
  • Note which sections had mistakes, then go back to that lesson's activity and practice.
Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which stroke do most cursive letters begin with?

2.

Which word is spelled correctly?

3.

Which is spelled correctly?

4.

What is the plural of knife?

5.

What does reread mean?

6.

Which is a complex sentence?

7.

Which shows the toys of many puppies?

8.

Which sentence uses the progressive tense?

9.

Which is punctuated correctly?

10.

Which is correct?

For parents and teachers

Use mistakes to choose what to revisit. Each review section matches one lesson.

  • Starting letters in the wrong place, lifting the pencil after every letter, uneven slant, or bridge joins dropping to the baseline: revisit Beginning Cursive Writing.
  • Missing syllables, doubling the wrong letters (tigger, hapy, litle): revisit Spelling Long Words with Syllable Types.
  • plai, nite, happee, or other long vowel mix-ups: revisit Choosing the Right Spelling for Long Vowel Sounds.
  • musik, picnick, hav, candel, fone, stashun: revisit Consonant Spelling Patterns.
  • suny, hopful, happyness, berrys, leafs, mouses: revisit Suffixes: Meanings and Spelling Changes.
  • mispell, not knowing what re-, dis-, non- or in- mean: revisit Prefixes, Bases and Word Families.
  • Sentence fragments (Because it was cold.), run-ons, missing commas after an opening clause: revisit Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences.
  • Apostrophes on plurals, childrens', boy's for many boys: revisit Possessive Nouns.
  • we was / they was, mixing up linking and action verbs, runing: revisit Linking Verbs and the Progressive Tense.
  • Who's/whose mix-ups, missing question marks, interjections without punctuation: revisit Question Words, Prepositions and Interjections.
  • Punctuation outside quotation marks, no capital at the start of speech, every word capitalized in a title: revisit Capitals in Titles, Dialogue and Quotations.
  • did'nt, its/it's, their/there/they're, your/you're mix-ups: revisit Contractions and Sound-Alike Words.

A few mistakes are normal. The real test is your child's own writing: look for these skills in their journal, letters and stories, and praise each one you see.