Handout
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University

Purdue University Owl: Academic Writing: Levels of Formality

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Basic information explaining how the context, i.e., the audience and your purpose, determines whether you should use formal, semi-formal, or informal language. The links on the sidebar provide much more information about formal academic...
Handout
Towson University

Towson University: Ows: Commonly Confused Words: Connote / Denote

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This entry focuses on the commonly confused words connote and denote including providing an explanation, examples, and a link to a quiz/exercise.
Handout
Towson University

Towson University: Ows: Commonly Confused Words: Judicial / Judicious

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This entry focuses on the commonly confused words It's and Its including providing an explanation, examples, and a link to a quiz/exercise.
Lesson Plan
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: Animals Not to [Verb] With

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
In this lesson, young scholars will create 4 original poems within a particular rhythm and rhyme scheme.
Unit Plan
Get It Write

Get It Write: Using "Good" and "Well" as Modifiers

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site provides an explanation for using "good" and "well" properly. A self test is given at the end of the article.
Unit Plan
Get It Write

Get It Write: Here and There

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Be sure you know what you are saying when using the words "here" and "there" at the beginning of a sentence. These grammar tips explain how you need to pay attention to the subject of your sentence in order to use the correct verb form....
Unit Plan
Get It Write

Get It Write: Using a Comma Before "And" in a Series

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This article discusses the correct use of a comma before the word "and" in a list. In addition to clear explanations and examples, there is a self-test with answers. L.11-12.1a Gram/Usage changes, L.11-12.1b Usage issues
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Mining Literature for Deeper Meanings

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Writing a great English paper can be tough because literature doesn't always reveal its deeper meanings immediately. Amy E. Harter offers a few tips on how to read and write more critically and thoughtfully. [4:12]
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Other

D'youville College: Subject Verb Agreement

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
After defining subject-verb agreement and giving examples, this site answers several frequently asked questions about subject-verb agreement. Links to separate exercises are provided.
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Other

University of St. Thomas: Virtual Medieval Church: The Making of Middle English

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Details the changes as a result of a fifth-century invasion in Britain, causing the English and Norman French languages to combine to create what is known as Middle English. Part of William Caxton's prologue to the Eneydos is presented...
Handout
Other

Goucher College: A Glossary of Terms Essential to Describing Literature

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
An exhaustive list of literary terms and techniques with explanations that often include examples, prepared for a college-level survey course in English literature.
Article
Other

Shoreline Community College: Formal Properties of Literature

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
As students become more aware of text complexity, an understanding of the formal properties of literature becomes more important. This is an excellent examination of the kinds of choices writers make that change the way readers receive...
Handout
Bartleby

Bartleby.com: Elementary Rules of Usage

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Passage from William Strunk's "Elements of Style" explains how the placement of a participial phrase determines if it refers to the subject of the sentence. Examples.
Handout
University of Victoria (Canada)

The U Vic Writer's Guide: Literary Term: Epithet

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site from The UVic Writer's Guide provides a general description of the word "epithet." Content also includes a literary example.
Handout
Grammarly

Grammarly Handbook: Sentence Style

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
A list of three techniques used to develop sentence style: Sentence Variety, Sentence Emphasis, and Wordiness. Each technique links to more information.
Handout
Bartleby

Bartleby.com: Cambridge History of Eng and Am Lit: Later National Literature: P3

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This encyclopedia, "The History of English and American Literature" provided by Bartleby.com, includes some information about regional dialects during the 19th and 20th centuries. Check out section XXX 'The English Language in America'....
Handout
Grammarly

Grammarly Blog: Anymore vs. Any More

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This page explains the use of "anymore" in informal writing, but in formal writing and anywhere else, "any more" is preferable. Examples are provided.
Handout
Grammarly

Grammarly Blog: Anytime vs. Any Time

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This page focuses on changes in language usage pertaining to "anytime" and "any time." In informal writing "anytime" can be used, but in formal writing "any time" is perferable. Examples are provided.
Unit Plan
TES Global

Tes: Spoken Language Study Teaching Resources 11 20

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] This 20-page word resource discusses the topic of "Slang" for students. Practice exercises and notes are provided. L.11-12.3 Language Functions/Style
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Other

Online Etymology Dictionary

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The site, created by an avowed amateur, Douglas Harper, shares the origins of words. Students will type a word into a text box and click a "search" button to see the etymology of the word.
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Grammarly

Grammarly Blog: Hyphen Connecting Words Functioning as an Adjective

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Rules and examples for using hyphens when writing compound expressions.
Handout
Grammarly

Grammarly Blog: Sometime, Sometimes, and Some Time

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
An explanation with examples of using the words "sometime," "sometimes," and "some time" correctly in sentences.
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Other

World Wide Words/exploring the English Language

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
"World Wide Words is devoted to the English language - its history, quirks, curiosities and evolution. The Words site is organized into sections, each with its own index to help you find your way about."
Handout
Grammarly

Grammarly Blog: Common Errors in English: Bad or Badly

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This Grammarly Handbook resource clarifies the difference in usage between "bad" and "badly" in sentences. Numerous examples are provided in this resource.