Writing sentences

Writing sentences

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about writing sentences that show what people said.
Use the words in the speech bubbles to write sentences that show what each person said,
and who said it.  Remember to add speech marks and any other punctuation that is needed.
Here is an example.
 
rikki and manu talking
 "What have you got there?" asked Rikki.
"It's my new robot!" exclaimed Manu.

Question 1Change answer

a) Use the words in the speech bubbles to write sentences that show what each person said, and who said it. Remember to add speech marks and any other punctuation that is needed.
caelia and sami talking

Question 1Change answer

b) Use the words in the speech bubbles to write sentences that show what each person said, and who said it. Remember to add speech marks and any other punctuation that is needed.
sue and jim talking

Question 1Change answer

c) Use the words in the speech bubbles to write sentences that show what each person said, and who said it. Remember to add speech marks and any other punctuation that is needed.
chris and paul talking
Task administration: 
This task can be completed on pencil and paper or online.
Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
English, Creating meaning, Writing
Key Competencies: 
Using language, symbols, and texts
Keywords: 
punctuation, speech marks, direct speech, sentence structure
Description of task: 
This task assesses the understanding needed to punctuate direct speech by asking students to re-write words in speech bubbles as direct speech.
Curriculum Links: 
This resource can be used to help to identify students’ ability to create texts to meet the writing demands of the New Zealand Curriculum.
 

Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
  • use basic punctuation that is mostly correct, including punctuation of dialogue
as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Writing meaningful text: text features, set 4
within the Writing Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 
   

Y6 (11/2001)

a)

"That looks fun!" said Celia.

"You can have a turn in a minute," said Sami.

very easy

moderate


easy

very difficult

b)

"Those sausages smell good!" said/exclaimed Sue.

 


"They're nearly ready," said Jim.

easy

moderate


easy

very difficult

c)

"I've nearly finished my painting. Do you like it?"
asked Chris.

 

"Yes I do. I like the way you've done the sun," said Paul.

moderate

moderate


moderate

very difficult

Award 1 mark each time the student has used speech marks to enclose only the words directly spoken, without adding any unnecessary speech marks.

Award 1 mark each time the student has included appropriate punctuation between the direct speech and the words that indicate who has spoken. To get this mark the punctuation needs to be correctly placed inside the speech marks. 

Diagnostic and formative information: 
  Common errors
b)-d) 15-22% of students did not insert any speech marks for each example of direct speech.
b)-d) 15-37% of students did not insert any punctuation to separate the words spoken from the speaker. Students were more likely to omit punctuation in those instances in which a comma was needed to separate the words spoken from the speaker, e.g., For Sami in b (37%), for Jim in c (35%), and for Paul in d (24%).
c) Jim 37% of students inserted an incorrect type of punctuation to separate the words spoken from the speaker, such as a full stop.
d) Chris
  • 11% of students placed speech marks around each sentence spoken by Chris, and so included extra speech marks unnecessarily, e.g., "I've nearly finished my painting." "Do you like it?"
  • 12% of students used speech marks incorrectly by either omitting necessary speech marks or inserting them in the wrong places.
  • 8% of students used the correct type of punctuation but incorrectly placed it on the outer side of the speech marks.
e) Paul
  • 9% of students placed speech marks around each sentence spoken by Paul and so included extra speech marks unnecessarily, e.g., "Yes I do." "I like the way you've done the sun."
  • 13% of students used speech marks incorrectly by either omitting necessary speech marks or inserting them in the wrong places.
  • 40% of students inserted an incorrect type of punctuation to separate the words spoken from the speaker, such as a full stop.