Grades 3–5
Tired Words: Swap Them Out
A word-choice revision: three fresh words for said, good, went, nice, big and fun, then a paragraph to revise.
Writing worksheet · Paragraph writing and editing
Fix Choppy Sentences
A choppy paragraph of eight short sentences to combine with joining words, describing words and when words.
- Grade level
- Grades 4–5
- Time
- About 30 minutes
- Answer key
- Not needed: answers vary
- Kids practice
- Paragraph structure, Topic and concluding sentences, Revising and editing, Proofreading
What kids do
“This paragraph has too many short, choppy sentences. Combine some of them to make it flow.”
Printed on the sheet:
- I have a dog. His name is Rex. He is brown. He is big. He likes to run. He likes to dig. We go to the park. We go on Saturdays.
- Join with and, but or so. · Tuck in a describing word: a big brown dog. · Add a when word:
- My smoother paragraph
Teacher tip
Read the choppy paragraph aloud in a robot voice so kids hear why it needs smoothing.
How to use it
- Have kids use one color for revision and another for editing.
- Post the editing or revision checklist on the board.
- Give a minute at the end to reread the work out loud to a partner.
Watch for
Revising and editing mixed up. Revising is the ideas; editing is the rules.
Talk about it
- Which change made the biggest difference?
- Where else do writers use this skill?
Take it further
Trade paragraphs with a partner for a peer edit.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
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Proofread for Spelling Mistakes
An aquarium field trip paragraph with nine misspelled words to find with the sp mark and fix.
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