All skills English

Learn Index · Grammar and Conventions Grade 1–2

Capitalization, punctuation and basic grammar

Correct sentences use capital letters, ending punctuation, apostrophes, commas in lists and verbs that match.

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Rules that help readers

When you speak, your voice shows where sentences stop, when you are asking a question and when you are excited. When you write, you need other signals to do that job. Capitalization, punctuation and grammar are those signals. They help your reader understand exactly what you mean.

This tutorial covers the basic rules most writers in grades 1 and 2 learn.

Capital letters

Use a capital letter for:

  1. The first word of a sentence. The bus is late.
  2. The word I. Mom and I baked bread.
  3. Names of people and pets. Aisha, Mr. Brown, Fluffy
  4. Names of places. Canada, Halifax, Lake Louise, Elm Street
  5. Days, months and holidays. Tuesday, March, Thanksgiving
  6. Titles of books and movies (the important words). The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Do not use capital letters for ordinary words in the middle of a sentence: We saw a dog at the park.

End punctuation

Every sentence ends with a mark.

  • Period ( . ) for telling sentences: I like snow.
  • Question mark ( ? ) for asking sentences: Do you like snow?
  • Exclamation mark ( ! ) for strong feeling: I love snow!

Commas

A comma tells the reader to pause briefly. In grades 1 and 2, use commas in these places:

In a list of three or more

I packed apples, crackers and cheese.
We saw lions, tigers and bears.

(Some writers also put a comma before and: apples, crackers, and cheese. Both ways are used.)

In dates

My birthday is May 4, 2018.
School starts on Tuesday, September 2.

In letters

Dear Grandma,
Love, Theo

Between a city and a province or country

Winnipeg, Manitoba Paris, France

Apostrophes

An apostrophe looks like a comma floating up high ( ‘ ). It has two jobs.

Job 1: Contractions

A contraction squeezes two words together. The apostrophe takes the place of the missing letters.

Two words Contraction
do not don’t
can not can’t
is not isn’t
I am I’m
it is it’s
we are we’re
you will you’ll

Job 2: Ownership

Add ‘s to show that something belongs to someone.

Sam’s bike (the bike that belongs to Sam)
the dog’s bone (the bone that belongs to the dog)

Do not use an apostrophe just to make a word plural. Two cats, not two cat’s.

Basic grammar

Grammar is the set of rules for building sentences.

Every sentence needs a subject and a verb

The subject is who or what the sentence is about. The verb tells what they do or are.

The bird (subject) sings (verb).

Subject-verb agreement

The verb must match the subject. This is called subject-verb agreement.

  • One: The dog runs. She is happy.
  • More than one: The dogs run. They are happy.

Use the right past tense

Yesterday I went (not goed) to the park. I saw (not seen) a duck.

Use the right pronoun

Ali and I went to the zoo. (not Me and Ali)

How to check your writing

Use this checklist, called CUPS:

  • Capitals: Did I start each sentence and name with a capital?
  • Usage: Does my grammar sound right? Do my verbs match?
  • Punctuation: Does each sentence end with a mark? Do lists have commas?
  • Spelling: Did I check words I was unsure of?

Let’s try some examples

Example 1: Fix it. on saturday me and jen went to the zoo
On Saturday, Jen and I went to the zoo.

Example 2: Add commas. We need eggs milk and butter.
We need eggs, milk and butter.

Example 3: Make a contraction. She is my friend.
She’s my friend.

Example 4: Show ownership. the toy that belongs to the baby
the baby’s toy

Common mistakes

  • Forgetting capitals on names and the word I.
  • Missing end marks.
  • Apostrophes in plurals. apple’s for sale should be apples for sale.
  • Mixing up its and it’s. It’s means it is. Its means belongs to it.
  • Verbs that do not match. The kids is playing should be The kids are playing.

Try it yourself

Fix each sentence.

  1. my cousin lives in regina saskatchewan
  2. we ate pizza salad and cake
  3. the cats is sleeping
  4. i cant find my brothers hat

Answers: 1. My cousin lives in Regina, Saskatchewan. 2. We ate pizza, salad and cake. 3. The cats are sleeping. 4. I can’t find my brother’s hat.

Tip for families

Choose one rule to focus on each week, such as “commas in a list.” Point it out in books and practise it in a short note or list. Use the CUPS checklist together after your child writes, starting with praise for what they already did well.

Quick recap

  • Capitalize sentence starts, I, names, places, days, months and holidays.
  • End every sentence with a period, question mark or exclamation mark.
  • Use commas in lists, dates, letters and addresses.
  • Apostrophes make contractions and show ownership.
  • Make verbs agree with their subjects.
  • Check your writing with CUPS.