CurriculumGrade 9English Language Arts

Conventions, Style & Vocabulary

Aligned to L.9-10.1 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.

What this lesson teaches

Parallel structure keeps list items in the same grammatical form, and semicolons and colons join or introduce ideas with precision. Following a style manual and using context and roots refine your writing and vocabulary.

Worked example

Not parallel: 'She likes reading, to write, and hikes.' Parallel: 'She likes reading, writing, and hiking.' A semicolon joins related clauses: 'It rained; the game was cancelled.'

Practice questions

  1. Rewrite a sentence to make a list parallel.
  2. Use a semicolon to join two related clauses.
  3. Define a word using its root, then verify with a reference.

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

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En español

Convenciones, Estilo y Vocabulario

La estructura paralela mantiene los elementos de una lista en la misma forma gramatical, y los punto y coma y los dos puntos unen o introducen ideas con precisión. Seguir un manual de estilo y usar el contexto y las raíces de las palabras mejora tu escritura y vocabulario.

Ejemplo: Sin paralelismo: 'A ella le gusta leer, escribir cosas y hacer caminatas.' Con paralelismo: 'A ella le gusta leer, escribir y caminar.' Un punto y coma une dos oraciones relacionadas: 'Llovió; el partido fue cancelado.'

More Language lessons

Semicolons, Colons, and ConventionsL.9-10.2Language Choices for StyleL.9-10.3Unlocking Word MeaningL.9-10.4Figurative Language and NuanceL.9-10.5Academic and Domain VocabularyL.9-10.6

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