7th Grade Language Arts

Grade Language Arts Skills  
  = a site for teachers | = a PowerPoint show | This is an Adobe Acrobat document = Adobe Acrobat document | a Word document
 

Reading
Oral Language/Decoding
SPI's & Reporting Categories
(based on Curriculum Standards)
Internet Resources
Analyze the effects of sound (e.g., onomatopoeia, alliteration, accent, rhyme, and repetition).
 1
  1. Literary Terms quiz - Choose whether the line from a poem is an example of alliteration, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, or simile.
  2. Practicing onomatopoeia, alliteration, rhyme, simile and metaphor
    1. Word Play 1 | Word Play 2 | Word Play 3 | Word Play 4 | Word Play 5 | Word Play 6
  3. A concept map to use when you work with your students on these topics. This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  4. Poetic Devices - a classroom sign about the forms of poetic devices This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  5. Onomatopoeia Worksheet with Flashcards This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  6. Alliteration Worksheet with Flashcards This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  7. Shakespearean alliteration insults - have fun while reinforcing the concept of alliteration
  8. Kids Port.  Great site to assist in all areas
Comprehension
 
Read a passage and answer questions to show comprehension.
2
  1. Brainchild Test - 12 questions - Students should use the summary page after finishing this test to practice their areas of weakness.
  2. Inflation in Russia - read and answer questions
  3. Literal Understanding - Interactive quizzes with factual information on planets
  4. News Quiz Archive - over 50 news stories from the BBC. Each story has a ten question quiz associated with it. They also have a section of stories which include math in the news and the quiz
  5. Read a Contract - and answer questions
  6. Reading Comprehension stories - Interactive quizzes online for 5 stories - Each text is followed by a grammar exercise and summary writing exercise.
  7. Reading Comprehension Quiz- Online quiz
  8. Reading Exercises - Comprehension, Fill in and Sequencing
  9. Seventh Grade Reading - Read the introduction and the passage that follows. Then read each question and mark the circle next to the correct answer.
Derive information from the following text features: timelines, graphs, headings and subheadings.
 3
  
Determine the meaning of unknown words and/or multiple meaning words through the use of context clues.
 4
  1. Words with multiple meanings - students fill in the blanks from a word list
  2. Context is the Key - students use context clues to determine the meaning of a word
  3. Using Multiple Meanings - students decide which sentences use a word correctly
Replace unknown words in context with appropriate synonyms and/or antonyms.
 5
  1. Synonym.com - type as word in the box and find a synonym, or antonym, of the word.
  2. Synonym Match Game one- Concentration style Game Two - Game Three
  3. Synonym & Antonym Word Encounters - Level 1 words | Level 2 words | Level 3 words
  4. Say it Another Way - Fill in the blank with a synonym for the missing word.
  5. Synonymical: The Synonym Game - click to select the letters (one at a time) that spell the proper synonym. (Author - David Fisco)
  6. The Thesaurus - a reference book that lists words and their synonyms - Drag and drop the words to the right thesaurus entry.
Make predictions about the outcome of a given passage.
6
  
Formulate clarifying questions for use before, during, or after reading.
7
  
Identify the main idea/central element in a reading selection.
8
  1. Main Idea - Building Blocks of Comprehension
  2. What's the Big Idea? Exercise 1 - Write the common subject for each group of words, or "write a good title for each list." - a worksheet to print, not interactive
  3. What's the Big Idea? Exercise 2 - Write the common subject for each group of words, or "write a good title for each list." - a worksheet to print, not interactive
  4. What's the Big Idea? Exercise 3 - a bit harder than 1 & 2 - Write the common subject for each group of words, or "write a good title for each list." Then add another example that could be included in that group. Be as specific as you can. - a worksheet to print, not interactive
  5. Reading Comprehension - free reading comprehension worksheets for teachers and parents - includes original stories, poems, essays, and articles
  6. Main Idea - The main idea of a paragraph is what all the sentences are about. Read the paragraph and ask, “What’s your point?”
Distinguish between fact and opinion within context.
9
  1. Fact or Opinion Quiz - Decide which of these statements are fact or opinion from the drop-down list, then click on the "Finished" button to obtain your score out of ten.
  2. Fact or Opinion? (quiz 1) - a Quia quiz
  3. Fact or Opinion? (quiz 2) - a Quia quiz
  4. Fact or Opinion? - In the following three sentences, two are facts and one is an opinion. Can you tell which is which?
  5. Fact, Habit, Opinion or Schedule? - an English-Zone quiz
  6. Fact or Opinion? - When a sentence is a fact, click the circle next to fact.
  7. Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion
  8. Fact and Opinion Self-Test
  9. Martin Luther King Jr.: Fact or Opinion? (a worksheet to print)
  10. A mix of factual information and the opinions of the author. Often the opinions are disguised as fact, to make the author's argument seem more believable.
Decode unknown grade level words in context, using previously learned strategies, such as analysis of affixes, as aids in determining meaning.
 10
  
Recognize first person point of view.
 11
  1. Point of View Quiz - Read each group of sentences. Decide if it is written in first person or third person point of view.
Recognize and use grade appropriate and/or content specific vocabulary within context.
 12
  1. Match the Definition Exercises: - Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 (These activities are not interactive, but the answers are at the bottom of this page)
  2. Synonym Match Game one- Concentration style Game Two - Game Three ..
  3. Word Meaning Jigsaw Game One- match words with their meanings
    Game Two; Game Three; Game Four; Game Five; Game Six.
Identify plot elements in the proper place on a graphic organizer.
13
  1. Webquest about Story Elements -Each team presents a brief informational summary after reading the book Holes by Louis Sachar. (Holes WebQuest created by Janet Swartz)
  2. Short Story Elements - Online Quiz
Locate information using key words and headings.
 14
  1. News Quiz Archive - over 50 news stories from the BBC. Each story has a ten question quiz associated with it. They also have a section of stories which include math in the news and the quiz
Distinguish between poetry and prose and between biography and autobiography.
15
  1. This is a PowerPoint showAn Overview of Poetry - a comprehensive show on the topic of rhythm and rhyme
Select the correct word or phrase to complete an analogy.
 16
  1. Fact Monster Analogy of the Day
  2. Analogy Quiz which requires students to type the word to complete the analogy
  3. Analogy Lesson from Diana Dell
  4. Analogy quiz 1 at Quia posted by Diana Dell
  5. Analogy quiz 2 at Quia posted by Diana Dell
  6. Analogy Quiz from Paul Shoebottom at Frankfurt International School
  7. Awesome Analogies for one or two players - posted at Quia
  8. Discovery School Analogy Quizzes
    1. AnalogyQuiz8
    2. AnalogyQuiz9
    3. AnalogyQuiz10
  9. Puzz.com has a quiz with 152 analogies - pick one or two a day and practice this valuable skill
  10. This is a PowerPoint showAnalogy PowerPoint Show template - you make modifications to use with your students
Identify commonly used foreign phrases (e.g., bon voyage; mi casa es su casa, bon jour, hasta la vista).
 17
  1. Foreign Words and Phrases - The English meanings given are not necessarily literal translations.
Draw inferences from selected passages.
 18
  1. Drawing Inferences in Text: Some Key Ideas
  2. Teaching Students to Make Inferences
  3. Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions - descriptions of the various ways to aid you in reaching a conclusion
  4. Drawing Conclusions - Read the story and choose the correct word to complete the sentence.
  5. Drawing Conclusions - Read the story and select the letter of the correct response.
Identify the author’s purpose for writing and the reader’s purpose for reading.
19
  
Analyze cause and effect relationships in a given passage.
 20
  1. Making The Relationship Explicit Between Your Ideas - from UniLearning - Academic Writing
  2. Cause-and-Effect Writing Challenges Students - The cause-and-effect relationship is both a way of thinking and a format for writing. Teachers who emphasize cause-and-effect writing say that they are helping students learn to think critically as well as write cogently. Read what three experienced teachers have to say about this teaching approach, which can be used with students of all ages. This is an article from Education World magazine .
Identify examples of propaganda techniques (i.e., bandwagon, loaded words, testimonials).
 21
  
Determine the common characteristics of short stories, novels, poetry, drama, and nonfiction.
 22
  1. This is a PowerPoint showAn Overview of Poetry - a comprehensive show on the topic of rhythm and rhyme
Identify similes, metaphors, personification, and hyperbole within context.
 23
  1. Literary Terms quiz - Choose whether the line from a poem is an example of alliteration, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, or simile.
  2. Simile Poem - Read a simile poem, then write one of your own.
  3. Simile Riddle - Read a simile riddle, then write one of your own.
  4. Alliteration or Simile? - Choose whether each statement is an alliterative phrase, simile or neither.
  5. Do you know your similes? - drag the nouns to complete a Simile (Refresh the page to get a new set.)
  6. Metaphor Quiz - drag words to complete the metaphor (you have one minute to finish)
  7. Simile lesson with a printable quiz
  8. What is a Simile - explanation and a short quiz
Identify words that serve as clues to reveal time periods and cultures.
 24
  
Identify at least two ways by which an author reveals character traits in a given passage.
 25
  
Identify symbolism, flashback, and foreshadowing, within context.
 26
  
Rank a given set of resources according to reliability.
 27
  
Identify examples of sound devices (e.g., rhyme, alliteration, slant rhyme, repetition, and internal rhyme).
 28
  1. A concept map to use when you work with your students on these topics. This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  2. Poetic Devices - a classroom sign about the forms of poetic devices This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  3. Onomatopoeia Worksheet with Flashcards This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  4. Alliteration Worksheet with Flashcards This is an Adobe Acrobat document
  5. Shakespearean alliteration insults - have fun while reinforcing the concept of alliteration
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  Writing  
Process
 
Complete a graphic organizer (e.g., clustering, listing, mapping, and webbing) with information from notes on a writing selection.
 29
  1. Bibliographic Blunders (6 - 8) Students use note cards to collect information. (Author - Carolyn Garner)
Select appropriate time order or transitional words to enhance the flow of a writing sample.
 30
  
Identify the purpose for writing (e.g., to inform, to describe, to explain, to persuade).
 31
  
Identify the audience (formal/informal) for which the text is written.
 32
  
Select an appropriate concluding sentence for a well-developed paragraph.
 33
  1. Trailblazing Conclusions (6 - 8) Students develop a sense of ending by using closure and thought-provoking statements. (Author - Laurie Ayers)
Supply a missing piece of information in an outline.
 34
  
Rearrange multi-paragraphed work in a logical and coherent order.
35
  
Identify individual written selections as technical, narrative, persuasive and/or descriptive in mood.
36
  
Select an appropriate thesis statement from a writing sample.
 37
  1. Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements – from the OWL at Purdue 11/12/05
  2. Trailblazing Introductions (6 - 8) Students develop a sense of beginning by using strong leads. (Author - Laurie Ayers)
Select the best way to combine sentences to provide syntactic variety.
 38
  
Identify the sentence(s) irrelevant to a paragraph’s theme or flow.
 39
  1. Information Elimination (6 - 8) Students model, instruct, and practice narrowing a topic for expository writing. (Author - Julie Thompson)
Choose the supporting sentence that best fits the context and flow of ideas in a paragraph.
40
 
Select the most appropriate title for a passage.
41
 
Identify levels of reliability among resources (e.g., eyewitness account, newspaper account, supermarket tabloid, and internet source).
42
 
Select illustrations, explanations, anecdotes, descriptions, and/or facts to support key ideas.
 43
  
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  Elements of Language  
Identify the correct use of the following:
 
Read a passage and edit to correct errors in usage.
44
  1. Seventh Grade Writing - Read the introduction and the passage that follows. Then read each question and mark the circle next to the correct answer.
... nouns (common/proper, singular/plural, collective, compound, possessives, direct/indirect objects, and predicate nouns)
 45
  1. Power Proofreading - Choose 7th grade then select; Around the World, Five O'clock News, E-mail to Debbie, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
  2. Practicing adverbs, adjectives, nouns, pronouns, verbs - Word Skills 1 | Word Skills 2 | Word Skills 3
  3. Breaking Down Compound Words - In the following sentences, find the compound word and type it in as two separate words.
  4. Forming Compound Words - Match the words in the center with the words in the corners to form compound words that are found in a kitchen.
  5. Compound Word Characters - read a passage then select the appropriate compound words

     
... verbs (action/linking, agreement with subject, verbs that take objects, linking verbs, verb phrases, regular/irregular verbs, three simple and three perfect tenses, and tense consistency)
46
  1. Power Proofreading - Choose 7th grade then select; American Biography, HME-TV Weather, Cooking at HME-TV, Endless Summer, Improve your HOme!, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
  2. Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement - Select one answer from the choices provided after each sentence. The word you choose should fit the blank in the sentence.
  3. A Second Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement - After each sentence select the verb form that will best fit in the blank. The explanation will describe the process of arriving at the correct choice for that sentence.
  4. Third Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement - Select the appropriate verbs from the drop-down menus to complete each sentence correctly. There are thirty-three "opportunities for error" in these paragraphs.
  5. Making Subjects and Verbs Agree: Exercises - a worksheet to print, not interactive
  6. Let's see whether you understand subject-verb agreement. - Read each sentence, enter your response in the space provided, and then press "Submit" to check your answer.
  7. Subject-Verb Agreement Quiz - Select the correct verb form to agree with the subject.
  8. This is a PowerPoint showSubject-Verb Agreement: The Sore Thumb of Grammar
  9. Subject/Verb Agreement - Click the answer button to see the answer.
  10. ESL Subject Verb Agreement Quiz 1 - In the quiz questions , choose the correct verb so that subject and verb agree.
  11. ESL Subject Verb Agreement Quiz 2 - Do this quiz after mastering the quiz questions and their rules in the first
  12. Practicing past, present & future tenses - Tense Activity 1 | Tense Activity 2 | Tense Activity 3
  13. Practicing adverbs, adjectives, nouns, pronouns, verbs - Word Skills 1 | Word Skills 2 | Word Skills 3
... pronouns (case, reflexive, interrogative, demonstrative, agreement with antecedent)
47
  1. Power Proofreading - Choose 7th grade then select; The Shopping Show, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
  2. Practicing adverbs, adjectives, nouns, pronouns, verbs - Word Skills 1 | Word Skills 2 | Word Skills 3
... adjectives (common/proper, comparative/superlative forms, compound predicate adjectives, and;
adjective clauses)
48
  1. Adjective or Adverb Exercise 1
  2. Adjective or Adverb Exercise 2
  3. Power Proofreading - Choose 7th grade then select; Know it All, Review for Endless Entertainment Show, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
  4. Practicing adverbs, adjectives, nouns, pronouns, verbs - Word Skills 1 | Word Skills 2 | Word Skills 3
... adverbs (comparative/superlative, introductory phrases and clauses, and placement within the sentence)
49
  1. Adjective or Adverb Exercise 1
  2. Adjective or Adverb Exercise 2
  3. Power Proofreading - Choose 7th grade then select; Sports Minute, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
  4. Practicing adverbs, adjectives, nouns, pronouns, verbs - Word Skills 1 | Word Skills 2 | Word Skills 3
... conjunctions (coordinating, correlative, and subordinating conjunctions combining words, phrases, and clauses)
50
 
... prepositions
51
  1. Power Proofreading - Choose 7th grade then select; The Runaway Classroom, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
  2. Recognizing Prepositions - The following paragraph is taken from Ernest Hemingway's short story "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber." Click on the prepositions in the order in which they appear and they will appear in the text-area below the paragraph.
  3. Quiz on Prepositions - For each question, choose the single best answer.
  4. Prepositions at the Crossword I - Type the correct letter in each box. Use the tab key to move from box to box or use your mouse-button to place the letter in each box.
  5. Prepositions at the Crossword II - Type the correct letter in each box. Use the tab key to move from box to box or use your mouse-button to place the letter in each box.
  6. Prepositions at the Crossword III - Type the correct letter in each box. Use the tab key to move from box to box or use your mouse-button to place the letter in each box.
  7. Recognizing the Function of Phrases - When you click on "Start this test," you will be presented with a sentence.
  8. Verb and Preposition Combinations I - a quiz from the English-Zone
  9. Verb and Preposition Combinations II - a quiz from the English-Zone
  10. Verb and Preposition Combinations III - a quiz from the English-Zone
... interjections
52
 
Identify the correct use of prepositions and prepositional phrases within context.
 53
  1. Recognizing Prepositions - The following paragraph is taken from Ernest Hemingway's short story "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber." Click on the prepositions in the order in which they appear and they will appear in the text-area below the paragraph.
  2. Quiz on Prepositions - For each question, choose the single best answer.
  3. Prepositions at the Crossword I - Type the correct letter in each box. Use the tab key to move from box to box or use your mouse-button to place the letter in each box.
  4. Prepositions at the Crossword II - Type the correct letter in each box. Use the tab key to move from box to box or use your mouse-button to place the letter in each box.
  5. Prepositions at the Crossword III - Type the correct letter in each box. Use the tab key to move from box to box or use your mouse-button to place the letter in each box.
Recognize usage errors occurring within context.
7.3.1 | 7.3.2 | 7.3.3 | 7.3.4 | 7.3.5 | 7.3.6 | 7.3.8 | 7.3.9 | 7.3.10 | 7.3.11
Identify the correct use of commas (e.g., compound sentences, coordinating conjunctions, introductory words, appositives and interrupters) within context.
 
  1. Power Proofreading - Choose 7th grade then select; Climb Every Mountain, , or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
  2. Conjunctions - Click on the buttons to find the correct answer
  3. Conjunctions Quiz I - Click the answer buttons to see the answers.
  4. Conjunctions Quiz II - Combine the sentences using the conjunction given in parentheses.
  5. Conjunction-itis Popup - Find the correct conjunction form to combine two short sentences together into one! (a Quia quiz)
... double negatives
54
  1. Double Negatives - a quiz
... troublesome words: rise/raise, stationary/stationery, compliment/complement, beside/besides, to/too/two, there/their/they’re, lie/lay, sit/set
55
  1. To Lie / To Lay and To Sit / To Set - Select one answer from the choices provided after each sentence. The word you choose should fit the blank in the sentence.
  2. Problem verbs review - sit/set/lie/lay/rise/raise - Practice with these games to get a clear meaning of each of these troublesome verbs.
  3. Confusing Verbs - Lay / Lie - Read the sentence, and then choose the answer, and get your score instantly!
  4. Its/It's and There/Their/They're - Select one answer from the choices provided after each sentence. The word you choose should fit the blank in the sentence.
  5. To / Two / Too - Learn the difference between the homophones to, two, and too.
  6. To/too/two quiz - an ESL quiz by James Rainville
  7. Sit or Set Quiz - Complete the sentences using the proper form of "sit" or "set."
  8. Past Tenses of Sit/Set and Lay/Lie - What is the correct verb form in each sentence?
  9. Raise or Rise? - Make a choice by clicking on the radio button, then compare it with the correct answer hidden under the answer button.
  10. Rise/Raise Practice Quiz - from Quia
  11. Confusing Verbs: Raise / Rise
  12. The Notorious Confusables - Quiz 1 | Quiz 2 | Quiz 3 | Quiz 4 | Quiz 5
Identify the correct use of colons (e.g., in business letters, introductory words, and preceding a list of items) within context.
56
  1. Power Proofreading - Choose 7th grade then select; Letter to Ms. Flack, , or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
Choose the correct use of quotation marks and commas (e.g., in direct quotations, with explanatory material within the quote, and proper use with end marks).
57
 
... subject/verb agreement
58
  1. Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement - Select one answer from the choices provided after each sentence. The word you choose should fit the blank in the sentence.
  2. A Second Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement - After each sentence select the verb form that will best fit in the blank. The explanation will describe the process of arriving at the correct choice for that sentence.
  3. Third Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement - Select the appropriate verbs from the drop-down menus to complete each sentence correctly. There are thirty-three "opportunities for error" in these paragraphs.
  4. Making Subjects and Verbs Agree: Exercises - a worksheet to print, not interactive
  5. Let's see whether you understand subject-verb agreement. - Read each sentence, enter your response in the space provided, and then press "Submit" to check your answer.
  6. Subject-Verb Agreement Quiz - Select the correct verb form to agree with the subject.
  7. This is a PowerPoint showSubject-Verb Agreement: The Sore Thumb of Grammar
  8. Subject/Verb Agreement - Click the answer button to see the answer.
  9. ESL Subject Verb Agreement Quiz 1 - In the quiz questions , choose the correct verb so that subject and verb agree.
  10. ESL Subject Verb Agreement Quiz 2 - Do this quiz after mastering the quiz questions and their rules in the first
... pronoun case
59
  1. Power Proofreading - Choose 7th grade then select; Barnyard Ballet, Action Hero Role, Deadpan Acting Awards, or any one of the mixed practice exercises.
... comparative/superlative forms
 60
  
Identify within context a variety of appropriate sentence-combining techniques (comma + coordinating conjunction, use of semicolon, and introductory phrases and/or clauses).
 61
  
Select the most appropriate way to correct a run-on sentence (e.g., conjunctions, semicolons, and periods to join or to separate elements) in order to provide syntactic variety within context.
 62
  1. Repairing Run-On Sentences - After each run-on sentence below select the remedy that would best repair that sentence.
  2. Fragments and Run-On's - After each sentence, select the option which best describes that sentence.
  3. Avoiding Comma Splices - Click on "The sentence, please!" and a sentence containing a comma splice will appear in the top text-area. Repair the sentence.
  4. Avoiding Comma Splices II - Click on "The sentence, please!" and a sentence containing a comma splice will appear in the top text-area. Repair the sentence.
  5. A sample of a good 239-word sentence - It's not the kind of thing you'd want to read very often, but it does work. Remember, this is not a run-on sentence.
  6. Run-on/Comma Splice/Fragment Quiz
  7. Run on's and Comma Splices - Look at the passage and decide whether the sentence is correct or whether it is a run-on.
Identify correctly or incorrectly spelled words in context.
63
  1. Online Spelling Quizzes - numerous quizzes in TCAP format
Recognize and use appositives an appositive phrases and infinitives and infinitive phases within the context.
64
 
Select the appropriate use of underlining/italicizing with titles, specific words, numbers, and letters.
 65

 
Review Help
Practice Tests
  1. Brainchild - Select a state, your grade and then reading
Released tests
  1. Texas end-of-year reading test from 2003
FCAT Sample Test Book
  1. The FCAT Sample Test Books are designed to help students become familiar with FCAT (Florida) by providing helpful hints and offering practice answering questions in different formats. Half of this document is math and half is reading. This is an Adobe Acrobat document

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