Proper grammar and punctuation is the mark of a strong writer. Students need to learn grammar early in their education, and teachers should reinforce basic grammar concepts year after year. The best way to ensure proper grammar is through practice. Lessons on grammar and punctuation should include assignments and activities that require students to work through challenging scenarios.

End Punctuation

End punctuation is an early grammar lesson for elementary school students, as they learn whether they should use a period, question mark or exclamation point. After reviewing the purpose of each mark, hand out a worksheet with several sentences without end punctuation. Include imperative statements, questions and exclamatory statements. Require students to put the appropriate punctuation mark at the end of the sentence.

Commonly Confused Words

Even adult writers with college degrees struggle with differentiating between words such as "it's" and "its" and "you're" and "your." Focus your lesson on these contractions that often trip up students. Create a worksheet with 10 sentences using "it's" and "its" and 10 sentences using "your" and "you're." Require students to choose the correct word to use. Emphasize that "its" and "your" are possessive, while "it's" and "you're" are contractions meaning "it is" and "you are," respectively.

Commas and Semicolons

Some writers overuse commas, while others don't use commas enough. The semicolon is an often underused punctuation mark. Teach students about when to use commas, focusing on using them to separate items in a series and to separate independent clauses joined by a conjunction. Semicolons, on the other hand, should separate two independent clauses not joined by a conjunction. Give students a handout with commas and semicolons omitted, and encourage them to place the appropriate punctuation marks in each sentence.

That Versus Which

Restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses trip up even a seasoned writer. Teach students the difference between a restrictive clause, which provides essential information and impacts the meaning of a sentence, and a nonrestrictive clause, which offers supplementary but nonessential information. Explain that "that" goes with restrictive clauses, and "which" goes with nonrestrictive. In class, go over sentences to decide whether the clause is restrictive or nonrestrictive. For example, "The dog that has a red collar should be quarantined" is an essential clause requiring "that" since "that has a red collar" defines the dog.