Do Now: In your notebooks… Write down 3 important things to remember to do when you are responding to a writing prompt. Also, if you did not turn in your research outline and have it today, place it in the bin.

Writing Prompt Tips: Do these things when responding to the prompts!! Use statistics (this is when it is OK to make things up!) Use quotes (Again, it is OK to make them up!) Use a variety of vocabulary Use Creative examples Use variety in your sentences Understand your audience Make it your own—find your voice

COSTLY ERRORS

Their / There / They’re THEIR: possession (ex. their house) THERE: direction, location (ex. over there) THEY’RE: contraction of “they are” (ex. they’re coming over)

Your / You’re YOUR: possession (ex. your house) YOU’RE: contraction of “you are” (ex. you’re late)

Its / It’s ITS: possession (ex. its name) IT’S: contraction of “it is” (ex. it’s raining)

Whose / Who’s WHOSE: possession (ex. Whose paper is this?) WHO’S: contraction of “who is” (ex. Who’s going to the game on Friday?)

Threw / Through THREW: past tense of “to throw” (ex. D’mitri threw a long spiral pass to Dennis.) THROUGH: preposition, “by way of” (ex. Kyle walked through the hallway.)

A / An A: used before nouns that don’t start with a vowel (ex. a book, a dog) AN: used before nouns that start with a vowel (ex. an umbrella, an attack)

Wear / Where WEAR: to clothe oneself (ex. We have to wear collared shirts to school.) WHERE: location (ex. Where is my locker?)

We’re / Were WE’RE: contraction of “we are” (ex. We’re going to the movies on Friday.) WERE: past tense of “to be” (ex. We were absent yesterday.)

Accept / Except ACCEPT: verb, to receive (ex. to happily accept the $200 gift) EXCEPT: preposition, something excluded from a group (ex. to like all vegetables except broccoli)

To / Too / Two TO: direction or preposition (ex. to the store); infinitive of verbs (ex. to play, to run) TOO: excess (ex. too early); in addition (ex. you go too) TWO: number (ex. two sisters)

Apostrophes Indicate missing letters or numbers (ex. can’t, class of ‘08) Form possessive of nouns, but NOT pronouns (ex. Andre’s, brother’s, children’s)

Weather / Whether WEATHER: noun (ex. The weather is beautiful today.) WHETHER: conjunction expressing doubt (ex. I wonder whether it will work.)

Words to Spell Correctly QUIET (not “quite”): low noise level (ex. Be quiet.) DEFINITELY: surely (ex. I’m definitely going to get an A in Ms. Wright’s class.) BEGINNING: first, inception (ex. The beginning of school is always a difficult adjustment.) NECESSARY: needed (ex. I forgot to bring the necessary supplies to class.)

Practice Complete the “Costly Errors Practice” sheet alone and silently.

Practice This year (hasn ’ t/hasnt) been so great thus far. (It ’ s/its) always (to/too/two) cold in the (classrooms/classroom ’ s), and the food in the cafeteria (isn ’ t/isnt) appealing at all. My teachers told me (to/too/two) visit them after school with questions, but when I visit (there/their/they ’ re) classrooms, (there/their/they ’ re) not (there/their/they ’ re). (I ’ m/Im) hopeful that things will improve.

At least my (weekends/weekend ’ s) are enjoyable. I no longer (have/half) to (wear/where) a uniform. I can go (wear/where) I want and do what I want. My friends and I often hang out outside, (whether/weather) permitting. On Saturday, my three friends and I (threw/through) a frisbee in the park and then played a rousing game of (to/too/two)-on-(to/too/two). (We ’ re/Were) always trying to think of (new/knew) things to do so that (we ’ re/were) not (board/bored).

(I ’ m/Im) the type of person (whose/who ’ s) always trying to stay busy. I (don ’ t/dont) like to just sit around. I often call up my friends to see (whose/who ’ s) up for hanging out. If (it ’ s/its) raining, we normally chill at (someone ’ s/someones) house, though we (have/half) to figure out (whose/who ’ s) house to go to. It depends on (whether/weather) or not (are/our) parents and little siblings (are/our) home. If (there/their/they ’ re) (there/their/they ’ re), then (we ’ ll/well) sometimes pick another place to go. (There/Their/They ’ re) is a favorite restaurant (wear/where) we sometimes go, but I (can ’ t/cant) remember (it ’ s/its) name. Any place is really fine, (except/accept) the mall. (It ’ s/Its) full of loud, screaming children. (I ’ m/Im) sure you agree, (to/two/too). Just walking (threw/through) the doors makes me cringe.

Now we will be using these words in action! Write a Halloween or Fall themed paragraph using a minimum of 10 of these words. For any word used beyond 10, you will get an extra point! Be creative! Make it work. Their / There / They’re Your / You’re Its / It’s Whose / Who’s Threw / Through A / An Wear / Where We’re / Were Accept / Except To / Too / Two Weather / Whether Quiet Definitely Beginning Necessary