Year 9 Writing – Sentence Boundaries 1
Practise finding and fixing sentence boundary errors in a persuasive draft, using semicolons, colons and 'however' correctly. 12 questions. 25 minutes.
Draft A: Should phones be banned during school hours?
(1) Phones have become so common in classrooms that many schools are asking whether they should be banned during school hours. (2) I believe a ban is the right decision, and the main reasons are: distraction, damaged friendships and easier cheating. (3) A survey of 200 students at our school found that most of them check their phones at least five times a lesson, and some admitted that they could not remember what the teacher had said afterwards.
(4) The first problem is distraction; a single notification can pull a student away from a task for several minutes. (5) Teachers often say that the students who struggle most are the ones with phones on their desks, however the same teachers rarely have the power to take those phones away. (6) The rule, however, is not meant to punish anyone. (7) Students say they need their phones for emergencies. (8) Although the school office can already contact any family within minutes.
(9) Phones also change how friends treat each other at lunch. (10) At our table last term, Priya, who loves videos, scrolled while Tom replied to a message and Aisha played a game, nobody spoke for the whole break. (11) Lunch used to be the loudest part of the day it is now strangely silent. (12) We asked three year groups what they would do instead of scrolling: Year 7, who wanted games, Year 8, who wanted shade, and Year 9, who wanted music.
(13) Some people say a ban is unfair, they point out that phones can be useful learning tools. (14) That is true in some lessons; however, a teacher can approve phone use when a task needs it. (15) A ban would not remove technology from school, it would simply put it back under the teacher's control. (16) Phones should stay in lockers; unless a teacher approves their use for a task.
Which version of Sentence 16 best improves the draft?
Which revision of Sentence 2 reads best?
What is the best way to rewrite Sentence 7 and Sentence 8?
Which choice best revises Sentence 13?
Which choice best revises Sentence 15 without changing its logic?
Which version of Sentence 4 best suits the paragraph?
Which version of Sentence 6 is best in the paragraph?
Choose the punctuation that best completes Sentence 14.
That is true in some lessons1 however, a teacher can approve phone use when a task needs it.
Blank 1: ; · , · :
Which version of Sentence 12 makes the list clearest?
Circle 1 word in the sentence below.
Click the word where one complete thought should end and the next begin.
Phonesalsochangehowfriendstreateachotheratlunch.Atourtablelastterm,Priya,wholovesvideos,scrolledwhileTomrepliedtoamessageandAishaplayedagame,nobodyspokeforthewholebreak.
Circle 1 word in the sentence below.
Click the word that should be followed by a full stop.
Lunchusedtobetheloudestpartofthedayitisnowstrangelysilent.Weaskedthreeyeargroupswhattheywoulddoinsteadofscrolling:Year7,whowantedgames,Year8,whowantedshade,andYear9,whowantedmusic.
Circle 1 word in the sentence below.
Click the word where two complete thoughts are joined incorrectly.
Thefirstproblemisdistraction;asinglenotificationcanpullastudentawayfromataskforseveralminutes.Teachersoftensaythatthestudentswhostrugglemostaretheoneswithphonesontheirdesks,howeverthesameteachersrarelyhavethepowertotakethosephonesaway.Therule,however,isnotmeanttopunishanyone.