Grade 6 Language practice

8 Grade 6 language lessons, including i or me? we or us?, reflexive or intensive?, number prefixes, greek and latin roots, tricky spellings, punctuating dialogue and more. Each one has a short video where Pip explains the idea, a worked example, and endless new practice questions with step-by-step help when a child gets stuck.

Step 1: I or me? We or us?

Use I, he, she, we and they as the subject. Use me, him, her, us and them after verbs and prepositions.

Example: Which word fits? Between you and ___ , the test was easy.

Tip: Cover up the other person and read it alone: "Me went" sounds wrong, so it is "I went".

Step 2: Reflexive or intensive?

A reflexive pronoun is needed (She hurt herself). An intensive pronoun only adds emphasis and can be removed (She herself baked it).

Example: Is the -self word reflexive or intensive? We built the treehouse ourselves.

Tip: Take the -self word out. If the sentence still makes sense, it is intensive.

Step 3: Number prefixes

Some prefixes are numbers: uni- (1), bi- (2), tri- (3), quad- (4), oct- (8), cent- (100).

Example: What number does the prefix mean? tripod

Tip: A bicycle has 2 wheels. A tricycle has 3. A unicycle has 1.

Step 4: Greek and Latin roots

Many English words are built from Greek and Latin roots. Knowing a root helps you guess a new word.

Example: In "microscope", what does the root micro mean? microscope

Tip: tele = far, bio = life, graph = write, port = carry, aqua = water, geo = earth, micro = small, phon = sound.

Step 5: Tricky spellings

Some words are often misspelled. Learn their tricky parts: separate has "a rat" in it.

Example: Which word is spelled correctly?

Tip: Find the tricky part, then picture it: "necessary" has one collar (c) and two sleeves (ss).

Step 6: Punctuating dialogue

Spoken words go inside quotation marks. The comma, question mark or exclamation mark goes inside the closing quotation mark.

Example: Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

Tip: The speaker tag ("asked Leo") starts with a lowercase letter when it comes after the quote.

Step 7: Commas, dashes and brackets for extra info

Extra information that could be removed is set off with commas, dashes or brackets: My dog, a beagle, loves walks.

Example: Which sentence sets off the extra information correctly?

Tip: If you can lift the words out and the sentence still works, they need marks on both sides.

Step 8: Figurative language

Writers paint pictures with words. A simile compares using "like" or "as". A metaphor says something is something else. Personification gives human actions to things. Hyperbole is a huge exaggeration.

Example: What kind of figurative language is this? My brother is a couch potato.

Tip: Look for "like" or "as" first. If it's there, it's a simile.

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