Read the following text from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her grammar and mechanics?
Everyone agree that recess is important for children in elementary school, but what about middle school students? I believe that students in middle school needs time to relax and have fun during the school day. A period of free time in the afternoons give students the opportunity to go outside and enjoy some fresh air. Studies shows that exercise benefits students' attention spans. Exercise can also reduce stress, which many middle school students face on a daily basis. Therefore, middle school students in our country deserves recess, too.
by fixing subject-verb agreement errors by adding missing commas
When you review a fellow student's writing, try to make your feedback clear and specific. You can use questions such as the following to guide your feedback:
Ideas and development: Does the writer express a clear main idea and develop it with evidence, examples, and analysis?
Organization: Does the writer order ideas in a clear, logical way so that the ideas build on one another and are easy to follow?
Sentence fluency: Do the writer's sentences vary in structure and length, or does the writing sound choppy, rambling, or repetitive?
Word choice: Does the writer use words accurately and precisely, avoiding excessive repetition or inappropriate language to create clear, effective, and engaging writing?
Grammar and mechanics: Does the writer use accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar to create writing that is correct and easy to read?
The writer could best improve his or her grammar and mechanics by fixing subject-verb agreement errors.
For example, the writer could change the first underlined verb to agree with the indefinite pronoun everyone and the others to agree with their simple subjects.
Everyone agree that recess is important for children in elementary school, but what about middle school students? I believe that students in middle school needs time to relax and have fun during the school day. A period of free time in the afternoons give students the opportunity to go outside and enjoy some fresh air. Studies shows that exercise benefits students' attention spans. Exercise can also reduce stress, which many middle school students face on a daily basis. Therefore, middle school students in our country deserves recess, too.