Search the California Content Standards

Standard:
Distinguish how different words with similar meanings (e.g., describing a character as happy versus ecstatic) produce shades of meaning and different effects on the audience.

Standard:
Using verbs and verb phrases Use a variety of verb types (e.g., doing, saying, being/having, thinking/feeling) and verb tense appropriate to the text type and discipline to convey time (e.g., simple present for a science description, simple future to predict).

Standard:
Use frequently used verbs, different verb types (e.g., doing, saying, being/having, thinking/feeling), and verb tenses appropriate to the text type and discipline to convey time (e.g., simple past for recounting an experience).

Standard:
Use a growing number of verb types (e.g., doing, saying, being/having, thinking/ (e.g., doing, saying, being/having, thinking/feeling) and verb tenses appropriate to the text type and discipline to convey time (e.g., simple past for retelling, simple present for a science description).

Standard:
Combine clauses in a wide variety of ways (e.g., creating compound and complex sentences) to make connections between and join ideas, for example, to express cause/effect (e.g., The deer ran because the mountain lion approached them), to make a concession (e.g., She studied all night even though she wasn’t feeling well), or to link two ideas that happen at the same time (e.g., The cubs played while their mother hunted).

Standard:
Combine clauses in a few basic ways to make connections between and join ideas (e.g., creating compound sentences using and, but, so).

Standard:
Combine clauses in an increasing variety of ways (e.g., creating compound and complex sentences) to make connections between and join ideas, for example, to express cause/effect (e.g., The deer ran because the mountain lion came) or to make a concession (e.g., She studied all night even though she wasn’t feeling well).

Standard:
Analyzing language choices Distinguish how different words with related meanings (e.g., fun versus entertaining versus thrilling, possibly versus certainly) and figurative language produce shades of meaning and different effects on the audience.

Standard:
Distinguish how different words with similar meanings produce different effects on the audience (e.g., describing a character's actions as whined versus said).

Standard:
Distinguish how different words with similar meanings (e.g., describing a character as smart versus an expert) and figurative language (e.g., as big as a whale) produce shades of meaning and different effects on the audience.