English Language Arts
Grade 9
15 min
Identify and correct errors with frequently confused pronouns and contractions
Identify and correct errors with frequently confused pronouns and contractions
What you'll learn
- Identify and differentiate between commonly confused pronouns (e.g., *it's/its*, *their/there/they're*, *your/you're*, *who/whom*) with 80% accuracy on a written diagnostic assessment.
- Apply knowledge of pronoun and contraction usage to correct at least three errors in a provided paragraph with a minimum of 75 words.
- Analyze sentences containing pronouns and contractions to determine if the word choice is correct in context, justifying each decision in writing with a rationale using grammatical terminology (e.g., possessive pronoun, subject pronoun, contraction).
- Revise and edit a short argumentative essay (approximately 250 words) to ensure correct usage of frequently confused pronouns and contractions, demonstrating mastery by limiting errors to no more than one instance.
Tutorial Preview
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Differentiate between possessive pronouns (its, your, their, whose) and their corresponding contractions (it's, you're, they're, who's).
Identify errors involving frequently confused pronouns and contractions in complex sentences.
Correct sentences containing these common errors with 90% accuracy.
Apply the 'substitution test' to verify the correct usage of a contraction.
Explain the grammatical function of each word in a confused pair (e.g., possession vs. state of being).
Analyze their own formal writing, such as a thesis statement or literary analysis paragraph, to eliminate these specific errors.
Ever sent a text that said 'your welcome' and felt a tiny bit of grammar shame? 😅 Let's fix that for good.
Thi...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
PronounA word that takes the place of a noun or noun phrase.In 'She went to the store,' the word 'She' is a pronoun that replaces a noun like 'Maria'.
Possessive PronounA type of pronoun that shows ownership or possession. These words never use an apostrophe.The book is hers. The dog wagged its tail. Is this your coat?
ContractionA shortened form of a word or group of words, with the omitted letters often replaced by an apostrophe.'It's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has'. 'They're' is a contraction of 'they are'.
HomophoneWords that are pronounced the same as other words but differ in meaning, spelling, or origin.'Their,' 'they're,' and 'there...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Contraction Substitution Test
If you can substitute the two full words (e.g., 'it is', 'you are', 'they are', 'who is') into the sentence and it still makes grammatical sense, then the contraction is the correct choice.
This is the most reliable method for checking if you should use it's, you're, they're, or who's. If the substitution does not work, you likely need the possessive pronoun.
The Possession Rule
Possessive pronouns (its, your, their, whose) show ownership and NEVER use an apostrophe.
Use this rule to check for ownership. If the sentence describes something belonging to someone or something, the possessive pronoun is the correct choice. The word 'its' is the possessive form of 'it'...
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Challenging
Read the following paragraph from a literary analysis draft and choose the best revision: "The setting has a life of its own in the novel. Its a character in its own right, and it's moods shift with the plot. Their are moments when the characters feel trapped by they're surroundings."
A.It's a character..., and its moods shift... There are moments... by their surroundings.
B.Its a character..., and it's moods shift... There are moments... by they're surroundings.
C.It's a character..., and its moods shift... They're are moments... by their surroundings.
D.Its a character..., and its moods shift... Their are moments... by they're surroundings.
Challenging
A teacher asks you to write a single, grammatically correct sentence that uses the words 'you're,' 'whose,' and 'their.' Which of the following sentences successfully meets the requirement?
A.You're the student whose ideas about their project impressed the judges.
B.Your the student who's ideas about they're project impressed the judges.
C.You're the student who's ideas about their project impressed the judges.
D.Your the student whose ideas about they're project impressed the judges.
Challenging
In the sentence, 'The council presented its findings, and now they're debating the next steps,' which statement provides the most accurate grammatical analysis based on the tutorial's concepts?
A.The antecedent of 'its' is 'council,' a singular noun. 'They're' is incorrect because its antecedent, 'council,' is singular.
B.The antecedent of 'its' is 'findings.' 'They're' is used correctly to refer to the findings.
C.The antecedent of 'its' is 'council,' a singular collective noun. 'They're' is used acceptably to refer to the individual members of the council who are performing the action of debating.
D.'Its' should be 'it's' because it introduces a new clause, and 'they're' should be 'their' to show possession of the debate.
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Identify and correct errors with frequently confused pronouns and contractions is a Grade 9 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Identify and correct errors with frequently confused pronouns and contractions?
You'll be able to: Identify and differentiate between commonly confused pronouns (e.g., *it's/its*, *their/there/they're*, *your/you're*, *who/whom*) with 80% accuracy on a written diagnostic assessment; Apply knowledge of pronoun and contraction….
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This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.