Grade 9-10 - Common Core State Standards for Language
Language Standard (L)

Conventions Of Standard English

Test Questions

ELA.9-10.L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

• Use parallel structure

• Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations.

18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

30, 31, 32, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

Test Questions

ELA.9-10.L.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

• Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text.

• Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.

49

ELA.9-10.L.6 Acquire and use accurately academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Key Ideas and Details

Test Questions

ELA9-10.RI.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

37, 38, 39, 40

ELA9-10.RI.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

33, 34, 35, 36

Key Ideas and Details

Test Questions

ELA9-10.RL.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

10, 12, 15, 43, 46, 48

ELA9-10.RL.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

17, 47

ELA9-10.RL.3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

42, 45, 51, 52

Craft and Structure

Test Questions

ELA9-10.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

11, 13, 14, 41, 44, 50

ELA9-10.RL.10 By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 9–10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

9, 16, 53, 54

Text Types and Purposes

Test Questions

ELA9-10.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

Essay

Production and Distribution of Writing

Test Questions

ELA9-10.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in the Text Types and Purposes standards above.)

Essay

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

Test Questions

ELA9-10.W.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Essay

Range of Writing

Test Questions

ELA9-10.W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Essay