Common Core fourth-grade ELA standards (2024)

L.4 Language

• Conventions of Standard English

  • L.4.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

    • L.4.1.a Use relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where, when, why).

      • Identify relative pronouns (4-LL.9)
      • Use relative pronouns: who and whom (4-LL.10)
      • Use relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, and that (4-LL.11)
      • Use relative adverbs (4-QQ.7)

    • L.4.1.b Form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb tenses.

      • Use the progressive verb tenses (4-OO.13)
      • Form the progressive verb tenses (4-OO.14)

    • L.4.1.c Use modal auxiliaries (e.g., can, may, must) to convey various conditions.

      • What does the modal verb show? (4-MM.4)
      • Use the correct modal verb (4-MM.5)

    • L.4.1.d Order adjectives within sentences according to conventional patterns (e.g., a small red bag rather than a red small bag).

      • Order adjectives (4-QQ.4)

    • L.4.1.e Form and use prepositional phrases.

      • Identify prepositions (4-RR.1)
      • Identify prepositions and their objects (4-RR.2)
      • Identify prepositional phrases (4-RR.3)
      • Prepositions: review (4-RR.4)

    • L.4.1.f Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.

      • Create varied sentences based on models (4-W.1)
      • Identify the complete subject of a sentence (4-JJ.2)
      • Identify the complete predicate of a sentence (4-JJ.3)
      • Is it a complete sentence or a fragment? (4-JJ.5)
      • Is it a complete sentence or a run-on? (4-JJ.6)
      • Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on? (4-JJ.7)
      • Order the words to create a sentence (4-JJ.10)

    • L.4.1.g Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their).

      • hom*ophones with pictures (4-DD.1)
      • Identify hom*ophones (4-DD.2)
      • Use the correct hom*ophone (4-DD.3)

  • L.4.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

    • L.4.2.a Use correct capitalization.

      • Capitalizing the names of people and pets and titles of respect (4-VV.1)
      • Capitalizing days, months, and holidays (4-VV.2)
      • Capitalizing the names of places and geographic features (4-VV.3)
      • Capitalizing the names of historical events, periods, and documents (4-VV.4)
      • Capitalizing proper adjectives, nationalities, and languages (4-VV.5)
      • Capitalization: review (4-VV.6)
      • Capitalizing titles (4-XX.3)

    • L.4.2.b Use commas and quotation marks to mark direct speech and quotations from a text.

      • Punctuating dialogue (4-XX.6)

    • L.4.2.c Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.

      • Use coordinating conjunctions (4-T.2)
      • Create compound sentences (4-JJ.9)

    • L.4.2.d Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.

      • Word pattern analogies (4-Y.11)
      • Word pattern sentences (4-Y.12)
      • Form compound words with pictures (4-AA.1)
      • Form compound words (4-AA.2)
      • Form and use compound words (4-AA.3)
      • Use the correct hom*ophone (4-DD.3)
      • Use guide words (4-II.5)
      • Form regular plurals with -s, -es, and -ies (4-KK.5)
      • Use regular plurals with -s, -es, and -ies (4-KK.6)
      • Form regular plurals with -s, -es, -ies, and -ves (4-KK.7)
      • Use regular plurals with -s, -es, -ies, and -ves (4-KK.8)
      • Form and use irregular plurals (4-KK.10)
      • Form the singular or plural possessive (4-KK.12)
      • Identify and correct errors with plural and possessive nouns (4-KK.13)
      • Form and use the regular past tense (4-OO.3)
      • Form and use the irregular past tense: set 1 (4-OO.5)
      • Form and use the irregular past tense: set 2 (4-OO.6)
      • Form and use the irregular past tense: set 3 (4-OO.7)
      • Form and use the irregular past tense: set 4 (4-OO.8)
      • Spell adjectives that compare (4-QQ.11)
      • Pronoun-verb contractions (4-TT.1)
      • Contractions with "not" (4-TT.2)

• Knowledge of Language

  • L.4.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

    • L.4.3.a Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.

      • Sort sensory details (4-F.1)
      • Show character emotions and traits (4-V.1)
      • Choose the synonym (4-CC.1)
      • Choose the antonym (4-CC.4)
      • Shades of meaning with pictures (4-GG.1)
      • Describe the difference between related words (4-GG.2)
      • Positive and negative connotation (4-GG.3)
      • Use thesaurus entries (4-II.8)

    • L.4.3.b Choose punctuation for effect.

    • L.4.3.c Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion).

• Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

  • L.4.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

    • L.4.4.a Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

      • Determine the meanings of similes and metaphors (4-G.3)
      • Interpret the meaning of an allusion from its source (4-G.4)
      • Which definition matches the sentence? (4-EE.2)
      • Which sentence matches the definition? (4-EE.3)
      • Determine the meaning of idioms from context: set 1 (4-FF.1)
      • Determine the meaning of idioms from context: set 2 (4-FF.3)
      • Find words using context (4-HH.1)
      • Determine the meaning of words using synonyms in context (4-HH.2)
      • Use context to identify the meaning of a word (4-HH.3)
      • Determine the meaning of domain-specific words with pictures (4-HH.4)
      • Use academic vocabulary in context (4-HH.5)

    • L.4.4.b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).

      • Determine the meaning of a word with pre-, re-, or mis- (4-Y.2)
      • Use the prefixes pre-, re-, and mis- (4-Y.3)
      • Determine the meaning of a word with -ful or -less (4-Y.4)
      • Determine the meaning of a word with -ly or -ness (4-Y.5)
      • Determine the meaning of a word with -able or -ment (4-Y.6)
      • Determine the meaning of a word with a suffix: review (4-Y.7)
      • Determine the meanings of words with prefixes and suffixes: review (4-Y.8)
      • Sort words with shared prefixes and suffixes by meaning (4-Y.9)
      • Sort words by shared Greek or Latin roots (4-Z.1)
      • Use Greek and Latin roots as clues to the meanings of words (4-Z.2)
      • Use the meanings of words as clues to the meanings of Greek and Latin roots (4-Z.3)
      • Determine the meanings of Greek and Latin roots (4-Z.4)
      • Determine the meanings of words with Greek and Latin roots (4-Z.5)
      • Match words with Greek and Latin roots to their meanings (4-Z.6)

    • L.4.4.c Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

      • Use guide words (4-II.5)
      • Use dictionary entries (4-II.6)
      • Use dictionary definitions (4-II.7)
      • Use thesaurus entries (4-II.8)

  • L.4.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

    • L.4.5.a Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.

      • Similes and metaphors with pictures (4-G.2)
      • Determine the meanings of similes and metaphors (4-G.3)
      • Read poetry (4-N.3)

    • L.4.5.b Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.

      • Determine the meaning of idioms from context: set 1 (4-FF.1)
      • Identify the meaning of idioms and adages: set 1 (4-FF.2)
      • Determine the meaning of idioms from context: set 2 (4-FF.3)
      • Identify the meaning of idioms and adages: set 2 (4-FF.4)

    • L.4.5.c Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms).

      • Choose the synonym (4-CC.1)
      • Which sentence has the same meaning? (4-CC.2)
      • Find synonyms in context (4-CC.3)
      • Choose the antonym (4-CC.4)
      • Which sentence uses an antonym? (4-CC.5)
      • Find antonyms in context (4-CC.6)
      • Describe the difference between related words (4-GG.2)
      • Positive and negative connotation (4-GG.3)
      • Determine the meaning of words using synonyms in context (4-HH.2)
      • Use thesaurus entries (4-II.8)

  • L.4.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).

    • Sort sensory details (4-F.1)
    • Revise the sentence using a stronger verb (4-V.2)
    • Positive and negative connotation (4-GG.3)
    • Find words using context (4-HH.1)
    • Determine the meaning of words using synonyms in context (4-HH.2)
    • Use context to identify the meaning of a word (4-HH.3)
    • Determine the meaning of domain-specific words with pictures (4-HH.4)
    • Use academic vocabulary in context (4-HH.5)