Improve Writing Skills


and English Grammar


by Improving Sentence Writing

There are some easy ways to teach you child how to improve their writing and English grammar by improving sentence writing. I know that may sound a bit daunting, but it is easier than you think. When you use the Sentence Zone for this activity, your children really understand how to improve their sentences, and they actually have fun doing it.

The activity is one of expanded sentences. Bonnie walks you step-by-step how to start with a basic sentence and then expand it, one word at a time to make it more interesting. Once your children see exactly how to do this and actually do it themselves with the color-coded cards of the Sentence Zone Game, they will have improved writing skills and improved English grammar skills too.

Use of Color Improves Writing Skills and Sentence Writing

Writing skills improve dramatically with this expanded sentence activity as well as just playing The Sentence Zone due to the color-coded cards. When you use color-coding in learning content, your retention rates go up to 25%. Use of color directly impacts learning.

Improve Writing Skills: Sentence Writing Becomes Interesting and You Improve English Grammar at the Same Time

So, how do you learn how to write good interesting sentences that are different types? An easy way to learn about the different types of sentences we have in the English language is to play the game The Sentence Zone. While playing the game you actually learn the 6 basic sentence types we have as well as how to punctuate them.

Be sure to watch the family playing The Sentence Zone to see how you can use it in other ways to improve writing skills.

One of the really neat things about it is the different ways it can be played. For instance, 1st graders can play it to learn how to write a sentence. Middle school students can play it to start learning more complex sentence writing and grammar such as the difference between a direct object and a predicate nominative. High school students can play it to prepare for the grammar portion of the SAT test. (It includes advanced vocabulary for older students.)

The Sentence Zone is a grammar game that can be played at multiple levels as your children grow, so it never just sits ‘on the shelf’.

You can also use the game at older levels to prepare for taking the SAT or ACT college entrance exams. English grammar skills improve dramatically – including SAT test scores.

So, improve your sentence writing skills today by playing The Sentence Zone and you’ll improve writing skills as well as English grammar at the same time!

Our kids often get assignments where they have to write a poem, and they often struggle with it. Poetry writing is not always the easiest thing to do, especially when you have LD, dyslexia, or ADHD. Even gifted kids can struggle with poetry writing. It doesn’t matter if you are homeschooling or in a public school, poetry writing can be difficult for anyone.

However, writing poetry doesn’t have to be so-o-o hard! There are many different types of poems, and I’ve found one of the easiest types of poetry to teach my kids is the Haiku, specifically the Cinquain type of Haiku Poem. Learn how to use the Sentence Zone for writing poems.  This is made really easy using The Sentence Zone game because you can write the poem with colors.

Using The Sentence Zone game makes writing poetry easy for kids with LD, dyslexia, ADHD, or even gifted.

Hope this is helpful! Don’t forget to sign up for the FREE teaching and homework tips!

Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET

Many of you already know that I created The Sentence Zone a number of years ago to help my students with sentence writing as well as grammar. I play it with my younger students to help them write interesting sentences instead of the 3 to 4 word sentences they usually write. I play it with my middle school students to help them out with their English grammar lessons. So my focus has always been on sentence writing, language building, and grammar.

I have always told everyone that it was used at multiple ages, because it is, but I didn’t think of using the game for SAT prep until Patricia Lara stopped by my office a few weeks ago. She was telling me how useful the game was in her work with SAT prep with her juniors and seniors in high school.

In addition to helping them with the grammar portion of the exam, she told me how it really ‘broke up’ the prep sessions. Her students were able to get a break from the intensity of preparing for the exam but still learn at the same time. So, I asked her to show me how she was using the game. I think you’ll enjoy this additional use. Watch and see for yourself how easy it is to learn with The Sentence Zone. It is a great test prep tool for tutors, families, homeschoolers, and teachers. 

Hope this has been helpful. Don’t forget to sign up for the FREE Teaching and Homework Tips! And, PLEASE, Pass this post along to others!

Bonnie Terry, M. Ed., BCET