Grammar Error Hunt
Grammar Error Hunt · Years 9–11
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga · Learning Intentions
- Investigate a significant question using evidence from multiple sources
- Analyse and evaluate information to form and support a reasoned position
- Connect learning to real-world contexts, including Aotearoa New Zealand settings
- Communicate understanding clearly and accurately for a specific audience
Paearu Angitu · Success Criteria
- I use at least two sources and can evaluate their credibility
- My position is clearly stated and supported by specific evidence
- I can connect my learning to at least one real-world Aotearoa context
- My communication is clear, organised, and appropriate for the audience
Whakataukī | Proverb
"He kōrero puaki mai i te pō, puaki mai i te ao"
A message delivered from the darkness emerges into the light.
Language has power - when used correctly, our messages become clear and strong. Just as our tīpuna crafted their kōrero with precision and care, we too must practice accuracy in our writing. Finding and fixing errors helps our ideas shine with clarity!
🔍 Grammar Error Hunt
Level 4 (Years 7-9) | English / Editing Skills
📋 Learning Objectives:
- Identify common grammar and punctuation errors
- Apply editing and proofreading skills
- Recognise correct sentence structure
- Develop attention to detail in writing
🎯 Your Mission:
Each passage below contains MULTIPLE ERRORS. Find them, circle them, and write the corrections!
Types of errors to look for: spelling, punctuation, capitalization, subject-verb agreement, homophones (their/there/they're), apostrophes, sentence fragments
📝 Passage 1: The School Trip
Write the 6 corrections here:
📝 Passage 2: Sports Day
Write the 8 corrections here:
📝 Passage 3: The Science Experiment (Challenge!)
Write the 10 corrections here:
📖 Common Error Types to Watch For:
🌟 Extension Challenge
Write Your Own Error Passage: Create a short paragraph (5-6 sentences) with 5 deliberate errors for a classmate to find!
Topic ideas: Your weekend, a sports match, your favourite hobby, a book you read
List your 5 errors and corrections:
🔑 Answer Key (Teacher Only):
1. tuesday → Tuesday (capitalize day)
2. Their → There (homophone)
3. māori → Māori (capitalize proper noun)
4. helpfull → helpful (spelling)
5. teached → taught (past tense verb)
6. grate → great (homophone)
7. themselfs → themselves (spelling)
8. their → there (homophone)
9. catched → caught (past tense verb)
Passage 2 (8 errors):
1. colleges → college's (possessive apostrophe)
2. december → December (capitalize month)
3. was → were (subject-verb agreement)
4. done → did (past tense verb)
5. come → came (past tense verb)
6. Its → It's (contraction: it is)
7. dont → don't (apostrophe)
8. regular → regularly (adverb form)
9. wont → won't (apostrophe)
10. you're → your (possessive)
11. was → were (subject-verb agreement)
12. everyones → everyone's (possessive apostrophe)
Passage 3 (10 errors):
1. a experiment → an experiment (a/an article)
2. teached → taught (past tense verb)
3. there → their (possessive homophone)
4. enviroments → environments (spelling)
5. too → two (number homophone)
6. who → that/which (relative pronoun - plants are things)
7. growed → grew (past tense verb)
8. it's → its (possessive, not contraction)
9. was → were (subject-verb agreement)
10. However → However, (comma after transition word)
11. growed → grew (past tense verb - repeated error)
12. learned → taught (correct verb usage)
13. essentail → essential (spelling)
💡 Proofreading Checklist
Names, places, days, months, start of sentences
Full stops, commas, apostrophes, question marks
Check tricky words, use a dictionary
Subjects match verbs (he WAS, they WERE)
Read your work OUT LOUD! Your ears often catch errors your eyes miss. Try reading backwards (last sentence first) to focus on each sentence individually.
Hononga Marautanga · Curriculum Alignment
Curriculum alignment for this handout has not yet been verified against the live curriculum statements. A generated placeholder that stood here was removed on 2026-08-29 because it matched no real statement.
Tuhia ōu whakaaro · Write Your Thoughts
Reflect on your learning. What was the most important idea? What question do you still have?
Aronga Mātauranga Māori
This resource sits within a kaupapa that recognises mātauranga Māori as a living knowledge system with its own frameworks, values, and ways of understanding the world. The New Zealand Curriculum calls for learning that reflects the bicultural partnership of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which means every subject area has an obligation to engage authentically with Māori perspectives — not as cultural decoration but as substantive contributions to how we understand our topics. The concepts of manaakitanga (care for others), kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whanaungatanga (relationship and belonging), and tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) provide a values framework applicable across all learning areas, and all are relevant to the work in this handout.
Ngā Rauemi Tautoko · Resources already provided
This handout is designed to be used alongside other resources in the same unit. This handout stands on its own; it is not part of a linked unit planner. All content is provided — no additional preparation is required to use this handout in your classroom.
Curriculum alignment
- Reading — Making Meaning: Integrate sources of information, processes, and strategies confidently to identify, form, and express ideas.
- Writing — Creating Meaning: Integrate sources of information, processes, and strategies confidently to identify, form, and express ideas.