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Common Core ELA1st GradeLanguage

L.1.1: Pronouns, Verb Tenses and Joined Sentences

Also written as CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1 · Cluster: Conventions of Standard English.

Make a Sentence ScrambleAll 41 1st Grade ELA Standards

The Official Wording

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

Common Core State Standards, Grade 1, Language · Read it at the source · Checked October 14, 2026

What L.1.1 Means in Plain English

First graders print every letter in both cases and use grammar in their talk and writing: verbs that match their nouns (the dog runs, the dogs run), yesterday, today and tomorrow verbs, pronouns like I, me and they, and joining words like and, but, so and because.

Ten lettered parts also cover proper and possessive nouns, adjectives, words like the and this, prepositions like during, and four kinds of sentences. Kindergarten (L.K.1) built spoken sentences with plurals and question words, and 2nd grade (L.2.1) adds irregular plurals like mice and past forms like told.

L.1.1 I Can Statements

  • I can write all my big and small letters.
  • I can use walked for yesterday and will walk for tomorrow.
  • I can join two sentences with and, but or so.

L.1.1 Worked Example

Two sentences about folding the laundry, a first draft and a fixed one, and the fix shows four parts of the standard at once.

Prompt

Fix the sentences, then join them with and, but or so.

Not YetYesterday me and Mom fold the laundry. The towels was still wet.Three slips first graders make every day: me as the one doing it, a today verb with yesterday, and was with a plural noun. The two sentences also sit side by side when one word could join them.
Meets the StandardYesterday Mom and I folded the laundry, but the towels were still wet.I as the subject (part d), folded for something that already happened (part e), towels were to match a plural noun (part c), and but joins two ideas into one compound sentence (parts g and j).
Moves to Use
The one doing it is I, not me: Mom and I folded.Yesterday? Add -ed: fold, folded. Tomorrow? Use will.One thing, was. More than one, were: the towel was, the towels were.Join two sentences with and, but or so.

Common Mistakes with L.1.1

Me as the one doing it

“Me and Mom folded the laundry.” “Him and me played tag.”

Try this: Have the child drop the other person and say it alone, “Me folded?”, so the ear catches it and switches to I.

Yesterday with a today verb

“Yesterday I walk to school.” “Tomorrow I go to the park.”

Try this: Make a three-column chart, yesterday, today, tomorrow, and sort the same verb into each: walked, walk, will walk.

Capitals in the middle of words

“My doG is BiG,” with capitals and lowercase mixed inside words

Try this: Practice the lowercase forms that look different from capitals, like g, b and d, with a daily handwriting row.

Where L.1.1 Fits

Comes BeforeL.K.1Print many letters and build spoken sentences with plurals, question words and prepositions.
AlongsideL.1.2Capitalize dates and names and use end marks and commas, the other half of conventions.SL.1.6Speak in complete sentences when the task calls for it, the spoken use of this grammar.
Comes NextL.2.1Use collective nouns, irregular plurals and past tenses, and rearrange sentences.

Practice L.1.1

Sentence Scramble GeneratorFree ToolMixed-up compound sentences to put back in order, with and, but or so on one of the cards, so the joining word has to find its spot.Grade 1Joining wordsCut and glue
Make a Scramble
Handwriting Worksheet GeneratorFree ToolRows of every upper- and lowercase letter for part a, or a sentence the class fixed together to copy neatly.All lettersLowercaseFixed sentence
Make a Worksheet

Quick Check

  1. Fix the verb: “Tomorrow we walk to the library.”
  2. Which is right: “The dogs runs” or “The dogs run”?
  3. Join with and, but or so: “It rained. We played inside.”

L.1.1: Other Names

L.1.1CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1

Common Core State Standards © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved. Official wording from the Common Core State Standards PDFs at corestandards.org, last checked October 14, 2026. The explanation, I can statements, example, mistakes and practice on this page are EMStudio’s own, written beside the official wording. They are not part of the standard.