Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Common Core State Standards, Grade 1, Language · Read it at the source · Checked October 14, 2026
What L.1.2 Means in Plain English
When first graders write, they capitalize dates and people’s names, end each sentence with a period, question mark or exclamation point, and put commas in dates and lists. They spell taught patterns and common tricky words like said correctly, and spell everything else by its sounds.
Part e matters as much as part d: an untaught word spelled by its sounds is correct work for this standard, not an error to fix. Kindergarten (L.K.2) capitalized the first word and I, and 2nd grade (L.2.2) adds holidays, places, letter commas and apostrophes.
L.1.2 I Can Statements
I can start names and months with a capital letter.
I can put commas between words in a list.
I can spell said and was the right way.
L.1.2 Worked Example
Two sentences for the class news about an orchard trip, as written and as fixed, with one invented spelling left alone on purpose.
Prompt
Fix this class news note so it is ready for the hallway board.
Not Yetwe went to the orcherd on october 8 2026 mr tran sed we could pick pears plums and applesEvery word is there, but nothing marks where a sentence starts or stops, the month and Mr. Tran are lowercase, the date and the list run together, and said, a word the class has been taught, is spelled sed.
Meets the StandardWe went to the orcherd on October 8, 2026. Mr. Tran said we could pick pears, plums and apples!Capitals for the month and the name (part a), a period and an exclamation point (part b), commas in the date and the list (part c), and said spelled right (part d). Orcherd stays: it is an untaught word spelled by its sounds, which is part e.
Moves to Use
Names of people and months start with a capital.End every sentence with a period, a question mark or an exclamation point.Put a comma between the day and the year, and between words in a list.Spell taught words the taught way: said, was, they.New word? Say it slowly and write the sounds you hear.
Common Mistakes with L.1.2
Red-penning every invented spelling
Orcherd circled on a first grader’s page as wrong
Try this: Correct only taught patterns and word-wall words, and praise a sound-by-sound spelling of a new word as part e working.
Commas sprinkled anywhere
“October, 8 2026” and “pears plums, and apples”
Try this: Teach the two comma jobs only, between the day and year and between list words, and have children point to each comma’s job.
Capitals for every important word
“We picked Pears and Plums at the Orchard.”
Try this: Ask “Is it a name or a date?” before each capital mid-sentence, and lowercase words like pears and orchard.
Spelling Worksheet GeneratorFree ToolTurn the week’s pattern list, plus tricky words like said, was and they, into practice sheets.Grade 1 listTricky wordsWeekly
Sight Word Worksheet GeneratorFree ToolRead, trace and write practice for the irregular words part d expects spelled right, a few at a time.said, was, theyTrace and write