Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Common Core State Standards, Grade 4, Language · Read it at the source · Checked October 14, 2026
What L.4.2 Means in Plain English
Fourth graders capitalize names, places, months and titles, punctuate dialogue and lines quoted from a book or article with commas and quotation marks, put a comma before and, but or so when it joins two sentences, and check a dictionary when a spelling looks wrong.
Third graders (L.3.2) punctuated dialogue, capitalized titles and formed possessives. Fourth grade adds quoting a text, not just a character, and the comma in a compound sentence. Fifth grade (L.5.2) adds commas after introductory words, in a series and around tag questions, and marking titles.
L.4.2 I Can Statements
I can capitalize names, places, months and important words in titles.
I can punctuate a quotation from a book or article.
I can put a comma before and, but or so in a compound sentence.
L.4.2 Worked Example
Two sentences from a report on the Boston molasses flood, with every capital, comma and quotation mark the standard covers.
Prompt
Fix the capitals, the quotation and the commas, and correct the misspelled word.
Not YetThe author writes the wave of molasses was as tall as a two-story house. It rolled through the streets of boston in january 1919 and it took the city by suprise.Nothing shows which words are the author’s, so the quotation reads as the student’s own claim. Boston and January need capitals, the compound sentence needs a comma before and, and surprise is missing an r.
Meets the StandardThe author writes, “The wave of molasses was as tall as a two-story house.” It rolled through the streets of Boston in January 1919, and it took the city by surprise.A comma after writes, quotation marks around the author’s exact words and a capital T show where the quotation starts and stops. Boston and January are proper nouns, the comma before and joins two complete sentences, and the dictionary settles surprise.
Moves to Use
Put a comma after the tag, like the author writes, then quotation marks around the exact words.Capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence.Capitalize the names of places and months: Boston, January.Put a comma before and, but or so when both sides are complete sentences.Check a word that looks wrong in a dictionary: surprise has two r’s.
Common Mistakes with L.4.2
Quoting without the marks
A report that copies a sentence from the article word for word with no quotation marks
Try this: Have students highlight any words copied from a source, then add a tag like the author writes, a comma and quotation marks.
A comma before every and
“We bought apples, and pears.”
Try this: Teach the test: cover the and, and check that both sides are complete sentences before adding the comma.
Lowercase months and places
“We moved to denver in august.”
Try this: Post a capitals checklist (names, places, months, days, holidays, titles) and have students circle each one while editing.
Spelling Worksheet GeneratorFree ToolBuild a list from the grade 4 words students misspell in their reports, like surprise, separate and believe, and practice them before the final draft.Grade 4Commonly misspelled
Sentence Scramble GeneratorFree ToolScrambled compound sentences, so students rebuild each one and add the comma before and, but or so.Compound sentencesGrade 4