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Virginia Standards

11th Grade English SOL

All 18 Virginia English standards for 11th grade, each explained in plain English. The official wording is in Virginia Department of Education's document, linked at the end of this page.

18 standards

Developing Skilled Readers and Building Reading Stamina

1 standard
11.DSR
Read texts at the easy end of the grades 11 to 12 range fluently, ask and answer literal through critical questions, cite and locate evidence, and read linked texts.

Reading and Vocabulary

1 standard
11.RV.1
Use context, roots and etymology to grasp complex terms, weigh near-synonyms like shrewd and sly, analyze idioms, and explain how allusions and figures of speech work.

Reading Literary Text

3 standards
11.RL.1
Analyze universal themes across eras of American literature, explain how a scene fits the whole, show how dialogue reveals character, and evaluate asides in plays.
11.RL.2
Interpret how a poem's sound and imagery support mood and theme, evaluate an author's diction and syntax, critique symbolism and archetypes, and analyze irony and satire.
11.RL.3
Explain how history and culture shape texts by diverse voices, relate myth and folk tale patterns to modern stories, and analyze how authors' beliefs mirror their times.

Reading Informational Text

3 standards
11.RI.1
Complete job or college applications, summarize workplace documents, analyze a study's data and conclusions, and test claims and evidence against other sources.
11.RI.2
Examine how organization serves an author's purpose, interpret key terms in technical and job texts, and analyze why authors use paradox, oxymoron or irony in nonfiction.
11.RI.3
Analyze paired passages for shared and clashing ideas and conclusions, and compare informational and technical documents, like a user manual, for intent and clarity.

Writing

3 standards
11.W.1
Write sourced explanatory essays, analyses that weigh evidence and propose solutions, personal statements for jobs or college, and varied short and long pieces.
11.W.2
Plan essays around a firm thesis, order claims, counterclaims and evidence logically, introduce and explain each quotation, and connect ideas with varied transitions.
11.W.3
Revise for clarity, accuracy and depth, trade peer feedback, edit conventions and style, and polish writing to the standard employers and colleges expect.

Language Usage

2 standards
11.LU.1
Use verbal phrases like gerunds, participles and infinitives to tighten sentences, vary structure with complex sentences, and pick active or passive voice for effect.
11.LU.2
Punctuate complex sentences correctly with commas, semicolons and colons, format papers to MLA or APA guidelines, and check spelling against reference tools.

Communication and Multimodal Literacies

4 standards
11.C.1
Collaborate in discussions by reaching consensus, compromising, voicing alternate views, answering others with evidence, summarizing and reflecting on one's role.
11.C.2
Present a position using ethos, pathos, logos and figurative language, fit diction to the audience, rebut opposing views, and evaluate the talk's evidence and reasoning.
11.C.3
Create and give multimodal presentations for varied audiences, evaluate media by author and purpose, combine live information into a stance, and use technology ethically.
11.C.4
Analyze the sources and viewpoints of ads, editorials and blogs, critique how media target audiences, and compare visual and verbal messages for intent and impact.

Research

1 standard
11.R.1
Investigate a refined question, judge sources objectively for reliability and bias, build claims that acknowledge counterclaims, cite properly and use AI responsibly.

The official Virginia documents

The plain-English lines on this page are EMStudio's own explanations of Virginia's standards, not the official wording, which Virginia Department of Education publishes in the documents above. Codes and strand names identify each standard.