6th Grade Spelling and Grammar Worksheet: Top 6 Things to Learn for 12-Year-Olds

Instructions

1. Read each section carefully. The activities are designed to help you master the six most important grammar and spelling skills for 6th grade.
2. Use a pen or pencil to complete the exercises directly on this worksheet.
3. Pay close attention to the examples provided in each section; they will guide you through the more difficult questions.
4. Complete the Grammar Quest Challenge at the end for extra credit.
5. Check your work against the Answer Key provided at the bottom once you have finished.

1. The Homophone Hero

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Choose the correct word in the brackets to complete the sentence.

• Example: I can't believe [their / there] dog ate the entire pizza!

1. The [ effect / affect ] of the rain on the garden was immediate.
2. Do you know [ whose / who's ] coming to the party tonight?
3. We decided to go to the park, and then we went to the movies [ to / too / two ].
4. The principal gave us a [ compliment / complement ] on our hard work.
5. [ It's / Its ] a long way to the top of the mountain.

2. The Suffix Shift

When adding suffixes (like -ing or -ed) to words, spelling often changes. Use the rules of doubling consonants or dropping the silent 'e' to complete the table below.

3. Sentence Surgeon

Identify if the following examples are a Fragment (incomplete thought), a Run-on (two sentences stuck together), or Correct. Then, rewrite the incorrect ones to make them perfect.

1. Walking to the store in the middle of a thunderstorm.

   • Type: ____
   • Fix: __

2. I love video games they are my favorite hobby.

   • Type: ____
   • Fix: __

3. Since we forgot the map, we got lost for three hours.

   • Type: ____
   • Fix: __

4. Subject-Verb Agreement

The subject and the verb must "match" in number. If the subject is singular, the verb needs an 's'. If the subject is plural, it does not.

• Example: The students (plural) study hard. / The student (singular) studies hard.

Circle the correct verb in the sentences below:

1. The group of hikers ( is / are ) lost in the woods.
2. Everyone in the class ( needs / need ) to bring a notebook.
3. Either the cats or the dog ( has / have ) knocked over the vase.
4. My brother and sister ( play / plays ) soccer every Saturday.
5. Neither of the movies ( was / were ) very exciting.

5. Punctuation Power

Commas help readers breathe and understand your meaning. Add the missing commas to the real-world scenarios below.

1. Shopping List: To make the cake we will need flour sugar eggs and a lot of cocoa powder.
2. Direct Address: I'm telling you Sarah that you should really try the spicy tacos.
3. Introductory Phrase: After finishing the long marathon the runner collapsed on the grass.
4. Date/City: My cousin was born on July 14 2012 in Seattle Washington.

6. Pronoun Precision

Pronouns (he, she, it, they) must clearly refer to a specific noun. Rewrite these sentences to fix the "vague pronoun" problem.

• Hint: If it's not clear who "they" or "it" is, replace it with a specific name or noun.

1. Jack and Leo went to the park, and he forgot his hat. (Who forgot the hat?)

   • Fix: __

2. Put the book on the table and then clean it. (Clean the book or the table?)

   • Fix: __

Grammar Quest Challenge (Optional)

Write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) about your favorite hobby. You must include:

• At least one comma in a list.
• One word ending in -ing.
• One pair of homophones used correctly.

Answer Key

1. Homophones: 1. effect, 2. who's, 3. too, 4. compliment, 5. It's 2. Suffixes: Running, Hoped, Stopped, Writing, Swimmer 3. Sentence Surgeon:

1. Fragment (Example fix: I was walking to the store...)
2. Run-on (Example fix: I love video games; they are my favorite...)
3. Correct 4. Subject-Verb Agreement: 1. is, 2. needs, 3. has, 4. play, 5. was 5. Punctuation:
4. ...cake, we will need flour, sugar, eggs, and...
5. ...you, Sarah, that...
6. After...marathon, the runner...
7. ...July 14, 2012, in Seattle, Washington. 6. Pronoun Precision:
8. Jack and Leo went to the park, and Jack forgot his hat.
9. Put the book on the table and then clean the table.