Second Grade ELA Study Guide
3rd Nine -Weeks
The third nine-week ELA test will be broken into two days.
Day 1: The focus will be on listening skills and English Language Arts skills. The skills that
will be assessed are listed in this study guide. Examples have been given.
Day 2: The focus will be on reading comprehension and written responses based on the
second grade North Carolina Standard Course of Study. Students will have to read a fable, a
poem and a non-fiction selection. Students will have to answer multiple choice and written
response questions based on the reading selections. Examples of the questions are listed in
this study guide. For the reading passages, students should use their RUNNERS strategy and
go back into the passages to find their answers.
Day 1: Examples
Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension,
gather information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue. (SL.3)
Students will listen to the teacher read a fictional story and answer questions based on the
story. Students will hear the story one time. They will have a chance to preview questions prior
to hearing the story.
 What is this story mainly about?
 What might happen if…?
 According to the story, where can you…?
 How is the character different from the other characters?
Using an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives. (L.2.2c)
We are not going to the zoo.
What word is a contraction for the words are not?
A. am’nt
B. aren’t
C. ain’t
D. arenot
Answer ( B)
Don’t is a contraction for which words?
A. does not
B. donte
C. do not
D. didn’t
Answer ( C)
***Examples of contractions: can’t, wouldn’t, I’d, don’t, they’re, we’re, won’t, I’m, they’re
This book belongs to Sam.
It is ______________________ book.
A. Sam
B. Sammss
C. Sam’s
D. Sams’
Answer (C)
The __________________ run around in the cage.
What word goes in the blank.
A. hamster’s
B. hamsterss
C. hamsters
D. hamsteres
Answer (C)
Identify real-life connections between words and their uses. (L.2.4a)
Students will be asked about multi-meaning words used in context. Some words have more
than one meaning. In order to figure out what the meaning of the word is the reader has to
read the word in context.
Read each question. Choose the best answer.
He threw the shoe and I had to duck.
What does the word duck mean in the sentence?
A. to bend down
B. a bird
C. a cat
D. a family
Answer (A)
The bat flew in the sky.
What does the word bat mean in this sentence?
A. an object used to hit a ball in baseball
C. a tie
B. a flying mammal
D. to swing at something
(Answer: B)
Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a new prefix is added to a new word.
(L.2.4b)
Subway and submarine begin with the prefix sub. What does the prefix sub- mean?
A. eat
B. under
C. fire
In the word nonsense, what is the prefix?
D. not
Answer (B)
A. sense
D. nonsense
Answer (C)
B. none
C. non
***Examples of prefixes: un-, im-, pre-, bi-, tri-, de-,
Form and use the past tense of frequently occurring irregular verbs. ((L.2.1d)
Read the sentences. Look at the underlined word. Then find the correct past tense verb to
complete the second sentence.
I sleep in the bed.
Yesterday I __________________________ in the bed.
A. sleeps
B. slept
C. sleeping
D. sleeped
Answer (B)
Other examples: dug, come, sell, eat, do, eat, feed, fly, ride, run, see, sit, write, etc.
Find the correct verb tense.
The dog _____________________ his dinner.
A. eat
B. ating
C. eats
D. eating
Answer (C)
Use adjectives (L.2.1e)
Adjective- A part of speech that describes a noun or pronoun.
What two words are adjectives in the sentence?
I have a brown dog and a yellow cat.
A. have and cat
B. dog and cat
C. brown and yellow
D. I and a
(Answer: C)
My dad has three children.
What word in the sentence above is an adjective?
A. dad
B. My
C. children
D. three
(Answer: D)
Understand the term antonym. Understanding antonyms. An antonym is an opposite of a word.
( L.2.5)
What is the antonym of the word hard?
A. soft
B. solid
C. free
D. heavy
(Answer: A)
Using possessive pronouns. Possessive pronouns are used to show ownership.( L.2.1c)
Choose the correct pronoun for the bold-faced word.
Sally rode her bike to the store.
A. he
B. they
C. me
D. she
Choose the correct pronoun for the bold-faced words.
(Answer: D)
Mary and Mike went to school on the bus.
A. He
B. They
C. Us
D. She
(Answer: B)
Day 2: Reading Comprehension and Written response Examples for the informational
and literature questions are listed below.
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why and how to demonstrate
understanding of key details in a text. (RL.2.1) (RI.2.1)
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What did the main character like to do?
What does the character do when…?
Why did the character not …?
What happened when the seasons change?
Why couldn’t the character….?
What is true about…?
Where did the character…?
What is the setting of the poem?
What happened when the character…?
Recount fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message,
lesson or moral. (RL.2.2)
Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs
within the text. (RI.2.2)
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What lesson did the character learn from this fable?
What is the central message of this fable/story?
What is the moral of the story?
What could be another title for this poem?
What is the main idea of the passage?
Which line from the fable shows you that…?
What is the main idea of paragraph 1?
What is the purpose of this selection?
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges (RL.2.3)
Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts or
steps in technical procedures in a text. (RI.2.3)
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Which word best describes the main character?
What happened after the character…?
How can you tell the character ….?
Why did the character…?
What happened because of a specific event in a story?
How are the two characters alike? Different?
Describe how words and phrases (ex., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines)
supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem or song. (RL.2.4)
Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text (RI.2.4)
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Which word/line is repeated throughout the poem?
Which two word/lines in the poem rhyme?
What does the word------ mean in this passage?
What is the best meaning of the word ---- as used in the passage?
Which word from the poem shows alliteration?
What word best describes the mood of the poem?
Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces
the story and the ending concludes the action. (RL.2.5)
Know and use various text features (Ex: captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes)
to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently. (RI.2.5)
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What did the character do after…?
How do you know this passage is non-fiction?
How did the character change from the beginning of the story?
Which one of the following text features is used in the poem?
Acknowledge the differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a
different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud. (RL.2.6)
Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain or
describe (RI.2.6)
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How are the two characters alike? different?
How are the two characters different?
Who is the narrator of this fable?
Who is telling the story/poem?
What is the main idea of the passage?
What is the author’s purpose of this poem…?
Use information gained from the illustration and words in print of digital text to
demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting or plot. (RL.2.7)
 Look at the picture of the character from the story. Which line from the story best
describes the picture?
 How would you describe the character in the story?
 How would you describe the character’s day in the poem?
 What is the setting of the story?
 Who is the main character?
 Which line from the story shows you that the character is …?
Know and apply grade level phonics and word analysis in decoding word. (R.F.2.3c)
How many syllables does the word ---- have?
** Students will be given a word and they have to figure out how many syllables.
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
Written Response type questions. Students will have to fill in the answers to each of
the questions using information and words from the stories.
Name the characters in the fable. Write one word to describe each character.
Character 1
Write one word to describe character 1.
Character 2
Write one word to describe character 2.
At first how did the character feel about….? How did his feelings change at the end of the fable?
Use sentences from the fable in your answer.
At the beginning how did the character feel
Write a sentence from the fable to prove your
about….?
answer.
How did the characters feelings change at the end
of the fable?
Write a sentence from the fable to prove your
answer.
Write two words from the poem that describes the main idea.
What is the character’s problem in the story?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How does the character solve the problem?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Writing:
Students will be given a paragraph that is written incorrectly. Students must fix the errors
in punctuation and capitalization. In addition, they must use the correct past tense of
frequently occurring irregular verbs (sat, hid, told, etc.) and use apostrophes to form
contractions and possessives.
Example (paragraph on test will be longer):
mary has a new hat marys new hat is green red and orange marys mother gaved it to her
for her birthday in march her mother bought it from walmart
Corrections
Mary has a new hat. Mary’s new hat is green, red and orange. Mary’s mother gave it to her for her
birthday in March. Her mother bought it from Walmart.
Students will have to write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing
about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words to connect
opinion and reasons and provide a concluding statement or section. (W.1)
To receive full credit the student must:
 Brainstorm
 Write an introduction
 State their opinion
 Supply at least 5 – 7 reasons that support their opinion
 Use linking words to connect opinion and reasons (and, although, because, also, so
that, etc.)
 Provide a concluding statement or statements.
Example: What is the best book you have read this year? Write one or more paragraphs
telling why it is the best book. Be sure to use supporting sentences. Be sure to include all of the
following pieces in your writing.
 brainstorm
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introduction
Statement of your opinion
5 – 7 reasons that support your opinion
Use linking words to connect opinion and reasons (and, although, because also, so that,
etc.)
concluding statement or statements
Important Vocabulary
lesson
a principle the author
intends to teach the
reader
passage
a part of a written work
describe
to tell about
syllable
a word or part of a word
that has a single vowel
sound
Ex: pepper (2)
Computer (3)
repeated
words or phrases in
passages or poems that
are stated more than
one time
prefix
a word part added to
the beginning of a root
word that changes its
meaning
definition
the meaning of a word or
phrase
poem
words written in lines
or stanzas to tell a story
poems sometimes
rhyme
setting
the time and place of a
story
main idea
the most important
thought or message in a
paragraph or story
past tense verbs
action words that have
already occurred
(irregular)
examples: give- gave
sleep-slept
central message
The lesson in the story
(fable)
rhyme
having the same or similar
ending sounds
author’s purpose
the reason why an
author writes
something
 explain
 inform
 entertain
character
people or animals in the
story
pronouns
A word that takes place
of a noun (he, they,
us,etc.)
contraction
A shortened version of a
word; leaving out a
letter(s). A contraction
usually contains an
apostrophe.
Alliteration
Repetition of sounds
Many men make money.
narrator
a person who tells a story
or poem
It can be a person in the
story or not in the story
text features
an element that stands
out from the other parts
of the text to help the
reader understand
information
non-fiction
a genre of writing that
tells about real people,
places or events
genre
a category used to classify
literature
fable
A story with a moral at
the end. Characters are
usually animals.
Adjective
A word that describes a
noun