• Reading (R)

    • Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

    • Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

    • Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

    • Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

    • Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.

    • Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

    • Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

    • Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

    • Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.

    • Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

  • Writing (W)

    • Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

    • Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

    • Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences.

    • Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

    • Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

    • Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

    • Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

    • Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.

    • Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

    • Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

  • Speaking & Listening (SL)

    • Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

    • Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

    • Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

    • Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

    • Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

    • Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

  • Language (L)

    • Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

    • Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

    • Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

    • Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

    • Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

    • Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression.