STAAR Revising Editing Anchor Chart
STAAR Grade 7 RLA TEKS 7.10.B & 7.10.C
Student Reference Guide • Part 1
Revising Toolkit: Structure, Thesis & Transitions
Goal: Improve the clarity, organization, flow, and effectiveness of the author's ideas.
A
Add
Details, transitions, topic/thesis sentences
R
Remove
Off-topic words, repeated facts, filler sentences
M
Move
Sentences to logical chronological order
S
Substitute
Weak words with precise vocabulary & strong verbs
Central Idea & Thesis Statements
The controlling idea / thesis drives the entire essay. It tells the reader what the paper is about and why.
📍 Location Checklist: Usually the last sentence of the introduction paragraph (Sentence 3–5).
✨ Winning Formula: Specific Topic + Precise Claim / Main Reasons
⚠️ STAAR Distractor Alert: Avoid choices that are too broad, introduce random new facts, or sound like an announcement ("I will tell you about...").
Topic & Closing Sentences
Every body paragraph needs an anchor sentence at the start and a unifying synthesis at the close.
📌 Topic Sentence (Beginning): Must connect directly to one specific reason from the thesis and preview only this paragraph's evidence.
🎯 Concluding Sentence (Ending): Summarizes the paragraph's key insight without repeating the exact same words. Ties back to the main point.
💡 Paragraph Cohesion Test: If a sentence doesn't match the topic sentence, delete it or move it!
STAAR Transition Logic Matrix
Choose words by logical relationship, not just sound!
Addition
Continues same idea
- • Furthermore
- • In addition
- • Moreover
- • Additionally
- • Also / Besides
Contrast
Shows sudden shift
- • However
- • In contrast
- • On the other hand
- • Nevertheless
- • Although / Still
Cause & Effect
Shows result/reason
- • Consequently
- • As a result
- • Therefore
- • Thus / Hence
- • For this reason
Time / Sequence
Shows chronology
- • Meanwhile
- • Subsequently
- • Previously
- • Eventually
- • Following this
Example / Clarify
Proves or emphasizes
- • For instance
- • Specifically
- • In fact
- • To illustrate
- • Indeed
STAAR Revising Question Stems & 4-Step Attack Plan
Always read 1 sentence before & after!
🎯 Frequent STAAR Stems:
- Q1: "Which sentence is the best central idea / thesis statement for this paper?"
- Q2: "What is the most effective transition to add to the beginning of sentence 14?"
- Q3: "Which sentence should be added after sentence 8 to support the topic?"
- Q4: "What is the best way to combine sentences 5 and 6 without changing the meaning?"
⚡ The 4-Step Attack Protocol:
- 1. Identify the Goal: Underline what the question asks (add, remove, combine, or transition).
- 2. Context Check: Re-read the target sentence PLUS the sentence before and after.
- 3. Predict Before Looking: What logical idea or connection is missing?
- 4. Plug-In & Read Aloud: Test each answer choice back inside the full paragraph.
STAAR Grade 7 RLA TEKS 7.10.D (Conventions)
Student Reference Guide • Part 2
Editing Master Guide: Sentence Boundaries & Mechanics
Goal: Correct grammatical errors, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and sentence boundaries.
C
Capitalization
Proper nouns, titles, languages, first words
U
Usage
Subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent, verbs
P
Punctuation
Commas, apostrophes, semicolons, quotes, periods
S
Spelling
Homophones, irregular plurals, doubled consonants
The 4 Sentence Boundary States
Target TEKS 7.10.D.vi: Run-ons & Fragments
1. Complete Sentence (IC) CORRECT
Must have: Subject + Predicate (Verb) + Complete Thought.
✓ The biologist studied the rare nocturnal owl in the forest.
2. Sentence Fragment ERROR
Missing subject, verb, or trapped by an AAAWWUUBBIS word alone.
✗ Because the harsh storm arrived early in the morning. (Incomplete!)
3. Fused / Run-On Sentence ERROR
Two independent clauses smashed together with zero punctuation.
✗ The bell rang students rushed out into the hallway.
4. Comma Splice (Classic Trap) ERROR
Two complete sentences glued with only a comma (no FANBOYS).
✗ The museum closed at five, we arrived ten minutes late.
Compound Sentence Formulas
Join two complete thoughts (Independent Clauses):
Formula 1: Comma + FANBOYS
[Complete Sentence] , FANBOYS [Complete Sentence]
For • And • Nor • But • Or • Yet • So
Formula 2: Semicolon Alone
[Complete Sentence] ; [Complete Sentence]
Complex Sentence Formulas
Uses AAAWWUUBBIS subordinating conjunctions:
Rule A: Dependent Clause at FRONT (Comma!)
[AAAWWUUBBIS + DC] , [Complete Sentence]
Although it rained, the game continued.
Rule B: Dependent Clause at BACK (NO Comma!)
[Complete Sentence] [AAAWWUUBBIS + DC]
The game continued although it rained.
The AAAWWUUBBIS Conjunctions: As • Although • After • While • When • Unless • Until • Because • Before • If • Since
STAAR Editing Traps & Question Protocols
Look for ONE error per line!
Apostrophe Traps
• its = possessive
• it's = it is
• they're / their / there
• Plurals DO NOT need apostrophes (dogs vs dog's).
Interrupter Traps
Ignore prepositional phrases when checking subject-verb match:
The box of heavy tools is heavy. (Singular box = is, not are!)
Standard Stems
• "What change is needed in sentence 8?"
• "What is the correct way to write sentence 19?"
• "What change should be made in sentence 4?"
