NY Grade 3 ELA cheat sheet

In literature, a character's traits are revealed through what the character says, does, thinks, or feels, and through how other characters respond to them.

The central message or lesson of a story is a statement about life or behavior that the whole text supports; it is not a summary of plot events.

A retelling includes key story elements in order: characters, setting, problem, major events, and solution.

Informational text structure includes sequence, cause/effect, problem/solution, compare/contrast, and description; signal words such as first, because, however, and both help identify the structure.

Main idea of an informational paragraph is often stated in the first or last sentence; supporting details answer who, what, when, where, why, or how.

A text feature is a visual or organizational aid such as a heading, caption, diagram, glossary, or index; each feature has a specific purpose for locating or understanding information.

Point of view in a literary text refers to who tells the story (first person: I/we; third person: he/she/they), while in informational text an author's point of view is what the author thinks or feels about the topic.

Comparing two texts on the same topic requires identifying what each text emphasizes and where the details agree or differ.

An opinion piece states a position, supplies at least two reasons, and ends with a concluding statement that restates the opinion.

An informative/explanatory piece introduces a topic, groups related facts and definitions into categories, and provides a concluding sentence or section.

A narrative piece establishes a situation, introduces characters, uses dialogue and description to show events, and provides a sense of closure.

The writing process for grade 3 is plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish; revision changes ideas or organization, while editing corrects conventions.

Temporal words (first, next, then, finally) and linking words (because, also, another) connect ideas and events within and across paragraphs.

A paragraph contains one topic sentence, supporting detail sentences, and a concluding sentence; indenting signals a new paragraph.

When writing from sources, a writer uses facts from the text and avoids copying sentences word for word; a simple citation names the title or author.

Short research tasks require generating a question, locating information in provided print or digital sources, and recording the answer in notes or a graphic organizer.

A collaborative discussion follows agreed rules: take turns, listen without interrupting, build on others' ideas, and ask questions to clarify.

An effective speaker states the main point first, supports it with details, and speaks clearly at an understandable pace.

An effective listener can restate or paraphrase a speaker's main idea and supporting details after hearing a text read aloud.

Asking a question such as 'Can you explain what you mean by that?' is a strategy for gaining clarification during discussion.

Oral presentations for grade 3 include a clear topic, organized facts or events, and complete sentences delivered at an appropriate volume.

Multimedia or visual displays used in a presentation should support the spoken message, not replace it.

When reporting on a topic, a speaker recounts a text or experience in a logical sequence and answers audience questions.

A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea; a pronoun replaces a noun, and pronoun-antecedent agreement requires matching number and gender.

A verb shows action or state of being; regular past tense is formed by adding -ed, while irregular verbs (go/went, see/saw) change form.

An adjective describes a noun or pronoun; an adverb describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb and often ends in -ly.

A simple sentence has a subject and a predicate; a compound sentence joins two independent clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so).

A complex sentence contains an independent clause and a dependent clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction such as because, when, if, or although.

Capitalization rules include the first word of a sentence, proper nouns (names, days, months, holidays, geographic names), and the pronoun I.

Commas are used in a series, after an introductory phrase, and in dates and addresses; quotation marks enclose a speaker's exact words.

A prefix is added to the beginning of a base word and a suffix to the end; both change meaning or part of speech (un-, re-, -ful, -less).

A dictionary entry gives the word, pronunciation, part of speech, and meanings; a glossary is a mini-dictionary at the back of a book.