Mastering grammar skills improves students’ writing helping them communicate their thoughts with the reader. Using visual elements to teach and review these skills can be extremely helpful. This is where grammar anchor charts and posters come in handy.
What are Grammar Anchor Charts?
The words “posters” and “anchor charts” are used interchangeably, but is there a difference? When using the term posters, you think of a page filled with information that you can “post” up on a wall for students to look at.
Anchor charts are similar, but usually have either visual elements or an interactive portion that has been created usually during the lesson. Perhaps a few words are showing, and you and your students add drawings or words to it together.
The “do it together” aspect of grammar anchor charts helps students “anchor” or retain information better. Anchor charts later provide students with a source to reference to when they are working on their own.
Ways to use Grammar Anchor Charts
The benefit of using anchor charts in the classroom is that they can be used in a variety of ways.
1. Displayed on a projection board or printed on a large chart paper
The posters can be displayed on the board as you introduce or review skills. Recreating them on a large chart paper or printing them in a large format is also a good option. Having them displayed in a large format is great for whole group teaching. Students can be given post it notes to add drawings, words, or sentences to. Then, they can add them onto the chart.
2. Used as a hands-on group activity
You can print out the forms on a sheet of paper or enlarge them. Give each pair of students or small groups an anchor chart. Have them add information or examples to the anchor charts as they work together.
3. Presented during a teacher-led small group
Having a binder to keep all the posters and anchor charts is a great option. It allows you to use them during your small group instruction. Just open up the binder to the skill you will be reviewing, and you are ready to go.
4. Provide each student with their own copy
Anchor charts can be copied at 80% and given to students to add to their interactive notebooks. Provide students with sticky notes or have them write right on the chart itself.
About the Free Grammar Anchor Charts
Let’s take a sneak peek at the grammar posters and anchor charts included within this free resource.
1. Abbreviations
The abbreviations posters and anchor charts include:
- a person’s title (ex. Dr., Jr., and Prof.)
- days of the week
- months
- streets
- measurements
- states
2. Contractions
The contractions posters and anchor charts include:
- not
- am, are, is
- will, would
- have, has
3. Common & Proper Nouns
The common nouns posters display the four categories: person, place, thing, and animal.
The proper nouns posters and anchor charts include:
- days and months
- holiday
- names of people & pets
- titles of people (ex. President Lincoln)
- places
- brands & companies
- titles of work
4. Plural Nouns
These posters and anchor charts break down the plural nouns into four categories.
- ending in s, sh, ch, x, and z
- ending in -f or -fe
- ending in -y
- irregular nouns
5. Possessive Nouns
The possessive nouns covered are singular possessive nouns and plural possessive nouns.
6. Concrete & Abstract Nouns
Concrete nouns and abstract nouns are included. The posters provided definitions and multiple examples for both categories. The anchor charts include the definitions and a space for students to provide examples.
7. Simple Verb Tenses
These include simple present tense, simple past tense, and simple future tense verbs.
8. Perfect Verb Tenses
This set includes perfect present tense, perfect past tense, and perfect future tense verbs.
9. Progressive Verb Tenses
This set includes progressive present tense, progressive past tense, and progressive future tense verbs.
10. Types of Sentences
The types of sentences covered are declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory.
11. What is a Sentence?
This poster provides a definition and the 4 things a sentence must have: a capital letter, a subject, a predicate, and an ending punctuation mark.
12. Subject & Predicate
The subject and predicate grammar posters and anchor charts include 4 categories:
- Complete Subject
- Complete Predicate
- Simple Subject
- Simple Predicate
13. Simple & Compound Sentences
Providing a variety of sentence sizes and complexities in writing is a standard for 4th and 5th grade. This set includes two different posters: simple and compound sentences. It also provides the definition and an example of an independent and a dependent clause.
14. Complex Sentence
The complex sentence anchor charts include two columns. It gives students the opportunity to sort complex sentences that start with a dependent clause and the ones ending with the dependent clause.
15. Fragments & Run-On Sentences
The fragments and run-on sentence posters break down how to identify and fix these types of sentence errors.
16. Dependent & Independent Clauses
These include information on dependent and independent clauses. Great for intervention if students are not understanding complex sentences.
17. Subordinating Conjunctions
A.A.A.W.U.B.B.I.S. is introduced as an acronym for recognizing the most commonly used subordinating conjunctions.
18. Coordinating Conjunctions
F.A.N.B.O.Y.S. is introduced as an acronym for recognizing the most commonly used coordinating conjunctions.
19. Correlative Conjunctions
The correlative conjunctions included in this set are:
- either…or
- neither…nor
- both…and
- whether…or
- not only…but also
20. Frequently Confused Words
The frequently confused words included in this set are:
- to, too, and two
- there, they’re, and their
- were, we’re, and where
- whose and who’s
- your and you’re
- its and it’s
21. Order of Adjectives
N.O.S.A.S.C.O.M. is introduced as an acronym for recognizing the order of adjectives. It includes:
- number
- opinion
- size
- age
- shape
- color
- origin
- material
22. Comparative & Superlative Adjectives
These comparative and superlative adjectives include the -er and -est endings as well as more and most.
23. Relative Pronouns
The relative pronouns include are:
- which
- that
- whose
- who
- whom
24. Relative Adverbs
The relative adverbs include are:
- where
- when
- why
25. Prepositions & Prepositional Phrases
The posters include the definitions and various examples of prepositional phrases. The anchor charts include two columns. One is for listing or finding examples of prepositions. The other is for listing or finding examples of prepositional phrases.
26. Commas
There are a variety of commas uses covered in this set. It includes:
- Commas in a Series
- Commas with a Tag Question
- Commas with Nouns of Direct Address
- Quotation Marks & Commas
Get Your Free Grammar Anchor Charts and Posters
To get the free vocabulary graphic organizers sent straight to your inbox, click the button below and enter your email in the form that pops up. Using a personal email address is better for deliverability reasons.
Need Grammar Resources?
If you need engaging grammar resources, check out these grammar print and fold resource. They are available for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade standards. These can be paired with the grammar anchor charts to enhance grammar instruction.
