Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
The Grammar Gazette: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 6
- ForYear 6
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
The Grammar Gazette is a free printable English worksheet for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11). Children play chief editor. They hunt for 15 errors, circle each one and write the fix above it. Then they write their own news story on the lines provided. Page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children take the role of chief editor. They read the Gazette carefully, find 15 errors, circle each one and write the correction above it. Each paragraph hides exactly three errors, so there is a clear target to aim for. The mistakes cover punctuation, verb forms and word choice. Once the paper is fixed, children write their own news story on the lines provided.
How to proofread like an editor
Read it aloud first
Read the whole paragraph once for sense. Hearing a sentence often shows that something is wrong before a child can say what it is.
Hunt for one thing at a time
Read once for punctuation. Read again for verb forms. Read a third time for word choice. Looking for everything at once makes errors easy to miss.
Change as little as possible
A good editor fixes the error and leaves the rest alone. Write the fix directly above the circled word or mark.
Read the fixed sentence again
After each correction, read the sentence aloud. Check that it sounds right and still makes sense.
Why proofreading matters in Year 6
Proofreading means reading writing closely to find and fix mistakes. Writers find it hard to spot errors in their own work, because they read what they meant, not what is on the page. Checking someone else's writing first is a gentler way to build the habit. Children learn what to look for, and then use that skill on their own work.
Year 6 is a good time to focus on more formal grammar. Semicolons and colons help writers link ideas clearly. Passive verbs and the subjunctive appear in formal and news style writing. The National Curriculum for England covers these ideas in the grammar and punctuation strand, and in editing and proofreading within writing. Short, focused practice helps them stick.
Skills and curriculum link
- Proofreading
- Editing for punctuation
- Semicolons and colons
- Passive and subjunctive verbs
- Choosing the right word
- Writing a news story
Grammar ideas to help
- SemicolonA semicolon can link two main clauses that are closely related in meaning. Each side should make sense as a sentence on its own.
- ColonA colon can introduce a list, or an explanation, after a complete clause. Check that what comes before it could stand alone.
- Passive voiceIn a passive sentence, the subject receives the action. News reports often use it when who did something is unknown or less important.
- SubjunctiveThis is a verb form used in formal English for wishes and things that are not real or not certain. It is not common in everyday speech.
Key words
- ProofreadTo read writing carefully to find mistakes and mark how to fix them.
- EditTo improve a piece of writing by changing it.
- SemicolonA punctuation mark (;) that can join two closely linked main clauses.
- ColonA punctuation mark (:) that can introduce a list or an explanation.
- PassiveA verb form where the subject has the action done to it.
- SubjunctiveA verb form used in formal writing for wishes and things that are not real or certain.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
- Read the front page once for fun, so your child sees the whole Gazette before hunting for errors.
- Hunt for three errors in each paragraph. Circle each one and write the fix above it.
- Work through it together the first time. Talk about each choice, then check against the notes and answers on page 2.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Tell your child that each paragraph hides exactly three errors. That gives them a clear target. Let them use a word mat showing semicolon, colon and 'were' examples. Cover all but one paragraph at a time, so the page feels smaller.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to choose one passive sentence and rewrite it in the active voice. Then they explain which version suits a news report better, and why. Encourage them to say who is doing the action in each version.
Make it a game
Race in pairs. Each pair needs a printed copy and a pencil. The first pair to find and fix all 15 errors correctly wins the title of Chief Editor. Check the fixes together on page 2 before crowning the winner.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child circles something that is already correct and misses a real error.
Try thisRead the sentence aloud slowly. Ask, "Does this sound right?" Remind them that each paragraph hides exactly three errors.
Watch forA child adds a semicolon or colon without checking either side of it.
Try thisAsk whether the words before it make a complete sentence. For a semicolon, check that the words after it could also stand alone.
Watch forA child rewrites a whole sentence instead of fixing the error.
Try thisSay that editors change as little as possible. Ask them to find the one word or mark that needs to change and write only that above it.
Talk about it
- What does a chief editor do, and why does a newspaper need one?
- Which kind of error was hardest to spot? Why do you think that was?
- Why might a news report use the passive voice?
- When would a semicolon be a better choice than a full stop?
- Read your news story aloud. Does every sentence sound right?
- If you could be editor of any newspaper, what would it report on?
Take it off the page
Family newsletter
Write a short newsletter about something that happened at home this week. Swap it with someone and ask them to proofread it with a pencil.
Headline hunt
Look at a printed newspaper or magazine. Find a headline and the first line of its story. Talk about how it grabs the reader and what the writer chose to leave out.
Swap and fix
Write five sentences with a deliberate mistake in each. Swap with a friend, then circle and fix each other's errors.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Ask them to explain each fix they make. Praise careful reading and good reasoning, not only correct answers. Short bursts of work are better than one long session.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. It supports Year 6 grammar and punctuation work and editing within writing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider English plan. It pairs well with reading real newspapers and with your child's own writing. Because it is free to print, you can use it again for brothers and sisters or for revision later.
Where this fits in
Before this sheet, children learn to use full stops, capital letters, commas and apostrophes, and to keep verb tenses consistent. In upper Key Stage 2 they meet more advanced punctuation and begin to check their own writing for errors.
After this sheet, children can use semicolons and colons in their own writing, and choose between active and passive verbs for effect. These skills help with more formal writing in secondary school, where careful editing is expected.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is The Grammar Gazette for?
It is written for Year 6, ages 10 to 11, in Key Stage 2. Younger children may need more support. Confident Year 5 children could try it with a grown up beside them.
- What will children practise?
Children practise proofreading and editing sentences for punctuation, verb forms and word choice. They then write their own news story. The sheet focuses on semicolons, colons, and passive and subjunctive verbs.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. They read it once for fun, then hunt for three errors in each paragraph, circle them and write the fix above. Check with page 2.
- What if it feels too hard?
Tell your child that each paragraph hides exactly three errors. Let them use a word mat showing semicolon, colon and 'were' examples. Working one paragraph at a time also helps.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision, and black and white printing works well.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has help, a stretch idea and answers.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Children read, think and write by hand.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.