Grammar Spy

Free Grammar Detective Challenge

A printable editing challenge: students hunt down and correct eleven grammar mistakes, practicing verb tense and subject-verb agreement as they go. The same hunt also plays in the browser with no login.

What is in the case file

  • A cover page that sets up the mission.
  • A student page with the witness statement containing eleven grammar errors, five detective directions, and an Evidence Tracker table.
  • A confidential answer key listing each mistake, its correction, and the grammar rule behind it.

How to run it in 10–15 minutes

1. Project or hand out the case file and read the mission line aloud.
2. Students read the witness statement once for meaning — pens down.
3. On the second read they circle or underline each error.
4. They write the mistake and its correction side by side in the Evidence Tracker.
5. Reveal the answer key and compare. The rule column is where the discussion happens.

Supporting WIDA 2–3 students

These are teacher decisions you make in the moment; the file does not change itself. Core: read the witness statement aloud once before students work, and keep the five directions visible throughout. Lighter: tell students how many errors sit in each sentence, or work the first two sentences together so the pattern is modelled. Stronger: ask for the grammar rule alongside each correction, then have pairs rewrite the whole statement cleanly.

The browser version

Grammar Detective runs the same error hunt on screen with a timer and a score at the end. There is no login and no account. It is the fastest way to model the routine with the whole class before students work on paper.

What comes next

The skills here — subject-verb agreement and verb tense consistency — carry straight into Case File #007 and the printable follow-ups in the Resource Library.

Frequently asked questions

Do students need an account?

No. The browser mission plays without a login and the PDF downloads without an email address.

How many errors are in the statement?

Eleven, all listed in the confidential answer key with the rule behind each one.

How long does it take?

About 10–15 minutes, which makes it work as a bell ringer, an exit ticket, or a small-group intervention.

What grades is it written for?

Grades 6–10, and it is widely used with high school newcomers and any class needing quick editing review.

Can I use it with WIDA 2–3 students?

Yes. Read the statement aloud first, keep the directions visible, and tell students how many errors sit in each sentence if they need a lighter route.

Pair it with

Continue your first-week plan