11+ Spelling and Grammar
Spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG) questions are quick marks if the core rules are secure.
Many 11+ papers include questions that ask children to spot a spelling mistake, choose the correctly punctuated sentence, or complete a sentence with the right word.
Focus on high-frequency rules: their/there/they’re, your/you’re, apostrophes for possession vs contraction, capital letters for proper nouns, and common spelling patterns (ie/ei, double letters, silent letters).
Read each option as a complete sentence — punctuation questions are often decided by a single comma or apostrophe, so slow, deliberate reading wins marks.
Worked examples
Q. Which is correct: "Its raining" or "It’s raining"?
"It’s" is short for "it is", so "It’s raining" is correct. "Its" (no apostrophe) shows possession.
Q. Choose the correctly punctuated sentence: "The dogs bowl is empty" / "The dog’s bowl is empty".
The bowl belongs to the dog, so an apostrophe is needed: "The dog’s bowl is empty".
Common mistakes
- Confusing it’s (it is) with its (possessive).
- Missing apostrophes for possession.
- Skimming punctuation questions instead of reading the full sentence.
FAQs
How much spelling and grammar is in the 11+?+
It varies by board, but SPaG features in most English papers — and because the rules are finite, it is one of the most improvable areas.
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