Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation: Year 2 Study Guide
Careful writers check the little things: spelling, tense and punctuation.
Spelling follows patterns. Plurals add s or es (box → boxes, baby → babies). Adding -ing to a word with a short vowel and one consonant doubles the consonant (run → running, hop → hopping), but for words ending in silent e, drop the e (make → making). Suffixes such as -ed, -er, -est and -ly change the word's meaning or job.
Grammar includes verb tense (past, present, future), nouns and pronouns, and adjectives and adverbs. Punctuation includes capital letters, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas in lists, apostrophes and speech marks.
Useful rules
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Double the final consonant before -ing/-ed (short vowel) | hop → hopping, hopped |
| Drop the silent e before -ing | bake → baking |
| Change y to i before -es/-ed | carry → carries, carried |
| Add -er and -est to compare | tall, taller, tallest |
| Add -ly to make an adverb | slow → slowly |
Apostrophes and speech marks
An apostrophe shows letters are missing (didn't = did not) or ownership (Mia's hat). Do not use it to make plurals: write 'two dogs', not 'two dog's'. Speech marks surround the exact words spoken: "Let's go!" said Mum. Start a new line when a new person speaks.
Only what is said.
Before and after.
Comma, ? or !.
said Mum.
Tense
Past: I walked, I ate. Present: I walk, I eat. Future: I will walk, I will eat. A recount is in the past tense; instructions use the present. Keep the tense the same in one text unless the time truly changes.
Worked examples and common mistakes
Fix: the dogs bone was buried yesterday becomes The dog's bone was buried yesterday. Common mistakes: 'runing' for running, 'its' and 'it's' mix-ups, and missing speech marks. Proofread by reading aloud and again slowly from the end. Use a dictionary for tricky words.
Check your understanding: model answers
1. swimming, making. 2. the children's toys. 3. Example: "Come and play," said Ben.
✨ Key Takeaways
- Spelling follows patterns; learn the rules.
- Suffixes change meaning and word class.
- Apostrophes show missing letters or belonging.
- Keep tense consistent.
💬 Questions for Discussion & Reflection
- Add -ing to 'swim' and 'make'.
- Correct: 'the childrens toys'.
- Write a sentence with speech marks.
Print lined paper for spelling practice →