Day 39: Peer Editing Lesson, Interrogative and Imperative Verbs
Cultivate a collaborative revision culture in your writing classroom. In Day 39 of the Grade 9 English course, students engage in a structured Peer Editing Lesson Plan to refine their persuasive essay drafts. After a short grammar warm-up on imperative and interrogative verbs to improve feedback delivery, students use target checklists to evaluate peer arguments, check MLA formatting, and map out final revision strategies.
75 Minutes | Key Concepts: Peer Review, Collaborative Revision, Imperative Verbs, Interrogative Sentences, Final Draft Polishing
Learning Goals and Standards
Students will:
- Provide constructive feedback on a peer’s opinion essay
- Evaluate essay structure, organization, and clarity using a checklist
- Identify strengths and areas for improvement in another writer’s work
- Apply knowledge of thesis statements, PEEL paragraphs, MLA formatting, and citations during the review process
- Reflect on feedback received and use it to improve their own writing
- Strengthen revision skills through collaboration and discussion
Ontario Curriculum Connections (ENL1W)
- C3.2 Revising and Editing — revise drafts based on feedback and self-assessment
- C3.3 Publishing, Presenting, and Reflecting — reflect on writing and identify areas for improvement
- C1.3 Developing Ideas and Organizing Content — evaluate the effectiveness of organization and support
- A3.2 Critical Thinking — analyze and assess the effectiveness of written communication
- D1.2 Listening and Responding — provide thoughtful and respectful feedback during discussions
Common Core (Grades 9–10)
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.5 — strengthen writing through planning, revising, editing, and rewriting
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1 — participate effectively in collaborative discussions
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.4 — evaluate clear and coherent writing
IB Language & Literature (ATL Skills)
- Communication skills through feedback and discussion
- Social skills through collaboration
- Reflection skills through self-assessment and revision
Cambridge IGCSE English
- Evaluate and improve written work
- Provide constructive feedback to others
- Reflect on strengths and weaknesses in writing
OECD Global Competence Framework
- Communicate respectfully and constructively
- Evaluate information critically
- Collaborate effectively with peers
Resources
- Full interrogative and imperative verbs lesson with student notes
- Peer Editing Worksheet
- Self Assessment Activity Sheet
Bell Ringer
Ask students:
If someone was reviewing your essay today, what is one thing you would want them to pay special attention to?
Then ask:
What makes feedback helpful rather than simply critical?
This discussion helps establish expectations for respectful and productive peer editing.
Lesson Flow
1. Imperative and Interrogative Verbs
Before diving into editing, let’s warm up with a quick grammar review of imperative and interrogative verbs. Understanding how to use commands and questions effectively helps improve tone and clarity in writing.
Students will identify examples, discuss how these verbs function in communication, and apply them to improve clarity in their essays.
2. Peer Editing
Now that essays are complete, it’s time for students to trade papers and provide thoughtful, constructive feedback using the peer editing handout. This step helps writers catch small errors, improve structure, and ensure that arguments are clear and well-supported.
Encourage students to focus on both content (organization, evidence, transitions) and mechanics (grammar, punctuation, MLA format). Remind them that editing is about helping each other grow as writers, not just marking mistakes.
When finished, students should begin revising their essays based on the feedback they receive. Set a due date for final drafts.
3. Homework / Next Steps
Finish revising essays for final submission.
Review notes on MLA formatting and in-text citations before submitting the final copy.
- Hand out the self-assessment worksheet, if desired.
First-Hand Suggestions
Students often focus on finding spelling mistakes during peer editing, but the most valuable feedback usually relates to ideas, organization, and clarity. I encourage students to think like readers rather than teachers. If a section is confusing, unconvincing, or especially effective, that information is incredibly useful to the writer. When students provide specific feedback and explain their reasoning, both partners tend to improve their essays significantly.
Differentiation for the Peer Editing Lesson
Support Strategies
- Provide a structured peer-editing checklist
- Model examples of constructive feedback before beginning
- Use sentence stems to guide comments
- Pair students strategically based on confidence and skill level
- Encourage students to focus on one section at a time
Support for English Language Learners
Pre-teach key vocabulary:
- feedback
- revise
- edit
- clarify
- evidence
- organization
Helpful sentence starters:
- “One strength of this essay is…”
- “I was confused when…”
- “You could improve this section by…”
- “This evidence supports your argument because…”
Alternative Demonstration Options
Students may:
- provide verbal feedback instead of written comments
- work through the checklist with a partner
- focus on fewer editing categories
- conference with the teacher instead of a peer if needed
Extension Opportunities
Students ready for enrichment can:
- provide detailed feedback on argument quality and evidence
- identify patterns in grammar and sentence structure
- suggest stronger transitions and organizational improvements
- review MLA formatting and citation accuracy
- compare peer feedback with their own self-assessment
Peer Editing Lesson FAQ
How do you run a successful peer editing session in high school? A successful session requires concrete boundaries. Provide students with an explicit peer editing checklist that targets structural elements (like hooks, thesis statements, and PEEL formatting) rather than letting them search aimlessly for grammar typos.
Why teach imperative and interrogative verbs alongside peer editing? Imperative verbs (commands) allow editors to write clear action items, while interrogative verbs (questions) help them push the writer’s critical thinking without sounding overly critical, balancing the tone of the workshop.
How do you grade peer editing activities? Peer editing can be assessed formatively by checking the depth and quality of the feedback left on a classmate’s worksheet, emphasizing the quality of collaboration and constructive communication.
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