About the store
Charlene Tess taught English and creative writing to high school students and adults for over thirty-five years. She was the Secondary Teacher of the Year for Ysleta Independent School District in 1998, and one of the five finalists for Region XIX Teacher of the Year. She is listed in Who's Who in America. Since 1996, she has worked as an educational consultant helping other teachers use her grammar workbook series, Simple Steps to Sentence Sense.
Charlene is a charter member of TpT and opened her store in 2006.
Charlene now devotes her time to writing fiction and teaching fiction writing to adults. She is the author of romantic suspense novels, and the highly acclaimed Simple Steps to Sentence Sense Series, and has published short fiction and numerous articles in magazines and in short story collections.
Visit Charlene's blog to learn more about her and her writing. www.booksbycharlenetess.com. You can find her novels in the Kindle Store at Amazon.com.
Charlene and her husband Jerry spend their free time traveling to promote her books and spending time with their two daughters and their three grandsons.
Read more
All resources
Filters
Grade
Subject
Resource type
Standard
Theme
Audience
Grammar Worksheets and Tests | Simple Steps to Sentence Sense | High School
Does grammar make your students anxious? These grammar worksheets in the Simple Steps to Sentence Sense grammar workbook can help. This program is an easy way to teach grammar and usage to high school students and adults. If you have ever struggled with using an English textbook, have had students who just never seemed to understand the many grammar rules, had ESL or other students who found English grammar a complete mystery, have had special needs students who required much more concrete met
10th - 12th
English Language Arts, Grammar
CCSS, TEKS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
, LA.9-12.E3.9.D
+4
Grammar Worksheets and Tests | Simple Steps to Sentence Sense | Middle School
Does grammar make your students anxious? This best-selling middle school grammar workbook can help. Simple Steps to Sentence Sense is an easy way to teach grammar and usage to Middle School Students. This eBook is a complete course in grammar and usage. Thousands of students and their teachers use this grammar workbook. They say: "It works! It's fun!" Note: This is the print edition. Teachers will make copies of the pages and distribute them to their students. This is not the Google Drive Edi
6th - 9th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Grammar
CCSS, TEKS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
, LA.9-12.E1.9.C
+3
Grammar Workbook | Elementary and ESL | Simple Steps to Sentence Sense
This edition of Simple Steps to Sentence Sense Grammar Worksheets eBook is written expressly for younger students and for students who are learning English as a second language. This is the easy way to teach and to learn grammar and usage.If you have tried to use a grammar text lately, you know it can be overwhelming. Even if you do figure out where to begin, the practice exercises often contain sentences that are difficult and confusing to students. This eBook is different. Charlene Tess's met
2nd - 5th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Grammar
CCSS, TEKS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
, LA.4.11.C
+10
Show Don't Tell Creative Writing Worksheets | Print | Digital | Easel
One of the most important techniques a writer can master is learning to SHOW action rather than TELL the reader about it. Although many writers are aware of the importance of the technique, they are not sure how to accomplish it. This lesson presents 5 easy ways to show rather than tell and provides students with exercises to practice what they have learned. Your students will have fun learning to show rather than tell and in doing so will greatly improve their writing. Here's what teachers are
9th - 12th
Creative Writing, English Language Arts, Writing
CCSS
W.9-10.3
, W.9-10.3b
, CCRA.W.3
Also included in: Creative Writing Exercises and Activities Bundle | Print | Digital
How to Avoid Run-On Sentences Grammar Worksheets | Print | Google | Easel
Avoiding run-on sentences is not rocket science, but sometimes students get overwhelmed with all the red marks on their papers indicating comma splices and run-on sentences. What the heck are they? How does one avoid them?This is the information sheet written directly to the student that Charlene Tess uses to help students eliminate run-on sentences from their writing. It includes three instructional pages of tips to help students recognize and correct run-on sentences and a 20-sentence practice
9th - 12th
English Language Arts
CCSS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
Also included in: Punctuation Practice Bundle
Sentence Correction Practice and Detailed Answers | Print | Google Drive | Easel
Challenge your students with this four-page, twenty-question practice exercise to help them with sentence correction practice. Students will read a sentence and then decide which of the five choices following it best replaces the underlined passage. Teachers can use this exercise as a diagnostic tool or a pre-test to create a lesson plan, or as an assignment or test.The sentences contain errors in parallelism; verb tense; use of "which" and "that"; subject-verb agreement; use of irregular verbs:
9th - 12th, Higher Education
English Language Arts, Grammar, Writing
CCSS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
How to Write a Thesis Statement Exercise | Printable | Digital | Easel
Thesis statement writing is easy once you know how. One of the most difficult aspects of writing essays about literature is getting started. So often, students will just sit and stare at their blank sheets of paper because they do not know how to begin. This resource will help students develop a thesis statement and is perfect for distance learning.If given enough practice writing thesis statements, students will be confident about how to begin their essays and will have a head start on organizi
7th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
Writing-Expository
CCSS
CCRA.W.4
, CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
Subject Verb Agreement Grammar Worksheets | Print and Digital
This no-prep resource will help students master subject/verb agreement. Learning to make subjects and verbs agree in number is an important writing skill. Most of the time, writers can detect an error in subject/verb agreement because it sounds wrong. To those whose first language is not English, it may be more challenging to hear the errors. $$ Click here to buy this resource along with several others in the All About Verbs Bundle and save 20% on the individual resources. $$This resource inclu
9th - 12th
English Language Arts, Grammar
CCSS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
, CCRA.L.3
Also included in: All About Verbs Bundle
Comparing and Contrasting Two Short Stories | Print | Google | Easel
This best-selling 8-page unit is a lesson on how to compare and contrast two short stories and write a comparison/contrast composition. These are skills that will help students appreciate the stories they read and learn to write a composition that will help them in future English classes.Here's what teachers say:"This activity was organized, helpful, and engaging for my special ed students. They enjoyed working together and independently. It provided a great review and plenty of practice. THANK
9th - 12th
English Language Arts, Literature, Short Stories
CCSS, TEKS
CCRA.R.9
, CCRA.L.4
, LA.9-12.E2.6.B
+2
Also included in: Writing About Literature Bundle
Grammar Workbook | High School Simple Steps to Sentence Sense | Google Drive
Are your high school students struggling to learn grammar? Teach them to analyze and write effective English sentences in 8 simple steps.This resource is a new way to use the materials in Simple Steps to Sentence Sense for High School by Charlene Tess. All eight steps of Simple Steps to Sentence Sense for High School are now available in digital format in this workbook and are perfect for distance learning. This resource also includes a Bonus Step for Advanced Analysis to help AP students prepa
9th - 12th
English Language Arts, Grammar
CCSS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
, CCRA.L.3
Pretty Darn Fast Poetry Analysis Study Guide
A fast, unique, and highly effective way to analyze poetry. It will also help students prepare for the AP Literature Exam or advanced English courses in both high school and college. I devised this method to help students who have trouble remembering all the elements of poetry. I hope it helps your students as much as it helped mine. When introducing this technique, I find that it is best to allow your students to work in small groups. Then, after practicing on several poems, they will be ready
10th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
English Language Arts, Poetry
CCSS, TEKS
RL.9-10.4
, RL.11-12.4
, LA.9-12.E1.7.B
+3
Also included in: Writing About Literature Bundle
Grammar | Simple Steps to Sentence Sense HS Worksheets and Packet Bundle
Are your high school students struggling to learn grammar? Teach them to analyze and write effective English sentences in 8 simple steps.This bundle includes Simple Steps to Sentence for High School and a 100-page Packet of New Exercises, Tests, and Writing Connection Pages so that you can use the High School book with more than one level. or provide extra practice and remediation. This eBook is a complete course in sentence analysis. These two editions are designed for teachers to make copies
7th - 12th
English Language Arts, Grammar
CCSS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
, CCRA.L.3
Grammar Worksheets | Adjective, Adverb, and Noun Clauses Step 7 Simple Steps
Finding Clauses (Adjective, Adverb, and Noun Clauses) is Step Seven in the Simple Steps to Sentence Sense series by Charlene Tess. This 21-page unit on clauses contains the SAM sheet, lesson notes, 20 group practice sentences on each type of clause, 20 individual review practice sentences, writing connection pages, a test, and the answers. This unit is Common Core Aligned.In my book, Simple Steps to Sentence Sense, I present eight simple steps, which if followed in order, make it easy to analy
7th - 12th
English Language Arts, Grammar, Writing
CCSS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
Avoiding Redundancies - A Revision Technique -Print | Google| Easel
"We all use redundancies when speaking and writing. This resource makes students aware of this common problem. It seems like an easy fix, but these worksheets are challenging." Rating: 5/5 (extremely satisfied)This is a revision technique that will improve students' writing. Examples of redundancy can be found in news articles and on television. This writing error is so common, it is hard to recognize. For example, I warn you in advance that it will be difficult to completely eliminate examples
9th - 12th, Adult Education
Creative Writing, English Language Arts, Writing-Essays
Also included in: Proofreading and Revision Activities Bundle
Grammar Workbook Middle School | Simple Steps to Sentence Sense | Google Drive
Are your high school students struggling to learn grammar? Teach them to analyze and write effective English sentences in 8 simple steps.This resource is a new way to use the materials in Simple Steps to Sentence Sense for Middle School by Charlene Tess. All eight steps of Simple Steps to Sentence Sense for Middle School are now available in digital format in this workbook and are perfect for distance learning. Your students can access the notes, lesson practice, group practice exercises, indiv
6th - 9th
English Language Arts
CCSS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
Nursery Rhyme Newspaper Creative Writing and Journalism Group Activity
This creative writing and journalism group activity is a chance for students to do something they will really enjoy while practicing several valuable skills such as: critical reading, creative writing, writing news stories,editing, proofreading, and cooperative learning. How many times have your students wished they could do something different and fun in your room? Probably more often than you know. They will love this activity. Let them work in groups to create newspapers based on nursery rh
7th - 10th
Creative Writing, English Language Arts
CCSS
CCRA.W.4
, CCRA.W.5
, CCRA.W.6
Also included in: Creative Writing Exercises and Activities Bundle | Print | Digital
Simple Steps to Sentence Sense Video Bundle with Practice Exercises
This video series which explains the Simple Steps to Sentence Sense grammar program by Charlene Tess is for public and private school teachers, homeschool teachers, and students of any age who want to learn to analyze and write English sentences. Learning grammar is easy if you study it in the proper sequence.$$ Save 20% off the price of individual video resources by purchasing this bundle. Struggling with Sentence Structure? Help is Here.Are your students finding it difficult to analyze English
9th - 12th
English Language Arts, Grammar
CCSS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
, CCRA.L.3
Grammar Worksheets Packet of New Exercises | Simple Steps to Sentence Sense
This packet contains 66 pages of new group practice sheets, individual practice sheets, tests, and writing connection pages to use in conjunction with Simple Steps to Sentence Sense for High School by Charlene Tess. This packet also contains a copy of the SAM sheet and all of the answers. Purchasing this packet will enable you to use the Simple Steps to Sentence Sense High School book with more than one grade level because the exercises and tests will be different.Note: This edition is designe
6th - 9th, Adult Education, Higher Education
English Language Arts, Grammar
CCSS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
Also included in: Grammar | Simple Steps to Sentence Sense HS Worksheets and Packet Bundle
Simple Steps to Sentence Analysis | A Handbook for Teaching English Grammar
Learning to analyze an English sentence is easy! It’s all about the sequence you follow.If you follow the eight simple steps in Simple Steps to Sentence Analysis without skipping any of the steps, you will be AMAZED at how easy it is to analyze sentences and to write sentences of your own based on the same pattern. This grammar and usage handbook is the answer for teachers and students who want a blueprint to analyze English sentences and learn to write them correctly. Anyone who has been confus
10th - 12th, Adult Education
English Language Arts, Grammar
CCSS
CCRA.L.1
, CCRA.L.2
Character Analysis Writing Exercise With Rubric | Printable | Easel
Here's an accurate and easy way to teach students to write a character analysis paper and a rubric to provide a simple way to evaluate those papers and assign a fair grade. Learning to analyze characters in literature is a life skill that will improve the reading and viewing experience of both students and adults throughout their lives. Included in this character analysis writing exercise are: instructions for the teacherinstructions for the studentsa rubric to grade the papersa sample character
7th - 10th
English Language Arts, Literature, Writing
CCSS, TEKS
RL.9-10.3
, CCRA.L.3
, CCRA.L.4
+4
Also included in: Writing About Literature Bundle
Showing 1-20 of 169 results
About the store
Experience
Charlene Tess taught English and creative writing to high school students and adults for over thirty-five years. She was the Secondary Teacher of the Year for Ysleta Independent School District in 1998, and one of the five finalists for Region XIX Teacher of the Year. She is listed in Who's Who in America. Since 1996, she has worked as an educational consultant helping other teachers use her grammar workbook series, Simple Steps to Sentence Sense.
Charlene is a charter member of TpT and opened her store in 2006.
Charlene now devotes her time to writing fiction and teaching fiction writing to adults. She is the author of romantic suspense novels, and the highly acclaimed Simple Steps to Sentence Sense Series, and has published short fiction and numerous articles in magazines and in short story collections.
Visit Charlene's blog to learn more about her and her writing. www.booksbycharlenetess.com. You can find her novels in the Kindle Store at Amazon.com.
Charlene and her husband Jerry spend their free time traveling to promote her books and spending time with their two daughters and their three grandsons.
Teaching style
I believe that the key to learning grammar and language skills is the sequence in which each concept is presented to the students. The grammar books our school used were hard to use and confusing, so I wrote my own lessons.
My students worked in groups and used teacher and peer prepared study sheets. I combined those sheets into grammar workbooks that are used in school districts all over the country.
Awards & shining teacher moments
The National Council of Teachers of English named the creative writing magazine my classes produced as one of the top 25 in the United States.
The Ysleta District in El Paso, Texas, named me Teacher of the Year in 1998, and I was one of the five finalists for Region XIX teacher of the year.
I am the author of romantic suspense novels (that can be found on Amazon.com), grammar workbooks, and numerous short stories, articles, and educational resources.
Visit my blog to learn more about my writing, www.booksbycharlenetess.com.
Interact with my on my Facebook Page. www.facebook.com/booksbycharlenetess
My own education history
I attended elementary school, high school, and college in El Paso, Texas. I have a Bachelor of Science in English and history.
I worked as a consultant for a publishing company and traveled throughout Texas and surrounding states doing workshops and showing teachers how to use my grammar book: Simple Steps to Sentence Sense. I also worked for one year after my retirement as an educational consultant for the Ysleta Independent School District.
Additional biographical information
I am married to Jerry Tess who is the love of my life and have two amazing daughters and three wonderful grandsons.
TPT is the largest marketplace for PreK-12 resources, powered by a community of educators.
IXL family of brands