Around a third of the marks in each Level 2 writing task are for spelling, punctuation and grammar – and examiner reports list the same errors year after year. This free SPaG worksheet is built from that list: twenty sentences with one error each, a paragraph with six errors to rewrite, and the two apostrophe rules that cause most of the trouble.
Free to download, print and share for personal or classroom use. Answers included.
What’s in this worksheet
- Part 1 – twenty sentences, one error each: homophones, apostrophes, capital letters, comma splices, tense, ‘would of’ and more (20 marks)
- Part 2 – a formal email paragraph with six errors to rewrite correctly (6 marks)
- Part 3 – the two apostrophe rules, then four sentences to fix (4 marks)
- A five-point exam self-check to use in the last five minutes
- Answers with the error type named for every item
Common mistakes on this topic
From our tutors’ marking and the most recent examiner reports – check your work against these:
- Comma splice – two full sentences joined with a comma. Use a full stop, a semicolon, or a joining word (and, but, so, because).
- Its / it’s – if you can say “it is”, use it’s.
- Would of / could of / should of – always have.
- Capital letters – names, places, days, months, and the word “I”.
- Tense slips – pick past or present and stay with it for the whole piece.
How to use it
- Print the worksheet (or work on screen) and attempt every question without looking at the answers. Give yourself a rough time limit – Level 2 exams are tight.
- Mark your work against the answer page. For maths, check the method as well as the final number; method marks are where most of the marks are.
- Read the ‘common mistakes’ notes below and check whether any of them happened to you. Then redo the questions you got wrong a day later.
Related free resources
- Functional Skills English Homophones and Commonly Confused Words Worksheet
- Functional Skills English Level 2 Paragraphing and Connectives Worksheet
- Functional Skills Level 2 Formal Letter and Email Writing Frame (with Model Answer)
- All free Functional Skills English Level 2 resources
Frequently asked questions
How many marks are for SPaG in the Level 2 writing exam?
Roughly a third of the marks for each writing task are awarded for spelling, punctuation and grammar, though the exact split depends on the awarding body. Because there are two tasks, SPaG can be worth close to 20 marks across the paper.
What is a comma splice?
Two complete sentences joined with only a comma: ‘The meeting was long, it went on for three hours.’ Fix it with a full stop, a semicolon, or a joining word such as ‘and’, ‘but’ or ‘because’.
What are the most common spelling mistakes in Functional Skills English?
Examiner reports repeatedly flag their/there/they’re, your/you’re, its/it’s, ‘would of’ instead of ‘would have’, missing capital letters on names, days and months, and words like definitely, received, separate and necessary.
Want a tutor to mark your work? Not sure where you stand? Take the free 15-minute mini mock test. Ready to get qualified? Our live 10-week Functional Skills Level 2 English course runs in small groups with a mock exam included, and the 5-day revision course is there if your exam is close.