Grade 8 ESL Grading Rubric: Past Simple Stories — Verbs, Sequencing, Ideas, Accuracy

Learning Objectives

• Form the past simple of regular verbs with correct spelling (walked, arrived, stopped, carried).
• Pronounce -ed endings as /t/, /d/ or /ɪd/.
• Use 16 common irregular past forms correctly.
• Make past simple negatives and questions with did / didn't.
• Use sequencing words and time expressions to organize a story.
• Plan, write and tell a 120–150-word story with a beginning, a problem and an ending.

How to Use This Resource

• Share the rubric with students before the task so they know what success looks like.
• Circle one level per skill for each student; add the points (maximum 16).
• Record scores on the record sheet.

Differentiation

Support: Provide the verb list and the sequencing word bank on the desk. Challenge: Add the past continuous for background: "While we were eating, we heard a sound." English language learners: Pair each sequencing word with a hand signal (1 finger = first, 2 = then …).

Teacher Tips

Start each lesson with 2 minutes of "What did you do yesterday?" — real communication makes the grammar stick. Put the irregular verb list on the wall for the whole unit.

What's Included

• 4 skills × 4 levels (Excellent, Good, Developing, Beginning)
• Task: Writing task: an original story of 120–150 words in the past simple (planned with the story planner).
• Class record sheet
• Score bands: 14–16 = Excellent, 10–13 = Good, 6–9 = Developing, 4–5 = Beginning.

Additional Files

• Grade 8 ESL Grading Rubric: Past Simple Stories — Verbs, Sequencing, Ideas, Accuracy (DOCX)

Teacher Reviews