Daily Grammar website

ElaGrades 4–12

About This Curriculum

Free online grammar curriculum offering 440 lessons and 88 quizzes covering parts of speech, sentence structure, and mechanics through brief daily lessons.

What makes it unique: Completely free comprehensive grammar curriculum with short, focused daily lessons that can be delivered via email or accessed online

Daily Grammar Website: Brief Traditional Grammar Drills

Daily Grammar is a free online grammar curriculum offering 440 lessons and 88 quizzes that systematically cover parts of speech, sentence structure, and mechanics through brief daily exercises. Created by an experienced English teacher, it provides traditional grammar instruction suitable for grades 4-12 with a focus on skill practice rather than integrated literacy instruction.

Best for

Students in grades 4-12 who need targeted grammar review or supplemental practice, particularly those who already have foundational grammar knowledge and prefer traditional drill-and-practice approaches.

Evaluation Criteria

1 strength · 6 concerns · 1 neutral · 1 insufficient evidence

Direct InstructionStrength

The curriculum employs direct instruction with explicit grammar rules and examples provided for each lesson.

Reviews describe lessons that 'state the point of grammar or the rule and include an example' with clear instructional sequence

Knowledge RichConcern

The curriculum is not knowledge-rich, focusing narrowly on grammar mechanics without building domain knowledge across subjects.

Content is limited to parts of speech, sentence structure, and mechanics with no integration of history, science, or cultural knowledge

Text ComplexityConcern

Text complexity is not a focus since the curriculum uses isolated sentences and brief grammar exercises rather than authentic texts.

Reviews describe brief lessons with examples and exercises rather than complex reading passages

Teacher TrainingConcern

The curriculum provides minimal teacher support beyond answer keys, with limited guidance for instruction.

Reviews mention answer keys are provided but note that 'younger students might need expanded instruction at a simpler level'

Vocabulary BuildingConcern

The curriculum does not explicitly focus on vocabulary building beyond grammar terminology.

Reviews mention grammar concepts and rules but do not describe vocabulary instruction or word knowledge development

Writing InstructionConcern

Writing instruction is minimal, limited to rewriting exercises and sentence manipulation rather than comprehensive composition instruction.

Cathy Duffy notes students 'sometimes rewrite a paragraph or more' but reviews don't indicate systematic writing instruction across genres

Whole Books Vs ExcerptsConcern

This curriculum does not involve reading whole books or even excerpts, focusing exclusively on isolated grammar exercises.

Reviews describe brief lessons with grammar rules and examples, not connected texts or literature

Retrieval PracticeNeutral

The curriculum includes quizzes every four to five lessons, providing some retrieval practice for grammar concepts.

Reviews mention 88 quizzes accompanying the 440 lessons, with Saturday quizzes in the daily email format

Systematic PhonicsInsufficient Evidence

Phonics instruction is not applicable to this grammar-focused curriculum designed for grades 4-12.

Reviews indicate the curriculum targets older students who have already mastered basic decoding skills

Sources: cathyduffyreviews.com, educationworld.com

Review Sources

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The Curriculum Choice

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cathyduffy

Cathy Duffy

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Key Facts

GradesGrades 4–12

SubjectEla

PedagogyTraditional

Faith-BasedNo

FormatDigital + Physical

PricingFree online access, printed workbook - $23.50, ebooks - $6.95 each

Visit Publisher Website →

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Data sources: cathyduffy, homeschoolcom