Alphawrite FAQ

Why is it important to practice writing sentences?

A sentence is a group of words that tells a complete thought. Sentence writing is when we put these words together to share an idea. By practicing sentence writing, you will get better at expressing your ideas and feelings. And when our sentences are clear, people can easily understand our stories and messages.

How will I know if I’ve mastered an activity?

When you master an activity, you’ll see this:

If you get this screen, congratulations! You’ve mastered the activity and are finished with your lesson.

Why do I see locked lessons or lessons I already finished when I open Alphawrite?

That usually means you opened AlphaWrite from its “My Home” page or from a browser bookmark instead of starting from the next AlphaWrite lesson link in your Learning Hub. Review What to do if you can’t work in a learning app.

Do I have to take my lessons in order?

For your daily required work, you must follow the Alphawrite lesson link in your Learning Hub. Following the links in order is the safest way to start because it opens the activity you were assigned to work on next.

Are you really going to deduct points if I forget to capitalize the first word of a sentence or miss a period?

In the activity “Unscramble Sentences,” you’ll be challenged to write fully grammatical sentences—that means correct punctuation and capitalization.

So, if you don’t capitalize the first word of your sentence or a proper noun, you will see this:

If you don’t do correct punctuation, this is what you’ll see:

In either case, all you have to do is fix your mistake and re-check your sentence.

The sentences in the activity “Fragment or Sentence?” don’t have punctuation or capitalization. Why is Alphawrite saying they are sentences?

In the activity “Identify the Sentence Type,” you’ll sometimes see a sentence like this:

They learned quickly didn’t they is missing punctuation in 2 places:

1. A comma is needed after quickly to mark the beginning of the question tag didn’t they: They learned quickly, didn’t they
2. A question mark is needed at the end of the sentence because the “question tag” changes the declarative sentence They learned quickly into an interrogative sentence: They learned quickly, didn’t they? 

So, why is Alphawrite saying that this is a sentence? Didn’t you say that I need to have correct punctuation in the sentences I write?

Yes, you should have correct punctuation in the sentences you write in Alphawrite!

For this exercise, Alphawrite doesn’t give punctuation sentences or fragments. This is because punctuation would easily indicate which options are sentences and which are fragments. 

For “Fragment or Sentence,” no punctuation is given at all. You must determine if each option is a fragment or sentence based on the words, alone.

How is the 'Complete Subordinating Conjunctions' activity structured? Are there multiple correct ways to complete the sentences?

You'll start with sentences that have a beginning but need you to finish them off. Think of it as a creative challenge where there's not just one right answer but many possibilities that make sense.

Your job is to use your understanding of how ideas in sentences can be connected using subordinating conjunctions. This is your chance to play with language, explore different ways clauses can come together, and see the variety of correct answers that can emerge from the same starting point.

If my sentence with a subordinating conjunction sounds awkward, how can I improve its flow?

If your sentence sounds a bit off, don't worry - it's a fantastic opportunity for revision. Try reading it aloud; sometimes, hearing the words can highlight what's not working. Experiment with swapping the subordinating conjunction or changing the order of your clauses.

Remember, writing is a process, and every attempt teaches you something new. Check out the examples in our tutorial for inspiration, and remember, every writer revisits their sentences to make them just right.