What does a student learn in StateNew Hampshire,GradeGrade 12,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students back up their ideas about a story or poem with specific lines or passages from the text. They also read between the lines, drawing conclusions the author implies but never states directly.

Students identify the main idea or theme of a literary work and trace how it builds across the text. They back that up with a summary of the key details and passages that shape it.

Students trace how characters, events, and ideas shape each other across a full text, explaining not just what happens but why those changes matter to the work as a whole.

Students read closely to figure out what specific words mean in context, including hidden feelings a word carries or comparisons an author uses. Then students consider how those word choices shape the mood or message of the whole piece.

Students look at how a story or essay is built, tracing how a single sentence or paragraph connects to the sections around it and shapes the piece as a whole.

Students examine how an author's perspective or goal shapes what ends up on the page. A war novel written by a veteran reads differently than one written by a historian, and this standard asks students to explain why.

Students look at how a story or idea changes across formats, such as a film, a chart, and a written text, then judge which version makes the strongest case or leaves the clearest impression.

Students read a piece of writing and decide whether the author's argument holds up. They check if the reasoning is sound and if the evidence actually supports the point being made.

Students read two or more works on the same theme and compare how each author approaches it. The focus is on what choices each writer made and what those choices reveal.

Students read full novels, plays, poems, and essays on their own, handling difficult vocabulary and complex ideas without support. The goal is independent reading at a college-ready level.

Students read a nonfiction passage closely, then back up every claim with a specific quote or detail pulled directly from that text. The goal is to show reasoning, not just opinion.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction piece and trace how the author builds it across paragraphs. They can also write a concise summary of the key details that back it up.

Students trace how a person, event, or idea changes from the beginning of a text to the end, and explain what drives those changes. The focus is on how the pieces connect, not just what happened.

Students figure out what specific words mean in context, including technical terms, implied meanings, and figurative language, then explain how those word choices shape the overall tone or message of the piece.

Students look at how a nonfiction piece is built: how one paragraph sets up the next, how a single sentence can shift the whole argument, and how the parts add up to the writer's main point.

Students read a nonfiction piece and figure out why the author wrote it, then trace how that goal steers what information gets included and how the sentences are written.

Students read the same topic across different formats, like a written article, a chart, and a video clip, then judge which source makes the strongest case and why.

Students read a nonfiction text and judge whether the argument actually holds up: Is the reasoning sound? Does the evidence fit the claim? Students separate strong logic from weak or misleading support.

Students read two or more texts on the same topic and compare how each author approaches it. The focus is on what each writer includes, leaves out, or argues differently.

Students read challenging nonfiction on their own, without help decoding the text or following the argument. The goal is full comprehension of the kind of dense, layered writing they'll encounter in college or a first job.

Students write a position paper on a real issue or a piece of literature, then back the argument with solid reasoning and specific evidence drawn from sources. The goal is a case that holds up under scrutiny, not just an opinion.

Students write essays or reports that explain a complex topic clearly, using well-chosen details and organized reasoning so a reader finishes the piece actually understanding something new.

Students write a story, real or imagined, with a clear sequence of events, specific details, and techniques that make the writing hold together. The goal is a narrative that feels purposeful from the first sentence to the last.

Writing should match the situation. Students shape their words, structure, and tone to fit the assignment, whether that means a research argument, a personal essay, or a lab summary for a specific reader.

Students plan, draft, revise, and edit their writing until it says what they mean. That might mean rewriting a section or scrapping an approach and starting fresh.

Students use digital tools and the Internet to write, publish, and share their work with real readers, including classmates and outside audiences.

Students pick a focused question and research it, using what they find to show real understanding of the topic. This applies to both quick one-day investigations and longer multi-week projects.

Students pull information from multiple sources, check whether each source is trustworthy and accurate, and weave the facts into their own writing without copying someone else's words.

Students pull quotes and details from books, articles, or other sources to back up their analysis or research. The evidence has to connect clearly to the point they're making.

Students practice writing regularly, both in quick bursts and over longer projects, for different reasons and different readers. The goal is to build the habit of adjusting how they write based on what the task actually calls for.

Students come to discussions having done the reading or research, then build on what classmates say and push their own ideas with clear reasoning.

Students pull together information from sources like charts, speeches, and news clips, then judge how well each one supports or challenges the main idea being discussed.

Students listen to a speech or presentation and judge whether the speaker's argument holds up: Is the reasoning sound? Is the evidence real? Are persuasion tactics being used to fill gaps in logic?

Students organize a presentation so the audience can follow the argument from start to finish, choosing the right level of detail and tone for the situation.

Students choose charts, images, or video clips to support a point in a presentation, not just to fill a slide. The visual makes the idea clearer for the audience.

Students adjust how they speak depending on the situation, using formal language for a presentation or debate and a more natural tone in group discussion.

Students apply the rules of standard English grammar when they write essays, give presentations, or speak in class. That means choosing the right verb forms, pronouns, and sentence structures for formal academic work.

Students write with correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. At this level, that means handling complex sentences and formal writing without errors that distract the reader.

Students study how word choice and sentence structure shift depending on context, like a formal essay versus a conversation, then apply those same instincts to their own writing and to understanding what they read or hear.

When students hit an unfamiliar word, they figure out its meaning by reading the surrounding sentences, breaking the word into roots and prefixes, or looking it up in a dictionary or subject-specific reference.

Students interpret figures of speech, like irony or allusion, and explain how word choice shifts tone or meaning. They notice the difference between words that seem similar but carry different weight in context.

Students learn and use the precise vocabulary that shows up in college courses, job training, and professional writing. That means knowing not just everyday words but the specific terms each subject demands.