Self-paced grammar review to clean up writing and help with grading · Ages 12 and up
The Sentence Tune‑UpA dynamic, targeted, online grammar program for middle and high school writers
Musicians. Painters. Writers. They all compose! Just as a beautiful song will sound ugly if the strings are out of tune, an essay will lose impact if its sentences are “out of tune” from poor grammar, incorrect usage, or faulty mechanics. The Sentence Tune-Up walks your student through a review of the most important rules of the English language, reteaching and retesting as needed, so your student can stop fussing with the tuning and start focusing on the music, on the compositional integrity of the work as a whole.
The diagnostic is free. Ms. Finnigan reviews every result herself, and if your student doesn't need the course, she'll tell you.
- Created by Ms. Finnigan, M.F.A.
- 10 years teaching high school English online
- 3,000+ high school essays graded
- Self-paced, no expiration until complete
They called it “grammar school” for a reason.
Students are supposed to master the rules of the English language by the sixth grade. Many don't. They are still writing run-ons or failing to capitalize correctly in high school, but by that time, there's no room in the schedule to study grammar from scratch.
Does this sound like your student?
“He never really learned it.”
No surprise. Grammar fell out of favor in a lot of schools (like the “old” math!). At this point, your student needs a thorough review to catch up on the rules and clean up the writing, without going too far into the weeds.
“She learned it, then forgot it.”
This happens when students don't write enough, or when teachers fail to hold students accountable for demonstrating their mastery of grammar in their writing. A focused review can help to refresh the memory.
“He aces the quiz, then forgets it in his essays.”
Acing a test while the rules are fresh is one thing. Remembering to apply the rules when writing is another. The Tune-Up was built to help connect the two by looping in the person who is grading the student's work.
“She has a big test coming.”
A quick, strategic grammar review before the SAT, ACT, or CLT could raise scores and open doors!
Five strings. One goal: Mastery.
The Sentence Tune-Up teaches the universal rules every middle school and high school student should know, but the problem is: There are a lot of rules! Young writers (and the people who grade their work) often don't know what to focus on. That's why The Sentence Tune-Up has five levels. We work on tuning one “string” at a time, and we keep the parent in the loop, so the parent knows what to look for when grading and when to raise the bar.
In Ms. Finnigan's experience, most high school freshmen are Level 2 or Level 3 students. Every high school student should aim to complete all five levels (tune all five strings) as soon as possible, because that's where they need to be.
One string per level · Tap a level
A Level 2 student has Level 1 in tune but needs to continue to work at the word level to clean up one pesky peccadillo that turns up in far too many high school papers. Many high school freshmen start here.
Navy strings are in tune. Pale, slack strings are the levels still to master.
Two tracks. One low price.
Every student's learning gaps are different. A one-size-fits-all grammar program can be overkill. So the Tune-Up comes in two tracks.
Full Grammar Refresher
Every lesson, all five levels, in order. The most thorough tune-up.
- Starts with Level 1 pre-test for a benchmark
- Walks through all five levels
- Includes more robust testing
- Circles back to review as needed
- Many students may finish in about two months at 30 minutes per school day. Some go faster. (We're new and still gathering data.)
$39.99
Start with the Free DiagnosticTargeted Review
Only the lessons your student actually needs. Your student will still start with the Level 1 pre-test, but can pass out of Level 1 (or any Level) if proficiency is demonstrated.
- Learns your student's gaps in knowledge
- Presents only the lessons they need to review
- Skips what they've already mastered
- Could be quick or take as long as the Full Refresher, depending on your student
$39.99
Start with the Free DiagnosticBoth tracks self-paced · Lessons stay viewable afterward for review · Parent dashboard with viewer privileges to monitor progress · Updated grading guidelines after completion of each level
How to get started
Take the free diagnostic
Sign your student up. There's no cost and no obligation.
Get a personal recommendation
Ms. Finnigan reviews the results along with your student's age and recommends a track, or no course at all.
Choose your track
Full Grammar Refresher or Targeted Review. You decide.
Your student works at his or her own pace
The program teaches, reviews, and circles back, so you don't have to.
You get an update at every level
Your viewer access will show “Completion” or “Mastery,” so you can know which areas might still need work.
For homeschool parents
The program does the teaching so you don't have to.
Milestone updates
We'll update you on what has been taught and mastered, so you can hold the student accountable for demonstrating that knowledge in their papers.
Feedback that doesn't overwhelm
Focus on a few grammar issues at a time instead of marking every error on every paper. Your student tunes up his or her sentences gradually, and nobody crashes out.
A first taste of the 12-Paper Plunge
The Tune-Up lines up with the grading methods of The 12-Paper Plunge™. You can start applying Ms. Finnigan's broad grading guidelines, and get comfortable with her approach, before you take the plunge.
What we believe
Grammar is just the logic of a sentence. A sentence is one thought.
In middle school and high school, students begin to string thoughts together into paragraphs and essays. Most high school students don't know where one thought ends and another begins. You can't have strong logic on the essay level if you don't have strong logic on the sentence level. It's all connected.
Only if the “strings” are in tune will the essay “hit the right note” with the reader.
Built by a high school teacher who didn't have time to teach grammar.
For the past 15 years, Ms. Finnigan has taught high school English and literature, mostly to freshmen, and she has graded more than 3,000 high school essays. Almost all high school students need a solid review of grammar, but few high school teachers have the time to teach it. That's why she built this tool: to help students review grammar lessons strategically. Its sequence and scaffolding are all her own. It is designed to:
- help students clean up their most egregious mistakes first,
- help hold students accountable for demonstrating mastery at their level,
- identify gaps in knowledge to spur further learning, and
- provide the lessons and testing to fill in those gaps and achieve grammar mastery.
B.A. in English, Boston College · M.F.A. in Creative Writing, University of Montana · Founder of Teach to the Text and creator of The 12-Paper Plunge™
Who It's For
- High school students who:
- need to clean up their writing
- need a targeted review
- 7th and 8th graders getting ready for The 12-Paper Plunge™ (so they can focus on higher-level skills once they start)
- Students preparing for the SAT, ACT, or CLT who want a quick grammar review
Who It's Not For
Children 11 and under. They should be learning grammar, systematically, from the ground up. This is a review, not a substitute for a full grammar course. If your child is not yet in seventh grade, find a complete grammar course and do it now. Then come back for a tune-up before high school.
Questions
How long does it take?
It will depend on your student. We've just launched and are still gathering data! It's hard to say because the program circles back to review as needed. For the Full Grammar Refresher, we expect many students could finish in about two months working 30 minutes per school day, and some will go much faster. The Targeted Review adjusts to what your student already knows, so it could be quick or could take as long as the full track.
Does access expire?
No. Once you have access, you have it until the course is complete, so your student can work at their own pace. After they finish, they can go back and review the lessons, though they can no longer enter answers.
Which track should we choose?
The Full Grammar Refresher is recommended for every student who has the time. (Some adults have found the course very helpful, even if it goes over some very rudimentary things.) The Targeted Review is a good fit for older students or anyone short on time. Not sure? Take the free diagnostic, and Ms. Finnigan will recommend one.
What if my student doesn't need it?
Then we'll tell you. We don't want you spending money on something you don't need. One possible recommendation after the diagnostic is “no course needed.”
Can a middle schooler take it?
Yes, from age 12. It's ideal for 7th and 8th graders who have already studied grammar and want to review it before starting The 12-Paper Plunge. For younger children, a complete grammar course is the better choice.
Will it help with the SAT, ACT, or CLT?
It's a quick, strategic review of core grammar rules before test day. It isn't a full test-prep course. Check what is covered on the test to be sure.
How does it connect to The 12-Paper Plunge?
The Tune-Up lines up with the 12-Paper Plunge grading methods. You'll start to see how papers are graded in the 12PP (at least when it comes to grammar), what it's like to “look for” certain things in your student's writing, and what it's like to be your student's writing coach. It's an easy way for parents to “test the waters” before they take The 12-Paper Plunge™. It also allows your student to (hopefully) master the rules of grammar so they won't be tripping over that while they're trying to work on more advanced writing skills as taught in The 12-Paper Plunge: compositional processes, techniques, and argumentation; the finer, more technical points of writing, like the kind you'd find in the MLA Handbook or in another style guide; and eventually style.
Think your students' sentences could use a tune-up? Let's see where they stand.
Send the diagnostic test to your student. It's free. Ms. Finnigan will personally review the results along with your student's age, then recommend the Full Grammar Refresher, the Targeted Review, or no course at all.
Take the Free Diagnostic