Have You Ever Wondered? 
Peer Conferencing Guidelines

Read the first sentence. Do you think it makes the reader want to read on? Why?	
Does the writing explain how? 
Does the writing explain why? 	
Does the explanation have a logical sequence? 	
Is it written in the 'timeless' present tense? (are, turns, happens) 	
Have action verbs been used? 	
List the 'time words' you have used to show the order of events. 	
Does the writing have enough detail to provide a clear explanation? 	
Have you 
Deleted a word _____________ _____________ _____________ 
Changed a word _____________ _____________ _____________ 
Added a word _____________ _____________ _____________ 
Rearranged some words _____________ _____________ _____________ 	
How many words have been underlined to check for spelling? 	
Have capital letters been used at the beginning of each sentence? 	
Circle the punctuation: 
Full stop	
capital letter	
comma	
question mark	
exclamation mark	

apostrophe	
parentheses	
ellipses	

	
Next steps: 	

© Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand (First published 1998)