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English lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 30 minutes

Semicolons

Punctuation

CCSS L.9-10.2.ACCSS L.7.2England: Y6 GPS (semicolons)England: KS2 SATs GPSEngland: GCSE English Language (SPaG)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Semicolons.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Colons

Leads to: Punctuation between clauses (SAT/ACT); Sentence boundaries (SAT/ACT); Semicolon, comma or no punctuation?

Materials: Punctuation cards, A short unpunctuated text, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Colons). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence uses a colon correctly? • Jo had one goal to: win the race. • Jo had one goal: to win the race. • Jo: had one goal to win the race. • Jo had: one goal to win the race. (Jo had one goal to: win the race. / Jo had one goal: to win the race. / Jo: had one goal to win the race. / Jo had: one goal to win the race.) → Jo had one goal: to win the race.Prompt: The part before a colon must be a complete sentence (a main clause).
  2. Which sentence uses a colon correctly? • The recipe: is simple mix, bake and enjoy. • The: recipe is simple mix, bake and enjoy. • The recipe is: simple mix, bake and enjoy. • The recipe is simple: mix, bake and enjoy. (The recipe: is simple mix, bake and enjoy. / The: recipe is simple mix, bake and enjoy. / The recipe is: simple mix, bake and enjoy. / The recipe is simple: mix, bake and enjoy.) → The recipe is simple: mix, bake and enjoy.Prompt: The part before a colon must be a complete sentence (a main clause).
  3. Which sentence uses a colon correctly? • There: was only one problem we had no map. • There was only one: problem we had no map. • There was only one problem: we had no map. • There was only one problem we: had no map. (There: was only one problem we had no map. / There was only one: problem we had no map. / There was only one problem: we had no map. / There was only one problem we: had no map.) → There was only one problem: we had no map.Prompt: The part before a colon must be a complete sentence (a main clause).

Hook · 3 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Semicolons. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly? • Kim loves maths; her brother prefers art. • Kim; loves maths her brother prefers art. • Kim loves maths; and her brother prefers art. • Kim loves; maths her brother prefers art.
  • Step 1: A semicolon joins two closely related main clauses (without a conjunction), or separates complex list items.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: Kim loves maths; her brother prefers art.
  • Answer: Kim loves maths; her brother prefers art.
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly? • The film; was long however, it was gripping. • The film was long, however; it was gripping. • The film was long; however it was; gripping. • The film was long; however, it was gripping. (The film; was long however, it was gripping. / The film was long, however; it was gripping. / The film was long; however it was; gripping. / The film was long; however, it was gripping.) → The film was long; however, it was gripping.Prompt: Could the words on each side of the semicolon stand alone as sentences?
  2. Which is the correct way to join these two main clauses? • The lights went out, nobody moved. • The lights went out nobody moved. • The lights went out; nobody moved. • The lights went out; and nobody moved. (The lights went out, nobody moved. / The lights went out nobody moved. / The lights went out; nobody moved. / The lights went out; and nobody moved.) → The lights went out; nobody moved.Prompt: A comma on its own cannot join two main clauses (that is a comma splice).

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which is the correct way to join these two main clauses? • The lights went out, nobody moved. • The lights went out: and nobody moved. • The lights went out; and nobody moved. • The lights went out; nobody moved. (The lights went out, nobody moved. / The lights went out: and nobody moved. / The lights went out; and nobody moved. / The lights went out; nobody moved.) → The lights went out; nobody moved.Prompt: A comma on its own cannot join two main clauses (that is a comma splice).
  2. Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly? • It was; raining heavily the match was cancelled. • It was raining; heavily the match was cancelled. • It was raining heavily; and the match was cancelled. • It was raining heavily; the match was cancelled. (It was; raining heavily the match was cancelled. / It was raining; heavily the match was cancelled. / It was raining heavily; and the match was cancelled. / It was raining heavily; the match was cancelled.) → It was raining heavily; the match was cancelled.Prompt: Could the words on each side of the semicolon stand alone as sentences?

Watch out for

  • Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
  • Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Colons.
  • Use concrete materials: punctuation cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Punctuation between clauses (SAT/ACT); Sentence boundaries (SAT/ACT); Semicolon, comma or no punctuation?.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-7.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Semicolons

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which is the correct way to join these two main clauses? • Lions hunt in groups; tigers usually hunt alone. • Lions hunt in groups tigers usually hunt alone. • Lions hunt in groups, tigers usually hunt alone. • Lions hunt in groups: and tigers usually hunt alone.

    • A. Lions hunt in groups; tigers usually hunt alone.
    • B. Lions hunt in groups tigers usually hunt alone.
    • C. Lions hunt in groups, tigers usually hunt alone.
    • D. Lions hunt in groups: and tigers usually hunt alone.

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly? • Some birds migrate; others stay all winter. • Some birds; migrate others stay all winter. • Some; birds migrate others stay all winter. • Some birds migrate; while others stay all winter.

    • A. Some birds migrate; others stay all winter.
    • B. Some birds; migrate others stay all winter.
    • C. Some; birds migrate others stay all winter.
    • D. Some birds migrate; while others stay all winter.

  3. Question 3

    Which is the correct way to join these two main clauses? • The lights went out; nobody moved. • The lights went out, nobody moved. • The lights went out nobody moved. • The lights went out: and nobody moved.

    • A. The lights went out; nobody moved.
    • B. The lights went out, nobody moved.
    • C. The lights went out nobody moved.
    • D. The lights went out: and nobody moved.

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly? • It was raining; heavily the match was cancelled. • It was; raining heavily the match was cancelled. • It was raining heavily; the match was cancelled. • It was raining heavily; and the match was cancelled.

    • A. It was raining; heavily the match was cancelled.
    • B. It was; raining heavily the match was cancelled.
    • C. It was raining heavily; the match was cancelled.
    • D. It was raining heavily; and the match was cancelled.

  5. Question 5

    Which is the correct way to join these two main clauses? • The road was blocked: and we took a detour. • The road was blocked we took a detour. • The road was blocked; we took a detour. • The road was blocked, we took a detour.

    • A. The road was blocked: and we took a detour.
    • B. The road was blocked we took a detour.
    • C. The road was blocked; we took a detour.
    • D. The road was blocked, we took a detour.

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly? • It was raining heavily; and the match was cancelled. • It was; raining heavily the match was cancelled. • It was raining; heavily the match was cancelled. • It was raining heavily; the match was cancelled.

    • A. It was raining heavily; and the match was cancelled.
    • B. It was; raining heavily the match was cancelled.
    • C. It was raining; heavily the match was cancelled.
    • D. It was raining heavily; the match was cancelled.

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Answer key: Semicolons

  1. 1. A. Lions hunt in groups; tigers usually hunt alone.

  2. 2. A. Some birds migrate; others stay all winter.

  3. 3. A. The lights went out; nobody moved.

  4. 4. C. It was raining heavily; the match was cancelled.

  5. 5. C. The road was blocked; we took a detour.

  6. 6. D. It was raining heavily; the match was cancelled.