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English lesson plan · 11th grade (Year 12 in England) · 30 minutes

Commas with titles and descriptions before names (SAT)

Punctuation

CCSS L.11-12.2CCSS L.9-10.2England: SAT Standard English Conventions (Boundaries)England: ACT English

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Commas with titles and descriptions before names (SAT).

  • 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: Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and clauses

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

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 (Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and clauses). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Mount Everest the highest mountain on Earth is on the border of Nepal and China. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: Remove the words. Do we still know exactly who or what is meant?
  2. Which option completes the sentence correctly? Paris ___ attracts millions of visitors. (which is the capital of France / , which is the capital of France,) → , which is the capital of France,Prompt: Remove the words. Do we still know exactly who or what is meant?
  3. Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Toni Morrison an American novelist won the Nobel Prize in 1993. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: Remove the words. Do we still know exactly who or what is meant?

Hook · 3 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Commas with titles and descriptions before names (SAT). 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 choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The award went to ___ for her novel about a family of lighthouse keepers.
  • Step 1: No comma between a title and the name that follows it; commas around a non-essential description that follows a name.
  • Step 2: Title + name = no commas.
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The award went to author Niamh Kelly for her novel about a family of lighthouse keepers."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: author Niamh Kelly
  • Answer: author Niamh Kelly
  • 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. Is this sentence correct in formal written English (SAT/ACT style)? Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina astronaut in space, later directed the Johnson Space Center. (correct / incorrect) → correctPrompt: A job title or description placed directly before a name (biologist Lena Park) works like part of the name: no commas.
  2. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The study, published by ___ found that city trees reduce summer temperatures. (climate, scientist Ana Ruiz, / climate scientist, Ana Ruiz, / climate scientist Ana Ruiz, / climate scientist Ana Ruiz) → climate scientist Ana Ruiz,Prompt: A job title or description placed directly before a name (biologist Lena Park) works like part of the name: no commas.

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 choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The painting was restored by Italian ___ in 1998. (conservator, Paola Bianchi / conservator Paola Bianchi / conservator, Paola Bianchi, / conservator Paola Bianchi,) → conservator Paola BianchiPrompt: A job title or description placed directly before a name (biologist Lena Park) works like part of the name: no commas.
  2. Is this sentence correct in formal written English (SAT/ACT style)? According to marine biologist Lena Park the reef has recovered faster than expected. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: A job title or description placed directly before a name (biologist Lena Park) works like part of the name: no commas.

Watch out for

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

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and clauses.
  • 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

  • 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-11.

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

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Commas with titles and descriptions before names (SAT)

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? According to marine ___ the reef has recovered faster than expected.

    • A. biologist Lena Park
    • B. biologist, Lena Park,
    • C. biologist Lena Park,
    • D. biologist, Lena Park

  2. Question 2

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English (SAT/ACT style)? According to marine biologist Lena Park, the reef has recovered faster than expected.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect

  3. Question 3

    Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The study, published by ___ found that city trees reduce summer temperatures.

    • A. climate scientist Ana Ruiz
    • B. climate scientist Ana Ruiz,
    • C. climate scientist, Ana Ruiz,
    • D. climate, scientist Ana Ruiz,

  4. Question 4

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English (SAT/ACT style)? Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina astronaut in space, later directed the Johnson Space Center.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect

  5. Question 5

    Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The award went to ___ for her novel about a family of lighthouse keepers.

    • A. author Niamh Kelly,
    • B. author, Niamh Kelly,
    • C. author Niamh Kelly
    • D. author, Niamh Kelly

  6. Question 6

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English (SAT/ACT style)? The project was led by Dr Kenji Sato; a physicist at the University of Tokyo.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect

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Answer key: Commas with titles and descriptions before names (SAT)

  1. 1. C. biologist Lena Park,

  2. 2. A. correct

  3. 3. B. climate scientist Ana Ruiz,

  4. 4. A. correct

  5. 5. C. author Niamh Kelly

  6. 6. B. incorrect