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English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes

Commas in dialogue: Mum said, "…" and "…," said Mum

Punctuation

CCSS L.3.2.CEngland: Y3 GPS (inverted commas)England: Y4 GPS (punctuation of direct speech)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Commas in dialogue: Mum said, "…" and "…," said Mum.

  • 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: Speech marks (quotation marks) for dialogue

Leads to: Punctuating direct speech: ? and ! inside, split speech, new speakers

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 (Speech marks (quotation marks) for dialogue). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • "Can I help?" asked the shopkeeper. • "Can I help," asked the shopkeeper? • "Can I help"? asked the shopkeeper. • "Can I help? asked the shopkeeper." ("Can I help?" asked the shopkeeper. / "Can I help," asked the shopkeeper? / "Can I help"? asked the shopkeeper. / "Can I help? asked the shopkeeper.") → "Can I help?" asked the shopkeeper.Prompt: Speech marks (quotation marks) go around the exact words spoken, including their punctuation.
  2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • "Can I help," asked the shopkeeper? • "Can I help? asked the shopkeeper." • "Can I help?" asked the shopkeeper. • "Can I help"? asked the shopkeeper. ("Can I help," asked the shopkeeper? / "Can I help? asked the shopkeeper." / "Can I help?" asked the shopkeeper. / "Can I help"? asked the shopkeeper.) → "Can I help?" asked the shopkeeper.Prompt: Speech marks (quotation marks) go around the exact words spoken, including their punctuation.
  3. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • "Let's go to the park," said Mia. • Let's go to the park," said Mia. • "Let's go to the park, said Mia." • "Let's go to the park" said Mia. ("Let's go to the park," said Mia. / Let's go to the park," said Mia. / "Let's go to the park, said Mia." / "Let's go to the park" said Mia.) → "Let's go to the park," said Mia.Prompt: Speech marks (quotation marks) go around the exact words spoken, including their punctuation.

Hook · 3 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Commas in dialogue: Mum said, "…" and "…," said Mum. 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 is punctuated correctly?
  • Step 1: Who is speaking comes first, so put a comma after 'said', then open the speech marks. The full stop goes inside.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: Ravi said, "Let's go to the park."
  • Answer: Ravi said, "Let's go to the park."
  • 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 is punctuated correctly? ("I made soup for lunch", said Gran. / "I made soup for lunch," said, Gran. / "I made soup for lunch" said Gran. / "I made soup for lunch," said Gran.) → "I made soup for lunch," said Gran.Prompt: A comma separates the spoken words from the words that say who is speaking.
  2. What is missing from this sentence? The pilot said "We will land in ten minutes." (nothing: it is already correct / a question mark after "minutes" / a comma after "said" / a comma after "minutes", inside the speech marks) → a comma after "said"Prompt: Find where the spoken words meet the words about who is speaking.

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. What is missing from this sentence? The librarian said "Books are due back on Friday." (a comma after "said" / nothing: it is already correct / a comma after "Friday", inside the speech marks / a question mark after "Friday") → a comma after "said"Prompt: Find where the spoken words meet the words about who is speaking.
  2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? (The pilot, said "We will land in ten minutes." / The pilot said, We will land in ten minutes. / The pilot said "We will land in ten minutes." / The pilot said, "We will land in ten minutes.") → The pilot said, "We will land in ten minutes."Prompt: A comma separates the spoken words from the words that say who is speaking.

Watch out for

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

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Speech marks (quotation marks) for dialogue.
  • 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: Punctuating direct speech: ? and ! inside, split speech, new speakers.
  • 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-3.

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

eurekami

Commas in dialogue: Mum said, "…" and "…," said Mum

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    What is missing from this sentence? Mum said "Time for bed."

    • A. nothing: it is already correct
    • B. a comma after "bed", inside the speech marks
    • C. a question mark after "bed"
    • D. a comma after "said"

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • A. Zoe, said "My robot can dance."
    • B. Zoe said, My robot can dance.
    • C. Zoe said "My robot can dance."
    • D. Zoe said, "My robot can dance."

  3. Question 3

    What is missing from this sentence? "Your cat is very healthy" said the vet.

    • A. nothing: it is already correct
    • B. a comma after "said"
    • C. a full stop after "healthy", outside the speech marks
    • D. a comma after "healthy", inside the speech marks

  4. Question 4

    What is missing from this sentence? "This puzzle is tricky" said Kofi.

    • A. a comma after "said"
    • B. a comma after "tricky", inside the speech marks
    • C. a full stop after "tricky", outside the speech marks
    • D. nothing: it is already correct

  5. Question 5

    What is missing from this sentence? "Please line up by the door" said Mr Lee.

    • A. a full stop after "door", outside the speech marks
    • B. nothing: it is already correct
    • C. a comma after "door", inside the speech marks
    • D. a comma after "said"

  6. Question 6

    What is missing from this sentence? The pilot said "We will land in ten minutes."

    • A. a comma after "said"
    • B. a question mark after "minutes"
    • C. nothing: it is already correct
    • D. a comma after "minutes", inside the speech marks

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Answer key: Commas in dialogue: Mum said, "…" and "…," said Mum

  1. 1. D. a comma after "said"

  2. 2. D. Zoe said, "My robot can dance."

  3. 3. D. a comma after "healthy", inside the speech marks

  4. 4. B. a comma after "tricky", inside the speech marks

  5. 5. C. a comma after "door", inside the speech marks

  6. 6. A. a comma after "said"