• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Apostrophes for possession; Speech marks (quotation marks) for dialogue; Commas in lists). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which shows possession correctly? the changing room of the players (the players changing room / the players's changing room / the player's changing room / the players' changing room) → the players' changing roomPrompt: Who is the owner? One owner or more than one?
2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Grandad said, "it's time for bed." • Grandad said, "It's time for bed." • Grandad said, It's time for bed. • Grandad said "It's time for bed". (Grandad said, "it's time for bed." / Grandad said, "It's time for bed." / Grandad said, It's time for bed. / Grandad said "It's time for bed".) → Grandad said, "It's time for bed."Prompt: Speech marks (quotation marks) go around the exact words spoken, including their punctuation.
3. Which sentence uses commas correctly? • Bring, a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. • Bring a pencil a ruler and an eraser. • Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. • Bring a pencil, a ruler, and, an eraser. (Bring, a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. / Bring a pencil a ruler and an eraser. / Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. / Bring a pencil, a ruler, and, an eraser.) → Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser.Prompt: Commas separate the items in a list.

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

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: On tuesday we went to the zoo, we saw lions. How many punctuation or capital-letter errors are there?
• Step 1: Proofread in stages so you notice every kind of error.
• Step 2: 'Tuesday' needs a capital, and the comma splice needs a full stop or semicolon.
• Step 3: So the answer is: 2
• Answer: 2
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. On tuesday we went to the zoo, we saw lions. How many punctuation or capital-letter errors are there? (1 / 2 / 3 / 4) → 2Prompt: Check capitals, then end marks, then commas, then apostrophes and speech marks.
2. The childrens' coats were wet so they hung them up. How many punctuation errors are there? (0 / 1 / 2 / 3) → 2Prompt: Check capitals, then end marks, then commas, then apostrophes and speech marks.

• 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 5 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Sam bought milk eggs and bread at the shop How many punctuation errors are there? (1 / 2 / 3 / 4) → 2Prompt: Check capitals, then end marks, then commas, then apostrophes and speech marks.
2. "where are you going asked Mum. How many punctuation or capital-letter errors are there? (1 / 2 / 3 / 4) → 3Prompt: Check capitals, then end marks, then commas, then apostrophes and speech marks.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-6.