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English lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 minutes

Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses

Punctuation

CCSS L.4.2.CCCSS L.5.2.BEngland: Y4 GPS (commas after fronted adverbials)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses.

  • 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: Commas in lists

Leads to: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis; Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives; Commas after openers, yes and no, tag questions and names

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

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Commas in lists). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. 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.
  2. How many commas are needed in this list (UK style, no comma before "and")? We need maths science art and music. (0 / 1 / 2 / 4) → 2Prompt: Count the items in the list.
  3. Which sentence uses commas correctly? • I packed, a hat, a towel and some sun cream. • I packed a hat a towel and some sun cream. • I packed a hat, a towel, and, some sun cream. • I packed a hat, a towel and some sun cream. (I packed, a hat, a towel and some sun cream. / I packed a hat a towel and some sun cream. / I packed a hat, a towel, and, some sun cream. / I packed a hat, a towel and some sun cream.) → I packed a hat, a towel and some sun cream.Prompt: Commas separate the items in a list.

Hook · 5 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • Yes I would, love to come. • Yes I, would love to come. • Yes, I would love to come. • Yes I would love, to come.
  • Step 1: Put a comma after a fronted adverbial or an opening subordinate clause, after yes/no, and after the name of someone you are addressing.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: Yes, I would love to come.
  • Answer: Yes, I would love to come.
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 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 has the comma in the right place? • When the bell, rings line up quietly. • When the bell rings, line up quietly. • When, the bell rings line up quietly. • When the bell rings line up, quietly. (When the bell, rings line up quietly. / When the bell rings, line up quietly. / When, the bell rings line up quietly. / When the bell rings line up, quietly.) → When the bell rings, line up quietly.Prompt: Find where the opening phrase or clause ends and the main clause begins.
  2. A: Let's eat, Grandma! B: Let's eat Grandma! Which sentence invites Grandma to eat? (A / B) → APrompt: Read both sentences aloud, pausing at each comma.

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • Ella please close the, door. • Ella please, close the door. • Ella, please close the door. • Ella please close, the door. (Ella please close the, door. / Ella please, close the door. / Ella, please close the door. / Ella please close, the door.) → Ella, please close the door.Prompt: Find where the opening phrase or clause ends and the main clause begins.
  2. A: Yes I know the answer. B: Yes, I know the answer. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? (A / B) → BPrompt: Read both sentences aloud, pausing at each comma.

Watch out for

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

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Commas in lists.
  • 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: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis; Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives; Commas after openers, yes and no, tag questions and names.
  • 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-4.

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

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Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • When the bell, rings line up quietly. • When, the bell rings line up quietly. • When the bell rings, line up quietly. • When the bell rings line up, quietly.

    • A. When the bell, rings line up quietly.
    • B. When, the bell rings line up quietly.
    • C. When the bell rings, line up quietly.
    • D. When the bell rings line up, quietly.

  2. Question 2

    A: Let's eat, Grandma! B: Let's eat Grandma! Which sentence invites Grandma to eat?

    • A. A
    • B. B

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • After the storm, the garden was a mess. • After, the storm the garden was a mess. • After the storm the garden, was a mess. • After the storm the garden was, a mess.

    • A. After the storm, the garden was a mess.
    • B. After, the storm the garden was a mess.
    • C. After the storm the garden, was a mess.
    • D. After the storm the garden was, a mess.

  4. Question 4

    A: Ravi, the goalkeeper is injured. B: Ravi, the goalkeeper, is injured. In which sentence is Ravi the person who is injured?

    • A. A
    • B. B

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • Ella, please close the door. • Ella please, close the door. • Ella please close the, door. • Ella please close, the door.

    • A. Ella, please close the door.
    • B. Ella please, close the door.
    • C. Ella please close the, door.
    • D. Ella please close, the door.

  6. Question 6

    A: Ready, Mum? Let's go! B: Ready Mum? Let's go! Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • A. A
    • B. B

  7. Question 7

    Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • Before, breakfast Jo walks the dog. • Before breakfast, Jo walks the dog. • Before breakfast Jo, walks the dog. • Before breakfast Jo walks, the dog.

    • A. Before, breakfast Jo walks the dog.
    • B. Before breakfast, Jo walks the dog.
    • C. Before breakfast Jo, walks the dog.
    • D. Before breakfast Jo walks, the dog.

  8. Question 8

    A: After we ate, the dog went for a walk. B: After we ate the dog went for a walk. Which sentence avoids a silly misreading?

    • A. A
    • B. B

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Answer key: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses

  1. 1. C. When the bell rings, line up quietly.

  2. 2. A. A

  3. 3. A. After the storm, the garden was a mess.

  4. 4. B. B

  5. 5. A. Ella, please close the door.

  6. 6. A. A

  7. 7. B. Before breakfast, Jo walks the dog.

  8. 8. A. A