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.
- Which sentence uses commas correctly? • We saw lions, tigers, and, bears. • We saw lions, tigers and bears. • We saw lions tigers and bears. • We saw, lions, tigers and bears. (We saw lions, tigers, and, bears. / We saw lions, tigers and bears. / We saw lions tigers and bears. / We saw, lions, tigers and bears.) → We saw lions, tigers and bears.Prompt: Commas separate the items in a list.
- How many commas are needed in this list (UK style, no comma before "and")? We need eggs flour sugar and butter. (0 / 1 / 2 / 3) → 2Prompt: Count the items in the list.
- Which sentence uses commas correctly? • Grandpa grows, carrots, beans, peas and onions. • Grandpa, grows carrots, beans, peas, and, onions. • Grandpa grows carrots beans peas and onions. • Grandpa grows carrots, beans, peas and onions. (Grandpa grows, carrots, beans, peas and onions. / Grandpa, grows carrots, beans, peas, and, onions. / Grandpa grows carrots beans peas and onions. / Grandpa grows carrots, beans, peas and onions.) → Grandpa grows carrots, beans, peas and onions.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.
- 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. (Before breakfast, Jo walks the dog. / Before breakfast Jo walks, the dog. / Before, breakfast Jo walks the dog. / Before breakfast Jo, walks the dog.) → Before breakfast, Jo walks the dog.Prompt: Find where the opening phrase or clause ends and the main clause begins.
- 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 / 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.
- 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.
- A: While the children were cooking, the pan caught fire. B: While the children were cooking the pan caught fire. Which sentence is clearer? (A / B) → APrompt: 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