• 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 name of the school (the school name's / the schools name / the schools' name / the school's name) → the school's namePrompt: Who is the owner? One owner or more than one?
2. 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.
3. 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.

• 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. my cousins dog is called Pepper and its very naughty. 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.

• 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. 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.

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