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English lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 45 minutes

Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives

Punctuation

CCSS L.7.2.ACCSS L.9-10.2England: GCSE English Language (SPaG)England: SAT Standard English Conventions

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives.

  • 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 after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses; Relative clauses

Leads to: Punctuation between clauses (SAT/ACT); Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and clauses

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 after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses; Relative clauses). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  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. Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? The town where I grew up is by the sea. (I grew up is / is by the sea / where I grew up / The town) → where I grew upPrompt: Look for who, which, that, where, when or whose.
  3. 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.

Hook · 5 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives. 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 is punctuated correctly? • She wore a bright, red scarf. • She wore a bright red scarf.
  • Step 1: Non-restrictive clauses and appositives take commas; restrictive clauses (including 'that' clauses) do not. Coordinate adjectives (you could put 'and' between them) take a comma.
  • Step 2: 'bright' describes 'red', not the scarf; you would not say 'bright and red', so no comma.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: She wore a bright red scarf.
  • Answer: She wore a bright red scarf.
  • 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 is punctuated correctly? • Ms Obi, our coach, gave a speech. • Ms Obi our coach, gave a speech. (Ms Obi, our coach, gave a speech. / Ms Obi our coach, gave a speech.) → Ms Obi, our coach, gave a speech.Prompt: Is the clause essential to identify the noun, or just extra information?
  2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door. • Dogs, that bark all night, annoy the people next door. (Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door. / Dogs, that bark all night, annoy the people next door.) → Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door.Prompt: Is the clause essential to identify the noun, or just extra information?

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 is punctuated correctly? • Ms Obi, our coach, gave a speech. • Ms Obi our coach, gave a speech. (Ms Obi, our coach, gave a speech. / Ms Obi our coach, gave a speech.) → Ms Obi, our coach, gave a speech.Prompt: Is the clause essential to identify the noun, or just extra information?
  2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • She wore a bright red scarf. • She wore a bright, red scarf. (She wore a bright red scarf. / She wore a bright, red scarf.) → She wore a bright red scarf.Prompt: Is the clause essential to identify the noun, or just extra information?

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 after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses.
  • 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: Punctuation between clauses (SAT/ACT); Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and clauses.
  • 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-8.

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

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Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.) • My brother who lives in Canada is a chef. (I have only one brother.)

    • A. My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.)
    • B. My brother who lives in Canada is a chef. (I have only one brother.)

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • The Eiffel Tower which was finished in 1889 is in Paris. • The Eiffel Tower, which was finished in 1889, is in Paris.

    • A. The Eiffel Tower which was finished in 1889 is in Paris.
    • B. The Eiffel Tower, which was finished in 1889, is in Paris.

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Ms Obi our coach, gave a speech. • Ms Obi, our coach, gave a speech.

    • A. Ms Obi our coach, gave a speech.
    • B. Ms Obi, our coach, gave a speech.

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door. • Dogs, that bark all night, annoy the people next door.

    • A. Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door.
    • B. Dogs, that bark all night, annoy the people next door.

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • The book, that I lent you, is overdue. • The book that I lent you is overdue.

    • A. The book, that I lent you, is overdue.
    • B. The book that I lent you is overdue.

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • It was a cold, dark night. • It was a cold dark, night.

    • A. It was a cold, dark night.
    • B. It was a cold dark, night.

  7. Question 7

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • She wore a bright, red scarf. • She wore a bright red scarf.

    • A. She wore a bright, red scarf.
    • B. She wore a bright red scarf.

  8. Question 8

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Students who finish early may read quietly. • Students, who finish early, may read quietly.

    • A. Students who finish early may read quietly.
    • B. Students, who finish early, may read quietly.

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Answer key: Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives

  1. 1. A. My brother, who lives in Canada, is a chef. (I have only one brother.)

  2. 2. B. The Eiffel Tower, which was finished in 1889, is in Paris.

  3. 3. B. Ms Obi, our coach, gave a speech.

  4. 4. A. Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door.

  5. 5. B. The book that I lent you is overdue.

  6. 6. A. It was a cold, dark night.

  7. 7. B. She wore a bright red scarf.

  8. 8. A. Students who finish early may read quietly.