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.
- Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • Although, it was cold we swam in the sea. • Although it was cold, we swam in the sea. • Although it was, cold we swam in the sea. • Although it was cold we swam, in the sea. (Although, it was cold we swam in the sea. / Although it was cold, we swam in the sea. / Although it was, cold we swam in the sea. / Although it was cold we swam, in the sea.) → Although it was cold, we swam in the sea.Prompt: Find where the opening phrase or clause ends and the main clause begins.
- Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? The book that I borrowed was really funny. (was really funny / that I borrowed / The book / I borrowed was) → that I borrowedPrompt: Look for who, which, that, where, when or whose.
- 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.
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.
- 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?
- 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?
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 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?
- Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Students who finish early may read quietly. • Students, who finish early, may read quietly. (Students who finish early may read quietly. / Students, who finish early, may read quietly.) → Students who finish early may read quietly.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