• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Punctuating direct speech: ? and ! inside, split speech, new speakers; Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? ("I won!", cried Mia. / "I won!" Cried Mia. / "I won"! cried Mia. / "I won!" cried Mia.) → "I won!" cried Mia.Prompt: A question or an exclamation keeps its ? or ! INSIDE the speech marks.
2. 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.
3. The speaker is interrupted in the middle of a sentence. Which is punctuated correctly? ("If you hurry", said Mum, "you'll catch the bus". / "If you hurry," said Mum, "you'll catch the bus." / "If you hurry," said Mum. "you'll catch the bus." / "If you hurry" said Mum "you'll catch the bus.") → "If you hurry," said Mum, "you'll catch the bus."Prompt: The spoken sentence is still one sentence, so the second part does not start with a capital.

• Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
• Share the objective: Commas after openers, yes and no, tag questions and names. Read the success criteria together.

• 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?
• Step 1: Use a comma after an introductory word or phrase, after yes/no, before a tag question, and to separate the name of the person being spoken to.
• 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.

• 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? (No, the shop is closed today. / No the shop is, closed today. / No the, shop is closed today. / No the shop, is closed today.) → No, the shop is closed today.Prompt: Commas set off: an opening word or phrase, yes/no, the name of the person you are talking to, and a tag question like 'isn't it?'.
2. Read the question. Which sentence means Lily is the one being filmed? (Shall we film Lily? / Shall we film, Lily?) → Shall we film Lily?Prompt: A comma before a name shows you are talking TO that person.

• 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 7 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. Read the question. Which sentence means you are talking TO Mia about drawing? (I'm going to draw, Mia. / I'm going to draw Mia.) → I'm going to draw, Mia.Prompt: A comma before a name shows you are talking TO that person.
2. Which sentence has the comma in the right place? (After, the match we had pizza. / After the match, we had pizza. / After the match we, had pizza. / After the, match we had pizza.) → After the match, we had pizza.Prompt: Commas set off: an opening word or phrase, yes/no, the name of the person you are talking to, and a tag question like 'isn't it?'.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-5.