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English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes

Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis

Punctuation

CCSS L.5.2CCSS L.7.2.AEngland: Y5 GPS (parenthesis)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis.

  • 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

Leads to: Hyphens to avoid ambiguity; Colons; Dashes and ellipses for effect

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). 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. 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.
  3. A: Ready, Mum? Let's go! B: Ready Mum? Let's go! Which sentence is punctuated correctly? (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: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis. 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 uses parenthesis correctly? • The test thankfully – was easy –. • The – test thankfully – was easy. • The test – thankfully – was easy. • The test – thankfully was easy.
  • Step 1: Brackets, dashes or commas can enclose extra information. They come in pairs, around only the extra words.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: The test – thankfully – was easy.
  • Answer: The test – thankfully – was easy.
  • 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 uses parenthesis correctly? • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet. • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. (The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet. / The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. / The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. / The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.) → The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.Prompt: Parenthesis is extra information. If you remove it, the sentence should still make sense.
  2. Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet. (The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. / The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. / The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. / The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet.) → The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.Prompt: Parenthesis is extra information. If you remove it, the sentence should still make sense.

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 uses parenthesis correctly? • My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees). (My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees. / My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees. / My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees. / My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees).) → My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees.Prompt: Parenthesis is extra information. If you remove it, the sentence should still make sense.
  2. Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet. (The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. / The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. / The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. / The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet.) → The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.Prompt: Parenthesis is extra information. If you remove it, the sentence should still make sense.

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: Hyphens to avoid ambiguity; Colons; Dashes and ellipses for effect.
  • 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-5.

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

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Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • Our cat, a grumpy old tabby sleeps all day. • Our cat a grumpy, old tabby sleeps all day. • Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day. • Our, cat a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

    • A. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby sleeps all day.
    • B. Our cat a grumpy, old tabby sleeps all day.
    • C. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.
    • D. Our, cat a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day. • Our cat, a grumpy old tabby sleeps all day. • Our cat a grumpy, old tabby sleeps all day. • Our, cat a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

    • A. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.
    • B. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby sleeps all day.
    • C. Our cat a grumpy, old tabby sleeps all day.
    • D. Our, cat a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet.

    • A. The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.
    • B. The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.
    • C. The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.
    • D. The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet.

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • The test thankfully – was easy –. • The test – thankfully was easy. • The test – thankfully – was easy. • The – test thankfully – was easy.

    • A. The test thankfully – was easy –.
    • B. The test – thankfully was easy.
    • C. The test – thankfully – was easy.
    • D. The – test thankfully – was easy.

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees). • My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees.

    • A. My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees.
    • B. My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees.
    • C. My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees).
    • D. My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees.

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet. • The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.

    • A. The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.
    • B. The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.
    • C. The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet.
    • D. The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.

  7. Question 7

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • Our cat, a grumpy old tabby sleeps all day. • Our cat a grumpy, old tabby sleeps all day. • Our, cat a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day. • Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

    • A. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby sleeps all day.
    • B. Our cat a grumpy, old tabby sleeps all day.
    • C. Our, cat a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.
    • D. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

  8. Question 8

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees). • My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees.

    • A. My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees).
    • B. My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees.
    • C. My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees.
    • D. My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees.

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Answer key: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis

  1. 1. C. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

  2. 2. A. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

  3. 3. A. The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.

  4. 4. C. The test – thankfully – was easy.

  5. 5. D. My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees.

  6. 6. A. The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.

  7. 7. D. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

  8. 8. B. My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees.