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English lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 60 minutes

Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses

Punctuation

CCSS L.4.2.CCCSS L.5.2.BEngland: Y4 GPS (commas after fronted adverbials)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses.

  • 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 in lists

Leads to: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis; Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives; Commas after openers, yes and no, tag questions and names

Materials: Punctuation cards, A short unpunctuated text, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Commas in lists). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. 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.
  2. How many commas are needed in this list (UK style, no comma before "and")? We need cats dogs and rabbits. (0 / 1 / 2 / 3) → 1Prompt: Count the items in the list.
  3. Which sentence uses commas correctly? • Ana likes swimming, dancing and drawing. • Ana, likes swimming, dancing and drawing. • Ana likes, swimming, dancing, and drawing. • Ana likes swimming dancing and drawing. (Ana likes swimming, dancing and drawing. / Ana, likes swimming, dancing and drawing. / Ana likes, swimming, dancing, and drawing. / Ana likes swimming dancing and drawing.) → Ana likes swimming, dancing and drawing.Prompt: Commas separate the items in a list.

Hook · 6 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • 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? • Yes I would, love to come. • Yes I, would love to come. • Yes, I would love to come. • Yes I would love, to come.
  • Step 1: Put a comma after a fronted adverbial or an opening subordinate clause, after yes/no, and after the name of someone you are addressing.
  • 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.

We do: guided practice · 12 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 has the comma in the right place? • Slowly and silently the cat, crept forward. • Slowly and silently, the cat crept forward. • Slowly and silently the cat crept, forward. • Slowly, and silently the cat crept forward. (Slowly and silently the cat, crept forward. / Slowly and silently, the cat crept forward. / Slowly and silently the cat crept, forward. / Slowly, and silently the cat crept forward.) → Slowly and silently, the cat crept forward.Prompt: Find where the opening phrase or clause ends and the main clause begins.
  2. A: Yes I know the answer. B: Yes, I know the answer. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? (A / B) → BPrompt: Read both sentences aloud, pausing at each comma.

You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. 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.
  2. Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • If you need help ask, a teacher. • If you need help, ask a teacher. • If, you need help ask a teacher. • If you need, help ask a teacher. (If you need help ask, a teacher. / If you need help, ask a teacher. / If, you need help ask a teacher. / If you need, help ask a teacher.) → If you need help, ask a teacher.Prompt: Find where the opening phrase or clause ends and the main clause begins.

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 in lists.
  • 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: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis; Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives; Commas after openers, yes and no, tag questions and names.
  • 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-4.

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

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Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    A: Yes I know the answer. B: Yes, I know the answer. Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • A. A
    • B. B

  2. Question 2

    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.

    • A. Although it was, cold we swam in the sea.
    • B. Although, it was cold we swam in the sea.
    • C. Although it was cold, we swam in the sea.
    • D. Although it was cold we swam, in the sea.

  3. Question 3

    A: Let's eat, Grandma! B: Let's eat Grandma! Which sentence invites Grandma to eat?

    • A. A
    • B. B

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • Yes I would, love to come. • Yes, I would love to come. • Yes I would love, to come. • Yes I, would love to come.

    • A. Yes I would, love to come.
    • B. Yes, I would love to come.
    • C. Yes I would love, to come.
    • D. Yes I, would love to come.

  5. Question 5

    A: After we ate, the dog went for a walk. B: After we ate the dog went for a walk. Which sentence avoids a silly misreading?

    • A. A
    • B. B

  6. Question 6

    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.

    • A. When the bell, rings line up quietly.
    • B. When the bell rings line up, quietly.
    • C. When the bell rings, line up quietly.
    • D. When, the bell rings line up quietly.

  7. Question 7

    Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • After the storm the garden, was a mess. • After the storm the garden was, a mess. • After, the storm the garden was a mess. • After the storm, the garden was a mess.

    • A. After the storm the garden, was a mess.
    • B. After the storm the garden was, a mess.
    • C. After, the storm the garden was a mess.
    • D. After the storm, the garden was a mess.

  8. Question 8

    Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • After the storm the garden, was a mess. • After, the storm the garden was a mess. • After the storm the garden was, a mess. • After the storm, the garden was a mess.

    • A. After the storm the garden, was a mess.
    • B. After, the storm the garden was a mess.
    • C. After the storm the garden was, a mess.
    • D. After the storm, the garden was a mess.

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Answer key: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses

  1. 1. B. B

  2. 2. C. Although it was cold, we swam in the sea.

  3. 3. A. A

  4. 4. B. Yes, I would love to come.

  5. 5. A. A

  6. 6. C. When the bell rings, line up quietly.

  7. 7. D. After the storm, the garden was a mess.

  8. 8. D. After the storm, the garden was a mess.