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.
- Which sentence uses commas correctly? • We bought apples pears and plums. • We bought apples, pears and plums. • We bought, apples, pears and plums. • We bought apples, pears, and, plums. (We bought apples pears and plums. / We bought apples, pears and plums. / We bought, apples, pears and plums. / We bought apples, pears, and, plums.) → We bought apples, pears and plums.Prompt: Commas separate the items in a list.
- How many commas are needed in this list (UK style, no comma before "and")? We need a torch a map and a compass. (0 / 1 / 2 / 3) → 1Prompt: Count the items in the list.
- Which sentence uses commas correctly? • Bring a pencil, a ruler, and, an eraser. • Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. • Bring a pencil a ruler and an eraser. • Bring, a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. (Bring a pencil, a ruler, and, an eraser. / Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. / Bring a pencil a ruler and an eraser. / Bring, a pencil, a ruler and an eraser.) → Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser.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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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