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English lesson plan · 10th grade (Year 11 in England) · 60 minutes

Punctuation between clauses (SAT/ACT)

Punctuation

CCSS L.9-10.2.ACCSS L.9-10.2.BEngland: SAT Standard English ConventionsEngland: ACT EnglishEngland: GCSE English Language (SPaG)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Punctuation between clauses (SAT/ACT).

  • 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: Semicolons; Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives

Leads to: Possessives, plurals and non-essential elements (SAT); Punctuation for style and emphasis; Punctuating however, therefore and other conjunctive adverbs (SAT)

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 (Semicolons; Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly? • Some birds migrate; others stay all winter. • Some birds; migrate others stay all winter. • Some birds migrate; while others stay all winter. • Some; birds migrate others stay all winter. (Some birds migrate; others stay all winter. / Some birds; migrate others stay all winter. / Some birds migrate; while others stay all winter. / Some; birds migrate others stay all winter.) → Some birds migrate; others stay all winter.Prompt: Could the words on each side of the semicolon stand alone as sentences?
  2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • The book that I lent you is overdue. • The book, that I lent you, is overdue. (The book that I lent you is overdue. / The book, that I lent you, is overdue.) → The book that I lent you is overdue.Prompt: Is the clause essential to identify the noun, or just extra information?
  3. Which is the correct way to join these two main clauses? • Winter came early that year the lake froze in November. • Winter came early that year; the lake froze in November. • Winter came early that year, the lake froze in November. • Winter came early that year; and the lake froze in November. (Winter came early that year the lake froze in November. / Winter came early that year; the lake froze in November. / Winter came early that year, the lake froze in November. / Winter came early that year; and the lake froze in November.) → Winter came early that year; the lake froze in November.Prompt: A comma on its own cannot join two main clauses (that is a comma splice).

Hook · 6 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Punctuation between clauses (SAT/ACT). 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 choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The museum reopened in spring___ its new wing displays fossils from Patagonia.
  • Step 1: Joining clauses correctly avoids comma splices and fragments.
  • Step 2: Both sides are main clauses with no conjunction, so a semicolon is needed.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: ;
  • Answer: ;
  • 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 choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The town's oldest building — a stone ___ dates from the 1300s. (chapel; / chapel, / chapel / chapel —) → chapel —Prompt: Are the parts on each side complete main clauses?
  2. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The festival, which began in ___ now draws visitors from around the world. (1950 / 1950, / 1950; / 1950:) → 1950,Prompt: Are the parts on each side complete main clauses?

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. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The violinist rehearsed for hours each day___ she still felt unprepared. (, but / ; but, / , / : but) → , butPrompt: Are the parts on each side complete main clauses?
  2. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The museum reopened in spring___ its new wing displays fossils from Patagonia. (— and, / , / ; / : and) → ;Prompt: Are the parts on each side complete main clauses?

Watch out for

  • Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
  • Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Semicolons.
  • 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: Possessives, plurals and non-essential elements (SAT); Punctuation for style and emphasis; Punctuating however, therefore and other conjunctive adverbs (SAT).
  • 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-10.

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

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Punctuation between clauses (SAT/ACT)

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The town's oldest building — a stone ___ dates from the 1300s.

    • A. chapel
    • B. chapel,
    • C. chapel;
    • D. chapel —

  2. Question 2

    Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The festival, which began in ___ now draws visitors from around the world.

    • A. 1950,
    • B. 1950;
    • C. 1950:
    • D. 1950

  3. Question 3

    Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? Maya Angelou, an acclaimed poet and ___ also worked as a journalist.

    • A. memoirist
    • B. memoirist:
    • C. memoirist;
    • D. memoirist,

  4. Question 4

    Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? Researchers collected three kinds of samples___ soil, water, and air.

    • A. :
    • B. — and
    • C. ;
    • D. , and

  5. Question 5

    Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The expedition faced one major obstacle___ a glacier that blocked the only pass.

    • A. , and
    • B. ;
    • C. :
    • D. .

  6. Question 6

    Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The violinist rehearsed for hours each day___ she still felt unprepared.

    • A. : but
    • B. ,
    • C. , but
    • D. ; but,

  7. Question 7

    Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The museum reopened in spring___ its new wing displays fossils from Patagonia.

    • A. : and
    • B. — and,
    • C. ;
    • D. ,

  8. Question 8

    Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The bridge was closed for repairs___ therefore, traffic was diverted.

    • A. : and
    • B. ;
    • C. — therefore
    • D. ,

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Answer key: Punctuation between clauses (SAT/ACT)

  1. 1. D. chapel —

  2. 2. A. 1950,

  3. 3. D. memoirist,

  4. 4. A. :

  5. 5. C. :

  6. 6. C. , but

  7. 7. C. ;

  8. 8. B. ;