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English lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 60 minutes

Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and clauses

Punctuation

CCSS L.9-10.2CCSS L.6.2.AEngland: SAT Standard English Conventions (Boundaries)England: ACT EnglishEngland: GCSE English Language (AO6)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and 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: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives; Combining sentences with appositives and participle phrases

Leads to: Spotting unnecessary commas; Matching pairs: comma–comma, dash–dash, bracket–bracket (SAT); Commas with titles and descriptions before names (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 (Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives; Combining sentences with appositives and participle phrases). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door. • Dogs, that bark all night, annoy the people next door. (Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door. / Dogs, that bark all night, annoy the people next door.) → Dogs that bark all night annoy the people next door.Prompt: Is the clause essential to identify the noun, or just extra information?
  2. The fox crept towards the henhouse. It was sniffing the air. Which choice combines the sentences most effectively using a participle phrase? (Sniffing the air, the henhouse was approached by the fox. / The fox sniffing crept the air towards the henhouse. / Sniffing the air, the fox crept towards the henhouse. / The fox crept towards the henhouse, it was sniffing the air.) → Sniffing the air, the fox crept towards the henhouse.Prompt: Turn one sentence into a phrase that describes a noun in the other.
  3. What has the writer used to combine ideas in this sentence? Glowing in the dark, the jellyfish drifted past the boat. (an appositive / a participle phrase) → a participle phrasePrompt: Does the added phrase start with a noun group (a…, the…) or with a verb form (-ing, -ed, -en)?

Hook · 6 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and 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 option completes the sentence correctly? The novelist ___ won the Nobel Prize in 1993.
  • Step 1: Non-essential (extra) information is set off with commas; essential (identifying) information is not.
  • Step 2: Many novelists exist; the name identifies which one: no commas.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: Toni Morrison
  • Answer: Toni Morrison
  • 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. Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Students, who feel unwell, must see the nurse. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: Remove the words. Do we still know exactly who or what is meant?
  2. Which option completes the sentence correctly? Students ___ must see the nurse. (, who feel unwell, / who feel unwell) → who feel unwellPrompt: Remove the words. Do we still know exactly who or what is meant?

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. Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Toni Morrison an American novelist won the Nobel Prize in 1993. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: Remove the words. Do we still know exactly who or what is meant?
  2. Which option completes the sentence correctly? The novelist ___ won the Nobel Prize in 1993. (, Toni Morrison, / Toni Morrison) → Toni MorrisonPrompt: Remove the words. Do we still know exactly who or what is meant?

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: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives.
  • 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: Spotting unnecessary commas; Matching pairs: comma–comma, dash–dash, bracket–bracket (SAT); Commas with titles and descriptions before names (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-9.

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

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Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and clauses

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? (Ana has one grandmother.) Ana's grandmother who is ninety still swims every day.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect

  2. Question 2

    Which option completes the sentence correctly? Paris ___ attracts millions of visitors.

    • A. , which is the capital of France,
    • B. which is the capital of France

  3. Question 3

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Our head teacher Mrs Okafor retires in July.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect

  4. Question 4

    Which option completes the sentence correctly? The song ___ became a hit.

    • A. "Blue Lights"
    • B. , "Blue Lights,"

  5. Question 5

    Which option completes the sentence correctly? The film ___ was filmed in Iceland.

    • A. that we saw last night
    • B. , that we saw last night,

  6. Question 6

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Students, who feel unwell, must see the nurse.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect

  7. Question 7

    Which option completes the sentence correctly? (I have only one brother.) My brother ___ is a chef.

    • A. Sam
    • B. , Sam,

  8. Question 8

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Mount Everest the highest mountain on Earth is on the border of Nepal and China.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect

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Answer key: Essential or non-essential? Commas with appositives and clauses

  1. 1. B. incorrect

  2. 2. A. , which is the capital of France,

  3. 3. B. incorrect

  4. 4. A. "Blue Lights"

  5. 5. A. that we saw last night

  6. 6. B. incorrect

  7. 7. B. , Sam,

  8. 8. B. incorrect