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LIFE/work balance

We have started a #LIFEworkbalance campaign and we need your help to complete our LIFE/work balance survey.

�We hope to publish the results soon, so please give 15 minutes of your time to help us get a true picture of school life.

Want to be a part of this campaign? Take the survey on our website and share it with your colleagues!

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Year 6 – Autumn Block 1 – Ready to Write – Commas

About This Resource:

This PowerPoint has been designed to support your teaching of this small step. It includes a starter activity and an example of each question from the Varied Fluency and Application and Reasoning resources also provided in this pack. You can choose to work through all examples provided or a selection of them depending on the needs of your class.

National Curriculum Objectives:

English Year 5: (5G5.6a) Using commas to clarify meaning or avoid ambiguity in writing

More resources from our Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling scheme of work.

Did you like this resource? Don’t forget to review it on our website.

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Year 6 – Autumn Block 1 – Ready to Write – Commas

Notes and Guidance:

Children should know that commas have many different jobs including separating items in a list, demarcating fronted adverbials, clarifying meaning, or to avoid ambiguity.
This step focuses on using commas to clarify meaning and avoid ambiguity within writing. From Year 5 (and Step 4 within this block), children should know that commas can be used to punctuate clauses which add extra information.
Commas can also be used to avoid ambiguity and to make the meaning of the sentence clear, for example I enjoy running ballet classes and swimming compared to I enjoy running, ballet classes and swimming. In the first sentence, ‘running ballet classes’ can be interpreted as teaching the ballet class while in the second sentence, the comma makes running and ballet classes two separate activities.

Focused Questions

What are the commas used for in this sentence?
Can you remove the commas from the sentence?
How does the comma(s) in this sentence change the meaning of the information?

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Year 6 – Autumn Block 1 – Ready to Write�

Step 6: Commas

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Introduction

Mija is going shopping. Write her shopping list in sentences using commas.

	Grocery Store
	apples and oranges
	bread
	milk

	Stationery Store
	pens and pencils
	notepad

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Introduction

Mija is going shopping. Write her shopping list in sentences using commas.

From the grocery store, Mija needs apples, oranges, bread and milk. From the stationary store, she needs pens, pencils and a notepad.

	Grocery Store
	apples and oranges
	bread
	milk

	Stationery Store
	pens and pencils
	notepad

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Varied Fluency 1

True or false? Commas have been used correctly in the following sentence.

Before we go, out into the rain, we need to make sure we have our raincoats on.

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Varied Fluency 1

True or false? Commas have been used correctly in the following sentence.

Before we go, out into the rain, we need to make sure we have our raincoats on.

False. There should not be a comma after ‘go’.

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Varied Fluency 2

What is the function of the commas in the following sentence?

The winner of the dog show, a small schnauzer named Mittens, barked excitedly while everybody clapped.

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Varied Fluency 2

What is the function of the commas in the following sentence?

The winner of the dog show, a small schnauzer named Mittens, barked excitedly while everybody clapped.

Commas are used to punctuate parenthesis.

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Varied Fluency 3

Circle the unnecessary commas in the sentence below.

Corey shouted, “How many, people are waiting for an ice pop, or a drink?”

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Varied Fluency 3

Circle the unnecessary commas in the sentence below.

Corey shouted, “How many , people are waiting for an ice pop , or a drink?”

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Varied Fluency 4

Rewrite the sentence below adding comma(s) to change the meaning.

Grandma enjoys baking puppies and knitting.

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Varied Fluency 4

Rewrite the sentence below adding comma(s) to change the meaning.

Grandma enjoys baking puppies and knitting.

Grandma enjoys baking, puppies and knitting.

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Reasoning 1

Johnny has been asked to tick a box or boxes to show where the comma(s) belongs in the sentence.�

�The missing book a novel about an underwater

kingdom had been placed on the wrong shelf.

Is he correct?

Give reasons for your answer.

✔

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Reasoning 1

Johnny has been asked to tick a box or boxes to show where the comma(s) belongs in the sentence.�

�The missing book a novel about an underwater

kingdom had been placed on the wrong shelf.

Is he correct?

Give reasons for your answer.

Johnny is partially correct…

✔

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Reasoning 1

Johnny has been asked to tick a box or boxes to show where the comma(s) belongs in the sentence.�

�The missing book a novel about an underwater

kingdom had been placed on the wrong shelf.

Is he correct?

Give reasons for your answer.

Johnny is partially correct. There should also be a comma after ‘book’ to punctuate parenthesis.

✔

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Application 1

Rewrite the paragraph below, adding in the missing commas in the correct places.

Four years ago a British Olympian had broken the world record for the 100m men’s freestyle. Before him the record was held by an American swimmer. In the future it could be held by somebody new.

What is the purpose of the commas?

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Application 1

Rewrite the paragraph below, adding in the missing commas in the correct places.

Four years ago, a British Olympian had broken the world record for the 100m men’s freestyle. Before him, the record was held by an American swimmer. In the future, it could be held by somebody new.

What is the purpose of the commas?

Commas are used to punctuate fronted adverbials.

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Reasoning 2

Explain how the comma changes the meaning of the sentence below.

I like drawing, horses, and dancing.

I like drawing horses and dancing.

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Reasoning 2

Explain how the comma changes the meaning of the sentence below.

I like drawing, horses, and dancing.

I like drawing horses and dancing.

The first sentence lists three of the writer’s interests: drawing, horses and dancing. The second sentence suggests the writer has two interests: drawing horses and dancing.