At the end of Key Stage 2, children in Year 6 complete the English grammar, punctuation and spelling test (GPS). Are your pupils ready?
This Year 6 SPaG Questions pack will support the practise of test style questions that pupils will face in paper 1 of the end of Key Stage 2 English Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling test.
These resources can be used alongside our Year 6 Revision Blaster worksheets to support revision in your classroom, in this case, of how commas are used.
All our SPAG Questions and Revision Blaster resource packs focus on the content domains from the Key Stage 2 grammar, punctuation and spelling test framework (National Curriculum tests from 2016).
Content domains covered in this resource:
- G5.5 commas in lists
- G5.6a commas to clarify meaning
- G5.6b commas after fronted adverbials
This pack includes:
- SPaG Questions PPT slides: commas
- Let’s Practise! 1 and 2 PDF worksheets, (also shown on PPT slides 5 and 6)
Why are commas used?
A comma is used when writing to provide clarity and avoid ambiguity (when something may have more than one meaning).
Commas in lists
In lists, commas are used to separate the items.
- For lunch today I have a sandwich, carrot sticks and an apple.
Separating clauses
Commas are used to separate a subordinate clause from the main clause when it comes at the beginning of a sentence or is inserted in the middle of the main clause.
- If you finish your homework, you may go to the park.
- You may, if you finish your homework, go to the park.
Commas are also needed after a fronted adverbial.
- All of a sudden, the lights went out.
When else is a comma used?
They can also be used to separate names in a sentence when addressing them directly, to separate parenthesis or to punctuate some relative clauses when the information is not essential to the understanding of the sentence (non-defining). These commas help to provide clarity for the reader.
- Let’s eat, Grandma.
- My grandma, an 89 year-old lady, decided that she wanted to do a skydive!
- Grandma’s garden, which was full of roses, was a beautiful sight to see.