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Year 6

Commas, brackets and dashes revision

I can practise commas, brackets and dashes test questions.

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New
New
Year 6

Commas, brackets and dashes revision

I can practise commas, brackets and dashes test questions.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A comma is an important punctuation mark with more than one purpose.
  2. Adding extra information to a clause is called parenthesis.
  3. Parenthesis can be punctuated in a variety of ways.

Keywords

  • Brackets - a punctuation mark that can be used to demarcate parenthesis

  • Dashes - a punctuation mark that can be used to demarcate parenthesis

  • Parenthesis - additional information added to a sentence that can be removed

  • Comma - a punctuation mark used to demarcate phrases, clauses, items in lists and parenthesis

Common misconception

Pupils may use a comma to separate any main and subordinate clause.

When an adverbial subordinate clause comes after a main clause, no comma is needed; relative subordinate clauses don't always need commas.


To help you plan your year 6 english lesson on: Commas, brackets and dashes revision, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

In our Y6 Grammar curriculum, we've used different punctuation for parenthesis for different purposes; here, they are treated interchangeably as is conventional in tests. There are complete lessons about all topics covered in our Y6 curriculum.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Tick the sentences that use an apostrophe for a contracted form.
Correct answer: It's not that surprising really.
Correct answer: She's never ever seen a llama!
We watched Aisha's favourite video.
The boys' coats lay on the muddy ground.
Correct answer: There wasn't anything left of lunch.
Q2.
Which of these contracted forms have the apostrophe in the correct position?
ca'nt
wo'nt
Correct answer: didn't
Correct answer: isn't
Q3.
Which sentence is the most formal?
We've got loads to do today.
We have a ton of stuff to get done.
Correct answer: A great deal must be accomplished today.
There's just so much that needs doing!
Q4.
Match each sentence to the possession it shows.
Correct Answer:The teams' kits were muddy.,There is more than one team.
tick

There is more than one team.

Correct Answer:The team's kits were muddy.,There is only one team.
tick

There is only one team.

Correct Answer:The cake's icing was sweet.,There is only one cake.
tick

There is only one cake.

Correct Answer:The cakes' icing was sweet.,There is more than one cake.
tick

There is more than one cake.

Q5.
Which speech sentences are punctuated correctly?
Correct answer: "Don't try and stop me!" said Sam.
"Where's the bathroom" asked Andeep.
Jun wondered "Is it time to go?"
Correct answer: Aisha asked, "Where is she?"
Q6.
Which version of the sentence is correctly punctuated?
Some people say, "More haste, less speed"
Some people say, "more haste, less speed"
Correct answer: Some people say, "More haste, less speed."
Some people say "More haste, less speed."

6 Questions

Q1.
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
The children were shouting, screaming, whooping, and hollering.
Correct answer: The children were shouting, screaming, whooping and hollering.
The children were shouting, screaming whooping, and hollering.
Q2.
Which sentence has the fronted adverbial correctly shown with a comma?
After a long, time we realised where we were.
After a long time we realised, where we were.
Correct answer: After a long time, we realised where we were.
Q3.
What pieces of punctuation can be used to show parenthesis?
Correct answer: brackets
Correct answer: dashes
colons
semi-colons
Correct answer: commas
Q4.
Which sentences contain parenthesis?
Correct answer: The mountain - a huge, towering rock - loomed over us.
Correct answer: My cousin (who lives in Barnsley) is a brave detective.
Walking into the room, I waved at Jun, who was already sitting down.
Q5.
Which sentences are correctly punctuated?
Correct answer: Add a small amount of salt (about a teaspoon) to the mixture.
Add a small amount (of salt about a teaspoon) to the mixture.
Correct answer: Wales - which is a country of 3 million people - is next to the Irish Sea.
Wales which is - a country of 3 million people - is next to the Irish Sea.
Q6.
Which parentheses could fill this gap? 'Birmingham - __________ - is England's second-largest city.'
Correct answer: which is in the West Midlands
Correct answer: a city in the West Midlands
the West Midlands
is England's second-largest