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Year 6

Commas, brackets and dashes revision

I can practise commas, brackets and dashes test questions.

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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.

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 (2024), 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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Starter quiz

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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."

Exit quiz

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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