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Year 3

Understanding the comma rule in adverbial complex sentences

You can understand the comma rule in an adverbial complex sentence.

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New
New
Year 3

Understanding the comma rule in adverbial complex sentences

You can understand the comma rule in an adverbial complex sentence.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The position of an adverbial clause can move in an adverbial complex sentence.
  2. The adverbial clause can come first in the sentence followed by the main clause.
  3. If the adverbial clause comes first in the sentence, it is followed by a comma to separate it from the main clause.
  4. The main clause can come first in the sentence followed by the adverbial clause.
  5. If the main clause comes first in the sentence, no comma is used.

Common misconception

Pupils think the adverbial clause always comes second in an adverbial complex sentence.

The position of the adverbial clause can swap. The adverbial clause can come first or second in an adverbial complex sentence.

Keywords

  • Adverbial clause - a type of subordinate clause that starts with a subordinating conjunction

  • Main clause - a group of words that contains a verb and makes complete sense

  • Comma - a punctuation mark used to separate the first adverbial clause from the second main clause in an adverbial complex sentence

  • Adverbial complex sentence - a sentence formed of a main clause and an adverbial clause

Use gestures (as the illustrations show) to model the main clause and the adverbial clause.
Teacher tip

Licence

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).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Fill in the gap: a subordinate clause is a group of words that contains a verb and __________ make complete sense.
does
Correct answer: does not
always
Q2.
Fill in the gap: a subordinating conjunction is a word that starts an __________ clause.
main
Correct answer: adverbial
relative
Q3.
Is this true or false? There are several different subordinate clauses.
Correct Answer: true, True, correct
Q4.
If you write one main clause and one adverbial clause, you have written a sentence.
Correct Answer: complex, Complex
Q5.
Which of these groups of words are subordinating conjunctions?
and but or
near opposite on
in under at
Correct answer: when because so that
Q6.
What is one feature of a subordinate clause that is different to a main clause?
it is a group of words
it contains a verb
Correct answer: it does not make complete sense

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Where can an adverbial clause appear in a sentence?
only at the beginning
only at the end
Correct answer: at the beginning or end
Q2.
Fill in the gap: an adverbial clause must __________ a main clause to make sense.
replace
Correct answer: join to
remove
Q3.
Which of these pairs are subordinating conjunctions?
and or
in below
Correct answer: when so
Q4.
Fill in the gap: if you move the adverbial clause in a complex sentence, you must __________ to make sure the sentence still makes sense.
Correct answer: read it back
shout it out
add new words
Q5.
Fill in the gap: commas often have the job of separating __________ in sentences.
conjunctions
commands
Correct answer: clauses
Q6.
Fill in the gap: if the adverbial clause comes first in a complex sentence, a __________ is placed after it before the main clause begins.
full stop
Correct answer: comma
question mark
exclamation mark