Be a Comma Commando

Today we are going to look at commas…

I’m sure you already know quite a lot about how to use commas - but how well do you use them in practice?

What can you remember about when commas need to be used?

What is the point of commas?

Key Uses of Commas

• To separate items in a list when the comma can replace and – this simply makes writing less clumsy, e.g. I went to the shops and bought avocados, bananas, coconuts and dates.

• To show where elements within a sentence join together – this is to help the reader work out how the different bits of information in each sentence fit together. So, correct use of commas is about making your meaning clear to the reader.

Commas in Long Sentences

Let’s start with a short documentary / slasher film on commas…….

Commas Rule!

Now are you ready to slash some sentences?

Well, before we get to the gory action, like all professional killers, we need to study our victims first!

RED = STAND UP

BLACK = FACE BACK OF ROOM

BLUE = HEAD ON DESK

GREEN = WAVE HANDS IN AIR

Although he was allergic to furry

animals John agreed to look after

Katerina’s hamster for the holiday

as he thought this might give him a

chance to get a date with her

despite the fact that Katerina had

told her friends that she found

John boring.

Okay, now we’re ready to slash some sentences!

Although he was allergic to furry

animals John agreed to look after

Katerina’s hamster for the holiday as he

thought this might give him a chance to

get a date with her despite the fact that

Katerina had told her friends that she

found John boring.

Although he was allergic to furry

animals, John agreed to look after

Katerina’s hamster for the holiday, as he

thought this might give him a chance to

get a date with her, despite the fact that

Katerina had told her friends that she

found John boring.

As well as separating clauses that have been added on after or before the main clause, commas can also be used for separating off clauses that have been, so to speak, inserted or pushed into another clause:

John, of course, agreed to look after Katerina’s hamster for the holiday

John agreed to look after Katerina’s hamster, a cute little brown Abyssinian called Fluffy, for the holiday

Hello!

Why do we go to all this bother for a few squiggles on a page? Why does it matter?

We find long sentences hard to process and can get lost – commas help us to sort out the different bits of information that make up the sentence and how they fit together

Activity 1: Chop Chop!

Look at the sentences on the sheet and see if you can correctly identify where the commas should go – find the ‘core’ sentence at the heart of the longer sentence and then see if you can separate all the added and inserted bits of information. Then you are ready to CHOP!

Activity 2: Marking Massacre

Of course, you still need to work out when you need a full stop rather than a comma.

A sentence is where everything relates to the same point : in the hamster sentence, everything relates to John babysitting Katerina’s hamster. When you start to talk about something different or introduce a new point, then you need to end the first sentence with a full stop and start a new one.

Activity 3: Commas Save The Day

Now for some fun with commas – not impossible!

Can you punctuate the following in two different ways to give two different meanings:

The panda eats shoots and leaves

HINT: one version turns the panda into a criminal!

The panda eats, shoots and leaves!

OR

The panda eats shoots and leaves.

What about this phrase – what two ways can it be punctuated to create very different meanings?

Don’t eat grandpa

HINT: one version will turn us into cannibals!

Don’t eat, grandpa!

OR

Don’t eat grandpa!

A woman without her man is nothing

HINT: Each version probably appeals to a different gender! You may need a colon or hyphen in one version

A woman: without her, man is nothing!

OR

A woman without her man is nothing!

Which do you prefer?

Let’s review!

What have you learnt about commas in long sentences?

Let’s set a target?

Try and use commas more accurately in your own work in your next piece of writing – you never know, you might get a comma-endation!

Just a Little Extra Practice…..

Commas in lists are probably quite easy for you by now, but let’s just check:

Helena wanted to play basketball eat

noodles visit the Taj Mahal and learn

Korean over the summer holidays.

Zain had to remember to buy rice

broccoli peanut butter a TV guide and

bananas on his way home from

school.

He applied to so many places for his

work experience Boot’s Marks and

Spencer’s Asda and even the local

butchers.