Punctuation
By the end of this chapter you will be able to
- Start every sentence with a capital letter, and use capitals for names and for the word I
- End a sentence with a full stop, a question mark or an exclamation mark
- Put commas between the items in a list, and put and before the last item
- Use an apostrophe to show where letters are missing, as in don't and it's
- Use an apostrophe and s to show who owns one thing, as in Sam's hat
- Name the apostrophe and the comma
You should already know
- Capital letters and full stops at the end of sentences (Year 1)
- Nouns, verbs, describing words and the four kinds of sentence (Chapters 4 to 6)
- Spelling rules for -es, -ing and -er endings (Chapter 2)
Where this leads
- Reading stories (Chapter 8)
- Writing stories with correct punctuation (Chapter 11)
- Proof-reading for spelling and punctuation (Chapter 12)
National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 1 English, Year 2. Content: Use capital letters, full stops, question marks and exclamation marks to mark where sentences begin and end, Use commas to separate items in a list, Use apostrophes for contracted (short) forms, such as don't, can't, it's and I'm, Use an apostrophe and s for the owner of one thing, such as the girl's book, Use the terms apostrophe and comma, Choose the right end mark for a sentence.
Exercise P Do you remember?
Method. Change the y to i, then add es.
- Look at city. City ends in a consonant and y.city
- Change the y to i, then add es. Words like this change y to i, then add es.citi + es
- Write the answer. cities
Check. One city, two cities. ✓
Watch out. Change the y to i before es: cities, not citys.
Method. A describing word tells what a noun is like.
- Look at run. Run is an action word, so it is a verb.run: verb
- Look at red. Red tells the colour of a thing, so it is a describing word.red: describing word
- Write the answer. red
Check. A red ball: red describes the ball. ✓
Watch out. Describing words tell what a noun is like.
Method. Decide what the sentence does.
- Read the sentence. It tells us what Tom did.Tom ran to school.
- Find the job. It tells something, so it is a statement.statement
- Write the answer. statement
Check. It ends with a full stop because it tells something. ✓
Watch out. A statement tells something and ends with a full stop.
Method. Swim is an irregular verb, so it does not add ed.
- Look at swim. Swim changes its spelling in the past.swim
- Write the past tense. The past tense of swim is swam.swim becomes swam
- Write the answer. swam
Check. Yesterday I swam in the pool. ✓
Watch out. Irregular verbs change their spelling in the past.
Method. Use the ending -ful, which means full of.
- Start with care. The word is care.care
- Add -ful. -ful means full of, so care + ful = careful.care + ful = careful
- Write the answer. careful
Check. Full of care: careful. ✓
Watch out. Careful keeps the e from care, and has one l.
Capital letters and full stops
Every sentence starts with a capital letter. A capital letter is the big version of a letter, such as T or S.
A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop (.).
Names also start with a capital letter: Sam, Ruby, Leo. The word I is always a capital letter.
Here is a sentence with no capital letter and no full stop: the owl is asleep. Now it is right: The owl is asleep.
Key ideas
- Every sentence starts with a capital letter.
- A sentence that tells something ends with a full stop.
- Names start with a capital letter: Sam, Ruby, Leo.
- The word I is always a capital letter.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.the becomes The
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. The frog sat on a log.
Check. Read it aloud: The frog sat on a log. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. A name, and the word I, always starts with a capital letter.
- Read the sentence. Look for a name, or the word I.We went to the park with mia
- Find the word. Mia is the name of a person, so it starts with a capital letter.mia
- Write the answer. Mia
Check. Write the sentence with the capital: We went to the park with mia. ✓
Watch out. Names and the word I always need a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.i becomes I
- Look for the word i. The word I is always a capital letter.i becomes I
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. I like my new coat.
Check. Read it aloud: I like my new coat. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Watch out
Watch out: the word I always has a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence: Then I ran home.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to read each sentence aloud. Where does it start? Where does it stop? Then check the capital letter and the full stop together.
Exercise 7A Practice: capital letters and full stops
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.the becomes The
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. The sun is hot.
Check. Read it aloud: The sun is hot. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.my becomes My
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. My dog is wet.
Check. Read it aloud: My dog is wet. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.we becomes We
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. We went to the shop.
Check. Read it aloud: We went to the shop. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.sam becomes Sam
- Look for names. A name starts with a capital letter, too.Sam
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. Sam found a red ball.
Check. Read it aloud: Sam found a red ball. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. A name, and the word I, always starts with a capital letter.
- Read the sentence. Look for a name, or the word I.We went to the park with mia
- Find the word. Mia is the name of a person, so it starts with a capital letter.mia
- Write the answer. Mia
Check. Write the sentence with the capital: We went to the park with mia. ✓
Watch out. Names and the word I always need a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence.
Method. A name, and the word I, always starts with a capital letter.
- Read the sentence. Look for a name, or the word I.After school we met leo
- Find the word. Leo is the name of a person, so it starts with a capital letter.leo
- Write the answer. Leo
Check. Write the sentence with the capital: After school we met leo. ✓
Watch out. Names and the word I always need a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence.
Method. A name, and the word I, always starts with a capital letter.
- Read the sentence. Look for a name, or the word I.Then i ran home
- Find the word. The word i is the word I, which is always a capital letter.i
- Write the answer. I
Check. Write the sentence with the capital: Then i ran home. ✓
Watch out. Names and the word I always need a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.ruby becomes Ruby
- Look for names. A name starts with a capital letter, too.Ruby
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. Ruby has a new bike.
Check. Read it aloud: Ruby has a new bike. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.the becomes The
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. The boat is on the lake.
Check. Read it aloud: The boat is on the lake. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.priya becomes Priya
- Look for names. A name starts with a capital letter, too.Priya
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. Priya likes her blue hat.
Check. Read it aloud: Priya likes her blue hat. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.leo becomes Leo
- Look for names. A name starts with a capital letter, too.Leo
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. Leo ate a big biscuit.
Check. Read it aloud: Leo ate a big biscuit. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.the becomes The
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. The bus was late today.
Check. Read it aloud: The bus was late today. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. Check the first word and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. The first word of a sentence needs a capital letter.the becomes The
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it needs a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. No. Every sentence starts with a capital letter, and it needs a full stop: The cat is asleep.
Check. Read it aloud: The cat is asleep. ✓
Watch out. Check both ends of the sentence. Also accept: No, the first word needs a capital and the sentence needs a full stop.
Choosing the end mark
Every sentence needs an end mark. The job of the sentence tells us which one to use.
| The sentence | Its job | End mark |
|---|---|---|
| The dog ran home. | tells something | full stop (.) |
| Where did you go? | asks something | question mark (?) |
| What a huge tree! | shows a strong feeling | exclamation mark (!) |
Read the sentence aloud first. Then choose the mark that matches its job.
Key ideas
- A full stop ends a sentence that tells something.
- A question mark ends a sentence that asks something.
- An exclamation mark ends a sentence that shows a strong feeling.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.The sun is shining today
- Find the job. It tells us something.a statement
- Choose the end mark. It tells us something, so it ends with a full stop.full stop: .
- Write the answer. The sun is shining today.
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: The sun is shining today. ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.Who has my hat
- Find the job. It asks us something.a question
- Choose the end mark. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.question mark: ?
- Write the answer. Who has my hat?
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: Who has my hat? ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.How cold the water is
- Find the job. It shows a strong feeling.a exclamation
- Choose the end mark. It shows a strong feeling, so it ends with an exclamation mark.exclamation mark: !
- Write the answer. How cold the water is!
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: How cold the water is! ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Watch out
Watch out: a question can show a strong feeling, but it still ends with a question mark: Who ate my cake?
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read each sentence aloud and ask: is it telling, asking, or showing a strong feeling? Then point to the mark that matches.
Exercise 7B Practice: choosing the end mark
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.The bee is on the flower
- Find the job. It tells us something.a statement
- Choose the end mark. It tells us something, so it ends with a full stop.full stop: .
- Write the answer. The bee is on the flower.
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: The bee is on the flower. ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.Where is my bag
- Find the job. It asks us something.a question
- Choose the end mark. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.question mark: ?
- Write the answer. Where is my bag?
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: Where is my bag? ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.What a fast bike
- Find the job. It shows a strong feeling.a exclamation
- Choose the end mark. It shows a strong feeling, so it ends with an exclamation mark.exclamation mark: !
- Write the answer. What a fast bike!
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: What a fast bike! ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.Priya has a black cat
- Find the job. It tells us something.a statement
- Choose the mark. It tells us something, so it ends with a full stop.full stop
- Write the answer. .
Check. Priya has a black cat. ✓
Watch out. The end mark goes last, after the words. Read the sentence aloud to hear its job.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.Do you like apples
- Find the job. It asks us something.a question
- Choose the mark. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.question mark
- Write the answer. ?
Check. Do you like apples? ✓
Watch out. The end mark goes last, after the words. Read the sentence aloud to hear its job.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.How tall that tree is
- Find the job. It shows a strong feeling.a exclamation
- Choose the mark. It shows a strong feeling, so it ends with an exclamation mark.exclamation mark
- Write the answer. !
Check. How tall that tree is! ✓
Watch out. The end mark goes last, after the words. Read the sentence aloud to hear its job.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.Is the cat hungry
- Find the job. It asks us something.a question
- Choose the end mark. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.question mark: ?
- Write the answer. Is the cat hungry?
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: Is the cat hungry? ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.We walked to the park
- Find the job. It tells us something.a statement
- Choose the end mark. It tells us something, so it ends with a full stop.full stop: .
- Write the answer. We walked to the park.
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: We walked to the park. ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.We ate our lunch outside
- Find the job. It tells us something.a statement
- Choose the end mark. It tells us something, so it ends with a full stop.full stop: .
- Write the answer. We ate our lunch outside.
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: We ate our lunch outside. ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.Can you help me
- Find the job. It asks us something.a question
- Choose the end mark. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.question mark: ?
- Write the answer. Can you help me?
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: Can you help me? ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.What a lovely day
- Find the job. It shows a strong feeling.a exclamation
- Choose the end mark. It shows a strong feeling, so it ends with an exclamation mark.exclamation mark: !
- Write the answer. What a lovely day!
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: What a lovely day! ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.What time is lunch
- Find the job. It asks us something.a question
- Choose the end mark. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.question mark: ?
- Write the answer. What time is lunch?
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: What time is lunch? ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Think about the job of the sentence.
- Read the sentence. It shows a strong feeling about the cake.What a big cake.
- Find the right mark. A strong feeling ends with an exclamation mark.full stop: wrong; ! is right
- Write the answer. No. It shows a strong feeling, so it needs an exclamation mark: What a big cake!
Check. Read it aloud with a big voice: What a big cake! ✓
Watch out. A full stop is for a sentence that tells something. Also accept: No, it needs an exclamation mark.
Commas in a list
A list names three or more things. Put a comma (,) between the items.
Put and before the last item. Do not put a comma before and.
Three things need one comma: I can see a cat, a dog and a bird.
Four things need two commas: red, blue, green and yellow.
Key ideas
- A list has three or more things.
- Put a comma between each item.
- Put and before the last item, with no comma before it.
- Three things need one comma; four things need two.
Method. Put commas between the items, and put and before the last item.
- Count the items. There are 3 things in the list.3 items
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item, except the last two.socks, hats
- Put and before the last item. No comma goes before and.and coats
- Write the answer. Mum packed socks, hats and coats.
Check. Count the commas: there are 1. ✓
Watch out. Commas separate the items. Do not put a comma before and.
Method. Commas go between the items, but not before and.
- Count the items. There are 3 items in the list.3 items
- Count the gaps between the items. There are 2 gaps, and the gap before and has no comma.2 gaps
- Take away the gap before and. Only the other gaps need a comma.2 - 1 = 1
- Write the answer. 1
Check. My toy box has balls, kites and teddies. ✓
Watch out. A list of three things needs two gaps: one comma and then and.
Method. Put commas between the items, and put and before the last item.
- Count the items. There are 3 things in the list.3 items
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item, except the last two.shells, boats
- Put and before the last item. No comma goes before and.and snails
- Write the answer. On the beach we found shells, boats and snails.
Check. Count the commas: there are 1. ✓
Watch out. Commas separate the items. Do not put a comma before and.
Watch out
Watch out: do not put a comma after the last item. We had eggs, bread and jam. has no comma after jam.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to name three toys, then say them with a pause after each one: toy, toy and toy. The pause is where the comma goes.
Exercise 7C Practice: commas in a list
Method. Put commas between the items, and put and before the last item.
- Count the items. There are 3 things in the list.3 items
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item, except the last two.apples, pears
- Put and before the last item. No comma goes before and.and bananas
- Write the answer. I like apples, pears and bananas.
Check. Count the commas: there are 1. ✓
Watch out. Commas separate the items. Do not put a comma before and.
Method. Put commas between the items, and put and before the last item.
- Count the items. There are 3 things in the list.3 items
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item, except the last two.pencils, rulers
- Put and before the last item. No comma goes before and.and pens
- Write the answer. In my bag I have pencils, rulers and pens.
Check. Count the commas: there are 1. ✓
Watch out. Commas separate the items. Do not put a comma before and.
Method. Put commas between the items, and put and before the last item.
- Count the items. There are 3 things in the list.3 items
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item, except the last two.ducks, cows
- Put and before the last item. No comma goes before and.and hens
- Write the answer. At the farm we saw ducks, cows and hens.
Check. Count the commas: there are 1. ✓
Watch out. Commas separate the items. Do not put a comma before and.
Method. Put commas between the items, and put and before the last item.
- Count the items. There are 4 things in the list.4 items
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item, except the last two.dogs, cats, rabbits
- Put and before the last item. No comma goes before and.and bees
- Write the answer. In the park we can see dogs, cats, rabbits and bees.
Check. Count the commas: there are 2. ✓
Watch out. Commas separate the items. Do not put a comma before and.
Method. Commas go between the items, but not before and.
- Count the items. There are 3 items in the list.3 items
- Count the gaps between the items. There are 2 gaps, and the gap before and has no comma.2 gaps
- Take away the gap before and. Only the other gaps need a comma.2 - 1 = 1
- Write the answer. 1
Check. I like apples, pears and bananas. ✓
Watch out. A list of three things needs two gaps: one comma and then and.
Method. Commas go between the items, but not before and.
- Count the items. There are 4 items in the list.4 items
- Count the gaps between the items. There are 3 gaps, and the gap before and has no comma.3 gaps
- Take away the gap before and. Only the other gaps need a comma.3 - 1 = 2
- Write the answer. 2
Check. In the park we can see dogs, cats, rabbits and bees. ✓
Watch out. A list of three things needs two gaps: one comma and then and.
Method. Count each thing once.
- Look at the picture. Each thing in the list is drawn once.3 pictures
- Count the things. Count each one once.3
- Write the answer. 3
Check. The list names 3 things. ✓
Watch out. Count the things, not the commas.
Method. Put commas between the items, and put and before the last item.
- Count the items. There are 3 things in the list.3 items
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item, except the last two.carrots, eggs
- Put and before the last item. No comma goes before and.and bread
- Write the answer. For dinner we had carrots, eggs and bread.
Check. Count the commas: there are 1. ✓
Watch out. Commas separate the items. Do not put a comma before and.
Method. Put commas between the items, and put and before the last item.
- Count the items. There are 3 things in the list.3 items
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item, except the last two.clouds, birds
- Put and before the last item. No comma goes before and.and kites
- Write the answer. In the sky we saw clouds, birds and kites.
Check. Count the commas: there are 1. ✓
Watch out. Commas separate the items. Do not put a comma before and.
Method. Put commas between the items, and put and before the last item.
- Count the items. There are 3 things in the list.3 items
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item, except the last two.lemons, grapes
- Put and before the last item. No comma goes before and.and buns
- Write the answer. Ben packed lemons, grapes and buns.
Check. Count the commas: there are 1. ✓
Watch out. Commas separate the items. Do not put a comma before and.
Method. Put a comma between the items, and put and before the last one.
- Count the items. There are three things: a pen, a ruler and a rubber.three things
- Put a comma after the first item. Write one comma after a pen.a pen, a ruler
- Put and before the last item. No comma goes before and.and a rubber
- Write the answer. I need a pen, a ruler and a rubber.
Check. Three things need one comma. ✓
Watch out. Add one comma after the first item. Do not put a comma before and.
Method. Count the things in the list.
- Count the things. There are three things: eggs, bread and milk.three things
- Find the gap that needs a comma. A comma goes between eggs and bread.eggs, bread
- Write the answer. No. A list of three things needs one comma: We have eggs, bread and milk.
Check. Read it aloud with a pause after eggs. ✓
Watch out. A list of three things needs one comma. Also accept: No, a comma is needed after eggs.
Apostrophes for short forms
When we join two words into a short form, some letters are left out. An apostrophe (') shows where the letters were.
Two words become one: I am becomes I'm. The a is left out.
Let us becomes let's. The u is left out, and the apostrophe takes its place.
Other short forms work the same way. Find the letters that are missing, and put the apostrophe in their place.
Key ideas
- An apostrophe shows where letters are left out.
- I'm is short for I am.
- Let's is short for let us.
- Write the apostrophe in the place of the missing letter.
Method. Join the two words, leave out the letters, and put an apostrophe in their place.
- Find the two words. The two words are it is.it is
- Leave out the letters. The letters i are left out, and an apostrophe goes in their place.it's
- Write the answer. it's
Check. it is becomes it's. ✓
Watch out. The short form it's has an apostrophe.
Method. Compare the full words with the short form, then find the letters that are left out.
- Read the two words. The two words are I am.I am
- Compare with the short form. I'm keeps the other letters.I'm
- Find the missing letters. The letters that are not in the short form are missing.a
- Write the answer. a
Check. Put the letters back: I am. ✓
Watch out. The apostrophe goes where the letters were.
Method. Join the two words and put an apostrophe where the letters are left out.
- Find the two words. The two words are let us.let us
- Join them with an apostrophe. The letters u are left out, so an apostrophe goes in their place.let's
- Check the sentence. Read the new sentence aloud.Let's go outside.
- Write the answer. Let's go outside.
Check. Say the short form aloud: let's. ✓
Watch out. let's is short for let us. Keep the apostrophe.
Watch out
Watch out: it's means it is. Without the apostrophe, its is a different word, so do not write it for it is.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Say the two words, then the short form: "I do not, I don't". Ask your child where the missing letter was.
Exercise 7D Practice: apostrophes for short forms
Method. Join the two words and put an apostrophe where the letters are left out.
- Find the two words. The two words are do not.do not
- Join them with an apostrophe. The letters o are left out, so an apostrophe goes in their place.don't
- Check the sentence. Read the new sentence aloud.I don't like rain.
- Write the answer. I don't like rain.
Check. Say the short form aloud: don't. ✓
Watch out. don't is short for do not. Keep the apostrophe.
Method. Join the two words and put an apostrophe where the letters are left out.
- Find the two words. The two words are cannot.cannot
- Join them with an apostrophe. The letters no are left out, so an apostrophe goes in their place.can't
- Check the sentence. Read the new sentence aloud.You can't play now.
- Write the answer. You can't play now.
Check. Say the short form aloud: can't. ✓
Watch out. can't is short for cannot. Keep the apostrophe.
Method. Join the two words, leave out the letters, and put an apostrophe in their place.
- Find the two words. The two words are is not.is not
- Leave out the letters. The letters o are left out, and an apostrophe goes in their place.isn't
- Write the answer. isn't
Check. is not becomes isn't. ✓
Watch out. The short form isn't has an apostrophe.
Method. Compare the full words with the short form, then find the letters that are left out.
- Read the two words. The two words are did not.did not
- Compare with the short form. didn't keeps the other letters.didn't
- Find the missing letters. The letters that are not in the short form are missing.o
- Write the answer. o
Check. Put the letters back: did not. ✓
Watch out. The apostrophe goes where the letters were.
Method. Join the two words, leave out the letters, and put an apostrophe in their place.
- Find the two words. The two words are we are.we are
- Leave out the letters. The letters a are left out, and an apostrophe goes in their place.we're
- Write the answer. we're
Check. we are becomes we're. ✓
Watch out. The short form we're has an apostrophe.
Method. The short form has an apostrophe where the letters are left out.
- Read the two words. The two words are do not.do not
- Look at the first choice. Check whether the apostrophe is in the right place.dont
- Look at the second choice. It has no apostrophe, so it is not the short form.don't
- Write the answer. don't
Check. do not becomes don't. ✓
Watch out. The short form always has an apostrophe.
Method. Join the two words, leave out the letters, and put an apostrophe in their place.
- Find the two words. The two words are you are.you are
- Leave out the letters. The letters a are left out, and an apostrophe goes in their place.you're
- Write the answer. you're
Check. you are becomes you're. ✓
Watch out. The short form you're has an apostrophe.
Method. Join the two words, leave out the letters, and put an apostrophe in their place.
- Find the two words. The two words are that is.that is
- Leave out the letters. The letters i are left out, and an apostrophe goes in their place.that's
- Write the answer. that's
Check. that is becomes that's. ✓
Watch out. The short form that's has an apostrophe.
Method. Join the two words and put an apostrophe where the letters are left out.
- Find the two words. The two words are it is.it is
- Join them with an apostrophe. The letters i are left out, so an apostrophe goes in their place.it's
- Check the sentence. Read the new sentence aloud.It's my turn.
- Write the answer. It's my turn.
Check. Say the short form aloud: it's. ✓
Watch out. it's is short for it is. Keep the apostrophe.
Method. Compare the full words with the short form, then find the letters that are left out.
- Read the two words. The two words are that is.that is
- Compare with the short form. that's keeps the other letters.that's
- Find the missing letters. The letters that are not in the short form are missing.i
- Write the answer. i
Check. Put the letters back: that is. ✓
Watch out. The apostrophe goes where the letters were.
Method. Compare the full words with the short form, then find the letters that are left out.
- Read the two words. The two words are cannot.cannot
- Compare with the short form. can't keeps the other letters.can't
- Find the missing letters. The letters that are not in the short form are missing.no
- Write the answer. no
Check. Put the letters back: cannot. ✓
Watch out. The apostrophe goes where the letters were.
Method. Check what the short form stands for.
- Look at the short form. It's is short for it is.it's = it is
- Look at its. Its with no apostrophe is a different word, so it does not mean it is.its is not it is
- Write the answer. No. It's means it is, so it needs the apostrophe. Its is a different word.
Check. Read it aloud: It's my turn. ✓
Watch out. Put the apostrophe in It's. Also accept: No, It's means it is, so it needs an apostrophe.
An apostrophe and s for the owner
An apostrophe can also show that one thing belongs to someone. Add 's after the owner.
Leo's hat is the hat that belongs to Leo. The girl's bag is the bag that belongs to one girl.
Use 's only for one owner. Words that just mean more than one, such as cats, do not need an apostrophe.
Key ideas
- Add 's to the owner: Leo's hat.
- The apostrophe shows who owns the thing.
- The girl's bag is the bag of one girl.
- Do not add an apostrophe to cats or dogs when they just mean more than one.
Method. Add 's to the one owner, then write the thing after it.
- Find the owner. The bag belongs to Noah.Noah
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's to the owner, so the owner is shown to have the thing.Noah's
- Write the words. Keep the thing after the owner.Noah's bag
- Write the answer. Noah's bag
Check. One owner, one apostrophe and s: Noah's bag. ✓
Watch out. Add 's after the owner's name. Do not add an apostrophe to the thing itself.
Method. Add 's after the owner, then read the whole sentence.
- Find the owner. Jack owns the teddy.Jack
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's after the owner's name.Jack's
- Read the whole sentence. The rest of the sentence stays the same.Jack's teddy is on the peg.
- Write the answer. Jack's teddy is on the peg.
Check. Read it aloud: Jack's teddy is on the peg. ✓
Watch out. Add the apostrophe before s, after the owner, and not after the thing.
Method. Add an apostrophe and s to the owner.
- Find the owner. Ruby owns the mug.Ruby
- Look at the choices. The owner needs an apostrophe and s, and the thing has no apostrophe.Ruby's mug
- Choose the one with the apostrophe. The other choice has no apostrophe, so it does not show the owner.Ruby's mug
- Write the answer. Ruby's mug
Check. Ruby's mug ✓
Watch out. Add 's to the owner, not to the thing.
Watch out
Watch out: write Ruby's, not Rubys. The apostrophe goes before the s, after the owner's name.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: whose hat is it? Let your child answer with the name, then add 's: Leo's hat.
Exercise 7E Practice: an apostrophe for the owner
Method. Add 's to the one owner, then write the thing after it.
- Find the owner. The hat belongs to Sam.Sam
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's to the owner, so the owner is shown to have the thing.Sam's
- Write the words. Keep the thing after the owner.Sam's hat
- Write the answer. Sam's hat
Check. One owner, one apostrophe and s: Sam's hat. ✓
Watch out. Add 's after the owner's name. Do not add an apostrophe to the thing itself.
Method. Add 's to the one owner, then write the thing after it.
- Find the owner. The kite belongs to Ruby.Ruby
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's to the owner, so the owner is shown to have the thing.Ruby's
- Write the words. Keep the thing after the owner.Ruby's kite
- Write the answer. Ruby's kite
Check. One owner, one apostrophe and s: Ruby's kite. ✓
Watch out. Add 's after the owner's name. Do not add an apostrophe to the thing itself.
Method. Add 's to the one owner, then write the thing after it.
- Find the owner. The ball belongs to the dog.the dog
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's to the owner, so the owner is shown to have the thing.the dog's
- Write the words. Keep the thing after the owner.the dog's ball
- Write the answer. the dog's ball
Check. One owner, one apostrophe and s: the dog's ball. ✓
Watch out. Add 's after the owner's name. Do not add an apostrophe to the thing itself.
Method. Add 's after the owner, then read the whole sentence.
- Find the owner. Priya owns the bike.Priya
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's after the owner's name.Priya's
- Read the whole sentence. The rest of the sentence stays the same.Priya's bike is on the bed.
- Write the answer. Priya's bike is on the bed.
Check. Read it aloud: Priya's bike is on the bed. ✓
Watch out. Add the apostrophe before s, after the owner, and not after the thing.
Method. Add 's after the owner, then read the whole sentence.
- Find the owner. Leo owns the ball.Leo
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's after the owner's name.Leo's
- Read the whole sentence. The rest of the sentence stays the same.Leo's ball is on the hook.
- Write the answer. Leo's ball is on the hook.
Check. Read it aloud: Leo's ball is on the hook. ✓
Watch out. Add the apostrophe before s, after the owner, and not after the thing.
Method. Add 's after the owner, then read the whole sentence.
- Find the owner. the cat owns the mug.The cat
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's after the owner's name.The cat's
- Read the whole sentence. The rest of the sentence stays the same.The cat's mug is on the desk.
- Write the answer. The cat's mug is on the desk.
Check. Read it aloud: The cat's mug is on the desk. ✓
Watch out. Add the apostrophe before s, after the owner, and not after the thing.
Method. Add an apostrophe and s to the owner.
- Find the owner. Mia owns the coat.Mia
- Look at the choices. The owner needs an apostrophe and s, and the thing has no apostrophe.Mia's coat
- Choose the one with the apostrophe. The other choice has no apostrophe, so it does not show the owner.Mia's coat
- Write the answer. Mia's coat
Check. Mia's coat ✓
Watch out. Add 's to the owner, not to the thing.
Method. Add an apostrophe and s to the owner.
- Find the owner. Ali owns the shoe.Ali
- Look at the choices. The owner needs an apostrophe and s, and the thing has no apostrophe.Ali's shoe
- Choose the one with the apostrophe. The other choice has no apostrophe, so it does not show the owner.Ali's shoe
- Write the answer. Ali's shoe
Check. Ali's shoe ✓
Watch out. Add 's to the owner, not to the thing.
Method. Add 's to the one owner, then write the thing after it.
- Find the owner. The car belongs to Tom.Tom
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's to the owner, so the owner is shown to have the thing.Tom's
- Write the words. Keep the thing after the owner.Tom's car
- Write the answer. Tom's car
Check. One owner, one apostrophe and s: Tom's car. ✓
Watch out. Add 's after the owner's name. Do not add an apostrophe to the thing itself.
Method. Add 's to the one owner, then write the thing after it.
- Find the owner. The sock belongs to Ben.Ben
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's to the owner, so the owner is shown to have the thing.Ben's
- Write the words. Keep the thing after the owner.Ben's sock
- Write the answer. Ben's sock
Check. One owner, one apostrophe and s: Ben's sock. ✓
Watch out. Add 's after the owner's name. Do not add an apostrophe to the thing itself.
Method. Add 's to the one owner, then write the thing after it.
- Find the owner. The book belongs to Amira.Amira
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's to the owner, so the owner is shown to have the thing.Amira's
- Write the words. Keep the thing after the owner.Amira's book
- Write the answer. Amira's book
Check. One owner, one apostrophe and s: Amira's book. ✓
Watch out. Add 's after the owner's name. Do not add an apostrophe to the thing itself.
Method. The bowl belongs to one cat, so the owner needs an apostrophe and s.
- Find the owner. One cat owns the bowl.one cat
- Choose the word with the apostrophe. Cat's shows one owner. Cats only means more than one cat.cat's
- Write the answer. cat's
Check. The cat's bowl: one cat owns it. ✓
Watch out. Use cat's for one cat, and cats for more than one cat.
Method. Check whether someone owns something.
- Look at cats. Cats means more than one cat.cats
- Look for an owner. No one owns anything in this sentence, so there is no apostrophe.no owner
- Write the answer. No. Cats means more than one cat, and nothing belongs to them, so there is no apostrophe.
Check. The cats are asleep: no apostrophe. ✓
Watch out. An apostrophe is for the owner of one thing. Also accept: No, cats is just more than one cat.
Checking punctuation and naming the marks
Before you finish a sentence, check it. Read it aloud and look at each mark:
The capital letter starts the sentence, and names start with one too.
The full stop, question mark or exclamation mark ends it.
The comma (,) goes between the items in a list.
The apostrophe (') shows a missing letter, as in don't, or the owner of one thing, as in Ben's bag.
Key ideas
- Check the capital letter at the start.
- Check the end mark.
- Check the commas in a list.
- Check the apostrophes in short forms and owners.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.What a big cake
- Find the job. It shows a strong feeling.a exclamation
- Choose the end mark. It shows a strong feeling, so it ends with an exclamation mark.exclamation mark: !
- Write the answer. What a big cake!
Check. Read it aloud with the end mark: What a big cake! ✓
Watch out. The job of the sentence decides the end mark. A question can show a feeling, but it still ends with ?.
Method. Check the name, the list and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Mia is a name, so it needs a capital letter.mia becomes Mia
- Look at the list. Put commas between cats, dogs and rabbits, and and before rabbits.cats, dogs and rabbits
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. Mia likes cats, dogs and rabbits.
Check. Read it aloud: Mia likes cats, dogs and rabbits. ✓
Watch out. Check the capital, the commas and the full stop every time.
Method. Check the short form and the first letter.
- Look at Its. It is is short for it is, so it needs an apostrophe.Its = It's
- Look at the first word. A sentence starts with a capital letter.It's
- Write the answer. It's a windy day.
Check. It's means it is: It's a windy day. ✓
Watch out. Its without the apostrophe is a different word. Write It's for it is.
Watch out
Watch out: a question mark and an exclamation mark both end a sentence, but they do different jobs. Check what the sentence does before you choose.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read the sentence together, then ask: where does it start? Where does it stop? Can you hear a pause in a list? Where did a letter go missing?
Exercise 7F Practice: check the punctuation
Method. Look at the mark in the short form.
- Look at don't. The mark stands where the o was left out.don't
- Name the mark. This mark is an apostrophe.apostrophe
- Write the answer. apostrophe
Check. The apostrophe shows a missing letter. ✓
Watch out. Its name starts with ap.
Method. Look at the list of items.
- Find the mark between the items. The mark between items in a list is a comma.comma
- Write the answer. comma
Check. Apples, pears and plums: the commas are the marks between. ✓
Watch out. Commas separate items.
Method. Think about what the sentence does.
- Think about the job. A sentence that tells something ends with this mark.tells something
- Name the mark. It is called a full stop.full stop
- Write the answer. full stop
Check. A full stop ends a telling sentence. ✓
Watch out. A full stop is a dot.
Method. Think about what the sentence does.
- Think about the job. A sentence that asks something ends with this mark.asks something
- Name the mark. It is called a question mark.question mark
- Write the answer. question mark
Check. Where is my hat? ends with a question mark. ✓
Watch out. The question mark has a curve and a dot.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.ben becomes Ben
- Look for names. A name starts with a capital letter, too.Ben
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. Ben has a red ball.
Check. Read it aloud: Ben has a red ball. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. Check the capital letter, the commas and the end.
- Look at i. The word I is always a capital letter.i becomes I
- Look at the list. Put a comma after fox and after bee, and and before frog.fox, bee and frog
- Look at the end. The sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. I saw a fox, a bee and a frog.
Check. Read it aloud: I saw a fox, a bee and a frog. ✓
Watch out. Capitalise I, add a comma after fox and bee.
Method. Check the first word and the end mark.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.where becomes Where
- Look at the end. This sentence asks something, so it ends with a question mark.full stop becomes ?
- Write the answer. Where is the bus?
Check. It asks something: Where is the bus? ✓
Watch out. A question ends with a question mark, not a full stop.
Method. Check the names at the start.
- Look at ruby and sam. Both names need a capital letter.Ruby and Sam
- Write the answer. Ruby and Sam went to the park.
Check. Both names have a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Names always start with a capital letter.
Method. Check the start and the list.
- Look at they. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.they becomes They
- Look at the list. Put a comma after dog and after cat.dog, cat and duck
- Write the answer. They saw a dog, a cat and a duck.
Check. Read it aloud with a pause after dog and cat. ✓
Watch out. Use commas for a list of three things.
Method. Check the owner.
- Look at dogs ball. The dog owns the ball, so it needs an apostrophe and s.dog's ball
- Look at the start. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.The dog's ball was red.
- Write the answer. The dog's ball was red.
Check. One dog owns the ball: The dog's ball. ✓
Watch out. One dog owns the ball, so write dog's, not dogs.
Method. Check the short form.
- Look at its. It is is short for it is, so it needs an apostrophe.its = it's
- Look at the start. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.It's a lovely day!
- Write the answer. It's a lovely day!
Check. It's means it is: It's a lovely day! ✓
Watch out. Write It's, not Its, for it is.
Method. The apostrophe goes in the short form it's, which means it is.
- Look at Its. Its has no apostrophe, so it is a different word.Its
- Look at It's. It's means it is, so the apostrophe is in the right place.It's
- Write the answer. It's a windy day.
Check. It is a windy day: It's a windy day. ✓
Watch out. Write It's for it is.
Method. The sentence shows a strong feeling, so it ends with an exclamation mark.
- Look at the end mark. A question mark is for asking, but this sentence shows a feeling.? becomes !
- Check the first word. The first word already has a capital letter.What
- Write the answer. What a lovely day!
Check. Read it with a big voice: What a lovely day! ✓
Watch out. An exclamation mark shows a strong feeling.
Method. The gap is in a list, so it needs a comma.
- Find the list. Dog, cat and duck are three things in a list.dog, cat and duck
- Find the mark. A comma goes between the first two items.,
- Write the answer. ,
Check. I have a dog, a cat and a duck. ✓
Watch out. The mark in the gap is a comma.
Method. Check the short form and the end of the sentence.
- Look at Im. I am is short for I'm, so it needs an apostrophe.Im = I'm
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. I'm going home.
Check. Read it aloud: I'm going home. ✓
Watch out. Ali needs an apostrophe in I'm and a full stop at the end. Also accept: an apostrophe and a full stop.
Method. Check whether one owner has the tail.
- Look at cats. Cats would mean more than one cat, but one cat owns the tail.cats
- Write the owner. One cat owns the tail, so the owner needs an apostrophe and s.cat's tail
- Write the answer. No. One cat owns the tail, so it needs an apostrophe: The cat's tail is long.
Check. The cat's tail is long: one cat owns it. ✓
Watch out. Write cat's for one cat. Also accept: No, it needs cat's, because one cat owns the tail.
Chapter summary
| Skill | Method |
|---|---|
| Capital letters | Start every sentence with a capital letter. Use one for names and for the word I. |
| End marks | A full stop ends a sentence that tells, a question mark ends one that asks, and an exclamation mark ends one that shows a strong feeling. |
| Commas in a list | Put a comma between the items. Put and before the last item, with no comma before and. |
| Short forms | Use an apostrophe where letters are left out: don't, can't, it's, I'm, isn't, we're, let's. |
| The owner | Add 's to one owner: Sam's hat, the dog's ball. Do not add an apostrophe to words that just mean more than one. |
| Naming the marks | The apostrophe shows a missing letter or an owner. The comma goes between the items in a list. |
Can you…?
- I can start every sentence with a capital letter, and use capitals for names and for I
- I can end a sentence with a full stop, a question mark or an exclamation mark
- I can put commas between the items in a list, and put and before the last item
- I can use an apostrophe to show where letters are missing, as in don't and it's
- I can use an apostrophe and s to show who owns one thing, as in Sam's hat
- I can name the apostrophe and the comma
Key terms
- capital letter
- the big version of a letter, used at the start of a sentence and for names
- sentence
- a group of words that makes sense on its own; it starts with a capital letter
- full stop
- a dot (.) at the end of a sentence that tells something
- question mark
- a mark (?) at the end of a sentence that asks something
- exclamation mark
- a mark (!) at the end of a sentence that shows a strong feeling
- comma
- a mark (,) that separates the items in a list
- apostrophe
- a mark (') that shows a missing letter, as in don't, or the owner of one thing, as in Sam's hat
- short form
- two words joined into one with an apostrophe, such as I'm for I am
- list
- three or more things named in one sentence, with commas between them
- belongs to
- a thing that is owned by someone; add 's to the owner's name
Exercise 7Z Check-up
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.the becomes The
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. The frog can jump.
Check. Read it aloud: The frog can jump. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.Where did you put my coat
- Find the job. It asks us something.a question
- Choose the mark. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.question mark
- Write the answer. ?
Check. Where did you put my coat? ✓
Watch out. The end mark goes last, after the words. Read the sentence aloud to hear its job.
Method. Put commas between the items, and put and before the last item.
- Count the items. There are 3 things in the list.3 items
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item, except the last two.balls, kites
- Put and before the last item. No comma goes before and.and teddies
- Write the answer. My toy box has balls, kites and teddies.
Check. Count the commas: there are 1. ✓
Watch out. Commas separate the items. Do not put a comma before and.
Method. Commas go between the items, but not before and.
- Count the items. There are 3 items in the list.3 items
- Count the gaps between the items. There are 2 gaps, and the gap before and has no comma.2 gaps
- Take away the gap before and. Only the other gaps need a comma.2 - 1 = 1
- Write the answer. 1
Check. In the sky we saw clouds, birds and kites. ✓
Watch out. A list of three things needs two gaps: one comma and then and.
Method. Join the two words and put an apostrophe where the letters are left out.
- Find the two words. The two words are cannot.cannot
- Join them with an apostrophe. The letters no are left out, so an apostrophe goes in their place.can't
- Check the sentence. Read the new sentence aloud.You can't play now.
- Write the answer. You can't play now.
Check. Say the short form aloud: can't. ✓
Watch out. can't is short for cannot. Keep the apostrophe.
Method. Join the two words, leave out the letters, and put an apostrophe in their place.
- Find the two words. The two words are that is.that is
- Leave out the letters. The letters i are left out, and an apostrophe goes in their place.that's
- Write the answer. that's
Check. that is becomes that's. ✓
Watch out. The short form that's has an apostrophe.
Method. Add 's to the one owner, then write the thing after it.
- Find the owner. The teddy belongs to Jack.Jack
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's to the owner, so the owner is shown to have the thing.Jack's
- Write the words. Keep the thing after the owner.Jack's teddy
- Write the answer. Jack's teddy
Check. One owner, one apostrophe and s: Jack's teddy. ✓
Watch out. Add 's after the owner's name. Do not add an apostrophe to the thing itself.
Method. Add 's after the owner, then read the whole sentence.
- Find the owner. Amira owns the book.Amira
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's after the owner's name.Amira's
- Read the whole sentence. The rest of the sentence stays the same.Amira's book is on the shelf.
- Write the answer. Amira's book is on the shelf.
Check. Read it aloud: Amira's book is on the shelf. ✓
Watch out. Add the apostrophe before s, after the owner, and not after the thing.
Method. Check the name, the list and the end of the sentence.
- Look at ruby. Ruby is a name, so it needs a capital letter.ruby becomes Ruby
- Look at the list. Put commas after cats and dogs, and and before rabbits.cats, dogs and rabbits
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. Ruby likes cats, dogs and rabbits.
Check. Read it aloud: Ruby likes cats, dogs and rabbits. ✓
Watch out. Check the name, the commas and the full stop.
Method. Check the short form of it is.
- Look at Its. Its with no apostrophe is a different word.Its
- Write it is as a short form. It's is short for it is, so it needs the apostrophe.It's
- Write the answer. It's a sunny day.
Check. It's means it is. ✓
Watch out. Also accept: It's a sunny day. The apostrophe goes in the place of the i.
Total 14 marks. Allow about 14 minutes.
Exercise 7X End-of-chapter quiz
Method. A question asks something.
- Think about the job. A question asks something, so it has its own mark.asks something
- Name the mark. The mark is a question mark.question mark
- Write the answer. question mark
Check. Where are you? ends with a question mark. ✓
Watch out. A question mark is ?.
Method. The sentence asks something, so it needs a question mark.
- Read the sentence. It asks where the park is.Where is the park
- Choose the mark. It asks something, so it ends with a question mark.?
- Write the answer. Where is the park?
Check. Where is the park? ✓
Watch out. The sentence asks, so it ends with ?.
Method. Put a comma between the items, and and before the last one.
- Count the items. There are three things: a lion, a giraffe and an elephant.three things
- Put commas and and. Put one comma after a lion, and and before an elephant.a lion, a giraffe and an elephant
- Write the answer. We saw a lion, a giraffe and an elephant.
Check. One comma after a lion: three things. ✓
Watch out. Three things need one comma and the word and.
Method. Join the two words, leave out the letters, and put an apostrophe in their place.
- Find the two words. The two words are did not.did not
- Leave out the letters. The letters o are left out, and an apostrophe goes in their place.didn't
- Write the answer. didn't
Check. did not becomes didn't. ✓
Watch out. The short form didn't has an apostrophe.
Method. Add 's to the one owner, then write the thing after it.
- Find the owner. The mug belongs to the cat.the cat
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's to the owner, so the owner is shown to have the thing.the cat's
- Write the words. Keep the thing after the owner.the cat's mug
- Write the answer. the cat's mug
Check. One owner, one apostrophe and s: the cat's mug. ✓
Watch out. Add 's after the owner's name. Do not add an apostrophe to the thing itself.
Method. Check the start, the names and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first word. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.leo becomes Leo
- Look for names. A name starts with a capital letter, too.Leo
- Look at the end. This sentence tells something, so it ends with a full stop.add a full stop
- Write the answer. Leo has a dog and a cat.
Check. Read it aloud: Leo has a dog and a cat. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter, capitalise names and the word I, and end a telling sentence with a full stop.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence. Listen to the job the sentence does.What a big tree
- Find the job. It shows a strong feeling.a exclamation
- Choose the mark. It shows a strong feeling, so it ends with an exclamation mark.exclamation mark
- Write the answer. !
Check. What a big tree! ✓
Watch out. The end mark goes last, after the words. Read the sentence aloud to hear its job.
Method. Join the two words and put an apostrophe where the letters are left out.
- Find the two words. The two words are we are.we are
- Join them with an apostrophe. The letters a are left out, so an apostrophe goes in their place.we're
- Check the sentence. Read the new sentence aloud.We're going to the beach.
- Write the answer. We're going to the beach.
Check. Say the short form aloud: we're. ✓
Watch out. we're is short for we are. Keep the apostrophe.
Method. Add 's after the owner, then read the whole sentence.
- Find the owner. Ruby owns the mug.Ruby
- Add the apostrophe and s. Add 's after the owner's name.Ruby's
- Read the whole sentence. The rest of the sentence stays the same.Ruby's mug is on the shelf.
- Write the answer. Ruby's mug is on the shelf.
Check. Read it aloud: Ruby's mug is on the shelf. ✓
Watch out. Add the apostrophe before s, after the owner, and not after the thing.
Method. Put a comma between the items, and and before the last one.
- Count the items. There are three things: a bee, a frog and a snail.three things
- Put the commas. One comma goes after a bee, and and goes before a snail.a bee, a frog and a snail
- Write the answer. I can see a bee, a frog and a snail.
Check. One comma after a bee. ✓
Watch out. Three things need one comma. Do not put a comma before and.