SlideShare a Scribd company logo
1 of 38
Download to read offline
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!
Although he was allergic to furry
animals John agreed to look after     RED = STAND UP
Katerina’s hamster for the holiday    BLACK = FACE
                                      BACK OF ROOM
as he thought this might give him a
                                      BLUE = HEAD ON
chance to get a date with her         DESK

despite the fact that Katerina had    GREEN = WAVE
                                      HANDS IN AIR
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                                Hello!


John agreed to look after Katerina’s
hamster, a cute little brown
Abyssinian called Fluffy, for the
holiday
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.
D doggart commas 101 v2
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!
D doggart commas 101 v2
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?
D doggart commas 101 v2
D doggart commas 101 v2
D doggart commas 101 v2
D doggart commas 101 v2
D doggart commas 101 v2
D doggart commas 101 v2
D doggart commas 101 v2
D doggart commas 101 v2
D doggart commas 101 v2
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!
D doggart commas 101 v2
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.

More Related Content

What's hot

What happened modal practice (1)
What happened modal practice (1)What happened modal practice (1)
What happened modal practice (1)Jessica Montgomerie
 
C:\fakepath\vocabulary
C:\fakepath\vocabularyC:\fakepath\vocabulary
C:\fakepath\vocabularyguestfa6f745
 
Idiomatic expressions
Idiomatic expressionsIdiomatic expressions
Idiomatic expressionsfeueacmrq
 
Appositive experience
Appositive experienceAppositive experience
Appositive experiencelisa824
 
Context Clues
Context CluesContext Clues
Context CluesRad4
 
An introduction into grammar
An introduction into grammar An introduction into grammar
An introduction into grammar Mwaka7264
 
Brer Possum’S Dilemma.Ppt Arijai
Brer  Possum’S Dilemma.Ppt ArijaiBrer  Possum’S Dilemma.Ppt Arijai
Brer Possum’S Dilemma.Ppt Arijaimrcarter30
 
IDIOMS
IDIOMSIDIOMS
IDIOMSbunar
 
Subject and predicate
Subject and predicateSubject and predicate
Subject and predicateelyonjohnson
 
English idioms
English idiomsEnglish idioms
English idiomssnowmaid
 
Eng9 varying sentence structure
Eng9 varying sentence structureEng9 varying sentence structure
Eng9 varying sentence structureTine Lachica
 
Pronoun and its Antecedents
Pronoun and its AntecedentsPronoun and its Antecedents
Pronoun and its Antecedentsflattsph
 
Apostrophe.ppt
Apostrophe.pptApostrophe.ppt
Apostrophe.pptlefkeli
 
Idioms
IdiomsIdioms
Idiomssmtslp
 
Names of words excellent
Names of words excellentNames of words excellent
Names of words excellentkumidas
 

What's hot (20)

What happened modal practice (1)
What happened modal practice (1)What happened modal practice (1)
What happened modal practice (1)
 
C:\fakepath\vocabulary
C:\fakepath\vocabularyC:\fakepath\vocabulary
C:\fakepath\vocabulary
 
Subj pred gr. 5
Subj pred gr. 5Subj pred gr. 5
Subj pred gr. 5
 
English 72 context clues
English 72 context cluesEnglish 72 context clues
English 72 context clues
 
Presentación1
Presentación1Presentación1
Presentación1
 
Context Clues
Context CluesContext Clues
Context Clues
 
Idiomatic expressions
Idiomatic expressionsIdiomatic expressions
Idiomatic expressions
 
Appositive experience
Appositive experienceAppositive experience
Appositive experience
 
Context Clues
Context CluesContext Clues
Context Clues
 
An introduction into grammar
An introduction into grammar An introduction into grammar
An introduction into grammar
 
Brer Possum’S Dilemma.Ppt Arijai
Brer  Possum’S Dilemma.Ppt ArijaiBrer  Possum’S Dilemma.Ppt Arijai
Brer Possum’S Dilemma.Ppt Arijai
 
IDIOMS
IDIOMSIDIOMS
IDIOMS
 
Subject and predicate
Subject and predicateSubject and predicate
Subject and predicate
 
English idioms
English idiomsEnglish idioms
English idioms
 
Jaimee & lisa.
Jaimee & lisa.Jaimee & lisa.
Jaimee & lisa.
 
Eng9 varying sentence structure
Eng9 varying sentence structureEng9 varying sentence structure
Eng9 varying sentence structure
 
Pronoun and its Antecedents
Pronoun and its AntecedentsPronoun and its Antecedents
Pronoun and its Antecedents
 
Apostrophe.ppt
Apostrophe.pptApostrophe.ppt
Apostrophe.ppt
 
Idioms
IdiomsIdioms
Idioms
 
Names of words excellent
Names of words excellentNames of words excellent
Names of words excellent
 

Viewers also liked

Screeningthebrits
ScreeningthebritsScreeningthebrits
Screeningthebritsddoggart
 
Intro to webpages
Intro to webpagesIntro to webpages
Intro to webpagesddoggart
 
Flexible Workstyle
Flexible WorkstyleFlexible Workstyle
Flexible WorkstylePaul Crone
 
Postmodernism in captain america
Postmodernism in captain americaPostmodernism in captain america
Postmodernism in captain americaddoggart
 

Viewers also liked (7)

Screeningthebrits
ScreeningthebritsScreeningthebrits
Screeningthebrits
 
Intro to webpages
Intro to webpagesIntro to webpages
Intro to webpages
 
0809 3a Catherine
0809 3a Catherine0809 3a Catherine
0809 3a Catherine
 
Flexible Workstyle
Flexible WorkstyleFlexible Workstyle
Flexible Workstyle
 
0809 3a Marek
0809 3a Marek0809 3a Marek
0809 3a Marek
 
0809 3a Cara
0809 3a Cara0809 3a Cara
0809 3a Cara
 
Postmodernism in captain america
Postmodernism in captain americaPostmodernism in captain america
Postmodernism in captain america
 

Similar to D doggart commas 101 v2

E2.L2.Sentence.Level
E2.L2.Sentence.LevelE2.L2.Sentence.Level
E2.L2.Sentence.LevelCarol Gardner
 
Vocabulary project -grammar review
Vocabulary project -grammar reviewVocabulary project -grammar review
Vocabulary project -grammar reviewSamantha Arvesen
 
September 19 (83MW)
September 19 (83MW)September 19 (83MW)
September 19 (83MW)MelissaJLong
 
Writing effective sentences runons frags stringy ch 18 (1)
Writing effective sentences runons frags stringy ch 18 (1)Writing effective sentences runons frags stringy ch 18 (1)
Writing effective sentences runons frags stringy ch 18 (1)slehrer1
 
Self editing 101
Self editing 101Self editing 101
Self editing 101doblander
 
Combining sentences with semicolons and commas
Combining sentences with semicolons and commasCombining sentences with semicolons and commas
Combining sentences with semicolons and commaskathrynhedrick
 
Eng 83 r week 8 day 2 101613 inferences
Eng 83 r week 8 day 2 101613 inferencesEng 83 r week 8 day 2 101613 inferences
Eng 83 r week 8 day 2 101613 inferencesElizabeth Buchanan
 
ENGLISH SIX-wEEk SEVEN day ONE & TWO.pptx
ENGLISH SIX-wEEk SEVEN day ONE & TWO.pptxENGLISH SIX-wEEk SEVEN day ONE & TWO.pptx
ENGLISH SIX-wEEk SEVEN day ONE & TWO.pptxHarleyLaus1
 
Monster calls and dragon dictation
Monster calls and dragon dictationMonster calls and dragon dictation
Monster calls and dragon dictationTeri Lesesne
 
Punctuation Lexington1
Punctuation Lexington1Punctuation Lexington1
Punctuation Lexington1Mrs. G
 
Detailed lesson plan (grand demo) without pic
Detailed lesson plan (grand demo) without picDetailed lesson plan (grand demo) without pic
Detailed lesson plan (grand demo) without picLiezel Paras
 
Conditionals and wishes
Conditionals and wishesConditionals and wishes
Conditionals and wishesMíriam
 

Similar to D doggart commas 101 v2 (20)

E2.L2.Sentence.Level
E2.L2.Sentence.LevelE2.L2.Sentence.Level
E2.L2.Sentence.Level
 
Modifiers
ModifiersModifiers
Modifiers
 
Vocabulary project -grammar review
Vocabulary project -grammar reviewVocabulary project -grammar review
Vocabulary project -grammar review
 
English lesson 1
English lesson 1English lesson 1
English lesson 1
 
September 19 (83MW)
September 19 (83MW)September 19 (83MW)
September 19 (83MW)
 
Comma splices, take 2
Comma splices, take 2Comma splices, take 2
Comma splices, take 2
 
Writing effective sentences runons frags stringy ch 18 (1)
Writing effective sentences runons frags stringy ch 18 (1)Writing effective sentences runons frags stringy ch 18 (1)
Writing effective sentences runons frags stringy ch 18 (1)
 
Self editing 101
Self editing 101Self editing 101
Self editing 101
 
Combining sentences with semicolons and commas
Combining sentences with semicolons and commasCombining sentences with semicolons and commas
Combining sentences with semicolons and commas
 
Phrases
PhrasesPhrases
Phrases
 
Eng 83 r week 8 day 2 101613 inferences
Eng 83 r week 8 day 2 101613 inferencesEng 83 r week 8 day 2 101613 inferences
Eng 83 r week 8 day 2 101613 inferences
 
Verb Forms
Verb FormsVerb Forms
Verb Forms
 
ENGLISH SIX-wEEk SEVEN day ONE & TWO.pptx
ENGLISH SIX-wEEk SEVEN day ONE & TWO.pptxENGLISH SIX-wEEk SEVEN day ONE & TWO.pptx
ENGLISH SIX-wEEk SEVEN day ONE & TWO.pptx
 
Monster calls and dragon dictation
Monster calls and dragon dictationMonster calls and dragon dictation
Monster calls and dragon dictation
 
Punctuation Lexington1
Punctuation Lexington1Punctuation Lexington1
Punctuation Lexington1
 
Lesson 3 Day 3
Lesson 3 Day 3Lesson 3 Day 3
Lesson 3 Day 3
 
Dread Comma Splice
Dread Comma SpliceDread Comma Splice
Dread Comma Splice
 
20 August2009
20 August200920 August2009
20 August2009
 
Detailed lesson plan (grand demo) without pic
Detailed lesson plan (grand demo) without picDetailed lesson plan (grand demo) without pic
Detailed lesson plan (grand demo) without pic
 
Conditionals and wishes
Conditionals and wishesConditionals and wishes
Conditionals and wishes
 

More from ddoggart

Stereotyping
StereotypingStereotyping
Stereotypingddoggart
 
As comms & culture groups
As comms & culture groupsAs comms & culture groups
As comms & culture groupsddoggart
 
D doggart mission non fiction
D doggart mission non fictionD doggart mission non fiction
D doggart mission non fictionddoggart
 
Housestyle
HousestyleHousestyle
Housestyleddoggart
 
2012 size zero debate
2012 size zero debate2012 size zero debate
2012 size zero debateddoggart
 
2012 privacy
2012 privacy2012 privacy
2012 privacyddoggart
 
2012 riots front pages
2012 riots front pages2012 riots front pages
2012 riots front pagesddoggart
 
Magazine covers ethnicity
Magazine covers ethnicityMagazine covers ethnicity
Magazine covers ethnicityddoggart
 
2012 traveller banned ads
2012 traveller banned ads2012 traveller banned ads
2012 traveller banned adsddoggart
 
2012 dvd covers
2012 dvd covers2012 dvd covers
2012 dvd coversddoggart
 
2012 intro to ethnicity
2012 intro to ethnicity2012 intro to ethnicity
2012 intro to ethnicityddoggart
 
2012 fragrance ads
2012 fragrance ads2012 fragrance ads
2012 fragrance adsddoggart
 
2012 music videos
2012 music videos 2012 music videos
2012 music videos ddoggart
 
2012 dd gender pp
2012 dd gender pp2012 dd gender pp
2012 dd gender ppddoggart
 
2012 genre
2012 genre2012 genre
2012 genreddoggart
 
Raunch culture in music videos
Raunch culture in music videosRaunch culture in music videos
Raunch culture in music videosddoggart
 

More from ddoggart (20)

Taste
TasteTaste
Taste
 
Stereotyping
StereotypingStereotyping
Stereotyping
 
As comms & culture groups
As comms & culture groupsAs comms & culture groups
As comms & culture groups
 
D doggart mission non fiction
D doggart mission non fictionD doggart mission non fiction
D doggart mission non fiction
 
Mock ups
Mock ups Mock ups
Mock ups
 
Mock ups
Mock ups Mock ups
Mock ups
 
Housestyle
HousestyleHousestyle
Housestyle
 
2012 size zero debate
2012 size zero debate2012 size zero debate
2012 size zero debate
 
2012 privacy
2012 privacy2012 privacy
2012 privacy
 
2012 riots front pages
2012 riots front pages2012 riots front pages
2012 riots front pages
 
Magazine covers ethnicity
Magazine covers ethnicityMagazine covers ethnicity
Magazine covers ethnicity
 
2012 traveller banned ads
2012 traveller banned ads2012 traveller banned ads
2012 traveller banned ads
 
2012 dvd covers
2012 dvd covers2012 dvd covers
2012 dvd covers
 
2012 intro to ethnicity
2012 intro to ethnicity2012 intro to ethnicity
2012 intro to ethnicity
 
2012 fragrance ads
2012 fragrance ads2012 fragrance ads
2012 fragrance ads
 
2012 music videos
2012 music videos 2012 music videos
2012 music videos
 
2012 dd gender pp
2012 dd gender pp2012 dd gender pp
2012 dd gender pp
 
2012 genre
2012 genre2012 genre
2012 genre
 
Raunch culture in music videos
Raunch culture in music videosRaunch culture in music videos
Raunch culture in music videos
 
Poverty
PovertyPoverty
Poverty
 

D doggart commas 101 v2

  • 1. Be a Comma Commando
  • 2. 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?
  • 3. What can you remember about when commas need to be used? What is the point of commas?
  • 4. 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.
  • 5. Commas in Long Sentences Let’s start with a short documentary / slasher film on commas……. Commas Rule!
  • 6. 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!
  • 7. Although he was allergic to furry animals John agreed to look after RED = STAND UP Katerina’s hamster for the holiday BLACK = FACE BACK OF ROOM as he thought this might give him a BLUE = HEAD ON chance to get a date with her DESK despite the fact that Katerina had GREEN = WAVE HANDS IN AIR told her friends that she found John boring.
  • 8. Okay, now we’re ready to slash some sentences!
  • 9. 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.
  • 10. 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.
  • 11. 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 Hello! John agreed to look after Katerina’s hamster, a cute little brown Abyssinian called Fluffy, for the holiday
  • 12. 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
  • 13. 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!
  • 14. 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.
  • 15. Activity 3: Commas Save The Day Now for some fun with commas – not impossible!
  • 16. 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!
  • 17. The panda eats, shoots and leaves! OR The panda eats shoots and leaves.
  • 19. 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!
  • 20. Don’t eat, grandpa! OR Don’t eat grandpa!
  • 22. 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
  • 23. A woman: without her, man is nothing! OR A woman without her man is nothing! Which do you prefer?
  • 33. 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!
  • 35. Just a Little Extra Practice…..
  • 36. 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.
  • 37. Zain had to remember to buy rice broccoli peanut butter a TV guide and bananas on his way home from school.
  • 38. He applied to so many places for his work experience Boot’s Marks and Spencer’s Asda and even the local butchers.