← Back to the activity

Year 6 English — Commas with clauses

Put the comma where a clause needs one — after a clause that comes first, around an extra piece of information, and between two main clauses joined by a joining word.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.Meera has exactly one brother. Which sentence is punctuated correctly for her?

    • a) My, brother who lives in Pune is a doctor.
    • b) My brother, who lives in Pune is a doctor.
    • c) My brother who lives in Pune, is a doctor.
    • d) My brother, who lives in Pune, is a doctor.

  2. 2.Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • a) However, we could not find the key.
    • b) How ever, we could not find the key.
    • c) However we could not, find the key.
    • d) However we could not find the key.

  3. 3.In which sentence is the comma wrong?

    • a) It was late, so we took a taxi.
    • b) Before we left, we locked the gate.
    • c) We locked the gate, before we left.
    • d) Our neighbour, who is a nurse, works nights.

  4. 4.Sort each sentence by whether it needs a comma in it.

    Groups: Needs a comma · Needs no comma

    • Because the road was blocked we turned back.
    • We turned back because the road was blocked.
    • Although he was tired he finished the race.
    • When the rain stopped we went out.
    • We went out when the rain stopped.
    • He finished the race because he wanted the medal.

  5. 5.In which sentence is a comma doing a job that only a full stop or a joining word can do?

    • a) The bell rang before the children ran out.
    • b) The bell rang, the children ran out.
    • c) When the bell rang, the children ran out.
    • d) The bell rang, and the children ran out.

  6. 6.Sort each sentence by whether its comma is in the right place or the wrong one.

    Groups: Right place · Wrong place

    • Because she was late, she missed the bus.
    • After the film, ended we walked home.
    • Because, she was late she missed the bus.
    • After the film ended, we walked home.

  7. 7.Rewrite this with one comma added: "When the gates opened the crowd rushed in." Write the whole sentence.

  8. 8.Match each rule to the sentence that follows it.

    • A clause that comes before the main clause
    • A clause that comes after the main clause
    • Two main clauses joined by a joining word
    • An extra piece of information dropped into the middle
    • The lights went out, but we had a candle.
    • Our house, which is very old, has no fan at all.
    • We lit a candle when the lights went out.
    • When the lights went out, we lit a candle.

Answer key — Year 6 English — Commas with clauses

  1. 1. d) My brother, who lives in Pune, is a doctor.
  2. 2. a) However, we could not find the key.
  3. 3. c) We locked the gate, before we left.
  4. 4. When the rain stopped we went out. → Needs a comma; We went out when the rain stopped. → Needs no comma; Although he was tired he finished the race. → Needs a comma; He finished the race because he wanted the medal. → Needs no comma; Because the road was blocked we turned back. → Needs a comma; We turned back because the road was blocked. → Needs no comma
  5. 5. b) The bell rang, the children ran out.
  6. 6. After the film ended, we walked home. → Right place; After the film, ended we walked home. → Wrong place; Because she was late, she missed the bus. → Right place; Because, she was late she missed the bus. → Wrong place
  7. 7. When the gates opened, the crowd rushed in.
  8. 8. A clause that comes before the main clause → When the lights went out, we lit a candle.; A clause that comes after the main clause → We lit a candle when the lights went out.; Two main clauses joined by a joining word → The lights went out, but we had a candle.; An extra piece of information dropped into the middle → Our house, which is very old, has no fan at all.