Class 8 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.Sort each sentence by whether it needs a comma in it.
Groups: Needs a comma · Needs no comma
- He finished the race because he wanted the medal.
- Because the road was blocked we turned back.
- Although he was tired he finished the race.
- When the rain stopped we went out.
- We went out when the rain stopped.
- We turned back because the road was blocked.
2.In which sentence is a comma doing a job that only a full stop or a joining word can do?
- a) The bell rang, and the children ran out.
- b) The bell rang, the children ran out.
- c) The bell rang before the children ran out.
- d) When the bell rang, the children ran out.
3.Rewrite this with one comma added: "When the gates opened the crowd rushed in." Write the whole sentence.
4.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.
5.Put the steps of deciding where a comma goes in the right order.
- Last, put a comma after the subordinate clause only if it came first.
- Then check which of the two comes first in the sentence.
- First, find the clause that could stand alone as a sentence — that is the main clause.
- Next, find the other clause, the one beginning with a word like when, because or although.
6.Which of these is correctly written with no comma at all?
- a) Our school which is very old has a big garden.
- b) It had been raining hard since early morning so the whole family stayed indoors all day.
- c) Because it was raining we stayed indoors.
- d) We stayed indoors because it was raining.
7.Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
- a) If, it rains we will stay indoors.
- b) If it, rains we will stay indoors.
- c) If it rains we will, stay indoors.
- d) If it rains, we will stay indoors.
8.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.

Answer key — Class 8 English — Commas with clauses

1. 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
2. b) The bell rang, the children ran out.
3. When the gates opened, the crowd rushed in.
4. 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.
5. 1. First, find the clause that could stand alone as a sentence — that is the main clause. 2. Next, find the other clause, the one beginning with a word like when, because or although. 3. Then check which of the two comes first in the sentence. 4. Last, put a comma after the subordinate clause only if it came first.
6. d) We stayed indoors because it was raining.
7. d) If it rains, we will stay indoors.
8. d) My brother, who lives in Pune, is a doctor.