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Grade 4 English Language Arts — 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.In which sentence is a comma doing a job that only a period or a joining word can do?

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

  2. 2.Write the one word the comma should come straight after: "Although the shop was closed we knocked anyway."

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

    Groups: Right place · Wrong place

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

  4. 4.Each of these sentences needs one comma. Sort it by where that comma belongs.

    Groups: After the first clause · Before the joining word

    • When the power failed the fans stopped.
    • Because the tap was leaking we called a plumber.
    • The tap had been leaking for three whole days so we finally called a plumber.
    • The power failed without any warning at all and every fan in the building stopped.

  5. 5.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.

  6. 6.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
    • When the lights went out, we lit a candle.
    • Our house, which is very old, has no fan at all.
    • The lights went out, but we had a candle.
    • We lit a candle when the lights went out.

  7. 7.Which of these is correctly written with no comma at all?

    • a) Because it was raining we stayed indoors.
    • b) It had been raining hard since early morning so the whole family stayed indoors all day.
    • c) We stayed indoors because it was raining.
    • d) Our school which is very old has a big garden.

  8. 8.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.

Answer key — Grade 4 English Language Arts — Commas with clauses

  1. 1. c) The bell rang, the children ran out.
  2. 2. closed
  3. 3. 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
  4. 4. Because the tap was leaking we called a plumber. → After the first clause; The tap had been leaking for three whole days so we finally called a plumber. → Before the joining word; When the power failed the fans stopped. → After the first clause; The power failed without any warning at all and every fan in the building stopped. → Before the joining word
  5. 5. a) My brother, who lives in Pune, is a doctor.
  6. 6. 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.
  7. 7. c) We stayed indoors because it was raining.
  8. 8. a) If it rains, we will stay indoors.