RIC-20248 Primary Grammar and Word Study Year 6 – Punctuation

Commas
Commas are used to separate a series of words, phrases or clauses in a sentence to
make the meaning clear.
1. (a) Read the text.
It was time to start planning our next family holiday. We sat down for our family meeting to
decide where we would go, how we would get there, what we would like to do once we were
there and how we would get the money together. I always loved these meetings. I really enjoyed
the negotiating, planning, organising and debating. Mum, Dad, Marty, Susan and I always took
some time to agree on a holiday destination. In order to keep everyone happy, we usually made a
list of what each of us would like to do, we searched the Internet to find a location which would
accommodate most activities and we finally agreed on the venue. We then each took a task to
help in the organisation and planning of our holiday. I had to research the accommodation, Dad
had to research our travel arrangements, Mum had to find out about transport, Marty had to
calculate how much the activities were going to cost and Susan was responsible for making a
suggested itinerary. We had to complete our tasks and report back one week later.
(b) Circle all the commas used in lists of words, phrases and clauses.
(c) Use a coloured pencil to underline words, phrases and clauses used in lists.
Commas are used to identify a phrase or clause in a sentence which provides the reader with extra
background information. If this extra information is taken out, the sentence will still make sense.
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2. Underline the phrase or clause which gives extra information in each of these sentences.
(a) Pawpaw, a tropical fruit, is considered very valuable because of its healing properties.
(b) I’m hoping, providing Mum agrees, to invite four friends over for a slumber party for my birthday.
3. Use commas to identify the phrase or clause providing extra information in each of these sentences.
(a) That man loitering near the ATM looks very suspicious. I think I’ll avoid using the machine for my banking
today.
(b) My favourite movie which also happens to be a classic book is ‘The lion, the witch and the wardrobe’.
4. Write a phrase or clause to complete each sentence and add any necessary commas.
(a) The firefighters
enormous flames coming from the factory.
(b) The green sea turtle
of body fat which is green from the algae it eats.
as they worked feverishly to battle the
is so named because of the layer
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