RIC-20804_Teaching_Strategies_for_Writing_BkE_punctuation

Your partner in education 

BOOK E 

TEACHING 

STRATEGIES 

FOR WRITING 

Punctuation 

Australian Primary Publisher 

of the Year 2015 and 2016

Teaching strategies for writing (Book E) 

Published by R.I.C. Publications ® 2018 

Copyright © Diane Henderson and Bruce Tuffin 2018 

RIC–20804 

Titles in this series: 

Teaching strategies for writing (Book A) 

Teaching strategies for writing (Book B) 

Teaching strategies for writing (Book C) 

Teaching strategies for writing (Book D) 

Teaching strategies for writing (Book E) 

Teaching strategies for writing (Book F) 

Copyright Notice 

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In some instances, websites or specific URLs may be recommended. While these are checked and rechecked at the time of 

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PO Box 332 Greenwood Western Australia 6924 

Website: www.ricpublications.com.au 

Email: mail@ricpublications.com.au

FOREWORD 

Teaching strategies for writing is series of six books using modelling, guided and independent practice to teach 

students strategies they can use to improve the clarity, correctness and richness of their writing. The focus is on 

sentences, their structure, punctuation and word choices and on developing editing and proofreading skills and their 

habitual use. 

Titles in this series: 

• Teaching strategies for writing (Book A) • Teaching strategies for writing (Book D) 

• Teaching strategies for writing (Book B) • Teaching strategies for writing (Book E) 

• Teaching strategies for writing (Book C) • Teaching strategies for writing (Book F) 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Teacher notes ........................................................................................................................ iv–v 

Class recording sheets 

Assessment activities ..................................................................................................... vi–ix 

Assessment writing tasks ................................................................................................ x–xi 

Student writing checklist ........................................................................................................ xii 

Student writing task – self-evaluation .................................................................................. xiii 

WORD CHOICES 

Unit 1 Nouns, noun groups and adjectives ............................................................ 2–7 

Unit 2 Pronouns, confusing pronouns (me/I), which pronoun? ........................... 8–13 

Unit 3 Verbs, descriptive and overused verbs, adverbials ................................. 14–19 

Unit 4 Choosing correct verbs: tense, consistency, 

subject, regular, irregular ......................................................................... 20–25 

Assessment................................................................................................................... 26–29 

SENTENCE STRUCTURE 

Unit 5 Sentences, word order, statements, questions ....................................... 30–35 

Unit 6 Sentence beginnings ............................................................................... 36–41 

Unit 7 Conjunctions ............................................................................................ 42–47 

Unit 8 Paragraphs ............................................................................................... 48–53 

Assessment................................................................................................................... 54–57 

PUNCTUATION 

Unit 9 Using punctuation in sentences .............................................................. 58–63 

Unit 10 Full stops, capital letters, commas, direct speech ................................. 64–69 

Unit 11 Apostrophes in contractions ................................................................... 70–75 

Unit 12 Apostrophes for possession .................................................................... 76–81 

Assessment................................................................................................................... 82–85 

EDITING AND PROOFREADING 

Unit 13 

Unit 14 

Unit 15 

Unit 16 

Spelling (vowel sounds), sentence structure, 

punctuation, word choices, editing ........................................................ 86–91 

Spelling (more vowel sounds), sentence structure, 

punctuation, word choices, editing ......................................................... 92–97 

Spelling (suffixes) sentence structure, 

punctuation, word choices, editing ....................................................... 98–103 

Spelling (homophones), sentence structure, 

punctuation, word choices, editing ..................................................... 104–109 

Assessment............................................................................................................... 110–113 

TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR WRITING (Book E) 

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iii

TEACHER NOTES 

ABOUT WRITING 

A good writer is not simply one who knows about and can 

use text types. A good writer is one with the capacity to 

produce interesting, informative, grammatically correct 

text, for a specific purpose, that achieves any writer’s 

intent – clear, precise communication. 

TEACHING WRITING 

Students can and should be taught strategies that will 

help them to write better. These include improvements 

in word choices, sentence structure, punctuation and 

editing and proofreading. Writing strategies taught 

should be modelled, discussed and then applied, firstly 

with teacher support and then independently. However, 

the emphasis always should be on the writing process, 

which requires forethought, planning and a rational, 

measured approach in order to produce the desired 

outcome. Editing and proofreading are essential 

components of any writing. It is important that students 

edit and proofread habitually, with a specific purpose, 

and concentrate on the careful consideration of each 

sentence, one at a time. Activities provided in this series 

encourage students to think about appropriate aspects 

of their writing before, during and after the process. 

LESSON PROCEDURE 

Introduction 

Discuss the text title with the students. Ask for their 

interpretations of what the title could mean. 

Discuss the text type. Why does it fit into this category? 

What are the specific features of this type of text? 

Guide the discussion to introduce the teaching points/ 

strategies to be covered during the course of the unit. 

For example, check they understand terms such as noun 

group, adverbial, sentence, paragraph and comma. 

Development 

Read and discuss the text, either in groups or as a 

class. Assist students with any unfamiliar vocabulary or 

expressions. 

Differentiation 

Work through the introductory activities with the class 

as a whole, ensuring students understand what is 

required of them. 

Work with those requiring additional assistance while 

the remainder of the class work independently on the 

activities. 

ASSESSMENT 

An assessment is included for each unit in the book. 

Because of the way it is structured, this assessment 

will allow you to see individual student’s understandings 

as well as any common points of weakness which may 

require further assistance. 

FORMAT 

Teaching strategies for writing is organised into four 

sections: 

Word choices 

Punctuation 

Sentence structure 

Editing and proofreading 

Each section has four units of work and one assessment 

unit. 

Teaching units 

Each six-page unit of work has a specific focus, two 

teacher pages and four activity pages. 

Assessment units 

• Following each section is a four-page unit of 

assessment activities–one page for each unit. 

• Answers are provided in the teachers pages for that 

unit. 

• Teacher record sheets – see pages vi–ix. 

Assessment writing tasks 

• A suggested paragraph writing topic for each unit is 

provided on the teachers pages. 

• Teacher recording sheet – see pages x–xi. 

• Student writing checklist – see page xii. 

• Student self-evaluation – see page xiii. 

Review 

In pairs or small groups, students review their answers, 

giving their reasoning where required and critiquing the 

longer sentence or paragraph responses. 

iv 


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TEACHER NOTES 

Sample open pages 

Teacher page 1 Teacher page 2 

Activity page 1 Activity page 2 

Activity page 3 Activity page 4 



v

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES 

CLASS RECORD 

Date: 

Name Unit 9 Unit 10 Unit 11 Unit 12 

viii 



ASSESSMENT WRITING 

CLASS RECORD 

Unit: Focus: Date: 

Paragraph topic: 

Name 

Comment 

x 



STUDENT WRITING CHECKLIST 

Name: 

Date: 

Assessment writing topic: 

Paragraph 

I have read the paragraph and it makes sense. .......................................................... 

I have read it to check for spelling errors. .................................................................. 

I have made corrections. ............................................................................................ 

Punctuation 

I have checked the sentences one at a time for: 

• capital letters to start sentences and proper nouns. ........................................... 

• full stops, question marks, exclamation marks. ................................................. 

• commas. ................................................................................................................ 

• apostrophes for contractions and ownership. ...................................................... 

• speech marks. ....................................................................................................... 

I have made corrections. ............................................................................................ 

Sentences 

I have checked the sentences one at a time for: 

• sense – Does each sentence make sense by itself? ............................................ 

• length – Are any sentences too long? ................................................................... 

Should they be separated? ..................................................................... 

Should some be joined? .......................................................................... 

• beginnings – Have I used interesting beginnings? ............................................... 

Word choices 

I have made changes. ...................................................................... 

verbs – Are they informative and different? ............................................................... 

Have I used the correct verb tense? ............................................................... 

Are there too many boring verbs? .................................................................. 

adverbials – Do some verbs need adverbials to tell how, 

when or where something happened? ................................................... 

noun groups – Are the noun groups descriptive? ...................................................... 

Can I add some descriptive adjectives to tell 

more about nouns and pronouns? ...................................................... 

pronouns – Have I used the correct pronouns? ......................................................... 

I have made changes and corrections. .................................................... 

xii 



STUDENT SELF-EVALUATION 

Name: Unit: Date: 

I wrote a paragraph about: 

My goal was to focus on: 

How well did I achieve my goal? 

Three things I did well in my writing were: 

• 

• 

• 

Next time I write a paragraph I will try to: 

STUDENT SELF-EVALUATION 

Name: Unit: Date: 

I wrote a paragraph about: 

My goal was to focus on: 

How well did I achieve my goal? 

Three things I did well in my writing were: 

• 

• 

• 

Next time I write a paragraph I will try to: 



xiii

TEACHER INFORMATION 

USING PUNCTUATION IN 

SENTENCES 

UNIT 9 

Focus 

Punctuation – using punctuation in sentences 

Progression 

Recognise 

Students will recognise specified punctuation from modelled 

examples. 

Choose 

Students will choose appropriate punctuation for sentences with 

teacher support. 

Use 

Students will correctly punctuate supplied and self-written 

sentences. 

Definition of terms 

A sentence is a set of words that makes sense by itself. It may be 

a statement, a question, an exclamation or a command. 

Capital letters are used at the beginning of a new sentence and 

for proper nouns. 

Proper nouns are nouns used for naming a particular person, 

place or thing. 

A full stop is used at the end of a sentence. 

A question mark is used at the end of a question. 

An exclamation mark is used at the end of an exclamation. 

Introduction 

Good writers improve their writing by using correct punctuation. 

Teacher information 

Punctuation enables a writer to more fully and accurately 

communicate with the reader by making the writing more 

understandable. 

LESSON NOTES AND PLANS 

Introduction 

• Read a teacher-selected short passage to the class, ignoring the 

punctuation and exaggerating the effects. 

• Ask students if they had difficulty understanding the passage. 

• Elicit from students the reason(s) why it was hard to understand. 

• Question how punctuation makes text easier to understand. List 

student responses and discuss. 

Do we need it? – Page 60 

• Set students to work in pairs to complete Question 1. 

• In small groups, discuss their answers. How similar are they? Why? 

• Work with those requiring additional assistance while the remainder 

of the class work independently on the activities. 

• Encourage students to share with the class and discuss their 

answers to Question 4. 

Understanding punctuation – Page 61 

• Read and discuss the text. 

• Ask ‘What is missing?’ and list answers. 

• Emphasise that a capital is needed for proper nouns; for example, 

Lake Como, Italian, Switzerland. 

• Explain that mum and dad only need a capital letter when used 

instead of their names; for example, My mum and dad love Italy – I 

asked Dad if we could drive into Switzerland. 

• Review any further known punctuation. 



• Encourage students in small groups or as a class to discuss their 

responses to Question 4 (b) and (c). 

Short sentences – Page 62 

• Read the text at the top of the page. 

• Ensure students are familiar with the features of a sentence, a 

statement, a command, an exclamation and a question, including 

their specific punctuation. 

• Provide opportunities for students to discuss in pairs the validity of 

their answers to Question 3. 

Is it correct? – Page 63 

• Revise with students the punctuation required for beginning and 

ending a sentence, proper nouns, questions, exclamations and 

commands. 



58 




USING PUNCTUATION IN 

SENTENCES 

UNIT 9 

ANSWERS 

Do we need it? – Page 60 

1. (b) It has no punctuation. 

(c) makes it harder to read and understand 

(d) Answers will vary. 

(e) no 

2. (a)–(b) Finally, the holiday we'd dreamed about was here. We 

flew into Milan and picked up our hire car. Dad drove, 

remembering to keep to the right. We are heading north 

of Lake Como to a little village called Era. We have 

rented a stone cottage in a chestnut grove for a week. 

(c) apostrophe in we’d 

(d) 8; 4 x sentence beginnings and 4 x proper nouns 

3. Teacher check 

4. Teacher check. Discuss answers. Students should appreciate the 

need for punctuation. 

Understanding punctuation – Page 61 

1. (a) Teacher check 

(b) 10 

(c) 5 

(d) Era, Dad, GPS 

2.–3. Teacher check 

4. (a) Proper nouns must have capitals. 

(b)–(c) Teacher check 

Short sentences – Page 62 

1. (b) a capital letter 

(c) no 

(d) question mark, full stop, exclamation mark 

2. (a) Stand over there./Hop in./Here comes the rain/Just keep 

going. 

(b) Look at that!/Throw it!/Get behind me!/On your feet!/Watch 

the ball!/Turn off the light now!/Look out! 

(c) Teacher check 

(d) Teacher check – Example: Tell me who threw that. 


2. Teacher check. Full punctuation: 

The next day was Sunday and we woke to the sound of church 

bells. Dad said, ‘In the car, we’re going to Lake Como. Do you 

know George Clooney has a house there? Perhaps he’ll invite us 

in for afternoon tea’. (or ... tea.’) 

3. (a) true 

(b) false 

(c) true 

(d) false 

4. (a) ✓ ✓ – Great 

(b) ✓ ✓ – Theatre 

(c) – ✓ – Street; moon 

(d) ✓ – – Good; Games 

ASSESSMENT ANSWERS 

Assessment activity – Page 82 

1. (a) Teacher check 

(b) One, Dad, Switzerland, We, Lucerne 

(c) sentence beginnings and proper nouns 

(d) 2, after ‘Switzerland’ and ‘lake’ 


6. (a) What’s for lunch? 

(b) Are we there yet, Dad? 

(c) Watch out for cyclists! (accept fullstop) 

7. (a) Michelangelo’s statue of David 

(b) a Tom Cruise film, 

(c) ✓ 

(d) Victoria Falls 

(e) Sydney Opera House 

(f) Sahara Desert 

Class recording sheet – Page viii 


• Paragraph topic – My special holiday place 

• Focus: Punctuation – using punctuation in sentences 

Self-evaluation – Page xiii 

4. Teacher check – along the lines of: ‘Peter asked, “Where are 

you?” and all you could say was, “Here!”’ 

Is it correct? – Page 63 

1. (a) Lake Como is in Italy. 

(b) Our holiday home is great. 

(c) Mum loves Italian chocolate. 

(d) We took a ferry on Lake Como. (Accept exclamation mark.) 

(e) Can you hear the bells? 

(f) Keep right, Dad! (Accept full stop.) 

(g) Have you seen the Swiss Alps? 



59

UNIT 9 

DO WE NEED IT? 

Our Italian escape 

Finally the holiday wed dreamed about was here we 

flew into milan and picked up our hire car dad drove 

remembering to keep to the right we are heading north 

of lake como to a little village called era we have rented a 

stone cottage in a chestnut grove for a week 

1. (a) Read ‘Our Italian escape’ with a partner. Try to read it aloud. 

(b) What is different about this text? 

(c) What effect does that have? 

(d) Why? 

(e) Was it easy to understand? 

2. (a) Add the missing full stops and capital letters using a red coloured pencil or pen. 

(b) Add one comma in the first sentence. Add another in the third sentence. 

(c) What other punctuation mark did you add in the first sentence? 

(d) How many capital letters did you add altogether? 

What did you need them for? 

3. (a) Read the text to a partner again, after adding your punctuation. 

(b) Did you find it easier to read this time? 

(c) Explain your answer. 

(d) Do you think your partner found it easier to understand this time? 

4. Write two sentences about punctuation. Is it something we need or just old-fashioned 

and a waste of time and effort? 

60 



UNIT 9 

UNDERSTANDING PUNCTUATION 

Capital letters are used at the beginning of a new sentence and for proper nouns. 

Proper nouns are nouns used for naming a particular person, place or thing. 

For example: Doctor Robert Smith London Bridge New Year’s Eve 

The cottage 

when we finally arrived at era, dad used the gps to guide us to 

our cottage. it was beautiful. surrounded by chestnut trees at 

the base of a mountain, it was in a world of its own. the twostorey 

cottage was perfect. from my bedroom window, i could 

see across the treetops to the misty mountains beyond. 

1. (a) Use a red pencil or pen to put capital letters in the text. 

(b) How many capital letters did you need to add? 

(c) How many sentences are in the text? 

(d) Write the proper nouns from the text. 

2. (a) Write two sentences about a place someone you know likes to go to for holidays. Use 

capital letters to name the place and the person who enjoys going there. 

(b) How many proper nouns did you use in your sentences? 

3. Write a proper noun that tells you: 

(a) a festival 

(c) a queen 

(b) a country 

(d) a lake 

(e) a mountain (f) an organisation 

4. (a) What is the rule about proper nouns and capitals? 

(b) Do you think the rule about capitals for proper nouns is still needed? 

(c) Write a statement telling how you would like to treat proper nouns. 



61

UNIT 9 

SHORT SENTENCES 

Look at that! Who threw that? Throw it! Here comes the rain. 

Get behind me! On your feet! Stand over there. Turn off the light now! 

Hop in. Watch the ball! Where are you? 

Look out! 

Just keep going. 

1. (a) Read the short sentences. They are all sentences because they make complete sense. 

(b) What do they all start with? 

(c) Do they all use the same punctuation mark at the end? 

(d) What are the three punctuation marks used at the end of these sentences? 

2. (a) Write the commands. 

(b) Write the exclamations. 

(c) Write any which could be both. 

(d) Change one of the questions to a statement. 

3. (a) Write a question of your own with fewer than six words. 

(b) Write an exclamation with five words. 

(c) Write a command with four words. 

4. Challenge: Write a sentence which has both a question and an exclamation in it. 

Hint: Direct speech—and you may like to work with a partner. 

62 



UNIT 9 

IS IT CORRECT? 

1. Find the punctuation error(s) in each sentence. Write the sentence correctly. 

(a) Lake como is in italy. 

(b) Our holiday home is great? 

(c) mum loves italian chocolate 

(d) we took a ferry on Lake Como! 

(e) can you hear the bells. 

(f) Keep right, dad? 

(g) have you seen the Swiss Alps. 

2. Read the paragraph. Find and circle the punctuation errors. Write the paragraph correctly. 

the next day was sunday and we woke. to the sound of Church bells? dad said, ‘In 

the car, we’re going to lake Como do you know george clooney has a house there! 

perhaps he’ll invite us in for afternoon tea’ 

3. Write ‘true’ or ‘false’ after each statement. 

(a) Capital letters are needed for months of the year. 

(b) The word ‘dinosaur’ needs a capital letter. 

(c) The word ‘king’ when in a title needs a capital letter. 

(d) The words ‘mum’ and ‘dad’ always need a capital letter. 

4. Put a tick in the box if the punctuation is correct. Use a red pen to correct it if it's wrong. 

(a) Mars Mount Vesuvius great Barrier Reef 

(b) our supermarket Cafe de Wheels Her Majesty’s theatre 

(c) William street Prince of Wales a full Moon 

(d) Killarney Castle good Friday Olympic games 



63


FULL STOPS, CAPITAL LETTERS, 

COMMAS, DIRECT SPEECH 

UNIT 10 

Focus 

Punctuation – full stops, capitals, commas, direct speech 

Progression 

Recognise 

Students will recognise specified punctuation from modelled 

examples. 

Choose 

Students will choose appropriate punctuation for sentences with 

teacher support. 

Use 

Students will correctly punctuate supplied and self-written 

sentences. 


A sentence is a set of words that makes sense by itself. It may be a 

statement, a question, an exclamation or a command. 

Quotation marks are used to set off the actual words said or 

thought. 

A clause is a group of words that contains a verb and a subject; 

e.g. He (subject) walks (verb). 

A main clause is one which stands as a simple sentence in its own 

right; e.g. If it rains, you will get soaking wet. 

Introduction 

Good writers improve their writing by using correct punctuation. 



communicate with the reader. 

Note: There is more than one method of punctuating direct speech. 

(Two different methods are given in the Answers.) Whichever 

method is chosen, it must be consistently used. 

A comma is used before the coordinating conjunction (the Oxford 

comma or serial comma) in some publications. It is not incorrect 

to use it this way, but it is more common to not include the comma; 

e.g. I bought potatoes, tomatoes, beans and sprouts, rather than 

I bought potatoes, tomatoes, beans, and sprouts. However, it is 

acceptable in cases where there may be ambiguity or a need for 

clarification; e.g. I dedicate this book to Mum and Dad, Kate Mara 

and Iron Man. Since it is unlikely the writer really means ‘Mum and 

Dad’ are Kate Mara and Iron Man, it can be rewritten as I dedicate 

this book to Mum and Dad, Kate Mara, and Iron Man. 


Introduction 

• Discuss the text title. 

• Discuss with students who might use the phrase ‘Pay attention!’. Ask 

why it has an exclamation mark. 

Full stops – Page 66 

• Read the text with the class. 

• Ask students to identify the text type and discuss the features of 

narrative text. 

• Discuss the punctuation used. 

• Discuss how difficult it would be to read without punctuation. 

• Read and discuss the definition of full stops. 

• Discuss why the definition is so short. 



Capital letters – Page 67 

• Read and discuss the information about the use of capital letters. 

• Revise the definition of a sentence with students. 

• Read with the class the statement about proper nouns. Ask for 

further examples and list them on the board. 

• Emphasise that a capital is needed for names; hence ‘my uncle’ but 

‘Uncle Harry’. 

• Explain that mum and dad only need a capital letter when used 

instead of their names; for example, My mum and dad love travelling 

– I asked Mum and Dad if we could go to France. 

• Encourage students to write and share Mum and Dad’s response to 

Question 2(f). 

Commas – Page 68 

• Read the information at the top of the page. 

• Provide opportunities for students to read aloud and discuss in pairs 

the sentences in Question 2. Reading aloud will provide the natural 

pauses indicating the need for a comma. 

• In pairs, students read and discuss their answers to Question 3. 

Direct speech – Page 69 

• Discuss the information given about direct speech. 

• Emphasise that it is the actual words used. Elicit further examples. 

• Discuss with the class the placement of punctuation in the example 

given. Ask why the punctuation is placed where it is. 

64 






UNIT 10 

ANSWERS 

Full stops – Page 66 

1. (a) and (d) need full stops 

2. (a) Some teachers drone on and on. It can be hard to pay 

attention. 

(b) Caleb was drawing pictures. He was not paying attention. The 

teacher saw him. 

3. (a) No, no, that’s incorrect. You are just guessing, Caleb. Please 

try again. 

(b) Mr MacRae liked surprises. Caleb didn’t. He thought they 

were unfair. 

Capital letters – Page 67 

1. (a) No 

(b) Yes 

(c) Yes 

2. (a) On her holiday in America, Kate visited the Grand Canyon. 

(b) If ever I go to France I want to see the Louvre and the Eiffel 

Tower. 

(c) In March we are taking a cruise from Singapore to the Arctic 

Circle. 

(d) From the tour bus we saw Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly 

Circus in London. 

(e) Dr Henry Jones is better known by his nickname—Indiana 

Jones. 

(f) Chloe asked Mum and Dad if they could go for a cruise on 

board the Queen Elizabeth. 

Commas – Page 68 

1. (a) Jon likes watching football, hockey, cricket and tennis on 

television. 

(b) My favourite breakfast is sausages, eggs, toast and orange 

juice. 

(c) I don’t like broccoli, turnips, liver, kidneys or tripe. 

2. (a) Gasping for air, Tommy raced for the bus. 

(b) Caleb, looking startled, tried to answer Mr MacRae’s 

question. 

(c) If you go shopping later, we need some more bread, milk and 

marmalade. 

2. (a) ‘I wonder if Caleb’s paying attention or drawing again’, Mr 

MacRae thought./‘I wonder if Caleb’s paying attention or 

drawing again,’ Mr MacRae thought. 

(b) Mr MacRae asked, ‘Anika, can you please tell me where you 

use quotation marks?’ 

(c) In a daydream, Caleb thought, ‘Please, please let it be home 

time soon’./ In a daydream, Caleb thought, ‘Please, please let 

it be home time soon.’ 

(d) ‘Caleb!’ Mr MacRae snapped. ‘What are you daydreaming 

about this time?’ 

3. Teacher check. Answers will vary. 



1. (b) and (d) need a full stop 

2. The road to Lucerne is very twisty. It climbs through the Swiss 

Alps. Dad had to drive carefully. 

3. If I go back to Switzerland, I want to visit Zurich and St Moritz 

and I definitely want to see the Matterhorn. 

4. (a) Switzerland is famous for chocolate, cuckoo clocks, lace and 

mountains. 

(b) Because the road was twisty, Dad drove carefully, slowing 

down on the bends. 

5. (a) No 

(b) Yes – ‘Could you get me some too, please?’ Dad asked. 

(c) Yes – 'Hey! How about me?' I thought. 

6. (a) ‘There’s still snow on the mountains. Look!’ my sister said. 

(b) ‘Can you see anyone skiing?’ Dad wanted to know. 

Class record sheet – Page viii 


• Paragraph topic – The best part of school 

• Focus: Punctuation – full stops, capital letters, commas, direct 

speech 



Direct speech – Page 69 

1. (a) ✓ 

(b) ✘ – ‘Why one earth not?’ her mother asked. 

(c) ✓ 

(d) ✘ – ‘Because the children are so mean to me, that’s why’, 

she replied./‘Because the children are so mean to me, that’s 

why,’ she replied. 

(e) ✘ – ‘But, dear,’ Mum said, ‘you have to go to school. You’re 

the teacher!’ 



65

USING PUNCTUATION IN SENTENCES – FULL STOPS 

UNIT 10 

Pay attention! 

Mr MacRae is teaching when he notices Caleb up the back, drawing 

pictures in his workbook. 

‘Caleb!’ he calls. ‘Have you been paying attention? Give me two pronouns, 

right now!’ 

Startled, Caleb looks up. ‘Who? Me?’ he asks. 

‘You were just plain lucky there, Caleb’, Mr MacRae grumbles. ‘Now give 

me a sentence staring with “I”.’ 

‘I is ...’ 

‘No, no, no!’ Mr MacRae interrupts. ‘“I” is always followed by “am”. Try 

again.’ 

‘OK, sir, if you say so’, says Caleb, shaking his head. ‘I am the ninth letter 

of the alphabet.’ 

A full stop (.) is used to show the end of a sentence. 

1. Put a full stop in the box after a complete sentence. Leave it blank if it is not. 

(a) Caleb wasn’t paying attention 

(c) Caleb says, startled 

(b) The ninth letter of the alphabet 

(d) Put the book away, please 

2. Rewrite the sentences. Put full stops and capital letters where needed. 

(a) Some teachers drone on and on it can be hard to pay attention 

(b) Caleb was drawing pictures he was not paying attention the teacher saw him 

3. Rewrite the sentence. Put full stops, capital letters and commas where needed. 

(a) no no that’s incorrect you are just guessing caleb please try again 

(b) mr macRae liked surprises caleb didn’t he thought they were unfair 

66 



UNIT 10 

CAPITAL LETTERS 

A capital letter is used to start a sentence. 

1. Does the statement need to start with a capital letter? 

(a) drawing pictures Yes No 

(b) have you been drawing pictures in your workbook? Yes No 

(c) everyone has been doing it Yes No 

Proper nouns are names for particular people, places or things. They need a capital letter. 

For example: Liam, Antarctica, United Nations, Tower Bridge. 

2. Rewrite the sentence using capital letters where needed. 

(a) on her holiday in america, kate visited the grand canyon. 

(b) if ever i go to france i want to see the louvre and the eiffel tower. 

(c) in march we are taking a cruise from singapore to the arctic circle. 

(d) from the tour bus we saw trafalgar square and piccadilly circus in london. 

(e) dr henry jones is better known by his nickname—indiana jones. 

(f) chloe asked mum and dad if they could go for a cruise on board the queen elizabeth. 



67

UNIT 10 

COMMAS 

A comma is used to separate items in a list. 

For example: ‘The shopping list had eggs, bread, bacon and milk on it’. There is no comma 

needed before the conjunction (‘and/or’) in a list. 

1. Rewrite the sentence, putting in commas where needed. 

(a) Jon likes watching football hockey cricket and tennis on television. 

(b) My favourite breakfast is sausages eggs toast and orange juice. 

(c) I don’t like broccoli turnips liver kidneys or tripe. 

A comma is used to separate the main clause in a sentence from a helper clause. The 

main clause makes sense on its own. 

For example: When you go for a walk later (helper clause), don’t forget your umbrella (main 

clause): The boy, feeling very tired, flopped on the bed. 

2. Add commas to the sentences. 

(a) Gasping for air Tommy raced for the bus. 

(b) Caleb looking startled tried to answer Mr MacRae’s question. 

(c) If you go shopping later we need some more bread milk and marmalade. 

3. Write a sentence of your own, using a comma to separate the main and helper clauses. 

68 



UNIT 10 

DIRECT SPEECH 

Direct speech is the actual words or thoughts used by people. Direct speech must be 

enclosed with quotation marks. 

For example: ‘What is the matter?’ asked Maureen. ‘You’re very grumpy.’ 

1. Read the sentence. If it is correct as written, put a tick in the box. If it’s incorrect, put a 

cross in the box and make the corrections. 

(a) Sarah said she really didn’t want to go to school. 

(b) Why on earth not? her mother asked. 

(c) Sarah stamped her foot angrily. 

(d) Because the children are so mean to me, that’s why, she replied. 

(e) But, dear, Mum said, you have to go to school. You’re the teacher! 

2. Rewrite the sentence, adding quotation marks where needed. 

(a) I wonder if Caleb’s paying attention or drawing again, Mr MacRae thought. 

(b) Mr MacRae asked, Anika, can you please tell me where you use quotation marks? 

(c) In a daydream, Caleb thought, Please, please let it be home time soon. 

(d) Caleb! Mr MacRae snapped. What are you daydreaming about this time? 

3. Write what Caleb says to answer Mr MacRae and what the teacher replies. Use direct 

speech. 



69


APOSTROPHES IN CONTRACTIONS 

UNIT 11 

Focus 

Punctuation – apostrophes in contractions 

Progression 

Recognise 

Students will recognise apostrophes in contractions in modelled 

examples. 

Choose 

Students will write contractions correctly with teacher support. 

Use 

Students will write contractions correctly in supplied and selfwritten 

sentences. 


Contractions are new words made by joining two (or more) words 

and leaving out some letters. 

Apostrophes are punctuation marks used to show where letters 

are missing in contractions. (They are also used to show 

possession.) 

Introduction 

Good writers improve their writing by using apostrophes correctly. 




Contractions in most cases only present difficulty in writing, 

the exception being could’ve, would’ve and should’ve which are 

often pronounced as though followed by ‘of’ instead of ‘have’ and 

subsequently written that way. 


Introduction 

• Discuss apostrophes—what they are, where they are placed and why 

they are used; i.e. in contractions (and to indicate possession). 

• Explain that the focus in this section will be on apostrophes in 

contractions and give some examples. 

• Explain that contractions are quicker and easier to say, and discuss 

and model a variety of examples. 

Apostrophes in contractions – Page 72 

• Read and discuss the definitions at the top of the page. 

• Read the phrases and ask the class to expand each contraction. 

• Work through the activities with the class, ensuring they understand 

what is required of them. 

• Ask students to explain their answers to Question 3. 

Using contractions – Page 73 

• Explain that answers to Question 1 may not all be the same, but that 

they must fit in the sentence. 

• Explain that some words used in contractions are shortened in the 

same way; for example, It is (it’s) a pleasure — It has (it’s) been a 

pleasure. 

• Provide opportunities for students to share their sentences from 

Question 4. 

• Before completing Question 5, remind the class that apostrophes 

can also be used to show that something is owned by someone or 

something. 

It’s or its? – Page 74 

• Read and revise with the class the information given at the top of the 

page. 

• Emphasise that it’s easy to work out which to use by asking the 

simple question, ‘Can I say “it is” here?’ If the answer is ‘yes’, an 

apostrophe is needed. Note: It has is also contracted to it’s. 

• Discuss students’ answers to Question 1. 

• Students can share the sentences they wrote in Questions 4 and 5. 

Could have, would have and should have – Page 75 

• Discuss the illustration at the top of the page and explain that would, 

could and should must be followed by the verb have and must never 

be sunk by the iceberg (of). 

• Share the sentences written in Question 1. The three words are all 

to be followed by ‘ve’, but what word have they written next? Is it a 

verb? 

• Students should share their sentences for Question 2. 

70 





UNIT 11 

ANSWERS 

Apostrophes in contractions – Page 72 

Contraction Two words Missing letters 

I’ve I have h, a 

I’m I am a 

haven’t have not o 

She’ll she will w, i 

mum’s mum is i 

You’re you are a 

couldn’t could not o 

1. (a)–(c) See chart 

2. (a) I’d appreciate some help, please. 

(b) We’ll be there. 

(c) Don’t do that again. 

(d) Where’ve you been? 

(e) I wouldn’t eat that fruit. 

3. (a) less formal 

(b) imaginative/narrative 

(c) Teacher check: Hear – It’s a less formal format, may contain 

slang, jargon, direct speech. 

Using contractions – Page 73 

1. (a) you’ve/I’ve/we’ve 

(b) I’d 

(c) you’ll 

(d) We’ve 

2. (a) has 

(b) has 

(c) is 

(d) is 

(e) has 

Could have, would have and should have – Page 75 




1. (a) wouldn’t – would not 

(b) You’re – You are 

2. (a) Where’s your coat gone? 

(b) Mum said she’d bring it. 

3. (a) would’ve/might’ve/should’ve/could’ve 

(b) hasn’t 

4. is 

5. (a) It’s, its 

(b) it’s, its 


7. (a) ‘would’ and ‘should’ need to be followed by a verb 

(b) It wouldn’t have been nice if you had fallen. You should have 

been more careful. 




• Paragraph topic – I should have done better! 

• Focus: Punctuation – apostrophes in contractions 



5. Take your pencils back to your house. I am sure they’re yours, but 

your sisters might say they’re theirs once you get there. 

It’s or its? – Page 74 

1. (a) no, yes, no 

(b) Teacher check 

2. (a) It’s – it’s 

(b) It’s – its 

(c) it’s – its 

(d) It’s – its –its 

3. (a) it’s 

(b) it’s 

(c) it’s – its 

(d) it’s – its 

4.–5. Teacher check. Answers will vary. 



71

UNIT 11 


Contractions are new words made by joining two (or more) words and leaving out some 

letters. 

An apostrophe is used in a contraction to show that some letters are missing. 

Who’s ready? I’ll be back! We shouldn’t've We’re open for business 

She’s leaving home Don’t forget me Where’ve you been? What’d he say? 

Contraction Two (or more) words Missing letters 

I’ve I have h, a 

1. Circle all the contractions and add them to the chart above. An example has been given. 

(a) I’m sorry, but you haven’t been picked for the team. 

(b) She’ll be very unhappy because her mum’s going away. 

(c) You’re correct, I couldn’t have done it without your help. 

2. Rewrite the sentences using contractions. 

(a) I would appreciate some help, please. 

(b) We will be there. 

(c) Do not do that again. 

(d) Where have you been? 

(e) I would not eat that fruit. 

3. (a) Are the sentences you wrote in Question 2 more or less formal? 

(b) In which text form would you be more likely to use contractions? Why? 

(c) Are you more likely to read or hear contractions? Why? 

72 



UNIT 11 

USING CONTRACTIONS 

1. Use a suitable contraction to complete the sentence. 

(a) Don’t tell me 

(b) I was very worried 

forgotten your homework! 

do badly in my spelling test. 

(c) When Dad saw my test mark, he said, ‘ have to work harder!’ 

(d) 

both had great fun today, thank you. 

2. Which verb has been used in the contraction? Write ‘is’ or ‘has’ on the line. 

(a) It’s been a pleasure meeting you. 

(b) He’s been very good at football this year. 

(c) That’s not a problem. 

(d) Mum’s on her way to the city right now. 

(e) She’s been waiting for the winter sales to start. 

3. Write a sentence using a contraction of: 

(a) is 

(b) has 

4. The contraction ‘what’s’ can be used for ‘what is’, ‘what has’ and ‘what does’. Write a 

sentence for each meaning. 

(a) what is 

(b) what has 

(c) what does 

5. Challenge: Confused contractions. ‘You’re’ (contraction) is often confused with ‘your’ 

(possession) and ‘they’re’ (contraction) is often confused with ‘their’ (possession) and 

‘there’. Write the sentence correctly. 

Take you’re pencils back to your house. I am sure their you’res, but you’re sisters might say 

there theres once you get their. 



73

UNIT 11 

IT'S OR ITS? 

The word ‘it’s’ only needs an apostrophe if it is a contraction. 

For example: ‘It’s warm today’ (It is warm today). 

1. (a) Could the words it’s or its be a problem when you are: (Tick ‘Yes’ or ‘No’) 

speaking? Yes No 

writing? Yes No 

doing both? Yes No 

(b) Explain your answer. 

2. Circle the correct words. 

(a) (It’s, Its) no fun on holidays when (it’s, its) raining. 

(b) (It’s, Its) always good to see the sun poke (it’s, its) face through the clouds. 

(c) If (it’s, its) not too much trouble, my dog would like (it’s, its) ball back, please. 

(d) (It’s, its) not unusual to see a cat licking (it’s, its) paws to wash (it’s, its) face. 

3. Add ‘it’s’ or ‘its’. 

(a) I hope 

(b) 

the truth! 

not going to rain for the football this afternoon! 

(c) not fair! My bike has snapped chain again. 

(d) a full moon tonight, so you can see entire face. 

4. Use ‘it’s’ in a sentence about: 

(a) a film 

(b) a party 

5. Use ‘its’ in a sentence about: 

(a) a puppy 

(b) a stream 

74 



COULD HAVE, WOULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE 

– BEWARE! TAKE CARE! 

UNIT 11 

The words ‘would’, ‘could’ and ‘should’ can only be followed by a verb. 

‘Have’ is a verb; ‘of’ is NOT a verb. 

1. (a) Write a sentence with ‘would’ followed by the contraction of the verb in the ship’s 

name. 

(b) Use ‘could’ in a sentence followed by the contraction of the verb in the ship’s name. 

(c) Use ‘should’ in a sentence followed by the contraction of the verb in the ship’s name. 

Question: Why are so many people using would, could and should followed by the ‘of’ 

iceberg? 

Answer: 

If you say ‘would’ve’, ‘could’ve’ and ‘should’ve’ fast, the ‘ve’ SOUNDS like ‘of’. 

Your ears may be fooled, but not your eyes. These words are NEVER followed by ‘of’! 

2. Write interesting sentences using the contractions of ‘would have’, ‘could have’ and 

‘should have’. 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 



75


APOSTROPHES FOR POSSESSION 

UNIT 12 

Focus 

Punctuation – apostrophes for possession 

Progression 

Recognise 

Students will recognise possessive apostrophes from modelled 

examples. 

Choose 

Students will choose appropriate possessive apostrophes for 

sentences with teacher support. 

Use 

Students will correctly use possessive apostrophes in supplied 

and self-written sentences. 


A possessive apostrophe is a punctuation mark used to show 

ownership. 

Introduction 

Good writers improve their writing by using apostrophes correctly. 




Possessive apostrophes show who or what possesses the noun 

referred to; e.g. The man’s hand. 


Introduction 

• Discuss apostrophes—what they are, where they are placed and why 

they are used; i.e. in contractions and to indicate possession. 

• Explain that the focus in this section will be on apostrophes to show 

ownership and give some examples. 

• Explain that apostrophes to show ownership are quicker and easier 

to say e.g. ‘Bob’s book’ rather than ‘the book belonging to Bob’. 

• Discuss and model a variety of examples. 

Apostrophes for ownership – Page 78 

• Discuss the rules for ownership and apostrophe placement. 

• Work with the class as a whole to ensure these concepts are fully 

understood. 

• Work through the examples with the class. 

• Allow more capable students to work in small groups or pairs to 

create further examples, while directly assisting those who need 

greater explanation and help. 

Who owns what? – Page 79 

• Revise with the class the two rules of apostrophe placement for 

possession. 

• Revise how ownership can be deduced from the placement of the 

apostrophe. 

• Work the first question as a group, with teacher support, to ensure 

understanding. 



How many owners? – Page 80 

• Read the information at the top of the page. 

• Work through an example on the board with the class as a whole. 

• Work through Question 1 with students, providing support or 

additional information where needed. 

• Continue to work with those requiring additional assistance while the 

remainder of the class work independently on the activities. 

Practise using apostrophes – Page 81 

• Read and revise with the class the two rules of apostrophe 

placement for possession. 

• Revise the concept of ownership as a pair—e.g. Jock and Donna’s 

homework—and the placement of the apostrophe. 

• Allow students to work through the exercises, assisting as required. 

• In pairs or small groups, encourage students to discuss their 

answers to Question 5, since these will vary. 

76 





UNIT 12 

ANSWERS 

Apostrophes for ownership – Page 78 

1. All examples should have ‘Yes’ marked. 

Who owns what? – Page 79 

1. (a) the Prime Minister 

(b) the soldier 

(c) the singers 

(d) the orchestra 

(e) the magician 

(f) my parents 

2. (a) our family ✓ ✓ 

(b) the witches ✓ ✓ 

(c) Grandad ✓ ✓ 

(d) Moby Dick ✓ ✓ 

(e) Pinocchio ✓ ✓ 

(f) my rose ✓ ✓ 

3. (a) the wizard’s magic wand ✓ ✓ 

(b) the farmers’ chickens ✓ ✓ 

(c) Mr Brown’s class ✓ ✓ 

(d) my aunty and uncle’s house ✓ ✓ 

(e) the twins’ toys 

✓ ✓ 

How many owners? – Page 80 

1. (a) the garden – s 

(b) the cafe – s 

(c) the pilots – p 

(d) my daughters – p 

(e) the girl – s 

(f) the ladies – p 

(g) the dentists – p 

(h) turtles – p 

2. (a) boys’ 

(b) forests’ 

(c) cats’ 

(d) ships’ 

(e) trees’ 

3. (a) boy’s 

(b) painter’s 

(c) writer’s 

(d) car’s 

(e) house’s 




1. Rule 1: after Rule 2: before/after 

2. (a) Yes 

(b) No (should be ‘brother’s’) 

3. (a) the rose ✓ 

(b) the bee ✓ 

(c) the bike – bike’s tyre 

(d) the boy – boy’s schoolbag 

(e) the bees ✓ 

4. (a) the sun’s warmth 

(b) the birds’ cage 

(c) Ian and John’s toy 

(d) the lighthouse’s gleam 

(e) the sheep’s wool (Note: plural or singular) 

5. (a) birds’ 

(b) cats’ 

6. (a) tree’s 

(b) jet’s 




• Paragraph topic – School games 

• Focus: Punctuation – apostrophes for possession 


Practise using apostrophes – Page 81 




77

UNIT 12 

APOSTROPHES FOR OWNERSHIP 

Apostrophes can be used to show ownership. Some people find it difficult to know where 

the apostrophe should go. But, if you follow the simple rules, it’s easy! 

Rule 1 

Rule 2 

An apostrophe is placed after the owner or owners. 

There must be an ‘s’ before or after the apostrophe. 

Mrs Doyle’s class lunch list 

Ham and salad 

Ham and salad 

1. Check the last sentence. Does it follow 

Rules 1 and 2? 

The sandwich belongs to Simon. 

Simon owns the sandwich. 

It is Simon’s sandwich. Yes No 



The apples belong to Chloe and Sarah. 

The girls own the apples. 

They are the girls’ apples. Yes No 



The yoghurt belongs to Rory. 

Rory owns the yoghurt. 

It is Rory’s yoghurt. Yes No 



The cheese and crackers belong to the 

boys. 

The boys own the cheese and crackers. 

They are the boys’ cheese 

and crackers. Yes No 



The milk belongs to the brothers. 

The brothers own the milk. 

It is the brothers’ milk. Yes No 



The rolls belong to Max and Tom. 

Max and Tom own the rolls. 

They are Max and Tom’s 

rolls. Yes No 

78 



UNIT 12 

WHO OWNS WHAT? 

Rule 1 

Rule 2 



1. Write the name of the owner or owners. 

(a) the Prime Minister’s car 

(b) the soldier’s uniform 

(c) the singers’ microphones 

(d) the orchestra’s violins 

(e) the magician’s wand 

(f) my parents’ car 

2. Write the name of the owner or owners. Put a tick or cross to show if it follows both rules. 

(a) our family’s home Rule 1 Rule 2 

(b) the witches’ cauldrons Rule 1 Rule 2 

(c) Grandad’s pipe Rule 1 Rule 2 

(d) Moby Dick’s tail Rule 1 Rule 2 

(e) Pinocchio’s nose Rule 1 Rule 2 

(f) my rose’s blossoms Rule 1 Rule 2 

3. Use an apostrophe to show the owners. Check and tick the rule boxes. 

(a) the magic wand belonging to the wizard 

Rule 1 Rule 2 

(b) the chickens belonging to two farmers 

Rule 1 Rule 2 

(c) the class belonging to Mr Brown 

Rule 1 Rule 2 

(d) the house belonging to my aunty and uncle 

Rule 1 Rule 2 

(e) the toys belonging to the twins 

Rule 1 Rule 2 



79

UNIT 12 

HOW MANY OWNERS? 

It is easy to work out if there is only one single owner or if there are plural owners. Just 

follow the steps. 

Step 1 Find the apostrophe. 

Step 2 Find the owner. (What is written just before the apostrophe?) 

Step 3 Ask yourself if there is one or more than one of them. 

1. Underline the owner or owners. How many owners are there? Write ‘s’ for one and ‘p’ for 

more than one. 

(a) the garden’s flowers (b) the cafe’s chairs 

(c) the pilots’ caps (d) my daughters’ photograph 

(e) the girl’s blouse (f) the ladies’ team 

(g) the dentists’ surgery (h) turtles’ eggs 

2. Change the one owner to more than one owner by moving the apostrophe. 

(a) one boy’s brothers many brothers 

(b) one forest’s trees many trees 

(c) one cat’s whiskers many whiskers 

(d) one ship’s anchor many anchors 

(e) one trees leaves many leaves 

3. Change a number of owners to one owner by moving the apostrophe. 

(a) the boys’ toys one toys 

(b) the painters’ brushes one brushes 

(c) the writers’ novels one novels 

(d) the cars’ tyres one tyres 

(e) the houses’ chimneys one chimneys 

4. Write an interesting sentence showing one owner of ‘emails’. 

5. Write an interesting sentence showing many owners of ‘carrots’. 

80 



UNIT 12 

PRACTISE USING APOSTROPHES 

Rule 1 

Rule 2 



1. (a) Write the name of a favourite male actor. e.g. Clint Eastwood 

(b) What is something he owns? e.g. a cowboy hat 

(c) It is e.g. Clint Eastwood’s cowboy hat 

. 

2. (a) Write the names of two female singers. 

(b) What is something they could both own? 

(c) It is . 

3. (a) Write the names of two gardeners. 

(b) Write one thing they both grow. 

(c) It is . 

4. (a) Write the names of two teachers. 

(b) Write something the teachers both use. 

(c) It is . 

5. (a) Write the name of your best friend. 

(b) What is something your friend owns? 

(c) It is . 

6. (a) Write an interesting sentence telling about watching some ships owned by the navy. 

(b) Write an interesting sentence telling about buying some bread owned by the baker. 

(c) Write an interesting sentence telling about washing the 

car owned by Mum and Dad. 



81

ASSESSMENT UNIT 9 

USING PUNCTUATION IN SENTENCES 

Name: 

Date: 

one day, dad drove us up through the mountains into switzerland we had lunch at a 

cafe in lucerne, overlooking the lake 

1. (a) Use a red pen or marker to add the missing capital letters and full stops. 

(b) Where did you place the capital letters? 

(c) Why did you place them there? 

(d) How many full stops did you need? 

Where? 

2. Write a proper noun that tells you: 

(a) a fictional character 

(b) a continent 

(c) a river 

(d) a mountain 

3. Write two short exclamations telling of danger. 

4. Write two short questions to ask an alien. 

5. Write two short commands a teacher might use. 

6. Correct the punctuation error(s). 

(a) what’s for lunch. 

(b) are we there yet, dad. 

(c) watch out for cyclists? 

7. Put a tick in the box if the punctuation is correct. If it’s wrong, correct it with a red pen. 

(a) michelangelo’s statue of david (b) a Tom cruise film 

(c) Los Angeles (d) Victoria falls 

(e) Sydney opera house (f) sahara desert 

82 






Name: 

Date: 

1. Put a full stop in the box after a complete sentence. 

(a) Looking at Lake Lucerne 

(c) Up the mountains 

(b) Be careful, Dad 

(d) There’s Lake Como 

2. Rewrite the sentence. Put full stops where needed. 

The road to Lucerne is very twisty it climbs through the Swiss Alps Dad had to drive 

carefully 

3. Rewrite the sentence. Put capitals where needed. 

if i go back to switzerland, i want to visit zurich and st moritz and i definitely want to see 

the matterhorn. 

4. Rewrite the sentence. Put commas where needed. 

(a) Switzerland is famous for chocolate cuckoo clocks lace and mountains. 

(b) Because the road was twisty Dad drove carefully slowing down on the bends. 

5. Does the sentence need quotation marks? If yes, add them in red pen. 

(a) Mum thought that she would like some chocolate. Yes No 

(b) Could you get me some too, please? Dad asked. Yes No 

(c) Hey! How about me? I thought. Yes No 

6. Rewrite the sentence. Add quotation marks where needed. 

(a) There’s still snow on the mountains. Look! my sister said. 

(b) Can you see anyone skiing? Dad wanted to know. 



83



Name: 

Date: 

1. Circle the contractions. Write them as two words. 

(a) I wouldn’t like to fall off that mountain! 

(b) You’re going to get cold in the snow. 

2. Rewrite the sentences using contractions. 

(a) Where has your coat gone? 

(b) Mum said she would bring it. 

3. Use a suitable contraction to complete the sentence. 

(a) You 

(b) It 

been warmer in your jacket. 

snowed for a very long time. 

4. Which verb has been used in the contraction? Write ‘is’ or ‘has’ on the line. 

It’s going to be really fun in the snow. 

5. Circle the correct words. 

(a) (It’s, Its) good to see Switzerland has protected (it’s, its) environment. 

(b) If (it’s, its) not snowing I’ll take the snowboard for (it’s, its) first run. 

6. Use both it’s and its in a sentence about a mountain. 

7. (a) What is wrong with the sentence? 

‘It wouldn’t of been nice if you had fallen. You should of been more careful.’ 

(b) Rewrite the sentence correctly. 

8. Use the contractions in a short sentence. 

(a) would have 

(b) could have 

(c) should have 

84 





Name: 

Date: 

1. Complete the rules: 

Rule 1: An apostrophe is placed the owner or owners. 

Rule 2: There must be an ‘s’ or the apostrophe. 

2. Tick yes or no. 

(a) That car belongs to Mum and Dad. (b) That bike belongs to my brother. 

Mum and Dad own the car. 

My brother owns the bike. 

It is Mum and Dad’s car. Yes No It is my brothers’ bike. Yes No 

3. Write the name of the owner or owners. Tick if it is correct. Correct it if it’s wrong. 

(a) The rose’s scent 

(b) The bee’s wings 

(c) The bikes’ tyre 

(d) The boys’ schoolbag 

(e) The bees’ hive 

4. Rewrite, using an apostrophe to show the owner(s). 

(a) the warmth of the sun 

(b) the cage belonging to the birds 

(c) the toy belonging to Ian and John 

(d) the gleam of the lighthouse 

(e) the wool from the sheep 

5. Change the one owner to more than one owner by moving the apostrophe. 

(a) one bird’s song many song 

(b) one cat’s eyes many eyes 

6. Change more than one owner to one owner by moving the apostrophe. 

(a) the trees’ leaves one leaves 

(b) the jets’ engines one engines 

7. Write a sentence telling about some cows owned by two farmers named Den and Jen. 



85

RIC-20804_Teaching_Strategies_for_Writing_BkE_punctuation

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