1. Grammar Subject Knowledge: Tricky Punctuation
These PowerPoints are designed to refresh and consolidate key grammar subject knowledge with staff. They are designed for use within staff meetings and for use with support staff. Consistency of language and approaches to teaching grammar across a whole school are essential to embedding grammar within our teaching of writing.
@literacy_trust

2. “Punctuation marks are the traffic signals of language: they tell us to slow down, notice this, take a detour, or stop.” Lynne Truss

3. Purpose of punctuation…
“Punctuation has an essential role to play in identifying grammatical structure in writing.” Two Main Functions:
To signal marking boundary e.g. identifying paragraphs (space/ indentation…), sentences (full stops /capitals…), functional elements within sentences (commas/semi-colons…) and words (spaces).
To indicate grammatical function e.g. an apostrophe indicates a missing letter or a capital can indicate a proper noun, etc.
David Crystal

4. KS1 Domain
KS2 Domain
These are the domain areas of grammar covered in the SPAG Tests and linked to the NC expectations.

5. Relevant NC expectations:
Year Group
Statutory Expectation Y1 Y2
Commas to separate items in a list
Y3 / Y4
Use of inverted commas and other punctuation to indicate direct speech
Use of commas after fronted adverbials
Y5 / Y6
Brackets, dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis
Use of commas to clarify meaning or avoid ambiguity Use of the semi-colon, colon and dash to mark the boundary between independent clauses Use of the colon to introduce a list
Punctuation of bullet points to list information
How hyphens can be used to avoid ambiguity
These are the NC statutory expectations selected which underpin this PowerPoint content.

6. Commas
“Of all the punctuation marks, the comma is the most used and misused. Commas can create havoc when they are left out or are put in the wrong spot, and the results of misuse can be hilarious. This little dot with a tail has the power to change the meaning of a sentence by connecting things that shouldn’t be connected or breaking apart things that should stay together.” L Truss

7. List the uses of a comma
Use this classic text to get you started! A panda walks into the library. He eats a sandwich, then draws his bow and shoots two arrows.
“ Why did you do that?” asks the librarian as the panda walks towards the exit.
The panda shows her a badly punctuated book. “I’m a panda,” he says. “ That’s what it says we do.”
The librarian looks at the page:
PANDA
Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.

8. Commas continued
Main uses:
To help the reader by separating parts of a sentence Marking phrases / clauses / fronted adverbials / etc.
To help the reader by separating items in a list
To separate elements in speech These are all generally straight forward. Clear understanding of sentence construction make the first use much easier. E.g. Although he was annoyed inside, he managed to smile sweetly at the teacher.
If we can spot the main and subordinate clauses, we can quickly mark the boundary between them – see PowerPoint 1 on sentence construction

9. The tricky bit of commas
Use of commas to clarify meaning or avoid ambiguity If we decided not to swim then, Mandy and Ann would be pleased Then is linked to swim BUT
If we decided not to swim, then Mandy and Ann would be pleased Then is linked to Mandy and Ann

10. Beware the comma splice
Which is correct and why? a) I’ll never be able to buy a house, the prices these days are just ridiculous.
b) I can’t afford a house in London, so I’m moving to Cornwall.

11. Beware the comma splice
a) I’ll never be able to buy a house, the prices these days are just ridiculous. = incorrect. This is an example of the comma splice. Two independent main clauses should be marked by a full stop or sometimes a conjunction.
b) I can’t afford a house in London, so I’m moving to Cornwall. = correct. We can have a comma here because it precedes the conjunction so.

12. Test yourself! Splice or no splice
Paul loves to travel, he visits Hungary at least once a year.
Flying back from Greece, we saw a beautiful sunset.
I always find writing essays difficult, I usually leave them to the last minute.
She makes a smashing apple pie, I love it
= comma splice – need a FS
= fine – separates main and dependent phrase
3. = comma splice – need a FS
4. = comma splice - need a FS

16. This sentence is of course grammatically correct – there is a comma but it precedes the coordinating conjunction. The punctuation mark that could replace ,but could feel would be a colon. Can staff explain why this is? Moving on to colons …

17. Colons and semi-colons
The ‘rules’ governing some of the uses of colons and semi-colons are flexible, which makes their uses rather subtle and can give sophistication to writing but only if understood by pupils. Let’s take the easy bits first!

18. Colons are all about introducing what comes next.
List and quotes are relatively simple. To introduce a quote The director often used her favourite quotation from Monty Python: 'I wasn't expecting the Spanish Inquisition.’ To introduce a speaker/dialogue in a play Lady Montague: Try as I might, I simply cannot get this blessed melody right! To introduce a list Which of these is correct and why? a)The potion contained the following ingredients: snails' eyes, bats' tongues and garlic. b) In the bag were: scissors, a hairbrush and her address book.
Colons in lists: A = correct. The clause which precedes the colon should make sense on its own.

19. Ask staff to look carefully at the question and even more carefully at the answer on the next slide.

22. Colons continued
More introducing… To introduce an idea Introducing an explanation or continuation of the one that comes before the colon. The colon can be considered as a gateway inviting the reader to go on.
You are left with only one option: press on until you have mastered it.
There is one thing you need to know about coleslaw: it looks and tastes like slurry.
He pulled back the curtains: bright sunlight lit up the room It is important to note that the clause that comes before the colon should usually stand alone and make complete sense on its own.

23. Colons for style
Style. To add emphasis. Using a colon can add emphasis to an idea. For example, consider the following two sentences:
The one thing mankind cannot live without is hope.
There is one thing that mankind cannot live without: hope. Both sentences are grammatically correct, but the second makes the point a little more forcefully. (why not a semi-colon here?)
Try This – make this more forceful: You have no choice but to accept the referee's decision.
You have no choice : accept the referee's decision.
Why not use a semi-colon? Because you need to have two independent clauses to use a semi-colon – one before and one after the semi-colon. In this case the word ‘ hope’ would NOT be an independent clause.

24. Remember this ?
She groped about with her hand: nothing but wood.

25. Moving on to semi-colons
separating off sections of complex lists where commas might be confusing;
linking closely related statements in various ways to emphasise the connection – either because they are closely linked or contrasting
To separate two main clauses
Ask yourself:
> Can the two sentences be separated by a FS? > Do I want to show that they are more closely related / contrasting? > Could I easily replace the semi-colon with ‘and’ (co-ordinating conjunctions)

26. Semi-colons in a more complex list
A complex list In the meeting today we have Professor Wilson, University of Barnsley, Dr Watson, University of Barrow in Furness, Colonel Custard, Metropolitan Police and Dr Mable Syrup, Genius General, University of Otago, New Zealand.
Now using a semi colon to sort this out In the meeting today we have Professor Wilson, University of Barnsley; Dr Watson, University of Barrow in Furness; Colonel Custard, Metropolitan Police and Dr Mable Syrup, Genius General, University of Otago, New Zealand.

27. Semi-colons for style
To show contrast The summer was too hot; the winter was too cold.
By day, I file legal documents; at night, I dance on a bar.
To show close relation Terry always slept with the light on; he was afraid of the dark.
Elephants live in hot countries; they cool off by bathing. Here we are making the link between the two main clauses specific (showing the relationship) rather than using a full stop or coordinating conjunction. N.B. Remember you couldn’t use a comma – comma splice again!

28. Which are correct?
Greece is a beautiful country; lovely beaches and friendly people.
Greece is a beautiful country; the people are friendly and the beaches are empty.
I hate rice pudding; dairy products don’t agree with me.
I love London; rice pudding is one of my favourite foods.
Incorrect – not two main clauses. The second can’t stand on its own (lovely beaches, friendly people)
Correct – connecting two related main clauses
Incorrect – yes two main clauses BUT not related or connected in any way.

29. Which is correct?
In 2016 the music world was shaken by a tragic event; the death of David Bowie.
In 2016 the music world was shaken by a tragic event: the death of David Bowie.
B is correct.
Can’t have a semi-colon as although they are related, they are NOT two independent main clauses. The correct use of the colon shows the relationship which follows on from the first clause .

30. Commentary: This question assesses identification of the semi-colon and knowledge of the term, as well as an understanding of its function in separating two related main clauses. Semi-colons were previously assessed only in the Level 6 test.

31. And just to make you think…
All these sentences use punctuation correctly BUT the choice of punctuation subtly changes the meaning. Explain each one.
Lucy is upset. Freddy is having a complete breakdown
Lucy is upset; Freddy is having a complete breakdown
Lucy is upset: Freddy is having a complete breakdown
The implication is that both these things are happening possibly at the same time – you could replace the full stop with and.
By adding a semi-colon, the implication is that they are related. Perhaps they are both upset at the same thing – again you could replace the full stop with and but there is a closer relationship which implies the cause could be the same.
By adding a colon you have changed the implication. Now the first statement introduces the second. This implies that Lucy is upset BECAUSE Freddy is having a complete breakdown!

32. And finally…dashes v hyphens
Hyphens link and dashes separate
DASHES
> They do a similar job to brackets and are useful for separating off parts of a sentence which introduce information or new ideas, or are not essential to understanding > They can replace commas, brackets, semi-colons and colons
> They are usually less formal – more conversational Use sparingly!
Several hundred people – like the couple in the film – have been left homeless by the flood.
Everyone turned up for the party – even Freddy.

33. And finally… dashes v hyphens
Hyphens link and dashes separate
HYPHENS
> Hyphens join. They can join compound nouns (city-centre), prefixes (non-viable), adjectives / verbs (bad-tempered / strawberry-picking), etc.
> They also join words across lines of print. This really helps when you type very quickly which unfor- tunately happens quite a lot. > They can also help with clarity…

34. Also hyphens can be very useful!
Think clarity…
Her face turned an ugly brick-red.
Her face turned an ugly brick red.
She is recovering the chair / She is re-covering the chair
Our first-class discussion
Our first class discussion
Hyphens link; dashes separate.

35. Last sentence is correct.

36. Commentary: This question assesses knowledge of dashes to indicate parenthesis. The previous test framework reference to brackets has been replaced by the wider reference of punctuation for parenthesis, which includes dashes, as a new part of the test framework.

37. Commentary: This question assesses the use of the single dash to mark the boundary between independent clauses.

38. B is correct.

39. Sources: Making Sense of Grammar – David Crystal
Rediscover Grammar – David Crystal
Teaching Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling in Primary School – Waugh, Warner & Waugh
Grammar for Writing – DFE
Jumpstart Grammar – Corbett & Strong
Teaching Grammar Effectively in the Classroom – Reedy & Bearne UKLA
University of Bristol - orial/page_01.htm
These are included in the accompanying “Top Ten Great Grammar Resources” document.