Apostrophes and speech punctuation
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Threads
Why this why now
This unit uses and builds directly on learning how to punctuate speech first sentences in the Year 3 grammar unit 'Speech first punctuation and apostrophes', where direct speech comes first and reporting clauses come second in a sentence. New learning includes rules around punctuating speech second sentences, where the direct speech follows the reporting clause. Pupils review how to use apostrophes for contraction, singular and plural possession. This unit prepares pupils for further review of this punctuation in the Year 5 grammar unit 'Speech punctuation, parenthesis and apostrophes'.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Punctuation helps form grammar rules to use the English language correctly.
- Word class helps to form complete sentences that make sense.
- Understanding word class helps us when we are writing.
- An apostrophe is an important piece of punctuation with more than one purpose.
- An apostrophe can show contraction of two words.
- An apostrophe can show if a noun belongs to another singular noun.
- An apostrophe can show if a noun belongs to another plural noun.
- Inverted commas in speech sentences show the reader that a character is speaking in a text.
- A speech first sentence begins with a character's spoken words.
- A speech first sentence has a specific set of punctuation rules.
Threads
Why this why now
This unit uses and builds directly on learning how to punctuate speech first sentences in the Year 3 grammar unit 'Speech first punctuation and apostrophes', where direct speech comes first and reporting clauses come second in a sentence. New learning includes rules around punctuating speech second sentences, where the direct speech follows the reporting clause. Pupils review how to use apostrophes for contraction, singular and plural possession. This unit prepares pupils for further review of this punctuation in the Year 5 grammar unit 'Speech punctuation, parenthesis and apostrophes'.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Punctuation helps form grammar rules to use the English language correctly.
- Word class helps to form complete sentences that make sense.
- Understanding word class helps us when we are writing.
- An apostrophe is an important piece of punctuation with more than one purpose.
- An apostrophe can show contraction of two words.
- An apostrophe can show if a noun belongs to another singular noun.
- An apostrophe can show if a noun belongs to another plural noun.
- Inverted commas in speech sentences show the reader that a character is speaking in a text.
- A speech first sentence begins with a character's spoken words.
- A speech first sentence has a specific set of punctuation rules.
Grammar
Apostrophes and speech punctuation
In this unit, pupils review rules for apostrophes for contraction, singular possession and plural possession and punctuation conventions for speech first sentences. The new learning is around the rules for punctuating direct speech when it comes second after a reporting clause in a sentence.
3 lessons in unit
slide decks, worksheet PDFs, quizzes and lesson overviews. You can select individual lessons from the Apostrophes and speech punctuation unit and download the resources you need, or download the entire unit now. See every unit listed in our primary english curriculum and discover more of our teaching resources for primary english programmes.