Parenthesis: dashes
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use dashes to cause a dramatic effect for the reader.
Key learning points
- Parenthesis can be achieved with a range of punctuation.
- Dashes are a punctuation mark used to add extra information in a clause often for dramatic effect.
- Dashes are often written in a pair.
- Dashes can be removed from a clause and it will still make sense.
- Dashes can be used purposefully in fiction texts to cause a dramatic effect for the reader.
Keywords
Parenthesis - additional information that is added to a sentence; if it is removed, the sentence still makes sense
Dashes - a punctuation mark to add extra information in a clause often for dramatic effect
Dramatic effect - using writing to create an emotion or effect for the reader
Common misconception
Pupils may struggle to identify where to add parenthesis in a sentence.
It is easiest to add parenthesis after nouns or verbs - encourage children to identify these if needed.
Teacher tip
There are various ways of adding parenthesis (extra information) to a sentence. Here, we focus on using dashes in fiction writing for dramatic effect (as opposed to brackets, which we used in non-fiction writing for extra factual information).
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these texts are likely to be fiction?
Q2.Tick the sentences that contain parenthesis.
Q3.Which section of this sentence could be a piece of parenthesis in brackets? 'World War II 1939-1945 resulted in the deaths of millions of people.'
Q4.Which section of this sentence should be a piece of parenthesis in brackets? 'Spain a country in southern Europe produces lots of sausages.'
Q5.Which version combines these two sentences correctly using parenthesis in brackets? 'K2 is the world's second-highest mountain. It is 8,611m tall.'
Q6.Tick all the pieces of parenthesis that could be placed inside this sentence: 'China has 1.4 billion people.'
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the purpose of adding parenthesis using dashes in a piece of fiction writing?
Q2.Which of these sentences uses dashes correctly to add parenthesis?
Q3.Which words in this sentence should be placed between dashes to show parenthesis? 'An echo loud and deep rang through the darkness.'
Q4.Which words in this sentence should be placed between dashes to show parenthesis? 'The desert as dry as dust stretched for miles in all directions.'
Q5.Which of these sentences creates the most intense effect of fear for the reader?
Q6.Which of these pieces of parenthesis could be added to this sentence to create an effect of sadness? 'The toy was left on the shelf for years.'
To help you plan your 5 English lesson on: Parenthesis: dashes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 5 English lesson on: Parenthesis: dashes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 English lessons from the Speech punctuation, parenthesis and apostrophes unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.