Commas After Introductory Elements

PROCEDURAL

English›Grammar & Punctuation|Ages 10—11|ID: mt_0wUwxyBs5y

Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence, including introductory words, phrases, and clauses

Mastery Evidence

Place commas after introductory adverbs such as 'However' or 'Therefore' at the start of sentences
Use commas after introductory prepositional phrases like 'In the morning' or 'After the game'
Punctuate introductory dependent clauses correctly such as 'When the bell rang, we left'

Assessment Prompt

“When [child] begins a sentence with a phrase or clause — like "Despite the rain," or "If you look closely," — do they put a comma after that opening part before the main sentence begins?”

Curriculum Standards1 alignment

L.5.2bCommon Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

L.5.2b

Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.

English Language Arts

Prerequisites2

Fronted Adverbials and Commas
hardAges 8—9
Commas in lists
softAges 6—11

Show full prerequisite tree

Fronted Adverbials and Commas hard
Introductory element commas build on fronted adverbials
- Commas in lists soft
  Comma after fronted adverbial extends comma usage introduced for lists
  - Building sentences soft
    Understanding sentences supports knowing where to place commas
  - Starting and Ending Sentences hard
    Must know basic punctuation before learning comma usage
    - Building sentences hard
      Must understand sentences before punctuating them
- Expressing Time, Place and Cause hard
  Fronted adverbials build on understanding conjunctions, adverbs, and prepositions to express time and cause
  - Prepositions hard
    Using prepositions for time/cause builds on Y1 prepositions
    - Listening and responding soft
      Listening and responding supports learning prepositions
  - Subordinate clauses hard
    Time/cause conjunctions extend Y2 subordination/co-ordination
    - Listening and responding soft
      Listening skills support understanding complex sentence structures
    - Building sentences hard
      Must understand sentences before combining clauses
    - Four Types of Sentences soft
      Understanding sentence types supports creating complex sentences
      - Building sentences hard
        Must understand what a sentence is before learning sentence types
      - Starting and Ending Sentences hard
        Must know basic sentence punctuation before varying it by type
        
        Building sentences hard
        Must understand sentences before punctuating them
    - Joining Words with 'And' hard
      Must be able to join with 'and' before learning subordination and other co-ordinating conjunctions
      - Building sentences hard
        Must understand sentences before joining them
Commas in lists soft
Introductory-element comma use builds on broader comma awareness from list punctuation
- Building sentences soft
  Understanding sentences supports knowing where to place commas
- Starting and Ending Sentences hard
  Must know basic punctuation before learning comma usage
  - Building sentences hard
    Must understand sentences before punctuating them

Unlocks0

No topics build on this one.