Year 4 English Fronted adverbials and connecting words: check-up and practice test questions

Method. Find the words at the start that come before the comma.

1. Look at the start of the sentence. A fronted adverbial comes first in the sentence.
   Quickly the puppy ran to the gate.
2. Find the comma. The words before the comma are the fronted adverbial.
   Quickly,
3. Copy the words before the comma. Copy only these words, not the main clause after the comma.
   Quickly
4. Check its type. It answers the question about manner, so it tells how.
   tells how
5. Write the answer.
   Quickly

Check. Read the sentence aloud: the words before the comma are the adverbial. ✓

Watch out. Copy only the words before the comma, not the main clause after it.

Method. Ask a question about the fronted adverbial.

1. Find the fronted adverbial. It is the words before the comma.
   Under the table,
2. Ask the question it answers. Ask when, where or how the thing happened.
   Where did it happen?
3. Choose the word. The answer is where, so this adverbial tells where, which is a place.
   where = place
4. Write the answer.
   where

Check. The word where answers the question. ✓

Watch out. Decide from the question the adverbial answers, not from the first word.

Method. Find the fronted adverbial, then put one comma straight after it.

1. Find the fronted adverbial at the start. It is the words at the start of the sentence.
   In the afternoon
2. Put the comma after it. The comma goes straight after the whole adverbial, not after its first word.
   In the afternoon,
3. Check the rest of the sentence. The main clause keeps its own words after the comma.
   In the afternoon, we painted the shed.
4. Write the answer.
   In the afternoon, we painted the shed.

Check. Read it aloud and pause after the comma. ✓

Watch out. The comma goes after the whole adverbial, never in the middle of it.

Method. Find the fronted adverbial, then put one comma straight after it.

1. Find the fronted adverbial at the start. It is the words at the start of the sentence.
   After the bell rang
2. Put the comma after it. The comma goes straight after the whole adverbial, not after its first word.
   After the bell rang,
3. Check the rest of the sentence. The main clause keeps its own words after the comma.
   After the bell rang, we ran outside.
4. Write the answer.
   After the bell rang, we ran outside.

Check. Read it aloud and pause after the comma. ✓

Watch out. The comma goes after the whole adverbial, never in the middle of it.

Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.
   Mia stayed indoors ___ the wind was very strong.
2. Think about the meaning. The wind is the reason Mia stayed indoors.
   Mia stayed indoors because the wind was very strong.
3. Check the other choices. Although would show a contrast, and before would give a time, which does not fit a reason.
   Mia stayed indoors because the wind was very strong.
4. Write the answer.
   because

Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with because in the gap. ✓

Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.

Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.
   The field was muddy. ___, we played football anyway.
2. Think about the meaning. We played in spite of the mud, so the second sentence is a contrast.
   The field was muddy. however, we played football anyway.
3. Check the other choices. Meanwhile would show two things at the same time, which does not fit a contrast.
   The field was muddy. however, we played football anyway.
4. Write the answer.
   however

Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with however in the gap. ✓

Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.

Method. Compare the sentence with the punctuation it should have.

1. Read the sentence. Check the commas, the full stops and the capital letters.
   Every morning Dad walks the dog.
2. Find the mistake. The comma after the fronted adverbial is missing.
   add a comma after morning
3. Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. The pause now matches the punctuation.
   Every morning, Dad walks the dog.
4. Write the answer.
   No. Every morning, Dad walks the dog.

Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓

Watch out. Read the sentence aloud, and pause where the comma goes.

Method. Move the adverbial to the front, then add its comma.

1. Find the adverbial at the end. every Tuesday tells time, so it can move to the front.
   every Tuesday
2. Move it to the start. A fronted adverbial starts the sentence, with a capital letter.
   Every Tuesday
3. Add the comma and the main clause. The comma goes after the adverbial. The main clause keeps its words.
   Every Tuesday, the team practised.
4. Write the answer.
   Every Tuesday, the team practised.

Check. Read it aloud: the adverbial, a pause, then the main clause. ✓

Watch out. When the adverbial moves to the front, its first letter needs a capital.

Method. Ask the question that Yesterday answers.

1. Ask a question. When did we paint the fence? Yesterday.
   Yesterday
2. Choose the type. It answers when, so it is a time adverbial, not a manner adverbial.
   when
3. Write the answer.
   No. Yesterday tells when, so it is a time adverbial

Check. Yesterday answers when. ✓

Watch out. Ask the question first, then choose the type.

Method. Start with a place phrase, then a comma.

1. Choose a place phrase. Beside the pond tells where.
   Beside the pond
2. Add the comma and the main clause. The comma follows the whole phrase.
   Beside the pond, the frogs sat in the sun.
3. Write the answer.
   Beside the pond, the frogs sat in the sun.

Check. The phrase tells where. ✓

Watch out. Check the phrase tells where, not how.

Method. Find the words at the start that come before the comma.

1. Look at the start of the sentence. A fronted adverbial comes first in the sentence.
   Gently the baby fell asleep.
2. Find the comma. The words before the comma are the fronted adverbial.
   Gently,
3. Copy the words before the comma. Copy only these words, not the main clause after the comma.
   Gently
4. Check its type. It answers the question about manner, so it tells how.
   tells how
5. Write the answer.
   Gently

Check. Read the sentence aloud: the words before the comma are the adverbial. ✓

Watch out. Copy only the words before the comma, not the main clause after it.

Method. Find the word that joins the two parts of the sentence.

1. Find the two clauses. One clause makes sense on its own, and the other depends on it.
   After the storm, the streets were quiet.
2. Find the joining word. It is the connective that joins the two clauses.
   After
3. Check its meaning. After shows the streets were quiet later than the storm.
   After
4. Write the answer.
   After

Check. The connective is the word that shows the meaning. ✓

Watch out. Connectives are small words such as when, after, because and although.

Method. Find the fronted adverbial, then put one comma straight after it.

1. Find the fronted adverbial at the start. It is the words at the start of the sentence.
   Under the stairs
2. Put the comma after it. The comma goes straight after the whole adverbial, not after its first word.
   Under the stairs,
3. Check the rest of the sentence. The main clause keeps its own words after the comma.
   Under the stairs, the cat found a toy.
4. Write the answer.
   Under the stairs, the cat found a toy.

Check. Read it aloud and pause after the comma. ✓

Watch out. The comma goes after the whole adverbial, never in the middle of it.

Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.
   ___ we were tired, we went home early.
2. Think about the meaning. Going home early is the result of being tired, so the connective gives a reason.
   Because we were tired, we went home early.
3. Check the other choices. Although would show a contrast, which does not fit a reason.
   Because we were tired, we went home early.
4. Write the answer.
   because

Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with because in the gap. ✓

Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.

Method. Compare the sentence with the punctuation it should have.

1. Read the sentence. Check the commas, the full stops and the capital letters.
   Under the desk the puppy slept.
2. Find the mistake. The comma after the fronted adverbial is missing.
   add a comma after desk
3. Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. The pause now matches the punctuation.
   Under the desk, the puppy slept.
4. Write the answer.
   No. Under the desk, the puppy slept.

Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓

Watch out. Read the sentence aloud, and pause where the comma goes.

Method. Find the words at the start that come before the comma.

1. Look at the start of the sentence. A fronted adverbial comes first in the sentence.
   Before the concert started the choir warmed up.
2. Find the comma. The words before the comma are the fronted adverbial.
   Before the concert started,
3. Copy the words before the comma. Copy only these words, not the main clause after the comma.
   Before the concert started
4. Check its type. It answers the question about time, so it tells when.
   tells when
5. Write the answer.
   Before the concert started

Check. Read the sentence aloud: the words before the comma are the adverbial. ✓

Watch out. Copy only the words before the comma, not the main clause after it.

Method. Move the adverbial to the front, then add its comma.

1. Find the adverbial at the end. at the market tells place, so it can move to the front.
   at the market
2. Move it to the start. A fronted adverbial starts the sentence, with a capital letter.
   At the market
3. Add the comma and the main clause. The comma goes after the adverbial. The main clause keeps its words.
   At the market, the farmer sold the eggs.
4. Write the answer.
   At the market, the farmer sold the eggs.

Check. Read it aloud: the adverbial, a pause, then the main clause. ✓

Watch out. When the adverbial moves to the front, its first letter needs a capital.

Method. Start with a phrase that tells how, then a comma.

1. Choose a manner phrase. With a big smile tells how Sam opened the door.
   With a big smile
2. Add the comma and the main clause. The comma follows the whole phrase, then the main clause.
   With a big smile, Sam opened the door.
3. Write the answer.
   With a big smile, Sam opened the door.

Check. The phrase tells how. ✓

Watch out. Check the phrase tells how, not when or where.

Method. Use a full stop, then However and a comma.

1. Keep the first sentence. The path was steep. This stays as it is.
   The path was steep.
2. Add however to the second sentence. However starts the second sentence, with a capital letter and a comma.
   However, we reached the top.
3. Write the answer.
   The path was steep. However, we reached the top.

Check. Full stop, capital, comma. ✓

Watch out. However shows a contrast: the path was steep, but the top was reached.

Method. Look for a verb in each group of words.

1. Look at when the bell rang. It has a verb, rang, so it is a clause.
   rang
2. Look at the bell. It has no verb, so it is only a noun phrase, not a clause.
   no verb
3. Write the answer.
   the clause has the verb rang; the bell has no verb, so it is not a clause

Check. A clause needs a verb. ✓

Watch out. A clause always has a verb.