Year 6 English: Commas that make the meaning clear
Part of the Year 6 English brackets, dashes, commas and speech chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Commas that make the meaning clear
A comma can make the meaning clear, and it can stop a sentence being read in two ways. This is called ambiguity. The comma tells the reader who is being spoken to, or what goes with what.
Ambiguous and clear
| Ambiguous | Clear with a comma | What the comma shows |
|---|---|---|
| Let's eat Grandma. | Let's eat, Grandma. | Grandma is being spoken to, and the family will eat. |
Key ideas
- A comma can show who is being spoken to.
- A comma can show what goes with what, and prevent a misreading.
- Read the sentence both ways, and choose the comma that gives the meaning you want.
Method. Decide whether Grandma is the person being spoken to.
- Read it both ways. Without the comma, Grandma could be eaten, which is not meant.Let's eat Grandma.
- Decide the meaning. Grandma is the person being spoken to, so a comma goes after eat.eat,
- Write the sentence. The comma shows that Grandma is spoken to.Let's eat, Grandma.
- Write the answer. Let's eat, Grandma.
Check. The comma shows who is being addressed. ✓
Method. Decide who is being thanked, and where the comma helps.
- Read it. The sentence thanks Mum and Dad, who are addressed directly.Mum and Dad
- Add the comma. A comma after thank you shows that Mum and Dad are spoken to.you,
- Write the sentence. The comma makes the meaning clear.Thank you, Mum and Dad.
- Write the answer. Thank you, Mum and Dad.
Check. The comma shows who is spoken to. ✓
Method. Look at the name of the person.
- Find the name. Grandma is a name for the person addressed.Grandma
- Choose the comma. The comma goes between eat and Grandma, to address her.Let's eat, Grandma
- Write the answer. Let's eat, Grandma
Check. The comma goes before the name. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a comma that is missing can change the meaning. Read the sentence aloud in your head, and check whether the reader might misread it.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to read Let's eat Grandma and Let's eat, Grandma aloud, and to say which one a family would mean.
Exercise 9C Practice: commas that make the meaning clear
Method. Think about who or what the words refer to.
- Read the sentence. Without the comma, the sentence can be misread.Let's eat Grandma.
- Add the comma. The comma shows that Grandma is being spoken to, and the family will eat..Let's eat, Grandma.
- Write the answer. Let's eat, Grandma.
Check. The comma makes the meaning clear. ✓
Watch out. A comma can change who is being addressed, or what goes with what.
Method. Think about who or what the words refer to.
- Read the sentence. Without the comma, the sentence can be misread.Thank you Mum and Dad.
- Add the comma. The comma shows that the comma shows that Mum and Dad are being thanked.Thank you, Mum and Dad.
- Write the answer. Thank you, Mum and Dad.
Check. The comma makes the meaning clear. ✓
Watch out. A comma can change who is being addressed, or what goes with what.
Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.
- Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
- Test the choice. The comma shows that Grandma is spoken to.Let us eat, Grandma. fits
- Reject the other choices. Without the comma, the sentence could mean that Grandma is eaten.Let us eat Grandma. do not fit
- Write the answer. Let us eat, Grandma.
Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓
Method. Find the name of the person spoken to, and put a comma before it.
- Find the name. Sam is the person addressed.Sam
- Add the comma. A comma before the name shows who is spoken to.Come here, Sam.
- Write the answer. Come here, Sam.
Check. The comma shows who is addressed. ✓
Method. Find the name and put a comma before it.
- Find the name. Mum is the person addressed.Mum
- Add the comma. A comma before Mum shows who is thanked.Thank you, Mum.
- Write the answer. Thank you, Mum.
Check. The comma shows the person addressed. ✓
Method. Think about how the sentence can be read.
- Read it without the comma. The sentence can be read in two ways.two ways
- Read it with the comma. The comma tells the reader which way is meant.which way
- Write the answer. A comma tells the reader who is being spoken to, or what goes with what, so the sentence can only be read one way.
Check. A comma shows the intended meaning. ✓
Method. Find the person addressed, and put a comma before the name.
- Find the name. Grandma is the person addressed.Grandma
- Add the comma. A comma before Grandma shows she is addressed.Let's eat, Grandma.
- Write the answer. Let's eat, Grandma.
Check. The comma shows who is addressed. ✓
Method. Compare the two sentences.
- Read the first. Grandma is spoken to, so the family is asked to eat.spoken to
- Read the second. Without the comma, Grandma could be the food.food
- Write the answer. The first is an invitation to Grandma, while the second could suggest she is eaten
Check. The two sentences mean different things. ✓
Method. Put the name of the person in commas.
- Find the name. Ruby is the person spoken to.Ruby
- Add the commas. A comma before and after the name shows who is addressed.Ruby,
- Write the answer. Good morning, Ruby, did you sleep well.
Check. The comma shows who is spoken to. ✓
Method. Think about what the words could mean.
- Read the words. Grandma could be the food, or a person being addressed.food or person
- Name the word. Grandma is the word that could be misread.Grandma
- Write the answer. Grandma
Check. Grandma is the word. ✓
Method. Think about who or what the words refer to.
- Read the sentence. Without the comma, the sentence can be misread.Thank you Mum and Dad.
- Add the comma. The comma shows that the comma shows that Mum and Dad are being thanked.Thank you, Mum and Dad.
- Write the answer. Thank you, Mum and Dad.
Check. The comma makes the meaning clear. ✓
Watch out. A comma can change who is being addressed, or what goes with what.