Year 6 English: Dashes and commas to mark extra information
Part of the Year 6 English brackets, dashes, commas and speech chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Dashes and commas to mark extra information
A parenthesis can also be marked with a pair of dashes or a pair of commas. Each device says the same thing, but a dash is more informal and a comma is more neutral. The sentence must still make sense without the extra information.
Three ways to mark the same extra information
| Brackets | Dashes | Commas |
|---|---|---|
| The bridge (which was painted last spring) crosses the river. | The bridge – which was painted last spring – crosses the river. | The bridge, which was painted last spring, crosses the river. |
| The farmer (a tall man in a green coat) waved from the gate. | The farmer – a tall man in a green coat – waved from the gate. | The farmer, a tall man in a green coat, waved from the gate. |
Key ideas
- A pair of dashes marks extra information, with a space either side.
- A pair of commas marks extra information in a neutral way.
- Use one device for a sentence, and keep to it.
Method. Find the extra information, then put a dash before and after it.
- Find the extra information. Swollen by the rain gives extra detail about the river.swollen by the rain
- Use the dashes. A dash goes before and after it, with a space either side.– swollen by the rain –
- Check. The sentence still makes sense without the dashes.The river rose over the path.
- Write the answer. The river – swollen by the rain – rose over the path.
Check. The dashes mark the extra information. ✓
Method. Find the extra information, then put a comma before and after it.
- Find the extra information. Which was painted last spring is extra detail.which was painted last spring
- Use the commas. A comma goes before and after it., which was painted last spring,
- Check. The bridge crosses the river still makes sense.The bridge, which was painted last spring, crosses the river.
- Write the answer. The bridge, which was painted last spring, crosses the river.
Check. The commas mark the extra information. ✓
Method. Think about how formal each device is.
- Compare. Commas are neutral; dashes are more informal, and they draw attention.neutral, informal
- Decide. Dashes are the more informal device.dashes
- Write the answer. dashes
Check. Dashes are more informal. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a pair of dashes or a pair of commas must come in a pair. Do not use one dash, or only one comma, to mark extra information.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to read the same sentence with brackets, then with dashes, then with commas. Ask which one sounds most natural to them.
Exercise 9B Practice: dashes and commas for extra information
Method. Find the extra information, then put a mark before and after it.
- Find the extra information. The extra information is built in 1400.built in 1400
- Mark it. Put a pair of dashes before and after it, so the sentence still makes sense without it.The castle – built in 1400 – is open to visitors today.
- Write the answer. The castle – built in 1400 – is open to visitors today.
Check. The sentence makes sense without the extra information. ✓
Watch out. Parenthesis is extra information that can be removed. The main sentence must still make sense.
Method. Find the extra information, then put a mark before and after it.
- Find the extra information. The extra information is who lives in Leeds.who lives in Leeds
- Mark it. Put a pair of dashes before and after it, so the sentence still makes sense without it.My sister – who lives in Leeds – is visiting us next week.
- Write the answer. My sister – who lives in Leeds – is visiting us next week.
Check. The sentence makes sense without the extra information. ✓
Watch out. Parenthesis is extra information that can be removed. The main sentence must still make sense.
Method. Find the extra information, then put a mark before and after it.
- Find the extra information. The extra information is which was painted last spring.which was painted last spring
- Mark it. Put a pair of dashes before and after it, so the sentence still makes sense without it.The bridge – which was painted last spring – crosses the river.
- Write the answer. The bridge – which was painted last spring – crosses the river.
Check. The sentence makes sense without the extra information. ✓
Watch out. Parenthesis is extra information that can be removed. The main sentence must still make sense.
Method. Find the extra information, then put a mark before and after it.
- Find the extra information. The extra information is a tall man in a green coat.a tall man in a green coat
- Mark it. Put a pair of commas before and after it, so the sentence still makes sense without it.The farmer, a tall man in a green coat, waved from the gate.
- Write the answer. The farmer, a tall man in a green coat, waved from the gate.
Check. The sentence makes sense without the extra information. ✓
Watch out. Parenthesis is extra information that can be removed. The main sentence must still make sense.
Method. Find the extra information, then put a mark before and after it.
- Find the extra information. The extra information is Mrs Patel.Mrs Patel
- Mark it. Put a pair of commas before and after it, so the sentence still makes sense without it.Our teacher, Mrs Patel, organised the trip.
- Write the answer. Our teacher, Mrs Patel, organised the trip.
Check. The sentence makes sense without the extra information. ✓
Watch out. Parenthesis is extra information that can be removed. The main sentence must still make sense.
Method. Find the extra information, then put a mark before and after it.
- Find the extra information. The extra information is swollen by the rain.swollen by the rain
- Mark it. Put a pair of commas before and after it, so the sentence still makes sense without it.The river, swollen by the rain, rose over the path.
- Write the answer. The river, swollen by the rain, rose over the path.
Check. The sentence makes sense without the extra information. ✓
Watch out. Parenthesis is extra information that can be removed. The main sentence must still make sense.
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 pair of commas goes around the extra information, and both are present.My sister, who lives in Leeds, is visiting us. fits
- Reject the other choices. The first sentence has only one comma, so the extra information is not marked.My sister, who lives in Leeds is visiting us. do not fit
- Write the answer. My sister, who lives in Leeds, is visiting us.
Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓
Method. Find the words between the dashes.
- Find the dashes. The dashes enclose the extra information.– –
- Copy the words. The words between the dashes are a tall man in a green coat.a tall man in a green coat
- Write the answer. a tall man in a green coat
Check. The words are between the dashes. ✓
Method. Think about where the extra information starts and ends.
- Find the start. The first comma shows where the extra information starts.starts
- Find the end. The second comma shows where it ends.ends
- Write the answer. Because the extra information needs a mark both before and after it, so that the reader sees where it ends.
Check. Both ends are marked. ✓
Method. Find the extra information, then put a mark before and after it.
- Find the extra information. The extra information is who lives in Leeds.who lives in Leeds
- Mark it. Put a pair of dashes before and after it, so the sentence still makes sense without it.My sister – who lives in Leeds – is visiting us next week.
- Write the answer. My sister – who lives in Leeds – is visiting us next week.
Check. The sentence makes sense without the extra information. ✓
Watch out. Parenthesis is extra information that can be removed. The main sentence must still make sense.
Method. Put a comma before and after the extra information.
- Find the extra information. Which has few visitors describes the village.which has few visitors
- Add the commas. A comma goes before and after it.The village, which has few visitors, is quiet in winter.
- Write the answer. The village, which has few visitors, is quiet in winter.
Check. The commas mark the extra information. ✓
Method. Look at the marks around the extra information.
- Look at the marks. Round brackets are around built in 1400.( )
- Name the device. Round brackets are the device.brackets
- Write the answer. brackets
Check. Round brackets are used. ✓
Method. Write the main sentence, then add the extra information between two dashes.
- Write the main sentence. The dog ran across the park is complete.The dog ran across the park
- Add the dashes. A small brown terrier is the extra information between dashes.a small brown terrier
- Write the answer. The dog – a small brown terrier – ran across the park.
Check. The dashes mark the extra information. ✓
Method. Compare the two devices.
- Look at commas. Commas are neutral and everyday.neutral
- Look at dashes. Dashes are more informal and draw attention.informal
- Write the answer. Commas are more neutral, while dashes are more informal and draw attention to the extra information
Check. Commas are the neutral device. ✓
Method. Find the extra information, then put a mark before and after it.
- Find the extra information. The extra information is swollen by the rain.swollen by the rain
- Mark it. Put a pair of commas before and after it, so the sentence still makes sense without it.The river, swollen by the rain, rose over the path.
- Write the answer. The river, swollen by the rain, rose over the path.
Check. The sentence makes sense without the extra information. ✓
Watch out. Parenthesis is extra information that can be removed. The main sentence must still make sense.