Commas between Adjectives: KS2 SPaG Worksheet

Year 6 SPaG worksheet on commas between adjectives: 20 SATs-style questions with answers. Free printable PDF.

3-page A4 PDF from the Tiger Shark Education question bank (Punctuation): two pages of questions (insert the punctuation) and an answer page. Example questions: Insert commas to separate the adjectives. a tall dark mysterious stranger / Insert commas to separate the adjectives. a steep narrow winding track

What are commas between adjectives? When two or more adjectives describe the same noun equally, they are separated by commas: a long, winding road. A good test is whether ‘and’ could go between them (a long and winding road) or whether the order could be swapped. If the adjectives don’t work like this (a big red bus), no comma is needed.

Common mistakes and tips: Children often put a comma after the last adjective, before the noun (a long, winding, road). Others add commas between every pair of adjectives. Teaching the ‘and’ test gives a clear, reliable way to decide. Questions in the SATs usually ask children to insert commas correctly in a sentence.

Quick example to try: write ‘a cold dark night’ and ‘a big red bus’ on the board. Ask pupils to put ‘and’ between the adjectives and to swap their order. The first works both ways and needs a comma; the second does not, so it needs no comma.

This topic is part of the Year 6 English grammar, punctuation and spelling curriculum and appears in the SATs. Because the test uses precise terminology, practising with the correct terms here helps children recognise what a question is asking.

How teachers use it: as a ten-minute daily grammar slot, as a homework task, or as part of a mixed revision pack in the run-up to the SATs. Pairs can work through it and compare answers before checking the answer page. Revisiting the same topic a few weeks later is an effective way to check retention.

Building understanding, not just recognition: the SATs ask children to identify features, but the real aim is for them to use grammar confidently in their own writing. After completing the sheet, ask pupils to find examples of the topic in a class text and discuss why the author used them. Then set a short writing task where the feature must be used deliberately, such as a paragraph of a story or a piece of non-fiction. Shared editing, where the class improves a weak sentence together, is a powerful way to show the effect of a grammatical choice. Linking grammar to purpose and effect helps children remember the terminology, because it becomes a tool rather than a label.