Brackets, Dashes and Commas for Parenthesis

Year 6 SPaG worksheet on brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis: 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 a pair of brackets around the extra information. Antarctica the coldest continent receives very little rain. / Insert a pair of brackets around the extra information. The recipe handed down for generations never fails.

What is parenthesis? Parenthesis is a word, phrase or clause inserted into a sentence to add extra information. It is marked with a pair of brackets, dashes or commas: The castle (built in 1270) is open to visitors. The castle – built in 1270 – is open. The castle, built in 1270, is open. If the parenthesis is removed, the sentence must still make sense.

Common mistakes and tips: Children often place only one bracket, dash or comma, or put the marks around the wrong words. A simple test is to cover the words between the marks: the sentence should still be complete and correct. Choosing between brackets, dashes and commas is partly a matter of style, but children should know all three work for parenthesis.

In the KS2 SATs, grammar and punctuation are tested in a separate paper of around 50 short questions, and this topic regularly appears. The questions on this sheet use the same styles as the test (circle, tick, underline, insert), so children practise the format as well as the knowledge.

Teaching ideas: model the first two questions together and talk through the reasoning, then let children complete the rest independently. Use the answers to group pupils for a follow-up session. For extra challenge, ask children to explain their answers in a full sentence using the correct grammatical terms.

Supporting all learners: for children who find grammar difficult, read the questions aloud and work through the first few together before they continue alone. Colour-coding word classes or clauses on mini whiteboards makes abstract ideas more concrete, and sorting word cards or building sentences from strips helps too. More confident pupils can write their own test-style questions for a partner, with the answers and a short explanation. Once each topic is secure, mix it with others, because the real test does not group questions by topic and pupils need to recognise what each question is asking them to do.