Single Dashes Worksheet: Year 6 SATs SPaG

Year 6 SATs SPaG worksheet on single dashes: 20 questions in the style of the SATs, with answers. Free 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 dash at the natural break in the sentence. The parcel arrived on Tuesday three weeks late. / Insert a dash at the natural break in the sentence. They searched the whole house and found nothing.

What is a single dash? A single dash can be used to add an extra comment, explanation or dramatic pause at the end of a sentence: There was only one thing to do – run. It can also link two closely related clauses, similar to a semicolon but less formal. A pair of dashes is used for parenthesis, which is covered on a separate sheet.

Common mistakes and tips: Children often confuse dashes with hyphens, which are shorter and join words. Others place a dash randomly within a sentence. Explain that the dash signals a pause before something important or surprising. Practising with sentences where the dash creates a clear dramatic effect makes its purpose memorable.

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.