Teaching Pack

Commas
Cambridge IGCSE™
First Language English 0500
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Contents

Introduction: Commas ..................................................................................................................... 4

Lesson plan: Commas .................................................................................................................... 5

Lesson plan: continued ................................................................................................................... 6

Teacher’s notes .............................................................................................................................. 7

Lesson resources............................................................................................................................ 8

Icons used in this pack:

Lesson plan

Teacher’s notes

Lesson resources
Teaching Pack: Commas

Introduction: Commas

This Teaching Pack focuses on supporting learners to develop an understanding of the use of
commas and to use them correctly in their writing.

The lesson in this pack aims to help learners to use commas effectively in a range of written texts
and for different effects. This lesson is designed for learners who have some knowledge of how to
punctuate their sentences but who may occasionally use commas instead of full stops at the end of
their sentences – known as comma splicing.

This Teaching Pack could be used with the Sentences Teaching Pack to reinforce learners’
understanding of how to punctuate sentences. This may be particularly useful for Paper 2 Directed
Writing and Composition or Component 3 Coursework Portfolio components of Cambridge IGCSE
First Language English 0500.

In this Teaching Pack we have suggested resources you may like to use as well as some
worksheets and teacher notes to print off and use in the classroom with your learners.

4 Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500

 Teaching Pack: Commas

Lesson plan: Commas

Resources  Worksheet 1: Commas in sentences

 Worksheet 2: Jane Eyre extract
 Worksheet 3: Asian and African elephants
 Worksheet 4: Commas quiz

Learning By the end of the lesson all learners will be able to:
objectives
 identify the function of commas in different types of sentences
 use commas effectively and correctly in their own writing for different
purposes

Timings Activity
Starter / Introduction
Task: Distribute Worksheet 1. In pairs learners read the sentences and punctuate
them correctly using commas. They can swap their answers with a partner to check
their work.

Learners then decide which of their sentences match the purpose e.g:
 commas in lists
 commas to separate clauses in complex sentences
 commas in direct speech
 commas after discourse markers.

Main lesson
Task: Distribute Worksheet 2. Read the text aloud without commas or ask for
volunteers to read the text aloud. Learners should work in small groups to decide
where the commas should go.
Learners could then join with another group to compare their answers before you
reveal the correct answers to the learners. We have included answer sheets to
accompany each worksheet. Learners then check their work to see if they are correct.

Encourage a class discussion around the difference between the two texts. Ask
learners to consider:
 What was the difference between the first text (without commas) and the
second text (with commas) in terms of reading speed?
 Which text was easier to understand? Why?
 What was the effect of the commas on the text?
 Did the commas change the meaning of certain sentences?
 What was the purpose of the commas in the text?

Task: Distribute Worksheet 3. In pairs or small groups, learners read the text and use
their knowledge of punctuation to correct the errors.

Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 5

Teaching Pack: Commas

Lesson plan: continued

Timings Activity
Plenary
Task: Distribute Worksheet 4. Play the comma quiz which allows learners to recap
their learning.
In pairs, learners record their answers on mini whiteboards to reveal their
understanding of how to use commas.

or

Learners record their answers after each question and then mark another team’s
answers.

6 Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500

 Teaching Pack: Commas

Teacher’s notes

Key words / concepts you could highlight during the lesson, or have pre-taught before the lesson:

 comma splicing – where commas are used incorrectly in place of full stops at the end of
sentences
 dominant clause – the main part of a sentence which makes grammatical sense by itself
 subordinate clause – a part of a sentence that gives the reader extra information but relies
on the dominant clause to make grammatical sense
 discourse markers – a word or phrase whose function is to organise writing into segments
 direct speech – where the writer records exactly what was said by repeating the actual
words of the speaker
 reported speech – where the writer reports what was said, usually by summarising the
words the speaker says

Text summaries

Jane Eyre is the story of a young orphaned girl who lives with her wicked aunt and cousins. Jane is
sent away to a boarding school named Lowood, which is ruled by a cruel principal named Mr.
Brocklehurst. Here, her best friend dies after a typhus epidemic but Mr. Brocklehurst also leaves the
school as this highlights the poor conditions in the school. After another group of gentlemen take
over the school, Jane’s life and the school greatly improve and Jane eventually becomes a teacher
at the school.

After teaching at the school for two years, Jane is offered a job as a governess at a manor house
named Thornfield where she teaches a little girl named Adele. Thornfield is owned by a mysterious
man named Mr. Rochester. Jane and Mr. Rochester eventually fall in love and prepare to be married.
Whilst Jane and Rochester are in the church, about to become husband and wife, someone who
claims that Mr. Rochester is already married interrupts the ceremony.

In this extract, Mr. Rochester takes Jane and the wedding party to the attic where he reveals that his
wife is insane and that he has locked her in the attic because she is violent. Bertha (Rochester’s
wife) is compared to a wild animal to highlight how savage and dangerous she is.

Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 7

Teaching Pack: Commas

Lesson resources

Worksheet 1: Commas in sentences

Worksheet 2: Jane Eyre extract
Worksheet 3: Asian and African elephants
Worksheet 4: Commas quiz

8 Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500

 Teaching Pack: Commas

Worksheet 1: Commas in sentences

Exercise 1
Add commas in the appropriate places in the following sentences.

1. She scrambled up the slope missed her footing fell heavily on the ground and held A and B
her breath.

2. The main point she kept reminding herself was to concentrate until the competition
was over.

3. We wanted to go to the concert. Unfortunately there were no more tickets available.

4. My friend Harry who is a great swimmer likes to go scuba diving.

5. If he could only stay quiet he had a good chance of being ignored by his teacher.

6. The wolf scenting its prey scrambled down the slope sending a spray of earth and
leaves over the ground.

7. The boy knowing it was getting late hurried home.

8. If you trust in yourself he explained enthusiastically you will be able to overcome

all obstacles.

9. The old man who was waiting for the train pulled on his gloves against the cold
wind.

10. I needed to buy sun-cream sunglasses and sandals for my holiday.

Exercise 2
Now match the correct sentence to the correct purpose, by using the letters below. Think about why
the comma was used in the sentence (there may be more than one reason). The first one has been
done for you.
A. The comma separates items in a list.
B. The comma is used to mark natural pauses in the sentence. This might help the reader to
understand the meaning.
C. The comma is used to mark off a subordinate clause from the dominant clause of the
sentence.
D. The comma marks off a discourse marker from the rest of the sentence.

Copyright © UCLES 2019 Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 9

Teaching Pack: Commas

Worksheet 2: Jane Eyre extract

In this extract from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Jane and Mr. Rochester are due to be married.
However, before they can marry one another it is revealed that Mr. Rochester is already married to
another woman who he has imprisoned in the attic because she is mentally ill. In this scene, Mr.
Rochester reveals his wife to Jane and to the men who have stopped his marriage.
He passed on and ascended the stairs still holding my hand and still beckoning the gentlemen to
follow him which they did. We mounted the first staircase passed up the gallery proceeded to the
third storey: the low black door opened by Mr. Rochester's master-key admitted us to the
tapestried room with its great bed and its pictorial cabinet.
"You know this place Mason" said our guide; "she bit and stabbed you here."
He lifted the hangings from the wall uncovering the second door: this too he opened. In a room
without a window there burnt a fire guarded by a high and strong fender and a lamp suspended
from the ceiling by a chain. Grace Poole bent over the fire apparently cooking something in a
saucepan. In the deep shade at the farther end of the room a figure ran backwards and forwards.
What it was whether beast or human being one could not at first sight tell: it grovelled seemingly on
all fours; it snatched and growled like some strange wild animal: but it was covered with clothing
and a quantity of dark grizzled hair wild as a mane hid its head and face.
"Good-morrow Mrs. Poole!" said Mr. Rochester. "How are you? and how is your charge to-day?"
"We're tolerable sir I thank you" replied Grace lifting the boiling mess carefully onto the hob: "rather
snappish but not 'rageous."
A fierce cry seemed to give the lie to her favourable report: the clothed hyena rose up and stood
tall on its hind-feet.
"Ah! sir she sees you!" exclaimed Grace: "you'd better not stay."
"Only a few moments Grace: you must allow me a few moments."
"Take care then sir! — for God's sake take care!"
The maniac bellowed: she parted her shaggy locks from her visage and gazed wildly at her
visitors. I recognised well that purple face — those bloated features. Mrs. Poole advanced.
"Keep out of the way" said Mr. Rochester thrusting her aside: "she has no knife now I suppose and
I'm on my guard."
"One never knows what she has sir: she is so cunning: it is not in mortal discretion to fathom her
craft."
"We had better leave her" whispered Mason.
"Go to the devil!" was his brother-in-law's recommendation.
"'Ware!" cried Grace. The three gentlemen retreated simultaneously. Mr. Rochester flung me
behind him: the lunatic sprang and grappled his throat viciously and laid her teeth to his cheek:
they struggled. She was a big woman in stature almost equalling her husband and corpulent
besides: she showed virile force in the contest — more than once she almost throttled him athletic
as he was. He could have settled her with a well-planted blow; but he would not strike: he would
only wrestle. At last he mastered her arms; Grace Poole gave him a cord and he pinioned them
behind her: with more rope which was at hand he bound her to a chair. The operation was
performed amidst the fiercest yells and the most convulsive plunges. Mr. Rochester then turned to
the spectators: he looked at them with a smile both acrid and desolate.
"That is my wife" said he.

10 Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 Copyright © UCLES 2019

 Teaching Pack: Commas

Worksheet 3: Asian and African elephants

Read the following text and write in the correct punctuation marks.

African and asian elephants are clearly the same species but there are many differences between
them some of these differences include; size: ear shape head shape tusks

The African elephant is significantly larger than the Asian elephant bull or male african elephants
can grow up to four metres in height; whereas Asian elephants are never taller than three and a
Half metres african elephants are significantly heavier too an asian male elephant weighs between
3000 and 6000 kg whereas an african bull; male; elephant can weigh between 4000 and 7500
kilograms

if you look at the ear shape of the two types of Elephant. you will find significant differences the
african elephant has bigger ears which actually look like a map of africa the asian elephant has
smaller ears which strangely look rather like a map of india as india occupies a smaller
geographical area than africa it seems a freak of nature that the elephants ears not only look like
the continents they come from. They also actually correspond to those continents’ relative size.
With the asian elephant’s ears being smaller than their african cousin’s

closer examination of the elephants’ skulls reveals significant differences the asian elephant has a
twin-domed head which has an indentation in the middle the african elephant’s head does not have
an indentation and in fact the top of the african elephant’s skull is a single dome

only some male asian elephants have tusks whereas all african elephants. Male and female. Have
tusks the tusks of asian elephants tend to be smaller than those of african elephants

given all these differences the question arises; can asian and african elephants interbreed! In fact.
the answer is no because the differences are too great between them there is only one crossbred
elephant on record. Which was a bull calf called ‘Motty’. Born in Chester Zoo in england in 1978?
‘Motty’ died aged two weeks old in spite of receiving intensive care and sadly demonstrated that
successful interbreeding between asian and african elephants is not possible

Copyright © UCLES 2019 Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 11

Teaching Pack: Commas

Worksheet 4: Commas quiz

Answer True or False to these statements about the comma:

1. The comma can be used at the end of a sentence as a substitute for a full stop. [True/False]

2. The comma is a long pause. [True/False]

3. The comma is a short pause. [True/False]

4. The comma marks a place where the reader can take a short breath when reading a sentence

aloud. [True/False]

5. The comma is used to divide one sentence from the next. [True/False]

6. The comma marks off the main part of a sentence from a subordinate clause. [True/False]

7. The comma helps the reader to see and hear the natural rhythm of a sentence. [True/False]

8. The comma is used in a list to separate items of three or more words in length. [True/False]

9. The comma is used in a list to separate items of one or two words in length. [True/False]

10. The comma is always used within a sentence and can never be used as the final punctuation

mark in a sentence. [True/False]

12 Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 Copyright © UCLES 2019

 Teaching Pack: Commas

Worksheet 1: Answers

Exercise 1

Add commas in the appropriate places in the following sentences.

1. She scrambled up the slope, missed her footing, fell heavily on the ground and A and B
held her breath.

2. The main point, she kept reminding herself, was to concentrate until the C
competition was over.

3. We wanted to go to the concert. Unfortunately, there were no more tickets D

available.

4. My friend Harry, who is a great swimmer, likes to go scuba diving. C

5. If he could only stay quiet, he had a good chance of being ignored by his teacher. B and C

6. The wolf, scenting its prey, scrambled down the slope, sending a spray of earth C
and leaves over the ground.

7. The boy, knowing it was getting late, hurried home. C

8. If you trust in yourself, he explained enthusiastically, you will be able to overcome C

all obstacles.

9. The old man, who was waiting for the train, pulled on his gloves against the cold C
wind.

10. I needed to buy sun-cream, sunglasses and sandals for my holiday. A

Exercise 2

Now match the correct sentence to the correct purpose. Think about why the comma was used in
the sentence.

A. The comma separates items in a list.

B. The comma is used to mark natural pauses in the sentence. This might help the reader to
understand the meaning.
C. The comma is used to mark off a subordinate clause from the dominant clause of the
sentence.
D. The comma separates a discourse marker from the rest of the sentence

Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 13

Teaching Pack: Commas

Worksheet 2: Answers

In this extract from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre Jane and Mr. Rochester are due to be married.
However before they can marry one another it is revealed that Mr. Rochester is already married to
another woman who he has imprisoned in the attic because she is mentally ill. In this scene, Mr.
Rochester reveals his wife to Jane and to the men who have stopped his marriage.
He passed on and ascended the stairs, still holding my hand, and still beckoning the gentlemen to
follow him, which they did. We mounted the first staircase, passed up the gallery, proceeded to the
third storey: the low, black door, opened by Mr. Rochester's master-key, admitted us to the tapestried
room, with its great bed and its pictorial cabinet.
"You know this place, Mason," said our guide; "she bit and stabbed you here."
He lifted the hangings from the wall, uncovering the second door: this, too, he opened. In a room
without a window, there burnt a fire guarded by a high and strong fender, and a lamp suspended
from the ceiling by a chain. Grace Poole bent over the fire, apparently cooking something in a
saucepan. In the deep shade, at the farther end of the room, a figure ran backwards and forwards.
What it was, whether beast or human being, one could not, at first sight, tell: it grovelled, seemingly,
on all fours; it snatched and growled like some strange wild animal: but it was covered with clothing,
and a quantity of dark, grizzled hair, wild as a mane, hid its head and face.
"Good-morrow, Mrs. Poole!" said Mr. Rochester. "How are you? and how is your charge to-day?"
"We're tolerable, sir, I thank you," replied Grace, lifting the boiling mess carefully onto the hob: "rather
snappish, but not 'rageous."
A fierce cry seemed to give the lie to her favourable report: the clothed hyena rose up, and stood tall
on its hind-feet.
"Ah! sir, she sees you!" exclaimed Grace: "you'd better not stay."
"Only a few moments, Grace: you must allow me a few moments."
"Take care then, sir! — for God's sake, take care!"
The maniac bellowed: she parted her shaggy locks from her visage, and gazed wildly at her visitors.
I recognised well that purple face, — those bloated features. Mrs. Poole advanced.
"Keep out of the way," said Mr. Rochester, thrusting her aside: "she has no knife now, I suppose,
and I'm on my guard."
"One never knows what she has, sir: she is so cunning: it is not in mortal discretion to fathom her
craft."
"We had better leave her," whispered Mason.
"Go to the devil!" was his brother-in-law's recommendation.
"Ware!" cried Grace. The three gentlemen retreated simultaneously. Mr. Rochester flung me behind
him: the lunatic sprang and grappled his throat viciously, and laid her teeth to his cheek: they
struggled. She was a big woman, in stature almost equalling her husband, and corpulent besides:
she showed virile force in the contest — more than once she almost throttled him, athletic as he was.
He could have settled her with a well-planted blow; but he would not strike: he would only wrestle.
At last he mastered her arms; Grace Poole gave him a cord, and he pinioned them behind her: with
more rope, which was at hand, he bound her to a chair. The operation was performed amidst the
fiercest yells and the most convulsive plunges. Mr. Rochester then turned to the spectators: he
looked at them with a smile both acrid and desolate.
"That is my wife," said he.

14 Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500

 Teaching Pack: Commas

Worksheet 3: Answers

African and Asian elephants are clearly the same species but there are many differences between
them. Some of these differences include: size, ear shape, head shape, tusks.

The African elephant is significantly larger than the Asian elephant. Bull or male African elephants
can grow up to four metres in height whereas Asian elephants are never taller than three and a half
metres. African elephants are significantly heavier too. An Asian male elephant weighs between
3000 and 6000 kg whereas an African bull (male) elephant can weigh between 4000 and 7500
kilograms.

If you look at the ear shape of the two types of elephant you will find significant differences. The
African elephant has bigger ears which actually look like a map of Africa. The Asian elephant has
smaller ears which strangely look rather like a map of India. As India occupies a smaller
geographical area than Africa it seems a freak of nature that the elephants’ ears not only look like
the continents they come from, they also actually correspond to those continents’ relative size, with
the Asian elephant’s ears being smaller than his or her African cousin’s.

Closer examination of the elephants’ skulls reveals significant differences. The Asian elephant has
a twin-domed head, which has an indentation in the middle. The African elephant’s head has no
such indentation and in fact the top of the African elephant’s skull is a single dome.

Only some male Asian elephants have tusks whereas all African elephants, male and female, have
tusks. The tusks of Asian elephants tend to be smaller than those of African elephants.

Given all these differences the question arises: can Asian and African elephants interbreed? In
fact, the answer is no because the differences are too great between them. There is only one
crossbred elephant on record, which was a bull calf called ‘Motty’ born in Chester Zoo in England
in 1978. ‘Motty’ died aged two weeks old in spite of receiving intensive care and sadly
demonstrated that successful interbreeding between Asian and African elephants is not possible.

Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 15

Teaching Pack: Commas

Worksheet 4: Answers

Answer True or False to these statements about the comma:

1. The comma can be used at the end of a sentence as a substitute for a full stop. [False]

2. The comma is a long pause. [False]

3. The comma is a short pause. [True]

4. The comma marks a place where the reader can take a short breath when reading a sentence

aloud. [False]

5. The comma is used to divide one sentence from the next. [False]

6. The comma marks off the main part of a sentence from a subordinate clause. [True]

7. The comma helps the reader to see the natural rhythm of a sentence. [True]

8. The comma is used in a list to separate items of three or more words in length. [True]

9. The comma is used in a list to separate items of one or two words in length. [False]

10. The comma is always used within a sentence and can never be used as the final punctuation

mark in a sentence. [True]

16 Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500