Punctuation and spelling
Clear notes with worked examples, then 4 practice questions with answers. Written by Beyond Tutors tutors for the KS3 National Curriculum.
Apostrophes
- Missing letters: do not → don't, it is → it's
- Belonging: the girl's bag (one girl), the girls' bags (more than one)
- its = belonging to it (no apostrophe). it's = it is / it has.
Speech marks
"Where are you going?" asked Tom.
- Punctuation goes inside the speech marks
- New speaker, new line
Commas
- In lists: eggs, flour, sugar and butter
- After a fronted adverbial: After lunch, we went outside.
- Around extra information: My brother, who is twelve, loves football.
Semicolons and colons
- Semicolon joins two linked main clauses: It was getting dark; we headed home.
- Colon introduces a list or explanation: You need three things: a pen, a ruler and a calculator.
Tricky spellings
definitely (de-FINITE-ly), separate (there's A RAT in sepARATe), necessary (one Collar, two Sleeves), their / there / they're, your / you're
Practice questions
Try each one, then tap to see the answer and why.
- Question 1 · Clauses
In "When the rain stopped, we went outside", which part is the subordinate clause?
- Awe went outside
- BWhen the rain stopped
- Coutside
- Dthe rain
Show the answer
B: When the rain stopped
'When the rain stopped' cannot stand alone; it depends on the main clause.
- Question 2 · Commas
Which sentence uses commas correctly?
- AMy sister who is ten, likes swimming.
- BMy sister, who is ten, likes swimming.
- CMy, sister who is ten likes swimming.
- DMy sister who, is ten likes swimming.
Show the answer
B: My sister, who is ten, likes swimming.
Extra information in the middle of a sentence needs a comma on both sides.
- Question 3 · Apostrophes
Which is correct?
- AThe childrens' toys
- BThe children's toys
- CThe childrens toy's
- DThe children toys'
Show the answer
B: The children's toys
'Children' is already plural, so add 's for possession: children's.
- Question 4 · Apostrophes
What does r"they're" mean?
- ABelonging to them
- BIn that place
- CThey are
- DThey were
Show the answer
C: They are
They're is short for 'they are'.