Our Year 6 SPaG Revision Blaster packs are the perfect way to check children’s knowledge and understanding of the KS2 programme of study for English. The areas of grammar, punctuation and spelling covered in this SPaG revision blaster are colons, semi-colons and dashes how they are used to link independent clauses and within lists, and bullet points.
The packs are based around the content domains of the Key Stage 2 grammar, punctuation and spelling test framework. ‘Let’s Recap!’ provides information to revise or reteach an area of grammar, punctuation or spelling covered in Paper 1 of the GPS test followed by ‘Let’s Practise!’ with SATs style questions for the pupils to complete independently or as a class. Three sheets are provided, Revision Blaster 1, 2 and 3. These increase in difficulty, with questions having a greater cognitive load on Revision Blaster 3.
A PowerPoint version of the pack is included, so it can be worked through in groups, or as a whole class.
This primary resource pack includes:
- Let’s Recap PDF and PPT slides
- Let’s Practise worksheet: colons, semi-colons, dashes and bullet points
- Let’s Practise answers
- Teacher notes
Marking boundaries between independent clauses
Semi-colons, colons and dashes can all be used to mark boundaries between independent clauses.
Colons
A colon is used when the second independent clause is an explanation or offers an example linked to the first.
Tigers have a thick orange and black striped fur: these stripes provide the tigers with camouflage in their habitat.
Semi-colons
A semi-colon should be used to punctuate two independent clauses that are closely linked and give information that is of equal importance.
Tigers are solitary animals; unlike lions, who live and hunt in groups called prides.
Dashes
A dash can be used to link two independent clauses. It is usually used in writing that is less formal.
The tiger’s fur is covered in orange and black stripes – it looks magnificent!
Colons and semi-colons in lists
A colon can be used to introduce a list following an independent clause.
Tigers can be found in four countries: Russia, North Korea, China and India.
A semi-colon is used in a list to separate longer phrases.
Tigers face many threats in the wild: their habitats are being destroyed; poachers hunt and kill the animal for medicines; and tigers are killed or captured if they come too close to communities as their habitat shrinks.
Bullet points
Bullet points are used to list information. This draws attention to important information. Colons are usually used to introduce bullet points.
If the information after the bullet point is not a complete sentence, the bullet points do not need to be punctuated.
Tigers are found in the following countries:
• Russia
• North Korea
• China
• India
If the information after the bullet point is a complete sentence, it should be punctuated with a capital letter and full stop.
In the wild, tigers face many threats:
• Their habitats are being destroyed.
• Poachers hunt and kill tigers so that parts of its body can be used for medicine.
• Tigers are killed or captured if they come too close to communities in the hunt for food.
Content domains from Key stage 2 grammar, punctuation and spelling test framework (2016)
G5.10 colons
G5.11 semi-colons
G5.12 single dashes
G5.14 bullet points