Use this Sentence Builder Game to develop year 5 pupils’ understanding of parenthesis and how they should be punctuated using brackets, dashes or commas. Pupils will use the sentence topics, parenthesis and punctuation cards to create sentences, rehearsing them orally before writing. The grammar game will also give pupils the opportunity to use and understand the year 5 grammar terminology in English appendix 2 when discussing their sentences.
This grammar game for KS2 can be played as a whole class as a fun English lesson starter activity or as the main focus of the lesson. It could also be used as a writing intervention in KS2 for pupils who may need support when using parenthesis in their sentences.
What is parenthesis?
Parenthesis is extra information added to a sentence to give extra information, an explanation or an afterthought. The parenthesis is not needed to make the sentence complete.
Parentheses must be punctuated with two brackets (), dashes - or commas, either side of the parenthesis to separate it from the rest of the sentence. If you take out the word or phrase between the two brackets, dashes or commas, the sentence should still make sense and be complete.
National Curriculum English programme of study links
Pupils should be taught to use brackets, dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis
Pupils should be taught to use and understand the grammatical terminology in English appendix 2 accurately and appropriately when discussing their writing.