Punctuating Sentences
Read the extract below and count the punctuation that you can see.
Wardens barked orders and pointed instructions at the hordes, but few people paid any
attention. They were too fearful of the fire and fury that was roaring over the English
Channel towards them. Terror had already turned happy, young faces into ugly balls of fear,
and the eyes of thousands were turned constantly upwards, pulled wide and white by dread.
Eleven-year-old Samuel Hunt watched all of this from beside the mouth of Bethnal Green
tube station. He had long since grown used to the sirens and fright that gripped his city most
evenings. For him, the piercing howl was oddly reassuring – a sign that life and London were
still functioning. What he feared much more was the silence that came afterwards. That was
where the Grim Reaper’s work could usually be found.
“Better head down the steps, Sammy,” a familiar voice urged. The heavy-set butcher’s wife
herded her two toddlers past him. “Adolf’s bombs can’t reach you down on the tube.”
Sam smiled a thank-you. “I’ll be down in a minute, Mrs Griffiths – just as soon as Lily
gets here.”
How many full stops did you find?
How many capital letters did you find?
How many commas did you find?
Did you find any other types of punctuation? Copy them here.
Give two reasons why the author would use a capital letter.
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Punctuating Sentences Answers
Read the extract below and count the punctuation that you can see.
Wardens barked orders and pointed instructions at the hordes, but few people paid any
attention. They were too fearful of the fire and fury that was roaring over the English
Channel towards them. Terror had already turned happy, young faces into ugly balls of fear,
and the eyes of thousands were turned constantly upwards, pulled wide and white by dread.
Eleven-year-old Samuel Hunt watched all of this from beside the mouth of Bethnal Green
tube station. He had long since grown used to the sirens and fright that gripped his city most
evenings. For him, the piercing howl was oddly reassuring – a sign that life and London were
still functioning. What he feared much more was the silence that came afterwards. That was
where the Grim Reaper’s work could usually be found.
“Better head down the steps, Sammy,” a familiar voice urged. The heavy-set butcher’s wife
herded her two toddlers past him. “Adolf’s bombs can’t reach you down on the tube.”
Sam smiled a thank-you. “I’ll be down in a minute, Mrs Griffiths – just as soon as Lily
gets here.”
How many full stops did you find? 13
How many capital letters did you find? 26
How many commas did you find? 8
Did you find any other types of punctuation? Copy them here. – “ “ ’ -
Give two reasons why the author would use a capital letter.
Names of people and places; the start of a sentence; a title or subtitle.
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of Originals stories each half-term. Page 1 of 1
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Punctuating Sentences
All of the full stops and capital letters have been removed from the extract below.
wardens barked orders and pointed instructions at the hordes, but few people paid any
attention they were too fearful of the fire and fury that was roaring over the english channel
towards them terror had already turned happy, young faces into ugly balls of fear, and the
eyes of thousands were turned constantly upwards, pulled wide and white by dread
eleven-year-old samuel hunt watched all of this from beside the mouth of bethnal green
tube station he had long since grown used to the sirens and fright that gripped his city most
evenings for him, the piercing howl was oddly reassuring – a sign that life and london were
still functioning what he feared much more was the silence that came afterwards that was
where the grim reaper’s work could usually be found
“better head down the steps, sammy,” a familiar voice urged the heavy-set butcher’s wife
herded her two toddlers past him “adolf’s bombs can’t reach you down on the tube”
sam smiled a thank-you “i’ll be down in a minute, mrs griffiths – just as soon as lily
gets here”
Rewrite the extract with the full stops and capital letters where they should be. Don’t forget:
there is more than one reason to use a capital letter!
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of Originals stories each half-term. Page 1 of 2
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Punctuating Sentences
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Punctuating Sentences Answers
Wardens barked orders and pointed instructions at the hordes, but few people paid any
attention. They were too fearful of the fire and fury that was roaring over the English
Channel towards them. Terror had already turned happy, young faces into ugly balls of fear,
and the eyes of thousands were turned constantly upwards, pulled wide and white by dread.
Eleven-year-old Samuel Hunt watched all of this from beside the mouth of Bethnal Green
tube station. He had long since grown used to the sirens and fright that gripped his city most
evenings. For him, the piercing howl was oddly reassuring – a sign that life and London were
still functioning. What he feared much more was the silence that came afterwards. That was
where the Grim Reaper’s work could usually be found.
“Better head down the steps, Sammy,” a familiar voice urged. The heavy-set butcher’s wife
herded her two toddlers past him. “Adolf’s bombs can’t reach you down on the tube.”
Sam smiled a thank-you. “I’ll be down in a minute, Mrs Griffiths – just as soon as Lily
gets here.”
Join Book Club to receive printed copies
of Originals stories each half-term. Page 1 of 3
Visit twinkl.co.uk/book-club
Punctuating Sentences
All of the punctuation has been removed from the extract below.
wardens barked orders and pointed instructions at the hordes but few people paid any
attention they were too fearful of the fire and fury that was roaring over the english channel
towards them terror had already turned happy young faces into ugly balls of fear and the
eyes of thousands were turned constantly upwards pulled wide and white by dread eleven-
year-old samuel hunt watched all of this from beside the mouth of bethnal green tube
station he had long since grown used to the sirens and fright that gripped his city most
evenings for him the piercing howl was oddly reassuring a sign that life and london were
still functioning what he feared much more was the silence that came afterwards that was
where the grim reaper’s work could usually be found better head down the steps sammy a
familiar voice urged the heavy-set butcher’s wife herded her two toddlers past him adolf’s
bombs can’t reach you down on the tube sam smiled a thank-you i’ll be down in a minute
mrs griffiths just as soon as lily gets here
Rewrite the extract with the full stops, capital letters, commas and inverted commas where
they should be. Don’t forget to add paragraph breaks, too!
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of Originals stories each half-term. Page 2 of 3
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Punctuating Sentences
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Punctuating Sentences Answers
Wardens barked orders and pointed instructions at the hordes, but few people paid any
attention. They were too fearful of the fire and fury that was roaring over the English
Channel towards them. Terror had already turned happy, young faces into ugly balls of fear,
and the eyes of thousands were turned constantly upwards, pulled wide and white by dread.
Eleven-year-old Samuel Hunt watched all of this from beside the mouth of Bethnal Green
tube station. He had long since grown used to the sirens and fright that gripped his city most
evenings. For him, the piercing howl was oddly reassuring – a sign that life and London were
still functioning. What he feared much more was the silence that came afterwards. That was
where the Grim Reaper’s work could usually be found.
“Better head down the steps, Sammy,” a familiar voice urged. The heavy-set butcher’s wife
herded her two toddlers past him. “Adolf’s bombs can’t reach you down on the tube.”
Sam smiled a thank-you. “I’ll be down in a minute, Mrs Griffiths – just as soon as Lily
gets here.”
Join Book Club to receive printed copies
of Originals stories each half-term. Page 1 of 1
Visit twinkl.co.uk/book-club
