Progression in grammarpunctuation

(Y1 – Y6)

Department of Children’s Services

Y1 The man fell.The man fell. He hurt his knee.The man fell and he hurt his knee.How did the man fall ?The man fell !

Who ?What doing ?Finger spaceCapital letterFull stop

Joining word andQuestion markExclamation mark

Y2 The clumsy man fell and he hurt his knee.Expanded noun phrase

The man fell but he didn’t hurt himself.The man fell but he didn’t hurt his arm or hisleg.The man fell because the ladder wasn’t safe.The man fell when he slipped on the ladder.The man fell off the ladder that he hadn’t putsafely against the wall.The man will fall off the ladder if it isn’t safe.Co-ordinating conjunctions and, but, orSubordinating conjunctions because, when,that, ifApostrophe for contraction

Y2 How did the man fall ?

The man fell !

Question markExclamation mark

The man hurt his head, his arm, his knee and his ankle when he fell off his ladder.Commas to separate items in a list.

The man’s knee hurt when he fell off the ladder.

Apostrophe to mark singular possession

Y3 The clumsy man hurt his head, his arm, hisknee and his ankle after he fell off hisladder.Commas to separate items in a listConjunction after

The man fell off his ladder whilst he wascleaning windows.Conjunction whilst

Later the window cleaner fell off his ladderbecause it wasn’t safe.Adverb for timePrecise nounApostrophe for contraction

Y3 The window cleaner fell on to the groundwhen his ladder broke.Preposition phrase for place

During the morning the window cleaner felloff his wobbly ladder.Preposition for timeExpanded noun phrase

“Help !” shouted the frightened windowcleaner as he fell of his ladder.Inverted commas to punctuate direct speechExclamation markExpanded noun phraseConjunction as

Y4The window cleaner hurt his head, his armand his ankle after he fell off his brokenladder. The injured man slowly got to hisfeet and went to look for help.

Commas to separate items in a listConjunction afterExpanded noun phraseSynonym for window cleanerAdverbConjunction and

Y4Suddenly, the window cleaner fell to theground when his ladder broke. The injuredman slowly got to his feet and went to lookfor help.

Adverb for time/fronted adverbialComma after fronted adverbialPreposition phrase for placeConjunction whenExpanded noun phraseSynonym for window cleanerAdverbConjunction and

Y4 Later that day, the window cleaner fell tothe ground when his ladder broke. “Helpme !” he shouted as he lay injured on thefloor.

Fronted adverbialComma after fronted adverbialPreposition phrase for placeConjunction whenInverted commas to punctuate directspeechCommandExclamation mark inside inverted commasConjunction asPreposition phrase for place

Y4 The window cleaner’s legs hurt after he’dfallen off his ladder.

Conjunction afterApostrophe to mark singular possession

The neighbours’ shouts could be heard asthey raced to help the window cleaner withthe broken leg. “Don’t worry,” one of themreassured him.

Apostrophe to mark plural possessionNoun expanded with a preposition phraseInverted commas to punctuate direct speechComma before the reporting clauseApostrophe for contraction

Y5 The window cleaner, who was working on awobbly ladder, fell to the ground when he felloff it. “Help me !” he shouted as he layinjured on the floor.

Commas to indicate parenthesisRelative clause beginning with a relativepronounPreposition phrase for placeExpanded noun phrasePreposition phrase for placeConjunction whenPronoun to avoid repetition of nounInverted commas to punctuate direct speechCommandExclamation mark inside inverted commasConjunction asPreposition phrase for place

Y5 The window cleaner, working on a wobblyladder, fell to the ground when he fell off it.“Help me !” he shouted as he lay injured onthe floor.

Commas to indicate parenthesisRelative clause with an omitted relativepronounPreposition phrase for placeExpanded noun phrasePreposition phrase for placeConjunction whenPronoun to avoid repetition of nounInverted commas to punctuate direct speechCommandExclamation mark inside inverted commasConjunction asPreposition phrase for place

Y5 Later that week - when he had recovered fromhis injuries - the window cleaner repaired hisladder before he set off for work.

Adverb for timeConjunction whenDashes to indicate parenthesisRelative clauseConjunction before

When he had repaired his ladder, the windowcleaner set off for work – he was relieved to becleaning windows again !Conjunction whenFronted adverbialComma after fronted adverbialSingle dash to indicate parenthesisExclamation mark

Y5 Later that week (when he had recoveredfrom his injuries), the window cleanerrepaired his broken ladder before he set offfor work.Adverb for timeBrackets to indicate parenthesisFronted adverbial with commaConjunction whenRelative clauseExpanded noun phraseConjunction before

The window cleaner would not fall off his ladder again as he had repaired it.Modal verb to indicate a degree of possibilityConjunction asPronoun to avoid repetition of the noun

Y6 When he had repaired his ladder, the windowcleaner set off for work; he was relieved tobe cleaning windows again !

Conjunction whenFronted adverbialComma after fronted adverbialSemi-colon to mark the boundary betweenindependent clauses.Exclamation mark

The window cleaner would not fall again: hehad repaired his ladder.

Modal verb to indicate a degree of possibilityColon to mark the boundary between independent clauses

Y6 When he had repaired his ladder, the windowcleaner set off for work – he was relieved that hiswindow-cleaning days were not over !

Conjunction whenFronted adverbialComma after fronted adverbialSingle dash to mark parenthesisHyphen to avoid ambiguityExclamation mark

The window cleaner stated that, if he were to fallagain, it would be very bad luck !

Conjunction ifThe subjunctive form (formal writing)Commas for parenthesisRelative clauseModal verb to indicate a degree of possibilityExclamation mark

Y6 “Help me !”The neighbours’ shouts could be heard as theyraced to help the window cleaner with thebroken leg.

CommandDialogue to move action onInverted commas to punctuate direct speechExclamation mark inside inverted commasApostrophe for plural possessionConjunction asNoun expanded with a preposition phrase