Varied Fluency
Step 3: Using Dashes to Indicate Parenthesis
National Curriculum Objectives:
English Year 5: (5G5.9) Using brackets, dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis
Terminology for pupils:
• English Year 5: (5G5.9) parenthesis
• English Year 5: (5G5.9) dash
Differentiation:
Developing Questions to support using dashes to demarcate added parenthesis within a
single-clause sentence.
Expected Questions to support using dashes to demarcate added parenthesis within a
multi-clause sentence.
Greater Depth Questions to support using dashes to demarcate added parenthesis within
a multi-clause sentence, where subordinate clauses are also used. Hyphens are used
within words.
More resources from our Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
scheme of work.
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Varied Fluency – Using Dashes to Indicate Parenthesis – Teaching Information
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Using Dashes to Indicate
Parenthesis
Using Dashes to Indicate
Parenthesis
1a. Tick two boxes to show where the
dashes should go in the sentence below
to indicate parenthesis.
The film out yesterday was very funny.
1b. Tick two boxes to show where the
dashes should go in the sentence below
to indicate parenthesis.
Jasper the boy next door was lovely.
2a. Which sentence has used dashes to
indicate parenthesis correctly? Tick one
box.
2b. Which sentence has used dashes to
indicate parenthesis correctly? Tick one
box.
3a. Underline the parenthesis in the
sentence below.
He had wrapped a lot of presents – 15 in
total!
3b. Underline the parenthesis in the
sentence below.
It had happened so many years ago –
20
years ago in fact.
4a. True or false? The sentence below
needs dashes to indicate parenthesis.
Mr Smith a 50 year old reporter from
London broke the news first.
4b. True or false? The sentence below
needs dashes to indicate parenthesis.
The story was first reported by a lady from
Manchester.
D
D
D
D
VF VF
VF VF
VF VF
VF VF
D
D
D
D
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Varied Fluency – Using Dashes to Indicate Parenthesis – Year 5 Developing
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The cat a ginger tabby – enjoyed
curling – up in front of the fire.
The puppy – only 10 weeks old –
was going to a new home.
My coffee – bought only 5 minutes
ago – is stone cold!
Her drink which had been in the
fridge was – very refreshing.
Using Dashes to Indicate
Parenthesis
Using Dashes to Indicate
Parenthesis
5a. Tick two boxes to show where the
dashes should go in the sentence below
to indicate parenthesis.
Mrs Smith our new teacher gave us
extra playtime for behaving so well.
5b. Tick two boxes to show where the
dashes should go in the sentence below
to indicate parenthesis.
I love peas except the mushy sort but
I don’t like pea soup!
6a. Which sentence has used dashes to
indicate parenthesis correctly? Tick one
box.
6b. Which sentence has used dashes to
indicate parenthesis correctly? Tick one
box.
7a. Underline the parenthesis in the
sentence below.
Thankfully, his mother said that he could
go to his best friend’s party – weather
permitting – as long as he was back by
midnight.
7b. Underline the parenthesis in the
sentence below.
Finally, his luck had changed and the
expensive mountain bike was reduced in
the sale – only £150!
8a. True or false? The sentence below
needs dashes to indicate parenthesis.
The mole who was very short sighted was
trying to find his way out as he had
buried himself quite deep underground.
8b. True or false? The sentence below
needs dashes to indicate parenthesis.
Beautiful soft snowflakes had started to
fall and were beginning to create a
carpet of white amongst the ground.
E
E
E
E
VF VF
VF VF
VF VF
VF VF
E
E
E
E
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Varied Fluency – Using Dashes to Indicate Parenthesis – Year 5 Expected
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A large sum of money – over
£1,000,000 – was won by a family of
seven and they gave half to charity.
After winning the lottery – a man –
who wanted to remain nameless,
spent it all in one day.
Dad who was – rubbish at games –
gave many wrong answers so he
did not win the competition.
After thinking for a while – 10 whole
minutes to be precise – Dad
decided that his answer was no and
was not willing to change his mind.
Using Dashes to Indicate
Parenthesis
Using Dashes to Indicate
Parenthesis
9a. Tick two boxes to show where the
dashes should go in the sentence below
to indicate parenthesis.
To stop the build-up of traffic, the police
man who had just arrived took charge
and began to redirect the buses and lorries.
9b. Tick two boxes to show where the
dashes should go in the sentence below
to indicate parenthesis.
To keep up-to-date with new ideas, the
pupil aged 10 read books avidly and often
recommended those he loved to his friends.
10a. Which sentence has used dashes to
indicate parenthesis correctly? Tick one
box.
10b. Which sentence has used dashes to
indicate parenthesis correctly? Tick one
box.
11a. Underline the parenthesis in the
sentence below.
Jumping ahead of the line, the child
couldn’t wait to ice-
skate his way around
the rink at the newly built leisure park – it
had only opened today and everyone
was really excited to see it.
11b. Underline the parenthesis in the
sentence below.
Deviously, the dragon decided to booby-
trap his entire cave in case someone
attempted to steal his precious gold – it
had happened before!
12a. True or false? The sentence below
needs dashes to indicate parenthesis.
With the weather worsening, the waves
crashed against the shore and the boat
looked in danger of sinking so the public
called for help.
12b. True or false? The sentence below
needs dashes to indicate parenthesis.
This morning, Sasha the new girl in our
class looked incredibly nervous when she
stood up and introduced herself but she
managed to get through it.
GD
GD
GD
GD
VF VF
VF VF
VF VF
VF VF
GD
GD
GD
GD
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Varied Fluency – Using Dashes to Indicate Parenthesis – Year 5 Greater Depth
© Classroom Secrets Limited 2018
Last week, a break-in occurred at
night – 1am to be precise – but the
police still have no real clues.
During the evening – a break-in
occurred –
leaving police baffled as
to who committed the crime.
Developed by scientists – the new-
fangled device – will be put on
display so that everyone can see it.
The state-of-the-art device is going
on display – as of next week – so
everyone will have a chance to
view it.
Varied Fluency
Using Dashes to Indicate Parenthesis
Varied Fluency
Using Dashes to Indicate Parenthesis
Developing
1a. The film – out yesterday – was very
funny.
2a. The puppy – only 10 weeks old – was
going to a new home.
3a. He had wrapped a lot of presents
– 15 in total!
4a. True
Expected
5a. Mrs Smith – our new teacher – gave us
extra playtime for behaving so well.
6a. A large sum of money – over
£1,000,000 – was won by a family of seven
and they gave half to charity.
7a. Thankfully, his mother said that he
could go to his best friend’s party
– weather permitting – as long as he was
back by midnight.
8a. True
Greater Depth
9a. To stop the build-up of traffic, the
police man – who had just arrived – took
charge and began to redirect the buses
and lorries.
10a. Last week, a break-in occurred at
night – 1am to be precise – but the police
still have no real clues.
11a. Jumping ahead of the line, the child
couldn’t wait to ice-skate his way around
the rink at the newly built leisure park – it
had only opened today and everyone
was really excited to see it.
12a. False
Developing
1b. Jasper – the boy next door – was
lovely.
2b. My coffee – bought only 5 minutes
ago – is stone cold!
3b. It had happened so many years ago
– 20 years ago in fact.
4a. False – there is no parenthesis.
Expected
5a. I love peas – except the mushy sort –
but I don’t like pea soup!
6a. After thinking for a while – 10 whole
minutes to be precise – Dad decided that
his answer was no and was not willing to
change his mind.
7a. Finally, his luck had changed and the
expensive mountain bike was reduced in
the sale – only £150!
8a. False – there is no parenthesis.
Greater Depth
9a. To keep up-to-date with new ideas,
the pupil – aged 10 – read books avidly
and often recommended those he loved
to his friends.
10a. The state-of-the-art device is going
on display – as of next week – so
everyone will have a chance to view it.
11a. Deviously, the dragon decided to
booby-trap his entire cave in case
someone attempted to steal his precious
gold – it had happened before!
12a. True – the new girl in our class –
needs dashes for parenthesis.
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Varied Fluency – Using Dashes to Indicate Parenthesis ANSWERS
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