CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.2b
The Standard
Use commas in greetings and closings of letters.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
What This Standard Means
Students need to place commas correctly in friendly letter greetings and closings. They should know that a greeting names who the letter is for, like “Dear Grandma,” and the closing names the sign-off, like “Your friend,”.
Mastery looks like using the comma without a reminder when writing a real or practice letter. Students often put the comma after “Dear” instead of after the name, forget the comma in the closing, or use a period because the line feels like a sentence.
Ways to Teach It
- Give students cut-up letter parts, including comma cards, and have them rebuild the greeting, body, closing, and signature in order.
- Prompt students to write: “Why does the comma go after the person’s name in the greeting?” then share examples.
- Show three short letters, two with missing or misplaced commas, and ask students to circle and fix the greeting and closing.
- Have students write a thank-you note to a school helper, using a comma in the greeting and closing before delivering it.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.2b
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.2c
Use commas and quotation marks in dialogue.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.2b
Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.2b
Use commas in addresses.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.2c
Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.