Georgia 7.L.GC.1.49
The Standard
Mechanics: Use commas, parentheses, and dashes to set off nonessential words, phrases, or clauses. (Master)
Georgia's K-12 English Language Arts Standards · Language (L) · Grammar Conventions
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students find words, phrases, or clauses that add extra information but are not needed for the sentence’s main meaning. They set off that information with commas, parentheses, or paired dash marks.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students correctly identify information that can be removed without changing the main meaning. They use matching commas, parentheses, or dash marks and explain how each choice affects emphasis.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may set off information that is needed to identify the noun. They may use only one punctuation mark, mix mark types, or place marks around the wrong words.
How to Assess It
- Give students: “Our principal Ms. Lee will visit the play rehearsal.” Ask them to add punctuation if Ms. Lee is the only principal and explain why.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups sentence strips to cut out nonessential details, then reassemble each sentence using commas, parentheses, or written dash marks.
Ask students to punctuate one sentence three ways, then write which version emphasizes the added detail most strongly.
Play Punctuation Sort with sentence cards, sorting them by commas, parentheses, dash marks, or no added punctuation.
Have students revise school announcements by adding nonessential details about dates, locations, or people and punctuating those details correctly.
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Printable 7.L.GC.1.49 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 7.L.GC.1.49, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
- 6.L.GC.1.49
Mechanics: Use commas, parentheses, and dashes to set off nonessential words, phrases, or clauses. (Introduce)
- 3.L.GC.1.25
Mechanics: Use commas with coordinating conjunctions to join independent clauses. (Master)
- 4.L.GC.1.40
Mechanics: Use commas after introductory phrases or clauses. (Continue)
- 5.L.GC.1.40
Mechanics: Use commas after introductory phrases or clauses. (Master)
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