B. Foundations of Language · Printing, Spelling and SentencesCommas in Lists, Apostrophes and Quotation Marks
B3.3About 35 minutes
Learning goals- I can use commas to separate items in a list.
- I can use an apostrophe and s to show who owns something, like Mia's mitten.
- I can put quotation marks around the exact words someone says.
- I still start sentences with a capital and end them with an end mark.
Words to know
punctuation
Marks that help readers read our writing the way we meant it, like . ? ! , ' and " ".
comma
A mark ( , ) that tells the reader to take a tiny pause. It separates items in a list.
apostrophe
A mark ( ' ) that, with s, shows something belongs to someone: the dog's bone.
possessive
A word that shows who owns something: Sam's hat.
quotation marks
Marks ( " " ) that go around the exact words someone says.
Punctuation helps the reader
In Grade 1 you learned to start sentences with a capital and end them with . ? !
In Grade 2 you'll learn three more jobs for punctuation:
- Commas in lists
- Apostrophes to show who owns something
- Quotation marks to show talking
1. Commas in a list
When you list three or more things, put a comma between the items. Before the last item, write and (or or).
For my lunch I have a sandwich, an apple, and a cookie.
We saw a moose, a beaver, and two loons.
The commas tell the reader where one item ends and the next begins.
The last comma
Some writers put a comma before and at the end of a list, and some don't: red, white, and blue or red, white and blue. Both are used. Just be the same each time. What matters most is a comma between the other items!
2. Apostrophes show who owns it
To show that something belongs to someone, add an apostrophe and s ( 's ) to the owner's name:
- the hat that belongs to Sam → Sam's hat
- the bone that belongs to the dog → the dog's bone
- the car that belongs to my dad → my dad's car
Don't use an apostrophe just to make a plural! I have two cats. (more than one cat, no apostrophe) / The cat's bowl is empty. (the bowl belongs to the cat)
Another job for apostrophes
Apostrophes have another job, too, in words like can't and don't. You'll learn more about that job in Grade 3.
3. Quotation marks show talking
When a character talks, we put quotation marks around the exact words they say. Think of them as speech bubbles in a comic!
"Let's go sledding," said Mom.
Ben asked, "Can I come too?"
Only the words that are spoken go inside. The words said Mom or Ben asked stay outside.
Worked exampleLet's add commas
Add commas: I packed my toque mittens scarf and boots.
- Find the items in the list: toque, mittens, scarf, boots. Four items.
- Put a comma after each item except the last two, which are joined with and.
- Check the capital and the period.
I packed my toque, mittens, scarf and boots. (or ...scarf, and boots.)
Worked exampleLet's add quotation marks
Add quotation marks: I found a frog! shouted Kai.
- What words did Kai say? I found a frog!
- Put quotation marks around those words, including the !.
- shouted Kai stays outside the quotation marks.
"I found a frog!" shouted Kai.
Worked exampleLet's show who owns it
Write a shorter way to say: the leash that belongs to the puppy.
- Who is the owner? the puppy.
- Add 's to the owner: puppy's.
- Then write what they own: leash.
Just for funWhat do quotation marks and best friends have in common?
They always come in pairs! " " 👯
Hands-on activityPunctuation scavenger hunt
You need: a picture book or comic, sticky notes or paper scraps, a pencil.
- Hunt through your book for commas in a list, 's words, and quotation marks. Mark each with a sticky note.
- Read one page with quotation marks aloud. Use a different voice for the words inside the quotation marks!
- Write a grocery list sentence for your family: We need milk, eggs, bread and apples.
- Draw a 2-box comic of you and a friend. Then write what each person says under the comic, using quotation marks. Example: "Want to build a snow fort?" asked Jada.
Your turn
1Add commas: I like red blue and green.
I like red, blue and green. (or red, blue, and green)
2Add commas: We saw ducks geese and swans at the pond.
We saw ducks, geese and swans at the pond.
3Write a shorter way: the bike that belongs to Liam.
4Which is right? The dogs bone or The dog's bone?
The dog's bone. The apostrophe shows the bone belongs to the dog.
5What words does Ana say? "I love maple syrup," said Ana.
I love maple syrup. Those are the words inside the quotation marks.
6Add quotation marks: Time for bed, said Dad.
"Time for bed," said Dad.
7Fix the capitals and end mark: can we go to the park
Can we go to the park? It's a question.
More practice: warm-up
1What goes between items in a list?
2Add the apostrophe: Mias scarf.
3Do quotation marks go around the words someone says or the word said?
Around the words someone says.
4Does I have three dogs. need an apostrophe?
No. dogs just means more than one dog. Nothing belongs to anyone.
5Add commas: one two three
More practice: on your own
1Add commas: For the picnic we need plates cups napkins and juice.
For the picnic we need plates, cups, napkins and juice. A comma goes between the items; and joins the last two.
2Fix it: My sisters coat is purple. (one sister)
My sister's coat is purple. The coat belongs to her, so add 's.
3Add quotation marks: Where are my boots? asked Omar.
"Where are my boots?" asked Omar. The question mark stays inside with Omar's words.
4Which is right? I have two cat's. or I have two cats.
I have two cats. It's a plural, not something owned, so no apostrophe.
5Write a sentence that tells what belongs to your teacher.
Answers will vary. Example: My teacher's desk is by the window. Owner + 's.
Challenge
1Fix all the punctuation: grandma said lets bake muffins cookies and bread
Grandma said, "Let's bake muffins, cookies and bread." Capital G, a comma after said, quotation marks around her exact words, commas in the list, and a period. (The apostrophe in Let's is the Grade 3 job: it shows letters are missing from let us.)
2Write a sentence with a list of 3 Canadian animals.
Answers will vary. Example: In Canada you can see moose, beavers and polar bears. Commas between items.
3Write two lines of talking between you and a friend about the weekend.
Answers will vary. Example: "What did you do on Saturday?" asked Lee. "I went skating with my cousins," I said. Quotation marks around only the spoken words.
Quiz
1. Which sentence uses commas correctly?
2. Which shows that the ball belongs to Jake?
3. Which sentence needs NO apostrophe?
4. Which sentence uses quotation marks correctly?
5. Why do we use quotation marks?
6. What goes between items in a list?
Big idea: Grade 2 students use capitalization and punctuation to communicate clearly (B3.3). New this year: capital letters for proper nouns (see the Nouns lesson), commas to separate items in lists, apostrophes for possessives and quotation marks for direct speech. Apostrophes in contractions (can't, don't) are a Grade 3 expectation, so they appear here only as a preview.
How to help at home:
- Write grocery lists together as sentences with commas.
- Read comics and picture books with dialogue. Use voices for speech in quotation marks.
- Label family belongings: Dad's mug, Ella's shoes.
Common difficulties:
- Using apostrophes for plurals (two cat's). Ask: "Does something belong to it, or is it just more than one?"
- Putting "said" inside the quotation marks. Ask: "What were the exact words? Only those go inside."
- Commas between every word, or none. Have your child point to each item in the list first.
- The comma before "and" in lists. Both styles are accepted. Your child's teacher may prefer one.