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8th grade Commas around extra information worksheet

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Commas around extra information

Grade 8 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

  1. Read this first

    Note

    The newsletter has mentioned one telescope all year, so readers know which one is meant. The writer wants to add where it stands. Sentence: The telescope [standing by the window] needs a new lens.

  2. Noah edits a school newsletter. The note says what readers know and what the writer wants. Which sentence is punctuated to match?

    • The telescope, standing by the window needs a new lens.
    • The telescope standing by the window, needs a new lens.
    • The telescope, standing by the window, needs a new lens.
    • The telescope standing by the window needs a new lens.
  3. Note

    The club has twelve members, and five went on the trip. The writer wants to say which members brought sleeping bags. Sentence: The members [who went on the trip] brought sleeping bags.

  4. Kira edits a school newsletter. The note says what readers know and what the writer wants. Which sentence is punctuated to match?

    • The members who went on the trip, brought sleeping bags.
    • The members, who went on the trip brought sleeping bags.
    • The members who went on the trip brought sleeping bags.
    • The members, who went on the trip, brought sleeping bags.
  5. Facts

    The team has ten players, and four ran the relay. The team has one coach, Ms. Park. Sentence: The players [who ran the relay] thanked the coach [Ms. Park] after lunch.

  6. Esme edits a team report. Each bracketed part needs its own decision. Which sentence follows the facts?

    • The players, who ran the relay thanked the coach, Ms. Park, after lunch.
    • The players who ran the relay, thanked the coach, Ms. Park, after lunch.
    • The players who ran the relay thanked the coach, Ms. Park, after lunch.
    • The players who ran the relay thanked the coach Ms. Park after lunch.
  7. Facts

    Esme has six cousins. Four live in Maine, and two live in Ohio: Ari and Pia. Sentence: Esme's cousins [who live in Ohio] [Ari and Pia] visit every June.

  8. Bo edits a family letter. Each bracketed part needs its own decision. Which sentence follows the facts?

    • Esme's cousins, who live in Ohio, Ari and Pia, visit every June.
    • Esme's cousins who live in Ohio Ari and Pia, visit every June.
    • Esme's cousins who live in Ohio, Ari and Pia visit every June.
    • Esme's cousins who live in Ohio, Ari and Pia, visit every June.
  9. Facts

    The town has one library and three parks, and one park has a pond. Draft: The library overlooking the lake opens at nine. The park, that has a pond, is by the river.

  10. Jun edits a draft that has two slips. The facts are given. Which revision fixes both slips and changes nothing else?

    • The library overlooking the lake opens at nine. The park that has a pond is by the river.
    • The library, overlooking the lake, opens at nine. The park, that has a pond, is by the river.
    • The library, overlooking the lake, opens at nine. The park that has a pond is by the river.
    • The library, overlooking the lake, opens, at nine. The park that has a pond is by the river.
  11. The town has one museum. Draft: The museum, that opened in May is free on Fridays. Luz edits a draft that has two slips. The facts are given. Which revision fixes both slips and changes nothing else?

    • The museum, which opened in May, is free, on Fridays.
    • The museum, that opened in May, is free on Fridays.
    • The museum, which opened in May, is free on Fridays.
    • The museum, which opened in May is free on Fridays.
  12. Facts

    The school has three gyms, and only the new gym has a climbing wall. The school has one principal, Ms. Dell. The new gym has one scoreboard.

  13. Pia checks four sentences against the facts. Three are correct. Which sentence is NOT correct?

    • The gym that has the climbing wall is the new gym.
    • The scoreboard, that hangs in the new gym, is bright.
    • The new gym, which has a climbing wall, opens Monday.
    • The principal, Ms. Dell, opened the new gym.
  14. Facts

    Twelve students are in the club, and five stayed late. The club has one president, Pia. The club has two paint rooms, and only the blue room has a sink.

  15. Zee checks four sentences against the facts. Three are correct. Which sentence is NOT correct?

    • The room that has a sink is the blue room.
    • The students, who stayed late, washed the brushes.
    • The president, Pia, mixed the blue paint.
    • The blue room, which smells like paint, is warm.
  16. Facts

    The park has one fountain. Six students ran, and two finished. The team has one coach, Mr. Rivera. Three picnic tables are in the park, and only one is blue.

  17. Tala checks four sentences against the facts. Three are correct. Which sentence is NOT correct?

    • The table painted blue sits by the fountain.
    • The students who finished are resting.
    • The coach, Mr. Rivera, called a break.
    • The fountain, which sits by the gate is dry.
  18. Facts

    Ren has one cousin, Pia. The school has two gyms, and only the old gym is open. The harbor has one lighthouse. Eight boats are in the harbor, and three are red.

  19. Ari checks four sentences against the facts. Three are correct. Which sentence is NOT correct?

    • Ren's cousin Pia plays the cello.
    • The old gym, which has a new floor, is open.
    • The boats that are red sail at noon.
    • The lighthouse, standing on the rocks, guides the boats.
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8th grade Commas around extra information worksheet – printable
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About this worksheet

Commas around extra information. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can take a part out of a sentence and tell whether the sentence still names the same one. If it does, the part is extra and takes a pair of commas. If it does not, the part is needed and takes none.
  • I can say what a pair of commas, or no commas, tells a reader: "The students, who finished early, went outside" is not the same message as "The students who finished early went outside."
  • I can use the facts (a count, or what readers already know) to decide, and I know that "that" never opens a clause set off by commas.

Words to know

extra part (nonrestrictive): A part that only adds a detail. Take it out and the sentence still names the same one.

needed part (restrictive): A part that tells which one. Take it out and the reader cannot tell which one.

clause: A group of words with a subject and its verb, like who finished early.

participial phrase: A phrase built on an -ing or -ed verb that describes a noun, like standing by the window.

appositive: A noun group that renames the noun beside it, like Ms. Dell after the principal.

swap check: Take the part out and reread: does the sentence still name the same one?

pair of commas: One comma before an extra part in the middle and one after it.

Common mistakes

When deciding about commas, your child ran the swap check correctly but chose the wrong commas for the result. Remind your child: the same one still named means a pair of commas, and could be any one means none.

When deciding about commas, your child read the swap result the wrong way round. Take the part out together and ask whether the same one is still named.

When deciding about commas, your child chose commas that fit the part but misjudged the swap result. Take the part out together and read what is left.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with commas around extra information?

When deciding about commas, your child ran the swap check correctly but chose the wrong commas for the result. Remind your child: the same one still named means a pair of commas, and could be any one means none.

Are these 8th grade reading worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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