Teaching Comma Rules

The Common Core State Standard requires fifth-grade students to learn five comma rules. Students will find this anchor chart a quick easy reference.

This anchor chart covers the 5th grade Common Core rules:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.2.A
Use punctuation to separate items in a series.*

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.2.B
Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.2.C
Use a comma to set off the words yes and no (e.g., Yes, thank you), to set off a tag question from the rest of the sentence (e.g., It’s true, isn’t it?), and to indicate direct address (e.g., Is that you, Steve?).

The Rules

To set off the name of the person to who you are speaking
After introductory words yes and no and interjections
When addressing a person
To separate words or groups of words in a series
To set off introductory elements
In tag questions

More Rules

To set off an appositive
To join two related sentences
Between the day of the week and the month – Between the date and the year
To separate the name of a city and its state or country
To separate a quote from a source phrase
In friendly letters, after the greeting and closing
In business letters, after the closing

Comma Rules Videos

The following videos are all short and comical. They make great hooks to lessons on commas.

Commas in a Series

Commas After Introductory Elements

Direct Address

Comma Rules Foldable Organizer

Making foldable organizers uses up a lot of class time. This quick and simple organizer can be made in a matter of minutes. Just fold copier paper and staple it across the top.