Worked example · Languages, Literacy and Communication · Year 3

Punctuating a trip to Caernarfon Castle

LNF: Literacy → Writing → Punctuation

What this is

A complete, secure Year 3 answer with the full answer key and model sentences for Step 6. In Step 2 some sentences could take either mark if the pupil can explain why (see the note). The castle facts are true: Caernarfon Castle stands beside the River Seiont in Gwynedd, and King Edward I began building it in 1283.

Step 1

Class 3 went to Caernarfon Castle. We went on a big bus. The castle is next to the River Seiont. It was built for King Edward the First a very long time ago.

4 full stops and 11 capital letters: 4 to start sentences and 7 for names (Caernarfon Castle, River Seiont, King Edward the First). Many pupils miss the capitals in the names. Evidences success criteria 1 and 2.

Step 2

  1. Have you ever seen a castle as big as this?
  2. What a windy day it was!
  3. How many towers can you count?
  4. Wow, the Eagle Tower is so tall!
  5. Who lived in the castle long ago?

Sentence 2 starts with What but is an exclamation, not a question: nobody is being asked anything. If a pupil writes “?” there, ask them to read it aloud and decide whether it needs an answer.

Step 3

  1. We saw towers, walls, gates and arrow slits.
  2. In my lunch box I had a sandwich, an apple, a yoghurt and a Welsh cake.
  3. In the shop Nia bought a pencil, a rubber and a dragon badge.

No comma before and. Evidences success criterion 3.

Step 4

can not: can’t  ·  It is: It’s  ·  Do not: Don’t  ·  We are: We’re

The apostrophe goes where the missing letters were (the o in not, the i in is, the a in are), not between the two words. Evidences success criterion 4.

Step 5: the 8 mistakes

At the end of the day we climbed the steps of the Eagle Tower. From the top we could see boats, houses, hills and the sea. Mrs Ellis asked, “Who is tired?” Everybody was tired! I don’t think I have ever had such a good day.

  1. eagle: capital E (name of the tower)
  2. tower: capital T
  3. comma after boats
  4. comma after houses
  5. mrs: capital M (start of a sentence and a name)
  6. question mark after tired
  7. apostrophe in don’t
  8. full stop at the end (an exclamation mark is also fine)

Finding all 8 without help shows the pupil can check and correct punctuation on their own. Evidences success criterion 5.

Step 6: model sentences

  1. Have you ever been to Barry Island?
  2. The roller coaster was so fast!
  3. On the beach we found shells, pebbles, seaweed and a crab.
  4. I can’t wait to go back next summer.

Each sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with the right mark. The place name has a capital letter. The list uses commas and and. Evidences success criteria 1 to 4.

What to look for