Commas with Nonessential Elements Worksheet (Grade 6)
Free printable Grade 6 punctuation worksheet. Students decide whether a clause or appositive is essential or nonessential and whether it needs commas. Answer key included.
Grade 6 · Grammar worksheet
Name
Date
Grammar
Commas with Nonessential Elements
A nonessential element adds extra information the sentence can live without, so it is set off with commas (or parentheses or dashes). An essential element identifies exactly which one you mean, so it takes no commas. Decide which kind each element is.
- 1.Is 'who forget their permission slips' essential or nonessential? "Students who forget their permission slips cannot attend the excursion."
- a) Nonessential: set it off with commas
- b) Essential: no commas
- 2.Is 'who exercise regularly' essential or nonessential? "People who exercise regularly tend to sleep better."
- a) Nonessential: set it off with commas
- b) Essential: no commas
- 3.Is 'which stretches more than 2,000 kilometers' essential or nonessential? "The Great Barrier Reef which stretches more than 2,000 kilometers is visible from space."
- a) Nonessential: set it off with commas
- b) Essential: no commas
- 4.Is 'that open the storeroom' essential or nonessential? "The keys that open the storeroom are kept in the office."
- a) Nonessential: set it off with commas
- b) Essential: no commas
- 5.Is 'that sells that brand' essential or nonessential? "The only shop that sells that brand is across town."
- a) Nonessential: set it off with commas
- b) Essential: no commas
- 6.Is 'who studies engineering' essential or nonessential? "Tom's oldest brother who studies engineering fixed the robot."
- a) Nonessential: set it off with commas
- b) Essential: no commas
- 7.Is 'who grew up in Chicago' essential or nonessential? "The novel's author who grew up in Chicago based the setting on her own street."
- a) Nonessential: set it off with commas
- b) Essential: no commas
- 8.Is 'Mrs. Alvarez' essential or nonessential? "Our principal Mrs. Alvarez announced the winners at assembly."
- a) Nonessential: set it off with commas
- b) Essential: no commas
- 9.Is 'who speed through the school zone' essential or nonessential? "Drivers who speed through the school zone will be fined."
- a) Nonessential: set it off with commas
- b) Essential: no commas
- 10.Is 'who was born in Cairns' essential or nonessential? "My mother who was born in Cairns loves the ocean."
- a) Nonessential: set it off with commas
- b) Essential: no commas
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