Extra, Extra! Brackets, Dashes and Commas for Extra Information

About This Resource

A free Grade 4 ESL writing worksheet on adding extra information to a sentence with brackets ( ), a pair of dashes – – or a pair of commas. Students find the extra information, check that the sentence still makes sense without it, add the missing punctuation, choose the best extra detail, spot correct and incorrect sentences and write their own. Includes a timed lesson plan, a six-activity worksheet, an editable Word version and answer key.

Overview

Students learn that writers can add an extra detail in the middle of a sentence without starting a new one. The extra information is placed inside brackets, between a pair of dashes or between a pair of commas. The key test is simple: if you cover the extra information, the sentence must still make sense. Students practice finding extra information, punctuating it in all three ways, choosing a detail that adds something useful, and using this skill in their own writing to make it more interesting.

Resource Details

Subject: ESL
Topic: Brackets, Dashes and Commas for Extra Information
Category: Writing
File Type: PDF
File Size: 253.5 KB
Published: 08 Nov 2026
Downloads: 0

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Grade 4 ESL (ages 9–10), A2 40 minutes Punctuation grammar sentence building writing

Student Task

Write "My cat sleeps all day." on the board. Add "(a fluffy gray kitten)" after cat and ask what the new part tells us.
Do activities 1 and 2 together, covering the extra information with a finger to check the sentence.
Students complete activities 3 to 6 on their own or in pairs. Answers are in the answer key.

Classroom Use

Cover test: students hold a strip of paper over the extra information and read the sentence without it.
Detail auction: give a plain sentence and let teams suggest extra details; the class votes for the most useful one.
Punctuation swap: rewrite the same sentence three times, once with brackets, once with dashes and once with commas.

Differentiation

Support: give the extra information on cards so students only need to place it and add the punctuation. Challenge: students explain when dashes feel more dramatic and when brackets feel quieter, and use both in a short paragraph.

Answer Key & Assessment

Activities 1 to 5 check finding and punctuating extra information (answer key included). Activity 6 shows whether students can use the punctuation correctly in their own sentences.

Learning Objectives

Identify extra information in a sentence.
Use brackets, a pair of dashes or a pair of commas to add extra information.
Check that a sentence still makes sense when the extra information is removed.

Teacher Tips

Students often forget the second bracket, dash or comma. Remind them that the punctuation always comes in a pair, like two hands holding the extra information.

What's Included

7-page printable PDF lesson pack: teacher lesson plan with timings, materials and differentiation
Key vocabulary list (6 words with meanings and examples)
Student worksheet (6 activities)
Editable Word version of the worksheet
Complete answer key (also as a separate PDF)