How can you tell they’ve got it: Commas with yes, no, and names?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Write sentences using commas with yes and no at the beginning such as 'Yes, I understand'; Punctuate tag questions correctly such as 'It's cold today, isn't it?'; Use commas to set off names in direct address such as 'Sarah, please pass the salt'. Or just try it together: When your child writes dialogue or a letter and addresses someone by name — like "Yes, Mum, I did tidy my room" — do they use commas correctly around the name and around words like "yes" or "no"?

English Grammar & Punctuation Ages 10–11

Commas with yes, no, and names

Your child can use commas around yes, no and a name they are speaking to. They write Yes, I understand and It's cold today, isn't it.

In curriculum terms

Use commas to set off the words yes and no, to set off tag questions, and to indicate direct address in sentences

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Write sentences using commas with yes and no at the beginning such as 'Yes, I understand'
Punctuate tag questions correctly such as 'It's cold today, isn't it?'
Use commas to set off names in direct address such as 'Sarah, please pass the salt'

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Try this together

When your child writes dialogue or a letter and addresses someone by name — like "Yes, Mum, I did tidy my room" — do they use commas correctly around the name and around words like "yes" or "no"?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Commas in listsages 6–11Commas for tag questions and direct address extend the range of comma conventions beyond list use

Four Types of Sentencesages 6–7Tag questions (e.g., 'You're coming, aren't you?') are a sentence type that depends on understanding the four sentence function types

Punctuating Direct Speechages 7–10Tag questions and direct address relate to dialogue punctuation

Commas with yes, no, and namesthis skill · ages 10–11

Unlocks

Nothing on the map depends on this yet.

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

Show candidate curriculum codes · 1 ACARA · 1 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9E5LA09low confidenceYear 5 · Language

use commas to indicate prepositional phrases, and apostrophes where there is multiple possession

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2E5LA09low confidenceEnglish · Level 5 · Language strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

Active and passive voiceages 10–11 Bullet Point Punctuationages 10–11 Choosing Tenses for Precise Meaningages 10–11 Colons and Semicolons in Listsages 10–11

All Grammar & Punctuation skills →