Grade 6 Fall — Argumentative Writing, Claim-Evidence-Warrant (Toulmin Lite), Counterclaim Acknowledgment, and Pronoun Mastery
English · GR G6 eng.g6.f.gr.nonrestrictive_three_tool_palette

Set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements with commas, parentheses, or dashes (CCSS L.6.2.a)

Apply the three-tool palette (MG-11): COMMAS for a mild aside ('Maya, my neighbor, brought cookies'); PARENTHESES for a greater aside ('Maya (my neighbor of three years) brought cookies'); DASHES for an emphasized aside ('Maya — my neighbor — brought cookies'). Each tool has rules: commas always come in pairs; parentheses always paired; dashes (em-dashes) always paired. Distinguish from RESTRICTIVE elements (essential — no punctuation).

Mastery threshold
90%
Min instances
12
Typical minutes
40
Spaced intervals (days)
1, 3, 7, 14, 30, 60
Prereqs
Successors
  • eng.g7.s.gr.semicolon_colon_dash_advanced
    (not yet loaded)
Common misconceptions
  • Uses one comma instead of two around a nonrestrictive element ('Maya my neighbor, brought cookies' — needs paired commas: 'Maya, my neighbor, brought cookies').
  • Sets off a restrictive (essential) element with commas ('The girl, who brought cookies, is my neighbor' — restrictive 'who brought cookies' identifies which girl; no commas).

Exercise pool (2)

Diff Stem Type
3 Choose the appropriate punctuation (commas / parentheses / dashes / no punctuation) for each: (1) 'Stevenson __ who founded EJI __ has... choose punctuation tool
3 Add 2 nonrestrictive elements to your argument draft using 2 different tools (commas/parens/dashes). Explain choice for each. add nonrestrictive to draft