Year 6 · SPaG · Spring: Lists, colons and semi-colons
Year 6 colons worksheet and PowerPoint
To use a colon after a complete clause to introduce a list or an explanation.
Using the colon
A colon (:) comes after a complete clause and introduces something: a list, or an explanation of what has just been said.
| a list | The recipe needs three ingredients: flour, eggs and butter. |
|---|---|
| an explanation | The road was closed: a tree had fallen across it. |
| a phrase | She had only one wish: to see the sea. |
| remember | do not put a colon after a word like ‘needs’ or ‘the’; the words before it must make sense alone |
Examples
- There are four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
- Remember this rule: think before you speak.
Key words
- colon
- introduces a list or an explanation
- complete clause
- a group of words with a subject and a verb that makes sense alone
- explanation
- words that say why or what
- list
- items separated by commas
What is on the worksheet
Every sheet for this lesson has a short teaching box and 12 questions that get gradually harder: 8 fluency questions, then 4 reasoning questions that ask pupils to explain or choose. A writing challenge follows. The questions use the same styles as the key stage 2 grammar and punctuation test (circle, underline, tick, fill the gap, add punctuation, rewrite, explain). They are written for this website, not copied from past papers.
All the answers are on the last page of the same editable Word file. New questions are made every time, so you can print a different sheet for every group or for homework. The same sheet code always gives the same sheet.
Writing challenge: Write six sentences for a school brochure: three with a colon before a list and three with a colon before an explanation.
Pupil target: I can use a colon.
The PowerPoint
A 20-slide lesson deck for the same lesson: a starter that revisits earlier learning, key words, an I do and a You do question on each slide with a countdown timer, answers that appear one click at a time, and a challenge. Download the colons PowerPoint.
Where this lesson fits
This is lesson 35 of 72 in the Year 6 SPaG scheme, in the Spring term, block “Lists, colons and semi-colons”. It is taught before the SATs grammar test in May.
Other lessons in this block
- Colons and semi-colons
- Writing in note form
- Punctuating bullet points
- Semi-colons
- Choosing punctuation to mark boundaries
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