F U N C T I O N A L S K I L L S E N G L I S H · L E V E L 1
Punctuation for Writers
WRITING · LESSON 7 OF 10
Lesson by English
This lesson contains 19 slides, with interactive quizzes and text slides.
F U N C T I O N A L S K I L L S E N G L I S H · L E V E L 1
Punctuation for Writers
WRITING · LESSON 7 OF 10
Functional Skills English Level 1 · Writing · Lesson 7 of 10 (about 60 minutes)
Covers: subject content 19 (a range of punctuation used correctly: full stops, question marks, exclamation marks and commas). Statements 22 and 24 run through the FAQ task; possessive apostrophes are Lesson 8.
Before the lesson: print the handout (model FAQ page, task, planning frame and writing lines), one per learner.
Device-free fallback: every activity works with the printed handout, mini whiteboards and hands up.
Description: Functional Skills English Level 1 Writing, lesson 7 of 10. Learners study a college IT help-desk FAQ page and use full stops, capital letters, commas, question marks and exclamation marks correctly, then plan, write and proofread their own FAQ for a new college app.
Tags: punctuation, full stops, capital letters, commas, commas in lists, question marks, exclamation marks, proofreading, faq, digital skills, level 1 writing, functional skills english, further education, adult learners Image credit: Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash
😄 Great – ready to go
🙂 Good
😐 Okay
😕 Not great today
😴 Tired
Wellbeing check: how's your energy today?
Phase 0 · Wellbeing check (first 2 mins)
A quick, low-stakes check-in. Only totals show, so nobody is singled out. Say: "There's no right answer. It just helps me plan today."
Act on it: if several learners choose the last two options, ease the pace and build in a pair task early. Check in privately with anyone you are concerned about, and follow your college's wellbeing and safeguarding route.
Editor note: if any emoji have not come through, re-add them in the editor.
Device-free fallback: learners show 1–5 fingers, or write a number on a sticky note face down.
Full stops, commas, the lot
Just the odd question mark
Emojis do the job for me
None at all
It depends who it's to
When you text a friend, how much punctuation do you use?
Phase 1 · Hook (2–5 mins)
No wrong answer. Texting a friend is fine without full stops: they know you and can ask what you meant.
Probe: "What about a message to a manager, a tutor or a customer?" Readers who don't know you need punctuation to follow you. That's today.
Fun example: "Let's eat Grandma" vs "Let's eat, Grandma". One comma saves a life.
Device-free fallback: hands up for each option.
What we're doing today
W R I T I N G
Today you will
Why it matters
start and end every sentence correctly
use commas in lists and after openers
use ? and ! in the right places
Punctuation tells your reader where to stop, pause and ask.
In the Level 1 writing exam, punctuation earns marks, and there is no spellchecker to help.
Phase 2 · Goals (5–7 mins)
Frame it as a work skill: emails, instructions, forms and messages to customers all depend on clear punctuation.
The Level 1 writing assessment lasts about an hour, usually two writing tasks set in real-life situations. Marks go to spelling, punctuation and grammar as well as content, and there is no dictionary or spellchecker. Punctuation is one of the quickest places to pick up marks.
Device-free fallback: read the slide aloud; learners copy the three goals into their book.
Name a punctuation mark you know, and say what it is for.
Phase 2 · Activation (7–10 mins)
Learners add the name of a mark and what it does, e.g. "full stop – ends a sentence". Collect: full stop, comma, question mark, exclamation mark, capital letter (not a mark, but it goes with the full stop), apostrophe, colon, brackets, speech marks, hyphen.
Say: "Today we focus on the five that carry most marks: full stops and capitals, commas, question marks and exclamation marks. Apostrophes get a whole lesson next time."
Device-free fallback: pairs list as many marks as they can in 60 seconds, then draw each one on a mini whiteboard. Image credit: Ritupon Baishya / Unsplash
Why punctuation matters
When we speak, we pause and change our voice.
When we write, punctuation does that job. It shows where a sentence ends, where to pause and when you are asking something.
No punctuation = a reader who has to guess.
Phase 3 · Teaching (10–13 mins)
Say: "When we speak, we pause and change our voice. When we write, punctuation does that job."
Show it: write on the board the printer is broken can you fix it and read it with no pauses. Then add: The printer is broken. Can you fix it? Ask: "Which is easier to follow?"
Misconception: a comma is not a "small full stop". Two complete sentences joined only by a comma is a mistake (a comma splice, from Lesson 6).
Device-free fallback: the board example above works on its own. Image credit: Eliott Reyna / Unsplash
3 rules that earn marks
W R I T I N G
1
Capital letter to start, full stop to end. Names of people, days and places always get a capital.
2
Commas in lists and after openers. Bring a pen, a laptop and a charger. If it freezes, restart it.
3
? for a question, ! for strong feeling. One ! is enough, and most work writing needs none.
Phase 3 · Teaching (13–17 mins)
Click to reveal each rule. After each one, ask a learner to make up an example about phones, apps or computers.
1. Every sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark. Names (Kwame, Monday, Ashworth) always take capitals.
2. Commas go between items in a list (no comma needed before the final and), and after an opener such as If…, When…, After…, Yes,.
3. A question mark goes only on a direct question: "Can I print?" but "I asked if I could print." Exclamation marks show strong feeling: one is enough, and most work writing needs none.
Device-free fallback: write the three rules on the board one at a time.
www.ashworthcollege.ac.uk/it-help/faq
MODEL TEXT · 1 of 2
Ashworth College · IT Help Desk
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the problems students ask about most
How do I log in to the college Wi-Fi?
Choose AshworthCollege from the list of networks. Enter your student number and password, then press Connect. If it still doesn't work, restart your device and try again.
I've forgotten my password. What should I do?
Don't worry! Go to the login page and click Forgotten password. We will send a reset link to your college email. The link works for 30 minutes.
**Question mark.** Every FAQ question is a direct question, so it ends with **?**
**Capital letters and full stops.** Each instruction is a short sentence: capital to start, full stop to end.
**Comma after an opener.** "If it still doesn't work," sets up the instruction, so a comma comes after it.
**One exclamation mark.** "Don't worry!" sounds friendly. Only one on the whole page: more would sound like shouting.
Phase 3 · Model FAQ page, part 1 (17–21 mins)
Learners follow on the handout. Read it aloud, pausing clearly at every full stop and comma, then open hotspots 1–4.
Vocabulary: FAQ stands for "frequently asked questions": the questions people ask most, with short answers. A network is the Wi-Fi you connect to.
Probe: "Why does every question here end with a question mark, but every answer end with a full stop?"
Device-free fallback: printed page; learners circle every capital letter in one colour and every full stop in another.
www.ashworthcollege.ac.uk/it-help/faq
MODEL TEXT · 2 of 2
Can I print from my phone?
Yes, you can. Download the free AshPrint app, sign in with your student details and choose a printer. Printing costs 5p a page in black and white, or 15p in colour.
Where can I get more help?
Visit the help desk in the library, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. You can also email itsupport@ashworthcollege.ac.uk or call extension 2040. Please tell us your student number, the device you are using and what went wrong.
Updated by Kwame Asante, IT Support Team
**Comma after Yes.** "Yes, you can." Words like Yes, No and However are openers too.
**A list of steps.** Commas between the steps, then **and** before the last one.
**Capitals for names.** Days (Monday, Friday) and names (AshPrint, Kwame Asante) always start with a capital.
**A list of things to tell us.** Three items, commas between them, **and** before the last.
Phase 3 · Model FAQ page, part 2 (21–24 mins)
Ask learners to find two lists and one opener before you open the hotspots.
Answers: lists: "Download…, sign in… and choose…", "your student number, the device you are using and what went wrong". Opener: "Yes, you can."
Misconception: learners often put a comma before and in every list, or none at all. At Level 1, the safe rule is: commas between items, and before the last one, no comma before it.
Spelling watch (statement 21): extension, device, colour, Wednesday-style capitals for days.
Device-free fallback: learners underline each list and number the items.
Two jobs for a comma
W R I T I N G
In a list
After an opener
Put a comma between items. Use and or or before the last one.
You need a laptop, a charger and your student card.
When a sentence starts with If, When, After or Yes, add a comma after the opener.
If the screen freezes, hold down the power button.
Phase 3 · Teaching: commas (24–27 mins)
Two jobs for a comma at Level 1. Model each on the board with a learner's own example.
Probe: "Read this aloud: After you log in you will see your timetable. Where do you naturally pause?" (After "log in".) That pause is where the comma goes.
Misconception: commas do not join two full sentences. "The Wi-Fi is down, use the cable." ✗ → "The Wi-Fi is down. Use the cable." ✓
Device-free fallback: learners write one list sentence and one opener sentence on a mini whiteboard.
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
do you have your student card with you.
When the screen freezes, hold down the power button.
Click save, the file, will close by itself.
Is the printer working again!
Phase 4 · Check (27–29 mins)
Answer: B. Capital to start, a comma after the opener "When the screen freezes", full stop to end.
Why the others are wrong: A has no capital and is a question, so it needs ?. C puts commas in random places: "Click save. The file will close by itself." D is a question, so it needs ?, not !.
Probe: "Fix one of the wrong ones on your whiteboard."
Device-free fallback: learners hold up A–D cards or fingers.
Drag each sentence to the mark that is missing at the gap [ ].
Full stop .
Question mark ?
Comma ,
Where is the nearest printer [ ]
If the app crashes [ ] close it and open it again.
Bring a USB stick [ ] a pen and a notebook.
Your password needs eight letters [ ]
Can I use my own laptop in class [ ]
The help desk closes at 5pm [ ]
Phase 4 · Practice: which mark is missing? (29–33 mins)
Each sentence is missing one kind of mark at the gap [ ]. Learners read each one aloud to hear where it stops or pauses, then drag it.
Answers: Full stop: "Your password needs eight letters [ ]" · "The help desk closes at 5pm [ ]". Question mark: "Where is the nearest printer [ ]" · "Can I use my own laptop in class [ ]". Comma: "If the app crashes [ ] close it…" · "Bring a USB stick [ ] a pen and a notebook."
Device-free fallback: read each sentence aloud; learners draw the missing mark on a mini whiteboard.
Complete the punctuation rules.
Every sentence starts with a capital letter. Put a comma between the items in a list. A direct question ends with a question mark.
Phase 4 · Check: the rules (33–35 mins)
Answers: capital letter · comma · question mark.
Distractors: a full stop ends a sentence (it doesn't start one); an exclamation mark shows strong feeling, not a question.
Editor note: after pushing, set this fill's text to 28px in the editor.
Device-free fallback: write the sentences on the board with gaps; learners copy and fill them in.
Rewrite this message to IT correctly: hi i cant log in to the wifi ive tried my password three times can you reset it thanks jordan
Phase 4 · Practice: fix the message (35–39 mins)
Learners rewrite the message with full punctuation, as if sending it to the college IT team. Give 3 minutes, then share two or three answers.
Model answer: "Hi, I can't log in to the college Wi-Fi. I have tried my password three times. Can you reset it, please? Thanks, Jordan"
Look for: capitals (Hi, I, Wi-Fi, Jordan), full stops, one ? on the question, a comma after "Hi" and "Thanks". No !!!. Apostrophes in can't and I've are a preview of Lesson 8: praise them, but don't mark them down yet.
Support: give the number of sentences (three plus the greeting). Stretch: add a sentence with a list, e.g. what device you use.
Device-free fallback: learners rewrite it on paper or a mini whiteboard.
Your turn: write an FAQ
minute
second
Ashworth College has a new app, CampusPass, for timetables and booking study rooms. Write an FAQ for new students. Write about 150–200 words.
Answer four questions, for example:
How do I download and log in? · How do I book a study room? · What if the app stops working? · Where can I get more help?
Plan: write each question first, then 2–3 short sentences to answer it.
Useful words
First, … Then, …
If…, … · When…, …
download, password, settings, timetable, notification
Check: ? on every question
Phase 5 · Write, exam style (39–54 mins)
Learners work alone, on paper. Give 2 minutes to plan with the frame, then start the 15-minute timer. Leave the last 2 minutes for checking.
What good looks like: four question-and-answer pairs; each question ends with ?; answers are short sentences with a capital and a full stop; at least one list with commas and one opener with a comma; at most one !.
Support: write two or three FAQs instead of four; use the starters. Stretch: add a heading and a strapline like the model, and a line saying who updated the page.
Device-free fallback: the task is on the handout with a planning frame and writing lines.
Check your writing
W R I T I N G
1. Capital letters?
2. Full stops?
3. Question marks?
4. Commas?
5. Exclamation marks?
Check every name and day too.
One idea per sentence.
Only on real questions.
Commas never join two sentences.
Work writing rarely needs any.
Every sentence starts with one. So do names, days and I.
Every answer sentence ends with a full stop.
Every FAQ question ends with ?
Between items in a list, and after an opener like If…,
One at most, and never !!!
Phase 6 · Check your writing (54–57 mins)
Learners swap FAQs with a partner (or self-check). Click each yellow marker to reveal what good looks like; partners tick or circle each point in pencil.
Common errors: questions with a full stop; "i" as a small letter; commas joining two sentences; a comma before every and; "!!!".
Proofreading habit: read it once for sense, then once slowly, finger under each word, looking only at punctuation. Reading it aloud in your head helps you hear where sentences end.
Device-free fallback: read the five points aloud; learners tick them on the handout checklist.
You can now…
W R I T I N G
start every sentence with a capital and end it with the right mark
use commas in lists and after openers like If… and When…
use ? for questions and ! only when it really counts
Phase 6 · Celebrate progress (57–58 mins)
Click to bring in each tick. Ask: "Which of these feels solid now? Which needs more practice?" Name it as real progress: accurate punctuation earns marks in every writing task.
Device-free fallback: learners tick the three statements in their book, adding a question mark next to any they are unsure about. Image credit: LessonUp Studio (made for this series)
Capitals for names and days
Ending every sentence properly
Commas in lists
Commas after openers
Fewer exclamation marks
Which punctuation habit will you work on first?
Phase 6 · Reflect (58–60 mins)
No right answer. Use the results to plan the next warm-up.
Ask one or two learners: "Where will you use this outside college? A work email? A form? A message to a customer?"
Device-free fallback: learners write their choice and one example sentence on an exit slip.
Take it further
W R I T I N G
Stretch: in class
Before next lesson
Write three short steps telling a new student how to connect to the college Wi-Fi.
Use one list with commas and one sentence starting with If.
Look at signs, menus and messages around you.
Write down three words with an apostrophe ( ' ), e.g. don't or Sam's.
Are they right? Bring them to Lesson 8.
Take it further
Stretch is for early finishers in class: the "how to" steps reuse commas in lists and openers.
Before next lesson needs no device. Learners bring their three examples to Lesson 8 (Apostrophes Made Simple), where we sort out 's, s', it's / its and you're / your.
Device-free fallback: this slide is already paper-based.