Punctuation Rules

GL tests punctuation the same way as spelling: one sentence split into four groups (A–D), find the group with the punctuation or capital-letter mistake — sometimes with a "no mistake" option. The planted errors come from a surprisingly short list, so this section rewards targeted practice more than any other.

Apostrophes — the biggest mark-winner

Apostrophes do exactly two jobs:

1. Squeezing letters out (contraction): don't (do not), can't, it's (it is / it has).
2. Showing who owns something (possession):
   • one owner → add 's: the dog's bowl (one dog)
   • plural owners ending in s → apostrophe after the s: the dogs' bowl (several dogs)
   • irregular plurals → add 's: the children's coats, the men's room

The golden test for its/it's: swap in "it is". "The cat licked it is paw" — nonsense, so it must be its. This single check is worth a mark on almost every paper.

And the iron rule: an apostrophe never makes a plural. "Apple's for sale" is always wrong.

Commas

• Lists: pens, pencils, rulers and rubbers — commas between items.
• After a fronted opener: After lunch, we walked to the park.
• Paired commas around extra information: My uncle, who lives in Leeds, is visiting. Both commas are needed — one missing is a classic planted error.
• Direct address: Come here, Sam.

Speech marks

Four rules cover nearly every GL speech question:

1. Only the spoken words go inside the marks.
2. Punctuation goes before the closing mark: "Wait for me," said Jo. — never "Wait for me", said Jo.
3. Speech starts with a capital letter, and when the speaker comes first, a comma comes before the speech opens: Jo said, "Wait for me."
4. If the speech asks something, the question mark goes inside: "Are we late?" he asked.

Capitals and end marks

Names, places, days, months and I take capitals. Every sentence needs an end mark, and a sentence that asks needs a question mark — but only a real question: "He wondered if they were late" is a report, not a question, so it takes a full stop.

Common 11+ traps

⚠️ it's/its — the most-tested apostrophe on the paper. Always run the "it is" swap before moving on.

⚠️ The greengrocer's apostrophe. Plurals dressed up with apostrophes (banana's, video's). If the word just means "more than one", there is no apostrophe — ever.

⚠️ Punctuation outside the speech marks, or a missing comma before the closing mark. Whatever is spoken carries its punctuation inside the marks.

⚠️ Plural possession counting. The girl's coats (one girl) vs the girls' coats (several girls). The apostrophe's position answers "how many owners?" — and GL plants the wrong position deliberately, so make your child count the owners.

⚠️ Missing question mark inside speech. "Are we late," he asked is wrong — a spoken question keeps its question mark.

Coaching at home

Apostrophe errors are everywhere in the real world — shop signs, menus, market stalls. Make spotting them a family game. Catching "potato's £1" at the greengrocer is the same skill the test wants, and children love catching grown-ups out.

Worked examples

Read through each example. Cover the steps and try it yourself first if you can.

1. 1

   The it's/its swap

   Find the group with the punctuation mistake: A) The cat licked | B) it's paw carefully | C) and curled up | D) on the warm rug.

   Steps

   1. Group B contains an apostrophe — run the golden test: swap in 'it is'.
   2. 'The cat licked IT IS paw' — nonsense.
   3. So this is belonging-its, which never takes an apostrophe: 'its paw'.
   4. Check the remaining groups: no punctuation is needed or misplaced in A, C or D.

   Answer

   B (it's → its)

2. 2

   Punctuation inside the speech marks

   Find the group with the punctuation mistake: A) "Hurry up" said Mum, | B) grabbing her keys | C) as the bus appeared | D) at the end of the road.

   Steps

   1. Group A contains speech — check the closing mark rule: spoken words carry their punctuation INSIDE.
   2. 'Hurry up' runs straight into 'said Mum' with nothing before the closing mark.
   3. It should be: "Hurry up," said Mum. — comma inside the speech marks.
   4. B, C and D need no punctuation, so A is the answer.

   Answer

   A (missing comma inside the closing speech mark: "Hurry up," said Mum)

3. 3

   Counting the owners

   Find the group with the punctuation mistake: A) All the teachers | B) put the childrens' paintings | C) on the wall | D) outside the hall.

   Steps

   1. Group B has a possession apostrophe — count the owners: the paintings belong to the children.
   2. 'Children' is already a plural (an irregular one — no s added), so it takes 's like a single owner: children's.
   3. 'childrens'' is never correct — the word 'childrens' does not exist.
   4. The other groups carry no punctuation errors.

   Answer

   B (childrens' → children's)