Layered target for Writing
Adapted from Primary Strategy in Staffordshire - Literacy
Team
Sentence Punctuation
AF6 Write with technical accuracy of syntax and punctuation in phrases, clauses and sentences.
Year
W
Group Target
Must
 Dictate a simple
sentence.
Should 
 Begin to use capital
letters and full stops
to punctuate a
sentence.
1
 Write simple
sentences
independently.
Could
Must
Should
 Use capital letters
and full stops when
punctuating a single
simple sentence
Could
 I can say a simple phrase
I can say a simple sentence
 I can write my own name, using a
capital letter
Key Questions to support planning,
teaching and assessment
Can you tell me something about your
drawing/painting?
Can you write…a list/ story/ instruction/ label/
caption/ name?
How many ideas are in your sentence? Try to
have just one.
What do you start a sentence with?
What do you need to do to finish the sentence?
 I can write a simple sentence/
phrase
 I can start my sentence with a
capital letter and finish with a
full stop.
 I can say a simple sentence
 I can write my own name, using a
capital letter
 I can write a simple sentence.
 I can start my sentence with a
capital letter and finish with a
full stop.
 I remember to use capital letters
and full stops properly in my
sentences and I use question
marks at the end of question
sentences.
Layered curricular targets – Writing – Sentence Punctuation.
Success Criteria
The children will:
- know that print carries meaning
- understand the concept of a word
- have left to right correspondence
- consolidate subject-verb pattern of
speech
- know the difference between upper and
lower case letters
- understand that capital letters are
used for names
-
How many ideas are in your sentence? Try to
have just one.
Where do you need to start writing?
What do you start a sentence with?
What do you need to do to finish the sentence/
idea?
Can you reread what you’ve written before
writing the next idea or sentence?
What do you need to do to finish a question
sentence?
understand that capital letters and full
stops are used to demarcate sentences
The children will:
- understand the ‘sense of a sentence’
- begin to demarcate sentences
1
Year
2

Begin to use
conjunctions to
write compound
sentences

Punctuate some
sentences in the
course of writing
using capital
letters, full stops
and question marks
Group Target
Must
Should
Could
 I can write a simple sentence.
 I can start my sentences with
capital letters and finish them
with full stops.
 I remember to use capital
letters and full stops properly in
my sentences and I use question
marks at the end of question
sentences.
Key Questions to support planning,
teaching and assessment
How many ideas are in your sentence? Try to
have just one.
Where do you need to start writing?
What do you need to do between words?
What do you start a sentence with?
What do you need to do to finish the
sentence/ idea?
What do you need to do to finish a question
sentence?
Can you reread what was written before
writing the next idea or sentence down?
Success Criteria
The children will:
- consolidate the ‘sense of a sentence’
- demarcate sentences
 I remember to use capital
letters, full stops, question
marks and exclamation marks
properly in my sentences.
Layered curricular targets – Writing – Sentence Punctuation.
2
Year
3
Group Target
Must
 Demarcate sentences
in the course of
writing using capital
letters, full stops,
question and
exclamation marks,
usually accurately
 I remember to use capital
letters and full stops properly in
my sentences and I use question
marks at the end of question
sentences.
Should
 I can use capital letters, full
stops, exclamation marks and
questions accurately and I can
use commas in a list.
Could
 I can use capital letters, full
stops, exclamation marks,
question marks and commas for
lists accurately and I can begin
to use speech marks in my
writing.
Layered curricular targets – Writing – Sentence Punctuation.
Key Questions to support planning,
teaching and assessment
What do you need to do to finish a question
sentence?
What punctuation can you use to show that
the character is surprised, startled, angry,
happy?
What do you need to use to indicate the
actual words which are spoken by a
character
Success Criteria
The children will:
- begin to understand clause and
phrase boundaries
- understand how to demarcate
sentences
3
Year
4
Group Target
Must
 Vary sentences
showing
characteristics of
chosen form, adding
phrases to enhance
meaning
 I can use capital letters, full
stops, exclamation marks and
questions accurately and I can
use commas in a list.
.
Should
 I can use a variety of
adverbial/adjectival phrases in
sentences
 I can use capital letters, full
stops, exclamation marks,
question marks and commas for
lists accurately and I can begin
to use speech marks in my
writing.
Could
 I can move adverbial phrases
around in a sentence to vary the
effect on the reader
 I can use Y4 range of
punctuation accurately and
use commas for lists and for
marking phrases and clauses,
apostrophes for possession and
speech marks to identify direct
speech.
 Use the Y3 range of
punctuation mostly
accurately and begin
to use the new Y4
punctuation in the
course of writing.
Layered curricular targets – Writing – Sentence Punctuation.
Key Questions to support planning,
teaching and assessment
Could you add adjectives/ adjectival
phrases to give the reader more detailed
information about the noun?
Can you begin some sentences with words
and phrases that tell the reader when
something happened? e.g. Later… After…
Next…
Can you begin some sentences with words
and phrases that tell the reader where
something happened? e.g. In the garden…
Over the road… Down the lane…
Can you begin some sentences with words
and phrases that tell the reader how
something happened? e.g. Quickly… Quietly…
Silently… Slowly…
What do you need to do to finish a question
sentence?
What punctuation can you use to show that
the character is surprised, startled, angry,
happy?
What do you need to use to indicate the
actual words which are spoken by a
character?
Success Criteria
The children will:
- begin to manipulate clauses and
phrases
-
use an increasing range of
punctuation to demarcate
sentences, usually accurately
4
Year
5
 Use the Y4 range
of punctuation
mostly accurately
and begin to
punctuate direct
and indirect speech
with some accuracy.
Group Target
Must
 I can use capital letters, full
stops, exclamation marks,
question marks and commas for
lists accurately and I can begin
to use speech marks in my
writing.
Should
 I can use Y4 range of
punctuation accurately and use
commas for lists and for marking
phrases and clauses, apostrophes
for possession and speech marks
to identify direct speech.
Could
 I can manipulate the clauses in a
sentence
I can demarcate most sentences
correctly with Y5 range of
punctuation and begin to use
other punctuation marks such as
the semi-colon, ellipses and
brackets.
Layered curricular targets – Writing – Sentence Punctuation.
Key Questions to support planning,
teaching and assessment
Success Criteria
Could you manipulate the clauses to have an
effect on the reader? What is the effect
on the reader?
Where does the comma need to go to mark
boundaries between words, phrases or
clauses – does it ‘sound’ right?
Have you separated the clauses in complex
sentences with a comma?
Have you used speech marks to indicate the
actual words which are spoken by a
character?
The children will:
- understand how to manipulate
clauses and phrases
- use a range of punctuation,
including speech punctuation, to
demarcate sentences with
increasing accuracy.
5
Year
6
Group Target
Must
 Secure control of
complex sentences,
understanding how
clauses can be
manipulated to
achieve different
effects
 Demarcate most
sentences correctly
with Y5 range of
punctuation and
begin to use some
Y6 punctuation
marks.
 I can write some complex
sentences using: because, so,
when
 I can use capital letters, full
stops, exclamation marks,
question marks and commas for
lists accurately and I can begin
to use speech marks in my
writing.
Should
 I can choose from a range of
conjunctions and use them
effectively to make complex
sentences
 I can demarcate most sentences
correctly with Y5 range of
punctuation and begin to use
other punctuation marks such as
the semi-colon, ellipses and
brackets.
Could
 I can manipulate clauses in a
sentence to have an effect on
the reader
 I can demarcate most sentences
accurately using a variety of the
full range of Y6 punctuation
marks.
Layered curricular targets – Writing – Sentence Punctuation.
Key Questions to support planning,
teaching and assessment
Could you join two ideas in one complex
sentence using conjunctions? e.g. although,
since, whenever, because.
Could you change a ‘but’ to ‘however’ or
‘although’. Does it still mean the same?
Where does the comma need to go to mark
boundaries between words, phrases or
clauses – does it ‘sound’ right?
Have you separated the clauses in complex
sentences with a comma?
Success Criteria
The children will:
- understand how to manipulate
phrases and clauses for an
effect on the reader
- use a wide range of punctuation,
including speech punctuation, to
demarcate sentences with
increasing accuracy.
6