Where do the commas go in a friendly letter?

Two places: after the greeting name (Dear Grandma,) and after the closing phrase (Love, or Your friend,) before the signature. Every friendly letter, thank-you note, and postcard uses the same two spots, which makes this one of the most practical comma skills in the whole curriculum.

Why do kids write "Dear, Grandma"?

They've learned a comma belongs in the greeting and park it after the first word they write. The fix is naming the rule precisely: the comma follows the person's name, closing the whole greeting. A few rounds of choosing the correct version settles it.

2nd grade commas in letters

2nd grade commas in letters worksheets

Friendly letters carry two required commas: one after the greeting (Dear Aunt Rosa,) and one after the closing (Your friend, Sam). Second graders place both marks and learn the classic slip to avoid, a comma jumping in after Dear.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.2.2.b.

Each print is a different sheet with its own answer key. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of sentences you'll fix

Add the missing comma to each greeting or closing.

Dear Leo
Fixed: Dear Leo,
Dear Firefighter Diaz
Your captain Leo

Every print pulls a new set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on a 2nd grade sheet

2nd grade sheets draw from 58 sentences, 7 to a page. 2nd and 3rd grade print from the same 58 sentences. The teaching notes below are written for this grade. 3rd grade sheets print 8 to a page.

A few of the sentences, as the answer key corrects them:

Dear Principal Cruz,
Dear Officer Reyes,
Dear Grandpa Tom,

Fix it. Add the missing comma to each greeting or closing. 7 sentences to fix per page.
Choose the sentence. Circle the letter of the version with the comma in the right place. 6 questions per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Real letters teach this faster than worksheets, so pair the practice with an actual note to a grandparent or friend. The error to name aloud is "Dear, Grandma": the comma waits for the name. A quick hand-drawn letter frame with two comma boxes makes the two homes visible.

Watch for: The greeting comma follows the name, never the word Dear: Dear Grandma, not Dear, Grandma. In a real letter the greeting gets a line of its own, and the letter itself starts on the next line with a capital letter. The closing comma sits between the sign-off and the name: Your friend, Sam.

Common questions about 2nd grade commas in letters

Where do the commas go in a friendly letter?: Two places: after the greeting name (Dear Grandma,) and after the closing phrase (Love, or Your friend,) before the signature. Every friendly letter, thank-you note, and postcard uses the same two spots, which makes this one of the most practical comma skills in the whole curriculum.
Why do kids write "Dear, Grandma"?: They've learned a comma belongs in the greeting and park it after the first word they write. The fix is naming the rule precisely: the comma follows the person's name, closing the whole greeting. A few rounds of choosing the correct version settles it.

Related worksheets

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Aligned to Common Core L.2.2.b. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated October 2026.

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