5th Grade Commas After Introductory Phrases Worksheets

Many sentences open with a warm-up before the main event: a phrase (after the storm), a clause (if you finish early), or a transition (according to the survey). Fifth graders place a comma at the end of that introductory element, marking the doorway into the sentence.

Free printable PDF, aligned to Common Core L.5.2.b. One skill per page, answer key on page two.

Every sheet is one of a kind and prints with a version code, so you can reprint the exact same one later. New version every click.

The kind of sentences you'll fix

Add the missing comma to each sentence.

At the edge of the meadow a fox watched us pass.
Fixed: At the edge of the meadow, a fox watched us pass.
After the final whistle both teams shook hands.
As the fog lifted the lighthouse blinked awake.

Every print draws a fresh mix of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different sheet.

What's on each sheet

Fix it. Add the missing comma to each sentence. 8 sentences to fix per page.
Choose the sentence. Circle the letter of the sentence with the comma in the right place. 8 questions per page.

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

How to teach this

Teach the doorway image: the opener is the porch, the comma is the doorway, and the main sentence lives inside. To find the boundary, ask who or what the sentence is about; the comma lands right before that subject. The wrong options on these sheets cut the opener too early, which sounds obviously off when read aloud.

Watch for: The comma comes at the end of the whole opening phrase, not after its first word. Short openers like 'Yesterday' follow the same rule: Yesterday, we won.

Common questions about commas after introductory phrases

How do I find where the comma goes?: Find where the main part of the sentence begins and place the comma just before it. In "After the storm, we raked the yard," the main part starts at we, so the comma closes the opener right there. Watch commands: in "If you finish early, start tomorrow's reading," the main part begins at start, with no subject written.
Do tiny openers like "Yesterday" really need a comma?: Style guides split on one-word openers, but school writing teaches the comma, and it's never wrong to include it. These worksheets use openers long enough that the comma is clearly required, so the rule stays unambiguous while it's being learned.

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Aligned to Common Core L.5.2.b. Reviewed by the One More Sheet curriculum team. Content version 68, updated July 2026.