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.

5th grade commas after introductory phrases

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.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.5.2.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 sentence.

Every Saturday morning the square fills with stalls.
Fixed: Every Saturday morning, the square fills with stalls.
Unless it rains the recital moves to the courtyard.
If you finish early start tomorrow’s reading.

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 5th grade sheet

5th grade sheets draw from 60 sentences, 8 to a page. 5th and 6th grade print from the same 60 sentences. What changes is the standard (L.5.2.b here) and the teaching notes below.

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

To everyone’s surprise, the quietest student won the debate.
After a shaky start, the gymnast found her rhythm.
Because the lab ran long, homework was cut in half.

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. A comma that cuts the opener too early 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 5th grade 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 team. Content version 241, updated October 2026.

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