Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Fronted Adverbial Cards: Free Printable Game for Year 4
- ForYear 4
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Fronted Adverbial Cards is a free printable game for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9). Children join each opener to a sentence and decide where the comma goes. It is played with two to four players. It needs only paper, scissors and a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to the players and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children cut out the cards and deal them out. Some cards are openers, such as Later that day, Without a sound, and Quickly. These tell the reader when or how something happens. Others are sentence endings, such as the cat crept in. Players take turns to join an opener to an ending, read the sentence aloud and decide where the comma goes. A sentence that makes sense scores a point.
- Later that day,
- Without a sound,
- In the morning,
- Quickly,
- Every Saturday,
- After the storm,
- we went to the park.
- the cat crept in.
- I ate my breakfast.
- she ran to the door.
- Dad cleaned the garden.
- the sun came out.
A worked example
Behind the shed, the dog dug a hole.
This example uses an opener and a sentence that are different from the cards on the sheet. It shows two ways to check an opener and its comma.
Method 1: listen for the pause- Read the opener on its own: Behind the shed.
- Read the rest on its own: the dog dug a hole.
- Read it all together and pause where the opener ends.
- Put the comma at the pause, and use a capital letter at the start of the sentence.
- Take the opener away from the front: the dog dug a hole.
- Add it to the end: The dog dug a hole behind the shed.
- The sentence still makes sense, so the opener is a fronted adverbial.
- When it moves to the end, the comma is not needed. At the front, the comma is needed.
How a round works
Deal the cards
Share the cards out between two to four players. Players keep their cards in a hand or in a pile face up, as the group decides.
Make a sentence
On your turn, pick an opener and an ending and put them together. Think about whether they fit.
Read it aloud
Say the whole sentence, pausing after the opener. Hearing it helps children notice where the comma belongs.
Score a point
If the sentence makes sense, the player scores a point. Other players can say if they disagree, and explain why.
What is a fronted adverbial?
An adverbial is a word or phrase that adds detail to a verb. It can tell us when something happens, where it happens or how it happens. A fronted adverbial is simply one that has been put at the start of the sentence. It is then followed by a comma. Year 4 children are expected to use them in their writing.
Fronted adverbials make writing more interesting. Instead of starting every sentence with a name or a pronoun, a writer can set the scene first. The comma tells the reader to pause before the main part of the sentence begins. Playing with cards lets children try different pairings and hear which ones sound right.
Skills and curriculum link
- Fronted adverbials
- Using commas
- Sentence building
- Reading aloud
- Checking that a sentence makes sense
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | English | Writing: vocabulary, grammar and punctuation | Year 4 |
What children will be able to do
- I can start a sentence with a fronted adverbial.
- I can put a comma after a fronted adverbial.
- I can say how a fronted adverbial tells the reader when, where or how.
Grammar ideas to share
- Openers set the sceneA fronted adverbial gives the reader a piece of information before the main part of the sentence. It can tell us when, where or how.
- The comma marks a pauseAfter a fronted adverbial, we add a comma. When you read aloud, your voice naturally pauses at that spot.
- Order can changeAn adverbial can often move to the end of a sentence. When it does, the comma usually disappears.
- Sense mattersNot every opener fits every ending. Ask whether the sentence sounds sensible and whether the details agree with each other.
Key words
- Fronted adverbialA word or phrase at the start of a sentence that tells us more about the action. It is followed by a comma.
- AdverbialA word or phrase that tells us when, where or how something happens.
- AdverbA single word that often tells us how something is done. Many end in ly.
- CommaA punctuation mark that shows a short pause in a sentence.
- OpenerThe first words of a sentence. On these cards, the opener is the fronted adverbial.
- Capital letterThe big letter we use at the start of a sentence.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the children. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Cut out the cards. Read the openers and endings aloud so everyone knows what they say.
- Deal the cards and take turns to make a sentence. Read each one aloud and pause where the comma goes.
- Talk about any pairings that do not work. Ask, "Does that make sense? Why or why not?"
- Check against page 2. Come back to the game another day, because repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start by matching openers to endings together. Lay the cards out on the table so everyone can see them. Read each sentence slowly and listen for where your voice pauses. Ask whether it makes sense before you decide on the comma.
To stretch confident children
Write three new fronted adverbials of your own. Make one that tells when, one that tells how and one that tells where. Then write a sentence to follow each one and check that the comma is in the right place.
Make it a game
Race to make the most sentences in two minutes. Players join openers to endings as fast as they can, then read each one aloud. A sentence only counts if it makes sense and the comma is in the right place.
Talk about it
- Which opener did you like best, and why?
- What does your opening phrase tell us about the sentence?
- Where did you pause when you read it aloud?
- Can you make the same sentence with a different opener?
- How could you change the start of this sentence to say where it happened?
- Which pairing made the funniest sentence, and does it still make sense?
Take it off the page
Opener hunt
Look through a favourite book and find sentences that start with an opener followed by a comma. Read them aloud and say what each one tells you.
Day in sentences
Write about your day using a different opener for each sentence. Try ones that tell when, like Later on, and ones that tell how, like Slowly.
Move it round
Write a sentence with an opener at the front. Then rewrite it with the opener at the end. Say what happens to the comma.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first round and let them lead. Keep rounds short and playful. If they are unsure about a comma, ask them to read the sentence aloud and listen for the pause.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table game. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting. Page 2 offers support and stretch ideas, so it suits mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider English plan. It works alongside reading, storytelling and everyday talk. Because it is free to print, you can use it again for brothers and sisters or as a refresher later.
Where this fits
Before this, children learn what adverbs and conjunctions do, and they practise using capital letters, full stops and commas in lists. They also meet expanded phrases that add detail to sentences.
After this, children use commas in more ways, for example to separate extra information within a sentence. They also learn to vary how sentences begin and to choose openers that suit what they are writing.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Can you read me your sentence and show me where the comma goes?
- What does your opening phrase tell us about the sentence?
- How could you change the start of this sentence to say where it happened?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Fronted Adverbial Cards for?
It is written for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9), in Key Stage 2. It practises a grammar and punctuation skill from the Year 4 writing strand of the National Curriculum for England.
- What will children practise?
Children practise using fronted adverbials and the comma that follows them. They join an opener to a sentence, read it aloud and check that it makes sense.
- How many people can play?
Two to four players can play. Deal out the cards, take turns to make a sentence and read it aloud. Score a point for each sentence that makes sense.
- What if it feels too hard?
Match openers to endings together, then read each sentence slowly. Listen for where your voice pauses, because that is where the comma goes. Talk about why some pairings work better than others.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision later on.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting out the cards.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Page 1 is for the children and page 2 is for the grown-up, with notes and answers.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.