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Year 6 KS2 SATs Grammar & Punctuation

Year 6 KS2 SATs — Grammar & Punctuation (GPS Paper 1)

Practise the Year 5–6 grammar and punctuation content tested in the KS2 GPS Paper 1: relative clauses, modal verbs, semicolons, colons, dashes and more.

Exam Tips for GPS Paper 1

1. Read the whole sentence before you choose — punctuation rules depend on how the whole sentence is built, not just the gap.
2. Say it in your head — if a sentence sounds wrong when you say it, the punctuation is probably wrong too.
3. Know your terminology — the test uses words like “modal verb”, “relative clause” and “subjunctive” directly.
4. Semicolons and colons have very specific jobs — a semicolon joins two complete sentences; a colon introduces something (like a list).

Note: GPS Paper 1 lasts 45 minutes and is worth 50 marks. Spelling is tested separately in GPS Paper 2 — see our dedicated Spelling practice.

What This Test Covers

GPS Paper 1 draws on the Year 5–6 grammar and punctuation content from the National Curriculum's English programme of study. Key areas include:

Clauses

Relative clauses (who, which, where, whose, that) and how they add detail to a sentence.

Modal Verbs

Might, could, should, must, will — showing different degrees of possibility or obligation.

Semicolons, Colons & Dashes

Joining independent clauses, introducing lists, and marking parenthesis.

Cohesion

Adverbials and conjunctions that link ideas within and across paragraphs.

Active & Passive Voice

Recognising and forming sentences in the passive voice.

The Subjunctive

Formal structures like “If I were…” used to show something is hypothetical.

Knowledge Check

KS2 GPS Style

Answer all 10 questions covering the Year 5–6 grammar and punctuation content above.

Score: 0 / 0

Question 1 — Relative clauses

Which sentence uses a relative clause correctly?

Question 2 — Modal verbs

Which sentence uses a modal verb to show something is only a possibility, not a certainty?

Question 3 — Semicolons

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?

Question 4 — Colons

Which sentence uses a colon correctly to introduce a list?

Question 5 — Active & passive voice

Which sentence is written in the passive voice?

Question 6 — Fronted adverbials

Which sentence correctly punctuates a fronted adverbial?

Question 7 — Hyphens

Which sentence uses a hyphen correctly to avoid confusion?

Question 8 — Cohesion

Which word best links these two ideas? “Tom trained every day. ___, he did not make the team.”

Question 9 — Parenthesis

Which sentence uses dashes correctly to add extra information?

Question 10 — The subjunctive

Which sentence uses the subjunctive form correctly?

Key Concepts Summary