English lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 30 minutes
Placing only, just, almost and nearly
Grammar
CCSS L.7.1.CEngland: KS3 English (grammar: clarity)England: SAT Standard English Conventions
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Placing only, just, almost and nearly.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Misplaced and dangling modifiers
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Sentence strips, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Misplaced and dangling modifiers). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which sentence is written correctly, with the describing words next to what they describe? • We saw a deer on our walk with huge antlers. • We saw a deer with huge antlers on our walk. • With huge antlers, we saw a deer on our walk. • On our walk with huge antlers, we saw a deer. (We saw a deer on our walk with huge antlers. / We saw a deer with huge antlers on our walk. / With huge antlers, we saw a deer on our walk. / On our walk with huge antlers, we saw a deer.) → We saw a deer with huge antlers on our walk.Prompt: Look at the opening phrase. Who or what is doing that action?
- Which sentence is written correctly, with the describing words next to what they describe? • Covered in chocolate, the children loved the cake. • Covered in chocolate, we ate the cake. • Covered in chocolate, the cake looked delicious. • Covered in chocolate, I thought the cake looked delicious. (Covered in chocolate, the children loved the cake. / Covered in chocolate, we ate the cake. / Covered in chocolate, the cake looked delicious. / Covered in chocolate, I thought the cake looked delicious.) → Covered in chocolate, the cake looked delicious.Prompt: Look at the opening phrase. Who or what is doing that action?
- Which sentence is written correctly, with the describing words next to what they describe? • Nadia ate only one biscuit. • Only Nadia ate one biscuit and nothing else. • Nadia only ate one biscuit only. • Nadia ate one only biscuit. (Nadia ate only one biscuit. / Only Nadia ate one biscuit and nothing else. / Nadia only ate one biscuit only. / Nadia ate one only biscuit.) → Nadia ate only one biscuit.Prompt: Look at the opening phrase. Who or what is doing that action?
Hook · 3 min
- Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
- Share the objective: Placing only, just, almost and nearly. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Read the question and choose. Which sentence means that you came close to eating but did NOT eat any? • You ate the almost cake. • You almost ate the cake. • Almost the cake you ate. • You ate almost the cake.
- Step 1: Place limiting words directly before the word they limit: 'only Maya' (no one else), 'almost all' (not quite all).
- Step 2: So the answer is: You almost ate the cake.
- Answer: You almost ate the cake.
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Read the question and choose. Which sentence says that the runner came close to every record but broke none? • The runner broke every nearly record. • The runner broke nearly every record. • The runner nearly broke every record. • Nearly the runner broke every record. (The runner broke every nearly record. / The runner broke nearly every record. / The runner nearly broke every record. / Nearly the runner broke every record.) → The runner nearly broke every record.Prompt: Only, just, almost and nearly limit the word that comes right after them.
- Read the question and choose. "She just told me." What does 'just' mean here? (exactly / very recently / only / fairly) → very recentlyPrompt: Which word comes straight after the limiting word?
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Read the question and choose. Which sentence says that a few minutes ago she arrived? • She just has arrives. • She has arrived just. • Just she has arrived. • She has just arrived. (She just has arrives. / She has arrived just. / Just she has arrived. / She has just arrived.) → She has just arrived.Prompt: Only, just, almost and nearly limit the word that comes right after them.
- Read the question and choose. "I failed almost every test." What does this mean? (I failed only one test. / I came close to failing but passed. / I failed most of the tests. / I passed every test.) → I failed most of the tests.Prompt: Which word comes straight after the limiting word?
Watch out for
- Naming the feature but not using it in their own sentences.
- Thinking a sentence is right because it sounds right when spoken casually.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Misplaced and dangling modifiers.
- Use concrete materials: sentence strips.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-7.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder