English lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 30 minutes
Verb moods and shifts in voice or mood
Grammar
CCSS L.8.1.CCCSS L.8.1.DEngland: KS3 Grammar
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Verb moods and shifts in voice or mood.
- 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: Active and passive voice; The subjunctive mood
Leads to: Conditionals (zero, first, second, third); The subjunctive: if I were, I wish it were, I suggest she be
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 (Active and passive voice; The subjunctive mood). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which sentence is the passive version of this sentence? A bee stung my brother. • My brother was stung by a bee. • My brother was stinged by a bee. • My brother stung a bee. • A bee was stung by my brother. (My brother was stung by a bee. / My brother was stinged by a bee. / My brother stung a bee. / A bee was stung by my brother.) → My brother was stung by a bee.Prompt: In a passive sentence, the thing the action is done TO becomes the subject.
- Choose the subjunctive form. The teacher asked that every pupil ___ on time. (was / are / be / is) → bePrompt: Is the sentence about something imagined (if…, I wish…) or a demand (insist that…, it is vital that…)?
- Is this sentence active or passive? The match will be shown live on TV. (active / passive) → passivePrompt: Who or what is the subject? Is the subject DOING the action or RECEIVING it?
Hook · 3 min
- Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
- Share the objective: Verb moods and shifts in voice or mood. 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: What is the mood of the verb in this sentence? The committee demands that he resign.
- Step 1: Indicative = facts and statements; imperative = commands; interrogative = questions; conditional = what would happen; subjunctive = wishes, demands, hypotheticals.
- Step 2: So the answer is: subjunctive
- Answer: subjunctive
- 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.
- What is the mood of the verb in this sentence? She would help if she had time. (interrogative / conditional / imperative / indicative) → conditionalPrompt: Is it a statement, a command, a question, a hypothetical, or a wish/demand?
- First, preheat the oven. Then the flour should be sifted. Which revision avoids the needless shift? (First, the oven is preheated. Then sift the flour. / First, preheat the oven. Then you should be sifting the flour. / First, preheat the oven. Then sift the flour. / First, preheat the oven. Then the flour is sifted by you.) → First, preheat the oven. Then sift the flour.Prompt: Look at the first verb. Is it active or passive? A command or a statement?
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.
- If I were taller, I can reach the top shelf. Which revision is consistent? (If I am taller, I could reach the top shelf. / If I was taller, I can reach the top shelf. / If I were taller, I will reach the top shelf. / If I were taller, I could reach the top shelf.) → If I were taller, I could reach the top shelf.Prompt: Look at the first verb. Is it active or passive? A command or a statement?
- What is the mood of the verb in this sentence? Owls can turn their heads a long way. (imperative / indicative / interrogative / subjunctive) → indicativePrompt: Is it a statement, a command, a question, a hypothetical, or a wish/demand?
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: Active and passive voice.
- 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
- Move on to: Conditionals (zero, first, second, third); The subjunctive: if I were, I wish it were, I suggest she be.
- 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-8.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder