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English lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 30 minutes

Fronted adverbials

Grammar

CCSS L.4.1England: Y4 GPS (fronted adverbials)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Fronted adverbials.

  • 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: Adverbs

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 (Adverbs). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which word is an adverb? I often read before bed. (often / bed / read / before) → oftenPrompt: Adverbs add information to a verb: how, when, where or how often.
  2. Turn the adjective "gentle" into an adverb. → gentlyPrompt: Most adverbs add -ly.
  3. Adjective or adverb? Choose the word that fits. That is a ___ idea! (brilliants / brilliant / brilliantly / brilliance) → brilliantPrompt: Is the gap describing a noun (a thing) or a verb (an action)?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Fronted adverbials. 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: Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • The cat crept upstairs. • The cat crept upstairs without a sound. • The cat crept without a sound upstairs. • Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.
  • Step 1: A fronted adverbial is a word or phrase at the front of a sentence that tells how, when or where. It is followed by a comma.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.
  • Answer: Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.
  • 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.
  1. Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • The fox vanished. • The fox, as quick as a flash, vanished. • As quick as a flash, the fox vanished. • The fox vanished as quick as a flash. (The fox vanished. / The fox, as quick as a flash, vanished. / As quick as a flash, the fox vanished. / The fox vanished as quick as a flash.) → As quick as a flash, the fox vanished.Prompt: A fronted adverbial comes at the START of the sentence, before the subject.
  2. Choose the fronted adverbial that completes the sentence. ___, Ravi crossed the busy road. (Crossed safely by / Looking both ways / Ravi was / The busy road) → Looking both waysPrompt: The words must make sense before the comma and tell when, where or how.

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.
  1. Choose the fronted adverbial that completes the sentence. ___, the owl swooped down. (The owl swooped / Owl was hungry / Without warning / Swooped the) → Without warningPrompt: The words must make sense before the comma and tell when, where or how.
  2. Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • A troll was snoring. • A troll, under the bridge, was snoring. • Under the bridge, a troll was snoring. • A troll was snoring under the bridge. (A troll was snoring. / A troll, under the bridge, was snoring. / Under the bridge, a troll was snoring. / A troll was snoring under the bridge.) → Under the bridge, a troll was snoring.Prompt: A fronted adverbial comes at the START of the sentence, before the subject.

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: Adverbs.
  • 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-4.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Fronted adverbials

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • The team celebrated. • The team celebrated after the match. • After the match, the team celebrated. • The team, after the match, celebrated.

    • A. The team celebrated.
    • B. The team celebrated after the match.
    • C. After the match, the team celebrated.
    • D. The team, after the match, celebrated.

  2. Question 2

    Choose the fronted adverbial that completes the sentence. ___, the explorer opened the ancient box.

    • A. Explorer was brave
    • B. With trembling hands
    • C. Opened box
    • D. The ancient

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs. • The cat crept upstairs without a sound. • The cat crept upstairs. • The cat crept without a sound upstairs.

    • A. Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.
    • B. The cat crept upstairs without a sound.
    • C. The cat crept upstairs.
    • D. The cat crept without a sound upstairs.

  4. Question 4

    Choose the fronted adverbial that completes the sentence. ___, Ravi crossed the busy road.

    • A. Crossed safely by
    • B. Ravi was
    • C. The busy road
    • D. Looking both ways

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • Dev helps at the farm every Saturday. • Dev helps at the farm. • Every Saturday, Dev helps at the farm. • Dev, every Saturday, helps at the farm.

    • A. Dev helps at the farm every Saturday.
    • B. Dev helps at the farm.
    • C. Every Saturday, Dev helps at the farm.
    • D. Dev, every Saturday, helps at the farm.

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • Under the bridge, a troll was snoring. • A troll was snoring. • A troll was snoring under the bridge. • A troll, under the bridge, was snoring.

    • A. Under the bridge, a troll was snoring.
    • B. A troll was snoring.
    • C. A troll was snoring under the bridge.
    • D. A troll, under the bridge, was snoring.

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Answer key: Fronted adverbials

  1. 1. C. After the match, the team celebrated.

  2. 2. B. With trembling hands

  3. 3. A. Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.

  4. 4. D. Looking both ways

  5. 5. C. Every Saturday, Dev helps at the farm.

  6. 6. A. Under the bridge, a troll was snoring.

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