• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Relative clauses). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? The cake which Leila baked won first prize. (Leila baked won / which Leila baked / won first prize / The cake) → which Leila bakedPrompt: Look for who, which, that, where, when or whose.
2. Which sentence correctly joins these two sentences with a relative clause? The puppy is very shy. It hides under the table. (The puppy, whose hides under the table, is very shy. / The puppy which, hides under the table is very shy. / The puppy, where hides under the table, is very shy. / The puppy, which hides under the table, is very shy.) → The puppy, which hides under the table, is very shy.Prompt: Which relative pronoun matches the noun (person, thing, place, belonging)?
3. Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? The teacher whose class won the prize was delighted. (won the prize was / was delighted / whose class won the prize / The teacher) → whose class won the prizePrompt: Look for who, which, that, where, when or whose.

• Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
• Share the objective: Independent clause, dependent clause or phrase?. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Is the group of words in brackets an independent clause, a dependent clause, or a phrase? [until the rain stops]
• Step 1: A clause has a subject and a verb. An independent clause makes sense alone; a dependent clause needs a main clause. A phrase has no subject–verb pair.
• Step 2: 'Until' introduces a dependent clause.
• Step 3: So the answer is: dependent clause
• Answer: dependent clause
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Is the group of words in brackets an independent clause, a dependent clause, or a phrase? [running down the hill] (independent clause / dependent clause / phrase (not a clause)) → phrase (not a clause)Prompt: Does it have a subject AND a verb? If not, it's a phrase.
2. Read the question and choose. Which part of this sentence is the dependent clause? "The girl who won the race is my sister." (the race / is my sister / The girl is my sister / who won the race) → who won the racePrompt: Look for a subordinating word (when, because, although, if, until, who).

• 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.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Is the group of words in brackets an independent clause, a dependent clause, or a phrase? [the seeds will grow] (independent clause / dependent clause / phrase (not a clause)) → independent clausePrompt: Does it have a subject AND a verb? If not, it's a phrase.
2. Read the question and choose. Which part of this sentence is the dependent clause? "We stayed indoors because it was pouring." (stayed / because it was pouring / indoors / We stayed indoors) → because it was pouringPrompt: Look for a subordinating word (when, because, although, if, until, who).

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-7.