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English lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 30 minutes

-ing words: gerund, participle or main verb?

Grammar

CCSS L.8.1.AEngland: KS3 English (grammar)England: SAT Standard English Conventions (Form, Structure, and Sense)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: -ing words: gerund, participle or main verb?.

  • 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: Gerunds, participles and infinitives; Independent clause, dependent clause or phrase?

Leads to: Infinitive phrases: noun, adjective or adverb job?; Fixing dangling participle phrases; Combining sentences with appositives and participle phrases

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 (Gerunds, participles and infinitives; Independent clause, dependent clause or phrase?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. What is the word in brackets doing in this sentence? The laughing children ran past. (laughing) (gerund / participle / infinitive) → participlePrompt: Is it acting as a noun (a thing), an adjective (describing a noun), or is it 'to' + verb?
  2. 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.
  3. Read the question and choose. Which part of this sentence is the dependent clause? "The girl who won the race is my sister." (is my sister / The girl is my sister / the race / who won the race) → who won the racePrompt: Look for a subordinating word (when, because, although, if, until, who).

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: -ing words: gerund, participle or main verb?. 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 word in capitals doing in this sentence? We enjoy CAMPING in the summer.
  • Step 1: A gerund (-ing) works as a noun; a participle (-ing or -ed/-en) works as an adjective; with be, -ing forms part of the main verb.
  • Step 2: 'Camping' is the object of 'enjoy'.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: gerund (works as a noun)
  • Answer: gerund (works as a noun)
  • 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. What is the word in capitals doing in this sentence? The LAUGHING children ran outside. (gerund (works as a noun) / participle (works as an adjective) / part of the main verb (is/was …ing)) → participle (works as an adjective)Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.
  2. In which sentence is the word in capitals used like this: participle (works as an adjective)? (I can't stand his constant BARKING. / She is SWIMMING across the bay. / The girl READING in the corner is my cousin.) → The girl READING in the corner is my cousin.Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.

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. What is the word in capitals doing in this sentence? The SWIMMING pool is closed. (gerund (works as a noun) / participle (works as an adjective) / part of the main verb (is/was …ing)) → participle (works as an adjective)Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.
  2. In which sentence is the word in capitals used like this: participle (works as an adjective)? (His hobby is PAINTING. / The dog was BARKING all night. / The SWIMMING pool is closed.) → The SWIMMING pool is closed.Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.

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: Gerunds, participles and infinitives.
  • 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: Infinitive phrases: noun, adjective or adverb job?; Fixing dangling participle phrases; Combining sentences with appositives and participle phrases.
  • 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

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-ing words: gerund, participle or main verb?

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    What is the word in capitals doing in this sentence? We enjoy CAMPING in the summer.

    • A. gerund (works as a noun)
    • B. participle (works as an adjective)
    • C. part of the main verb (is/was …ing)

  2. Question 2

    In which sentence is the word in capitals used like this: part of the main verb (is/was …ing)?

    • A. SWIMMING is my favourite sport.
    • B. His hobby is PAINTING.
    • C. She is SWIMMING across the bay.

  3. Question 3

    What is the word in capitals doing in this sentence? The LAUGHING children ran outside.

    • A. gerund (works as a noun)
    • B. participle (works as an adjective)
    • C. part of the main verb (is/was …ing)

  4. Question 4

    What is the word in capitals doing in this sentence? SWIMMING is my favourite sport.

    • A. gerund (works as a noun)
    • B. participle (works as an adjective)
    • C. part of the main verb (is/was …ing)

  5. Question 5

    In which sentence is the word in capitals used like this: participle (works as an adjective)?

    • A. The BARKING dog woke the baby.
    • B. His hobby is PAINTING.
    • C. I can't stand his constant BARKING.

  6. Question 6

    What is the word in capitals doing in this sentence? I can't stand his constant BARKING.

    • A. gerund (works as a noun)
    • B. participle (works as an adjective)
    • C. part of the main verb (is/was …ing)

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Answer key: -ing words: gerund, participle or main verb?

  1. 1. A. gerund (works as a noun)

  2. 2. C. She is SWIMMING across the bay.

  3. 3. B. participle (works as an adjective)

  4. 4. A. gerund (works as a noun)

  5. 5. A. The BARKING dog woke the baby.

  6. 6. A. gerund (works as a noun)