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English lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 30 minutes

Possessive apostrophes: singular, plural and irregular plurals

Punctuation

CCSS L.6.2CCSS L.2.2.CEngland: KS3 English (punctuation)England: GCSE English Language (AO6 SPaG)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Possessive apostrophes: singular, plural and irregular plurals.

  • 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: Apostrophes for possession

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Punctuation cards, A short unpunctuated text, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Apostrophes for possession). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which shows possession correctly? the food of the mice (the mices food / the mices' food / the mice's food / the mouse's food's) → the mice's foodPrompt: Who is the owner? One owner or more than one?
  2. Choose the correct word. Read the clue in brackets. My ___ car is blue. (one uncle) (uncle's / uncles / uncles') → uncle'sPrompt: Does the word show ownership, a contraction, or just a plural?
  3. Which shows possession correctly? the name of the school (the schools name / the schools' name / the school name's / the school's name) → the school's namePrompt: Who is the owner? One owner or more than one?

Hook · 3 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Possessive apostrophes: singular, plural and irregular plurals. 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: Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ coats were hanging by the door. (more than one girl)
  • Step 1: Singular owner → 's (dog's). Plural ending in s → s' (dogs'). Plural not ending in s → 's (children's).
  • Step 2: Plural ending in s: add just an apostrophe.
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The girls' coats were hanging by the door."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: girls'
  • Answer: girls'
  • 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. Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. We could hear the ___ cheers from the street. (lots of fans) (fans / fan's / fans's / fans') → fans'Prompt: First write the owner word correctly: one dog / two dogs / children.
  2. Read the question and choose. "The cat's bowls were empty." How many cats are there? (one / none / more than one / we can't tell) → onePrompt: Look at where the apostrophe is: before or after the s?

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 correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ costumes were amazing. (more than one actor) (actors' / actors's / actor's / actors) → actors'Prompt: First write the owner word correctly: one dog / two dogs / children.
  2. Read the question and choose. "My friends' dog" – who owns the dog? (more than one friend / the dog owns the friends / nobody / one friend) → more than one friendPrompt: Look at where the apostrophe is: before or after the s?

Watch out for

  • Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
  • Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Apostrophes for possession.
  • Use concrete materials: punctuation cards.
  • 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-6.

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

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Possessive apostrophes: singular, plural and irregular plurals

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly? • The childrens drawings covered the wall's. • The children's drawings covered the walls. • The childrens' drawings covered the walls. • The children's drawing's covered the walls.

    • A. The childrens drawings covered the wall's.
    • B. The children's drawings covered the walls.
    • C. The childrens' drawings covered the walls.
    • D. The children's drawing's covered the walls.

  2. Question 2

    Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ bark kept us awake. (one puppy)

    • A. puppy's
    • B. puppies
    • C. puppies'
    • D. puppys'

  3. Question 3

    Read the question and choose. "My friend's dogs" – who owns the dogs?

    • A. we can't tell
    • B. more than one friend
    • C. nobody
    • D. one friend

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly? • I bought three apple's at Tom's stall. • I bought three apples at Tom's stall. • I bought three apples' at Toms' stall. • I bought three apple's at Toms stall.

    • A. I bought three apple's at Tom's stall.
    • B. I bought three apples at Tom's stall.
    • C. I bought three apples' at Toms' stall.
    • D. I bought three apple's at Toms stall.

  5. Question 5

    Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ meeting starts at six. (more than one parent)

    • A. parents'
    • B. parents
    • C. parent's
    • D. parents's

  6. Question 6

    Read the question and choose. "My friends' dog" – who owns the dog?

    • A. nobody
    • B. more than one friend
    • C. one friend
    • D. the dog owns the friends

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Answer key: Possessive apostrophes: singular, plural and irregular plurals

  1. 1. B. The children's drawings covered the walls.

  2. 2. A. puppy's

  3. 3. D. one friend

  4. 4. B. I bought three apples at Tom's stall.

  5. 5. A. parents'

  6. 6. B. more than one friend