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English lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 30 minutes

its or their? Pronouns for organisations and groups (SAT/ACT)

Grammar

CCSS L.9-10.1CCSS L.6.1.CEngland: SAT Standard English Conventions (Form, Structure, and Sense)England: ACT English

Objective and success criteria

Students will: its or their? Pronouns for organisations and groups (SAT/ACT).

  • 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: Pronoun–antecedent agreement; Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number

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 (Pronoun–antecedent agreement; Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the pronoun that agrees with its antecedent (formal written English). Each of the girls brought ___ own lunch. (their / hers / its / her) → herPrompt: Find the noun the pronoun refers back to.
  2. Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. When a person exercises regularly, ___ heart grows stronger. (their / your / our / its) → theirPrompt: Find the noun or pronoun the gap refers back to.
  3. Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • The students handed in its essays. • The students handed in their essays. • The student handed in their essays, and he left. • The students handed in his essay. (The students handed in its essays. / The students handed in their essays. / The student handed in their essays, and he left. / The students handed in his essay.) → The students handed in their essays.Prompt: Underline every pronoun in each sentence.

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: its or their? Pronouns for organisations and groups (SAT/ACT). 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 pronoun that matches its antecedent in formal written English (SAT/ACT style). Each of the countries sent ___ own delegation.
  • Step 1: In US formal style (and on the SAT/ACT), a singular collective noun takes 'its'; plural nouns take 'their'. British English often allows 'their' for groups, but tests expect 'its'.
  • Step 2: 'Each' is singular, and a country is 'it'.
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Each of the countries sent its own delegation."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: its
  • Answer: its
  • 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. Is this sentence correct in formal written English (SAT/ACT style)? A species of frog in Peru changes its colour at night. (correct / incorrect) → correctPrompt: Find the noun the pronoun refers back to. Is it one organisation, or several people or things?
  2. Choose the pronoun that matches its antecedent in formal written English (SAT/ACT style). The university updated ___ admissions policy. (its / their / they're / it's) → itsPrompt: Find the noun the pronoun refers back to. Is it one organisation, or several people or things?

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 pronoun that matches its antecedent in formal written English (SAT/ACT style). The team's players thanked ___ fans after the match. (its / they're / it's / their) → theirPrompt: Find the noun the pronoun refers back to. Is it one organisation, or several people or things?
  2. Is this sentence correct in formal written English (SAT/ACT style)? The jury reached there verdict after six hours. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: Find the noun the pronoun refers back to. Is it one organisation, or several people or things?

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: Pronoun–antecedent agreement.
  • 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-9.

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

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its or their? Pronouns for organisations and groups (SAT/ACT)

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Choose the pronoun that matches its antecedent in formal written English (SAT/ACT style). The bees returned to ___ hive at dusk.

    • A. they're
    • B. their
    • C. there
    • D. its

  2. Question 2

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English (SAT/ACT style)? A species of frog in Peru changes its colour at night.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect

  3. Question 3

    Choose the pronoun that matches its antecedent in formal written English (SAT/ACT style). The city council and the school board held ___ joint meeting.

    • A. their
    • B. it's
    • C. there
    • D. its

  4. Question 4

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English (SAT/ACT style)? The committee announced its decision on Friday.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect

  5. Question 5

    Choose the pronoun that matches its antecedent in formal written English (SAT/ACT style). The team's players thanked ___ fans after the match.

    • A. it's
    • B. their
    • C. its
    • D. they're

  6. Question 6

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English (SAT/ACT style)? The researchers published there findings in a leading journal.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect

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Answer key: its or their? Pronouns for organisations and groups (SAT/ACT)

  1. 1. B. their

  2. 2. A. correct

  3. 3. A. their

  4. 4. A. correct

  5. 5. B. their

  6. 6. B. incorrect