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

1. Which sentence is written correctly, with the describing words next to what they describe? • Barking loudly, the postman ran from the dog. • The postman, barking loudly, was chased by the dog. • Barking loudly, the postman was chased by the dog. • Barking loudly, the dog chased the postman. (Barking loudly, the postman ran from the dog. / The postman, barking loudly, was chased by the dog. / Barking loudly, the postman was chased by the dog. / Barking loudly, the dog chased the postman.) → Barking loudly, the dog chased the postman.Prompt: Look at the opening phrase. Who or what is doing that action?
2. Which sentence is written correctly, with the describing words next to what they describe? • The postman, barking loudly, was chased by the dog. • Barking loudly, the dog chased the postman. • Barking loudly, the postman ran from the dog. • Barking loudly, the postman was chased by the dog. (The postman, barking loudly, was chased by the dog. / Barking loudly, the dog chased the postman. / Barking loudly, the postman ran from the dog. / Barking loudly, the postman was chased by the dog.) → Barking loudly, the dog chased the postman.Prompt: Look at the opening phrase. Who or what is doing that action?
3. Which sentence is written correctly, with the describing words next to what they describe? • Covered in chocolate, the cake looked delicious. • Covered in chocolate, the children loved the cake. • Covered in chocolate, we ate the cake. • Covered in chocolate, I thought the cake looked delicious. (Covered in chocolate, the cake looked delicious. / Covered in chocolate, the children loved the cake. / Covered in chocolate, we ate the cake. / Covered in chocolate, I thought the cake looked delicious.) → Covered in chocolate, the cake looked delicious.Prompt: Look at the opening phrase. Who or what is doing that action?

• Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
• Share the objective: Placing only, just, almost and nearly. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Read the question and choose. Which sentence means that you came close to eating but did NOT eat any? • You ate the almost cake. • You almost ate the cake. • Almost the cake you ate. • You ate almost the cake.
• Step 1: Place limiting words directly before the word they limit: 'only Maya' (no one else), 'almost all' (not quite all).
• Step 2: So the answer is: You almost ate the cake.
• Answer: You almost ate the cake.
• 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. Read the question and choose. Which sentence means that you came close to eating but did NOT eat any? • You almost ate the cake. • You ate almost the cake. • You ate the almost cake. • Almost the cake you ate. (You almost ate the cake. / You ate almost the cake. / You ate the almost cake. / Almost the cake you ate.) → You almost ate the cake.Prompt: Only, just, almost and nearly limit the word that comes right after them.
2. Read the question and choose. "She just told me." What does 'just' mean here? (only / fairly / very recently / exactly) → very recentlyPrompt: Which word comes straight after the limiting word?

• 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. Read the question and choose. Which sentence says that the runner came close to every record but broke none? • The runner broke every nearly record. • The runner nearly broke every record. • Nearly the runner broke every record. • The runner broke nearly every record. (The runner broke every nearly record. / The runner nearly broke every record. / Nearly the runner broke every record. / The runner broke nearly every record.) → The runner nearly broke every record.Prompt: Only, just, almost and nearly limit the word that comes right after them.
2. Read the question and choose. "I failed almost every test." What does this mean? (I failed most of the tests. / I passed every test. / I failed only one test. / I came close to failing but passed.) → I failed most of the tests.Prompt: Which word comes straight after the limiting word?

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