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English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes

Subject–verb agreement

Grammar

CCSS L.3.1.FEngland: Y4 GPS (Standard English)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Subject–verb agreement.

  • 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: Nouns and verbs; Pronouns

Leads to: Standard English verb forms; Modal verbs and adverbs of possibility; Pronoun–antecedent agreement

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 (Nouns and verbs; Pronouns). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which word is a noun (a person, place, animal or thing)? The farmer feeds the hens. (feeds / at / the / farmer) → farmerPrompt: Nouns name things. Can you put 'the' or 'a' in front of it?
  2. Which word is a verb (an action word)? The rocket zoomed into space. (zoomed / rocket / into / space) → zoomedPrompt: A verb tells you what someone or something does.
  3. Choose the pronoun that fits. Lucy has a kite. ___ flies it on windy days. (He / She / It / They) → ShePrompt: Who or what is the gap talking about?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Subject–verb agreement. 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 verb that agrees with the subject. Our teacher ___ funny stories.
  • Step 1: The verb must agree with its subject: singular subject → singular verb; plural subject → plural verb.
  • Step 2: The subject is singular (he, she, it or one thing), so the verb takes -s.
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Our teacher tells funny stories."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: tells
  • Answer: tells
  • 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 verb that agrees with the subject. Mum and Dad ___ at work. (is / are) → arePrompt: Who or what is doing the action? That is the subject.
  2. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. Each of the boys ___ a packed lunch. (has / have) → hasPrompt: Find the main subject. Ignore words like 'of the…' or 'with the…' that come after it.

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 verb that agrees with the subject. The baby ___ when she is hungry. (cries / cry) → criesPrompt: Who or what is doing the action? That is the subject.
  2. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. There ___ two apples in the bowl. (are / is) → arePrompt: Find the main subject. Ignore words like 'of the…' or 'with the…' that come after it.

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: Nouns and verbs.
  • 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: Standard English verb forms; Modal verbs and adverbs of possibility; Pronoun–antecedent agreement.
  • 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-3.

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

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Subject–verb agreement

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. He ___ his homework before tea.

    • A. does
    • B. do

  2. Question 2

    Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. There ___ two apples in the bowl.

    • A. are
    • B. is

  3. Question 3

    Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. The birds ___ in the morning.

    • A. sings
    • B. sing

  4. Question 4

    Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. Each of the boys ___ a packed lunch.

    • A. has
    • B. have

  5. Question 5

    Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. There ___ a spider in the bath!

    • A. are
    • B. is

  6. Question 6

    Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. The sun ___ in the east.

    • A. rise
    • B. rises

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Answer key: Subject–verb agreement

  1. 1. A. does

  2. 2. A. are

  3. 3. B. sing

  4. 4. A. has

  5. 5. B. is

  6. 6. B. rises