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English lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 30 minutes

Prepositional phrases: adjective or adverb?

Grammar

CCSS L.7.1.AEngland: KS3 English (grammar: phrases)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Prepositional phrases: adjective or adverb?.

  • 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: Prepositions of time, place and cause

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 (Prepositions of time, place and cause). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the preposition that fits. Put the cup ___ the table. (by / at / on / in) → onPrompt: Does the gap tell us when, where or how long?
  2. Which word is the preposition? A spider crawled up the wall. (wall / up / crawled / spider) → upPrompt: A preposition comes before a noun or noun phrase.
  3. Choose the preposition that fits. The cat jumped ___ the wall into the garden. (since / over / at / during) → overPrompt: Does the gap tell us when, where or how long?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Prepositional phrases: adjective or adverb?. 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: How is the prepositional phrase in brackets used? The team trained [in the rain].
  • Step 1: A prepositional phrase (preposition + noun group) works as an adjective when it describes a noun and as an adverb when it modifies a verb.
  • Step 2: It tells us WHERE/IN WHAT CONDITIONS they trained.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: like an adverb (tells where, when or how about a verb)
  • Answer: like an adverb (tells where, when or how about a verb)
  • 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. How is the prepositional phrase in brackets used? We ate lunch [under the oak tree]. (like an adjective (describes a noun) / like an adverb (tells where, when or how about a verb)) → like an adverb (tells where, when or how about a verb)Prompt: Find the word the phrase is attached to. Is it a noun or a verb?
  2. Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? The letter from my pen pal arrived today. (arrived today / from my pen pal / The letter / my pen) → from my pen palPrompt: A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition: in, on, under, across, after, from, during, above, through…

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. Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? The children played in the garden. (in the garden / played / children played / The children) → in the gardenPrompt: A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition: in, on, under, across, after, from, during, above, through…
  2. How is the prepositional phrase in brackets used? The girl [with the red scarf] is my cousin. (like an adjective (describes a noun) / like an adverb (tells where, when or how about a verb)) → like an adjective (describes a noun)Prompt: Find the word the phrase is attached to. Is it a noun or a 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: Prepositions of time, place and cause.
  • 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-7.

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

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Prepositional phrases: adjective or adverb?

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? The dog ran across the busy road.

    • A. ran across
    • B. the busy
    • C. The dog
    • D. across the busy road

  2. Question 2

    How is the prepositional phrase in brackets used? He opened the box [with great care].

    • A. like an adjective (describes a noun)
    • B. like an adverb (tells where, when or how about a verb)

  3. Question 3

    Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? The letter from my pen pal arrived today.

    • A. from my pen pal
    • B. The letter
    • C. arrived today
    • D. my pen

  4. Question 4

    How is the prepositional phrase in brackets used? The bus left [at noon].

    • A. like an adjective (describes a noun)
    • B. like an adverb (tells where, when or how about a verb)

  5. Question 5

    How is the prepositional phrase in brackets used? She finished her essay [before midnight].

    • A. like an adjective (describes a noun)
    • B. like an adverb (tells where, when or how about a verb)

  6. Question 6

    Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? She hid the present under her bed.

    • A. hid the present
    • B. the present
    • C. under her bed
    • D. She hid

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Answer key: Prepositional phrases: adjective or adverb?

  1. 1. D. across the busy road

  2. 2. B. like an adverb (tells where, when or how about a verb)

  3. 3. A. from my pen pal

  4. 4. B. like an adverb (tells where, when or how about a verb)

  5. 5. B. like an adverb (tells where, when or how about a verb)

  6. 6. C. under her bed