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

Clear pronoun reference

Grammar

CCSS L.6.1.DEngland: KS3 GrammarEngland: GCSE English Language (clarity)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Clear pronoun reference.

  • 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 case (I/me, who/whom)

Leads to: 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 (Pronoun case (I/me, who/whom)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the correct pronoun. The head gave ___ students a longer break. (we / us / our) → usPrompt: Take away the other person. Would you say 'me went' or 'I went'?
  2. Choose the correct pronoun. ___ is coming to the meeting? (Whose / Who / Whom) → WhoPrompt: Take away the other person. Would you say 'me went' or 'I went'?
  3. Choose the correct pronoun. Jordan and ___ went to the cinema. (I / myself / me) → IPrompt: Take away the other person. Would you say 'me went' or 'I went'?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Clear pronoun reference. 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: Marco dropped the glass on the plate and broke it. Why is this sentence unclear?
  • Step 1: A pronoun must point clearly to one noun (its antecedent).
  • Step 2: So the answer is: We cannot tell whether the glass or the plate broke.
  • Answer: We cannot tell whether the glass or the plate broke.
  • 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. In the article, it says that bees are in danger. Which is the clearest, most formal version? (It says in it that bees are in danger. / In the article, they say that bees are in danger. / In the article it says bees, they are in danger. / The article says that bees are in danger.) → The article says that bees are in danger.Prompt: Find each pronoun (he, she, it, they, this).
  2. The coach told Sam that he had to try harder. Which rewrite makes the meaning clear? (The coach told Sam that he had to try harder, he said. / The coach told Sam, "You have to try harder." / The coach told Sam that they had to try harder. / He told him that he had to try harder.) → The coach told Sam, "You have to try harder."Prompt: Find each pronoun (he, she, it, they, this).

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. Take the lid off the box and throw it away. What is the problem with this instruction? ('It' could mean the lid or the box. / It is a fragment. / It is in the passive voice. / It has a spelling mistake.) → 'It' could mean the lid or the box.Prompt: Find each pronoun (he, she, it, they, this).
  2. Marco dropped the glass on the plate and broke it. Why is this sentence unclear? (The verb is in the wrong tense. / It is a run-on sentence. / We cannot tell whether the glass or the plate broke. / It needs a comma after 'Marco'.) → We cannot tell whether the glass or the plate broke.Prompt: Find each pronoun (he, she, it, they, this).

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 case (I/me, who/whom).
  • 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: 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-6.

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

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Clear pronoun reference

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Priya told her mum that her phone was broken. Which rewrite makes the meaning clear?

    • A. Priya said, "Mum, my phone is broken."
    • B. Priya told her that her phone was broken.
    • C. She told her mum that it was broken.
    • D. Priya told her mum that their phone was broken.

  2. Question 2

    In the article, it says that bees are in danger. Which is the clearest, most formal version?

    • A. In the article, they say that bees are in danger.
    • B. The article says that bees are in danger.
    • C. It says in it that bees are in danger.
    • D. In the article it says bees, they are in danger.

  3. Question 3

    Take the lid off the box and throw it away. What is the problem with this instruction?

    • A. It is in the passive voice.
    • B. 'It' could mean the lid or the box.
    • C. It is a fragment.
    • D. It has a spelling mistake.

  4. Question 4

    The coach told Sam that he had to try harder. Which rewrite makes the meaning clear?

    • A. The coach told Sam that he had to try harder, he said.
    • B. The coach told Sam, "You have to try harder."
    • C. The coach told Sam that they had to try harder.
    • D. He told him that he had to try harder.

  5. Question 5

    When Kim met Lucy, she was nervous. Why is this sentence unclear?

    • A. It needs a question mark.
    • B. We cannot tell who 'she' is.
    • C. It has no verb.
    • D. It uses the wrong tense.

  6. Question 6

    Marco dropped the glass on the plate and broke it. Why is this sentence unclear?

    • A. The verb is in the wrong tense.
    • B. It needs a comma after 'Marco'.
    • C. It is a run-on sentence.
    • D. We cannot tell whether the glass or the plate broke.

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Answer key: Clear pronoun reference

  1. 1. A. Priya said, "Mum, my phone is broken."

  2. 2. B. The article says that bees are in danger.

  3. 3. B. 'It' could mean the lid or the box.

  4. 4. B. The coach told Sam, "You have to try harder."

  5. 5. B. We cannot tell who 'she' is.

  6. 6. D. We cannot tell whether the glass or the plate broke.