• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Active and passive voice; The subjunctive mood). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which sentence is the passive version of this sentence? The storm destroyed the old barn. • The old barn destroyed the storm. • The storm was destroyed by the old barn. • The old barn is destroying by the storm. • The old barn was destroyed by the storm. (The old barn destroyed the storm. / The storm was destroyed by the old barn. / The old barn is destroying by the storm. / The old barn was destroyed by the storm.) → The old barn was destroyed by the storm.Prompt: In a passive sentence, the thing the action is done TO becomes the subject.
2. Choose the subjunctive form. If he ___ to try harder, he could win. (is / were / be / was) → werePrompt: Is the sentence about something imagined (if…, I wish…) or a demand (insist that…, it is vital that…)?
3. Is this sentence active or passive? The window was broken by a football. (active / passive) → passivePrompt: Who or what is the subject? Is the subject DOING the action or RECEIVING it?

• Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
• Share the objective: Verb moods and shifts in voice or mood. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: What is the mood of the verb in this sentence? The committee demands that he resign.
• Step 1: Indicative = facts and statements; imperative = commands; interrogative = questions; conditional = what would happen; subjunctive = wishes, demands, hypotheticals.
• Step 2: So the answer is: subjunctive
• Answer: subjunctive
• 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. What is the mood of the verb in this sentence? Did anyone feed the cat? (interrogative / imperative / conditional / indicative) → interrogativePrompt: Is it a statement, a command, a question, a hypothetical, or a wish/demand?
2. The team trained hard all winter, and the trophy was won in May. Which revision avoids the shift in voice? (The team trained hard all winter, and in May the trophy is won. / The team trained hard all winter and won the trophy in May. / The team trained hard all winter, and the trophy had been won in May. / Training was done hard all winter, and the team won the trophy in May.) → The team trained hard all winter and won the trophy in May.Prompt: Look at the first verb. Is it active or passive? A command or a statement?

• 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 8 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. First, preheat the oven. Then the flour should be sifted. Which revision avoids the needless shift? (First, preheat the oven. Then you should be sifting the flour. / First, preheat the oven. Then sift the flour. / First, preheat the oven. Then the flour is sifted by you. / First, the oven is preheated. Then sift the flour.) → First, preheat the oven. Then sift the flour.Prompt: Look at the first verb. Is it active or passive? A command or a statement?
2. What is the mood of the verb in this sentence? Close the door quietly. (imperative / conditional / subjunctive / indicative) → imperativePrompt: Is it a statement, a command, a question, a hypothetical, or a wish/demand?

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-8.