• 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? • Covered in chocolate, we ate the cake. • Covered in chocolate, the children loved the cake. • Covered in chocolate, I thought the cake looked delicious. • Covered in chocolate, the cake looked delicious. (Covered in chocolate, we ate the cake. / Covered in chocolate, the children loved the cake. / Covered in chocolate, I thought the cake looked delicious. / Covered in chocolate, the cake looked delicious.) → Covered in chocolate, the cake looked delicious.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? • Walking home, a dog followed me. • While walking home, a dog followed me. • While I was walking home, a dog followed me. • A dog followed me walking home, while. (Walking home, a dog followed me. / While walking home, a dog followed me. / While I was walking home, a dog followed me. / A dog followed me walking home, while.) → While I was walking home, a dog followed me.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? • Having lost the map, directions were needed. • Having lost the map, the hikers asked for directions. • Having lost the map, a farmer gave the hikers directions. • Having lost the map, the directions were asked for. (Having lost the map, directions were needed. / Having lost the map, the hikers asked for directions. / Having lost the map, a farmer gave the hikers directions. / Having lost the map, the directions were asked for.) → Having lost the map, the hikers asked for directions.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 says nobody but teachers may use the lift? • Only teachers may use the lift. • Teachers only may use the only lift. • Teachers may only use the lift. • Teachers may use only the lift. (Only teachers may use the lift. / Teachers only may use the only lift. / Teachers may only use the lift. / Teachers may use only the lift.) → Only teachers may use the lift.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 passed every test. / I failed only one test. / I came close to failing but passed. / I failed most of the tests.) → I failed most of the tests.Prompt: 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 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. Read the question and choose. "I almost failed every test." What does this mean? (I failed all of the tests. / I failed most of the tests. / I didn't take the tests. / I came close to failing, but I passed every test.) → I came close to failing, but I passed every test.Prompt: Which word comes straight after the limiting word?
2. Read the question and choose. Which sentence says the shop sells shoes and nothing else? • Only the shop sells shoes. • The shop sells only shoes. • The only shop sells shoes. • The shop only sells shoes to only people. (Only the shop sells shoes. / The shop sells only shoes. / The only shop sells shoes. / The shop only sells shoes to only people.) → The shop sells only shoes.Prompt: Only, just, almost and nearly limit the word that comes right after them.

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