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English lesson plan · 11th grade (Year 12 in England) · 45 minutes

SAT/ACT Standard English Conventions (mixed)

Grammar

CCSS L.11-12.1CCSS L.11-12.2England: SAT Standard English ConventionsEngland: ACT English

Objective and success criteria

Students will: SAT/ACT Standard English Conventions (mixed).

  • 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: Agreement with tricky subjects (SAT/ACT); Pronoun–antecedent agreement; Verb tense and form in context

Leads to: Finite and non-finite verbs (SAT Form, Structure, and Sense)

Materials: Sentence strips, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Agreement with tricky subjects (SAT/ACT); Pronoun–antecedent agreement; Verb tense and form in context). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. A number of applicants ___ withdrawn. (have / has) → havePrompt: Find the head noun of the subject. Cross out prepositional phrases (of…, from…, in…).
  2. Choose the pronoun that agrees with its antecedent (formal written English). Both Leila and Omar forgot ___ passwords. (her / its / their / his) → theirPrompt: Find the noun the pronoun refers back to.
  3. Choose the verb form that fits the context. Lena was relieved because she ___ the exam. (had passed / will pass / passes / has passed) → had passedPrompt: Look for time clues (in 1969, since, by the time, next month).

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: SAT/ACT Standard English Conventions (mixed). Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The novel's themes of memory and loss ___ readers long after the final page.
  • Step 1: SAT/ACT convention questions test agreement, verb form, pronouns and sentence structure.
  • Step 2: The subject is 'themes' (plural), so the verb is 'stay with'.
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The novel's themes of memory and loss stay with readers long after the final page."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: stay with
  • Answer: stay with
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 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. Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The novel's themes of memory and loss ___ readers long after the final page. (has stayed with / stays with / stay with / staying with) → stay withPrompt: Identify the subject and the verb, or what the pronoun refers to.
  2. Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The festival attracts musicians from over forty countries, ___ perform for free. (many of them / many of whom / which / they) → many of whomPrompt: Identify the subject and the verb, or what the pronoun refers to.

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? Neither the coach nor the players ___ satisfied with the draw. (was / has been / were / is) → werePrompt: Identify the subject and the verb, or what the pronoun refers to.
  2. Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The archive, ___ holds more than a million letters, is open to the public. (which / it / who / where) → whichPrompt: Identify the subject and the verb, or what the pronoun refers to.

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: Agreement with tricky subjects (SAT/ACT).
  • 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: Finite and non-finite verbs (SAT Form, Structure, and Sense).
  • 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-11.

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

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SAT/ACT Standard English Conventions (mixed)

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The orchestra performed the symphony, ___ composed in 1824.

    • A. it had been
    • B. having had been
    • C. which had been
    • D. they had been

  2. Question 2

    Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? Each of the city's bridges ___ its own distinctive design.

    • A. has
    • B. are having
    • C. have
    • D. having

  3. Question 3

    Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The marine biologist, along with her two assistants, ___ the coral reef every spring.

    • A. have surveyed
    • B. surveys
    • C. are surveying
    • D. survey

  4. Question 4

    Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The festival attracts musicians from over forty countries, ___ perform for free.

    • A. which
    • B. they
    • C. many of them
    • D. many of whom

  5. Question 5

    Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The architect designed the library so that ___ reading rooms would fill with natural light.

    • A. its
    • B. there
    • C. it's
    • D. their

  6. Question 6

    Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? When the results were published, the scientists ___ that their hypothesis had been correct.

    • A. learn
    • B. will learn
    • C. have learned
    • D. learned

  7. Question 7

    Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? Neither the coach nor the players ___ satisfied with the draw.

    • A. is
    • B. was
    • C. were
    • D. has been

  8. Question 8

    Which choice conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The archive, ___ holds more than a million letters, is open to the public.

    • A. where
    • B. it
    • C. who
    • D. which

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Answer key: SAT/ACT Standard English Conventions (mixed)

  1. 1. C. which had been

  2. 2. A. has

  3. 3. B. surveys

  4. 4. D. many of whom

  5. 5. A. its

  6. 6. D. learned

  7. 7. C. were

  8. 8. D. which