Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number

Grammar

CCSS L.6.1.CEngland: KS3 English (grammar: Standard English)England: GCSE English Language (AO6 accuracy)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number.

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: its or their? Pronouns for organisations and groups (SAT/ACT)

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 (Pronoun case (I/me, who/whom)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

Choose the correct pronoun. Dad and ___ built a treehouse. (myself / I / me) → IPrompt: Take away the other person. Would you say 'me went' or 'I went'?
Choose the correct pronoun. ___ and Raj are on the same team. (She / Hers / Her) → ShePrompt: Take away the other person. Would you say 'me went' or 'I went'?
Choose the correct pronoun. ___ is coming to the meeting? (Who / Whose / Whom) → WhoPrompt: Take away the other person. Would you say 'me went' or 'I went'?

Hook · 5 min

Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
Share the objective: Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number. 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: Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. The museum asks visitors to leave ___ bags in the lockers.
Step 1: A pronoun should match its antecedent in person and number; don't switch from 'they' to 'you' or from singular to plural mid-sentence.
Step 2: 'Visitors' is third person plural: 'their'.
Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The museum asks visitors to leave their bags in the lockers."
Step 4: So the answer is: their
Answer: their
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.

Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. Our class planted trees so that ___ could improve the playground. (they / it / we / you) → wePrompt: Find the noun or pronoun the gap refers back to.
Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • The team celebrated its first win, and they went home happy. • The team celebrated its first win. • The team celebrated it's first win. • The team celebrated their first win, and it went home. (The team celebrated its first win, and they went home happy. / The team celebrated its first win. / The team celebrated it's first win. / The team celebrated their first win, and it went home.) → The team celebrated its first win.Prompt: Underline every pronoun in each sentence.

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.

Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • You knew that we had to hurry, so they ran. • We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran. • We knew that one had to hurry, so you ran. • We knew that you had to hurry, so we ran. (You knew that we had to hurry, so they ran. / We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran. / We knew that one had to hurry, so you ran. / We knew that you had to hurry, so we ran.) → We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran.Prompt: Underline every pronoun in each sentence.
Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. If we leave now, ___ will catch the early train. (we / you / one / they) → wePrompt: Find the noun or pronoun the gap refers back 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: 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: its or their? Pronouns for organisations and groups (SAT/ACT).
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

eurekami

Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number

Name

Date

Score/ 8

1
Question 1
Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • If a player arrives late, you will miss the warm-up. • If players arrive late, you will miss the warm-up. • If players arrive late, they will miss the warm-up. • If players arrive late, we will miss the warm-up.
- A. If a player arrives late, you will miss the warm-up.
- B. If players arrive late, you will miss the warm-up.
- C. If players arrive late, they will miss the warm-up.
- D. If players arrive late, we will miss the warm-up.
2
Question 2
Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. When hikers reach the summit, ___ can see three counties.
- A. we
- B. they
- C. you
- D. it
3
Question 3
Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • You knew that we had to hurry, so they ran. • We knew that one had to hurry, so you ran. • We knew that you had to hurry, so we ran. • We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran.
- A. You knew that we had to hurry, so they ran.
- B. We knew that one had to hurry, so you ran.
- C. We knew that you had to hurry, so we ran.
- D. We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran.
4
Question 4
Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. I love swimming because it helps ___ relax.
- A. me
- B. you
- C. us
- D. them
5
Question 5
Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • If players arrive late, we will miss the warm-up. • If players arrive late, you will miss the warm-up. • If players arrive late, they will miss the warm-up. • If a player arrives late, you will miss the warm-up.
- A. If players arrive late, we will miss the warm-up.
- B. If players arrive late, you will miss the warm-up.
- C. If players arrive late, they will miss the warm-up.
- D. If a player arrives late, you will miss the warm-up.
6
Question 6
Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. The dog wagged ___ tail when we came home.
- A. his or her
- B. it's
- C. its
- D. their
7
Question 7
Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • When tourists visit the castle, we should book a tour. • When tourists visit the castle, you should book a tour. • When a tourist visits the castle, you should book a tour. • When tourists visit the castle, they should book a tour.
- A. When tourists visit the castle, we should book a tour.
- B. When tourists visit the castle, you should book a tour.
- C. When a tourist visits the castle, you should book a tour.
- D. When tourists visit the castle, they should book a tour.
8
Question 8
Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. When a person exercises regularly, ___ heart grows stronger.
- A. their
- B. its
- C. our
- D. your

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Answer key: Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number

1. C. If players arrive late, they will miss the warm-up.
2. B. they
3. D. We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran.
4. A. me
5. C. If players arrive late, they will miss the warm-up.
6. C. its
7. D. When tourists visit the castle, they should book a tour.
8. A. their