English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes
before, after, since: preposition, conjunction or adverb?
Grammar
CCSS L.5.1.AEngland: Y5/6 GPS (word classes in context)England: KS2 SATs GPS
Objective and success criteria
Students will: before, after, since: preposition, conjunction or adverb?.
- 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: Same word, different job: noun, verb, adjective or adverb?; Prepositions of time, place and cause
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
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 (Same word, different job: noun, verb, adjective or adverb?; Prepositions of time, place and cause). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- We need a plan. What word class is "plan" in this sentence? (noun / verb / adjective / adverb) → nounPrompt: Look at the job the word does in THIS sentence.
- Choose the preposition that fits. My birthday is ___ July. (in / at / by / on) → inPrompt: Does the gap tell us when, where or how long?
- Read the question. In which sentence is "fast" an adverb? (A cheetah is a fast animal. / We broke our fast at sunset. / The cheetah ran fast. / That was a fast train.) → The cheetah ran fast.Prompt: Find the word in each sentence and ask what job it does.
Hook · 5 min
- Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
- Share the objective: before, after, since: preposition, conjunction or adverb?. 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: We went home after the match ended. What word class is "after" here?
- Step 1: Words like before, after and since can be prepositions, conjunctions or adverbs, depending on what follows them.
- Step 2: So the answer is: conjunction
- Answer: conjunction
- 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.
- I have been happy since I joined the club. What word class is "since" here? (preposition / conjunction / adverb) → conjunctionPrompt: Look at what comes straight after the word.
- Read the question. In which sentence is "before" an adverb? (Call me before you leave. / Stretch before the race. / Have you tried sushi before? / Finish this before Friday.) → Have you tried sushi before?Prompt: Look at what follows the word 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.
- They moved away, and I have not seen them since. What word class is "since" here? (preposition / conjunction / adverb) → adverbPrompt: Look at what comes straight after the word.
- Read the question. In which sentence is "before" an adverb? (Stretch before the race. / Call me before you leave. / Finish this before Friday. / Have you tried sushi before?) → Have you tried sushi before?Prompt: Look at what follows the word in each sentence.
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: Same word, different job: noun, verb, adjective or adverb?.
- 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
- 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-5.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder