• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Subject–verb agreement). 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. My friends ___ coming to tea. (are / is) → arePrompt: Who or what is doing the action? That is the subject.
2. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. The leaves on the old tree ___ turning red. (is / are) → arePrompt: Find the main subject. Ignore words like 'of the…' or 'with the…' that come after it.
3. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. They ___ football after school. (play / plays) → playPrompt: Who or what is doing the action? That is the subject.

• Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
• Share the objective: Subject–verb agreement with words in between. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. The flowers in the vase ___ wilting.
• Step 1: The verb agrees with the subject, not with a noun in a phrase that comes between them.
• Step 2: The subject is 'flowers' (plural).
• Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The flowers in the vase are wilting."
• Step 4: So the answer is: are
• Answer: are
• 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. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. The cost of the tickets ___ gone up. (has / have) → hasPrompt: Cover up the phrase between the subject and the verb (of…, in…, with…, along with…).
2. Type the verb (from the brackets) that agrees with the subject. The windows in the classroom ___ (need/needs) cleaning. → needPrompt: Ignore the phrase that comes between the subject and the verb.

• 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. Type the verb (from the brackets) that agrees with the subject. The price of the shoes ___ (was/were) too high. → wasPrompt: Ignore the phrase that comes between the subject and the verb.
2. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. The teacher, together with her pupils, ___ the garden every week. (water / waters) → watersPrompt: Cover up the phrase between the subject and the verb (of…, in…, with…, along with…).

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-6.