English lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 45 minutes
Agreement when the verb comes first (There are…, Here comes…)
Grammar
CCSS L.9-10.1England: SAT Standard English Conventions (agreement)England: ACT English
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Agreement when the verb comes first (There are…, Here comes…).
- 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 amounts, titles, 'the number of' and -s nouns; Agreement with tricky subjects (SAT/ACT)
Leads to: Agreement in relative clauses (one of those who…); Subject–verb agreement across long interruptions (SAT)
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 amounts, titles, 'the number of' and -s nouns; Agreement with tricky subjects (SAT/ACT)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Physics is the study of matter and energy. (correct / incorrect) → correctPrompt: Is the subject really ONE thing (an amount, a title, a subject of study) or many?
- Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. The scissors ___ on the desk. (are / is) → arePrompt: Find the head noun of the subject. Cross out prepositional phrases (of…, from…, in…).
- Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. My jeans ___ too tight. (is / are) → arePrompt: Is the subject really ONE thing (an amount, a title, a subject of study) or many?
Hook · 5 min
- Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
- Share the objective: Agreement when the verb comes first (There are…, Here comes…). 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 verb that agrees with the subject. Here ___ the results of the survey.
- Step 1: In sentences beginning with There, Here, a question word or a place phrase, the subject follows the verb — but the verb must still agree with it.
- Step 2: Subject 'the results': plural.
- Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Here are the results of the survey."
- Step 4: So the answer is: are
- Answer: are
- 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.
- Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Not far from the coast is several small islands. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: The subject comes AFTER the verb here. Find it.
- Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. Not far from the coast ___ several small islands. (are / is) → arePrompt: The subject comes AFTER the verb here. Find it.
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.
- Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Not far from the coast is several small islands. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: The subject comes AFTER the verb here. Find it.
- Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. On the top shelf ___ two old photo albums. (sit / sits) → sitPrompt: The subject comes AFTER the verb here. Find it.
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 amounts, titles, 'the number of' and -s nouns.
- 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: Agreement in relative clauses (one of those who…); Subject–verb agreement across long interruptions (SAT).
- 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-9.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder