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English lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 45 minutes

Possessive apostrophes: singular, plural and irregular plurals

Punctuation

CCSS L.6.2CCSS L.2.2.CEngland: KS3 English (punctuation)England: GCSE English Language (AO6 SPaG)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Possessive apostrophes: singular, plural and irregular plurals.

  • 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: Apostrophes for possession

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

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

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Apostrophes for possession). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which shows possession correctly? the nests of the birds (the birds nests / the birds's nests / the birds' nests / the bird's nests) → the birds' nestsPrompt: Who is the owner? One owner or more than one?
  2. Choose the correct word. Read the clue in brackets. ___ going to rain later. (it is) (Its' / It's / Its) → It'sPrompt: Does the word show ownership, a contraction, or just a plural?
  3. Which shows possession correctly? the coats of the girls (the girls' coats / the girls's coats / the girl's coats / the girls coats) → the girls' coatsPrompt: Who is the owner? One owner or more than one?

Hook · 5 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Possessive apostrophes: singular, plural and irregular plurals. 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 correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ coats were hanging by the door. (more than one girl)
  • Step 1: Singular owner → 's (dog's). Plural ending in s → s' (dogs'). Plural not ending in s → 's (children's).
  • Step 2: Plural ending in s: add just an apostrophe.
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The girls' coats were hanging by the door."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: girls'
  • Answer: girls'
  • 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. Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ coats were hanging by the door. (more than one girl) (girls' / girl's / girls's / girls) → girls'Prompt: First write the owner word correctly: one dog / two dogs / children.
  2. Read the question and choose. "My friends' dog" – who owns the dog? (one friend / more than one friend / nobody / the dog owns the friends) → more than one friendPrompt: Look at where the apostrophe is: before or after the s?

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. Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ feet were sore after the hike. (more than one person) (people / peoples / people's / peoples') → people'sPrompt: First write the owner word correctly: one dog / two dogs / children.
  2. Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly? • The player's boot's were muddy. • The players's boots were muddy. • The players' boots were muddy. • The players boot's were muddy. (The player's boot's were muddy. / The players's boots were muddy. / The players' boots were muddy. / The players boot's were muddy.) → The players' boots were muddy.Prompt: Find the word that owns something, then check every other word ending in s.

Watch out for

  • Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
  • Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Apostrophes for possession.
  • Use concrete materials: punctuation cards.
  • 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-6.

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

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Possessive apostrophes: singular, plural and irregular plurals

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Read the question and choose. "The cat's bowls were empty." How many cats are there?

    • A. none
    • B. we can't tell
    • C. one
    • D. more than one

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly? • My sisters' friend's are coming to tea. • My sisters friend's are coming to tea. • My sister's friend's are coming to tea. • My sister's friends are coming to tea.

    • A. My sisters' friend's are coming to tea.
    • B. My sisters friend's are coming to tea.
    • C. My sister's friend's are coming to tea.
    • D. My sister's friends are coming to tea.

  3. Question 3

    Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ office is upstairs. (one head teacher)

    • A. head teacher's
    • B. head teachers
    • C. head teacher
    • D. head teachers'

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly? • I bought three apples' at Toms' stall. • I bought three apples at Tom's stall. • I bought three apple's at Tom's stall. • I bought three apple's at Toms stall.

    • A. I bought three apples' at Toms' stall.
    • B. I bought three apples at Tom's stall.
    • C. I bought three apple's at Tom's stall.
    • D. I bought three apple's at Toms stall.

  5. Question 5

    Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ bark kept us awake. (one puppy)

    • A. puppy's
    • B. puppies'
    • C. puppies
    • D. puppys'

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly? • The busses' engine needs repairing. • The buses engine needs repairing. • The bus engine's needs repairing. • The bus's engine needs repairing.

    • A. The busses' engine needs repairing.
    • B. The buses engine needs repairing.
    • C. The bus engine's needs repairing.
    • D. The bus's engine needs repairing.

  7. Question 7

    Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ coats were hanging by the door. (more than one girl)

    • A. girls's
    • B. girl's
    • C. girls'
    • D. girls

  8. Question 8

    Read the question and choose. "My friend's dogs" – who owns the dogs?

    • A. one friend
    • B. nobody
    • C. more than one friend
    • D. we can't tell

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Answer key: Possessive apostrophes: singular, plural and irregular plurals

  1. 1. C. one

  2. 2. D. My sister's friends are coming to tea.

  3. 3. A. head teacher's

  4. 4. B. I bought three apples at Tom's stall.

  5. 5. A. puppy's

  6. 6. D. The bus's engine needs repairing.

  7. 7. C. girls'

  8. 8. A. one friend