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English lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 minutes

Fronted adverbials

Grammar

CCSS L.4.1England: Y4 GPS (fronted adverbials)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Fronted adverbials.

  • 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: Adverbs

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 (Adverbs). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which word is an adverb? The cat slept there. (the / slept / cat / there) → therePrompt: Adverbs add information to a verb: how, when, where or how often.
  2. Turn the adjective "happy" into an adverb. → happilyPrompt: Most adverbs add -ly.
  3. Adjective or adverb? Choose the word that fits. That is a ___ idea! (brilliance / brilliantly / brilliants / brilliant) → brilliantPrompt: Is the gap describing a noun (a thing) or a verb (an action)?

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Fronted adverbials. 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: Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • The cat crept upstairs. • The cat crept upstairs without a sound. • The cat crept without a sound upstairs. • Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.
  • Step 1: A fronted adverbial is a word or phrase at the front of a sentence that tells how, when or where. It is followed by a comma.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.
  • Answer: Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.
  • 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. Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • The cat crept upstairs. • The cat crept without a sound upstairs. • Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs. • The cat crept upstairs without a sound. (The cat crept upstairs. / The cat crept without a sound upstairs. / Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs. / The cat crept upstairs without a sound.) → Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.Prompt: A fronted adverbial comes at the START of the sentence, before the subject.
  2. Choose the fronted adverbial that completes the sentence. ___, the explorer opened the ancient box. (With trembling hands / Explorer was brave / The ancient / Opened box) → With trembling handsPrompt: The words must make sense before the comma and tell when, where or how.

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. Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • In the middle of the night, the alarm went off. • The alarm went off. • The alarm went off in the middle of the night. • The alarm, in the middle of the night, went off. (In the middle of the night, the alarm went off. / The alarm went off. / The alarm went off in the middle of the night. / The alarm, in the middle of the night, went off.) → In the middle of the night, the alarm went off.Prompt: A fronted adverbial comes at the START of the sentence, before the subject.
  2. Choose the fronted adverbial that completes the sentence. ___, we built a sandcastle. (On the beach / Sandy and wet the / The sandcastle / Built quickly by) → On the beachPrompt: The words must make sense before the comma and tell when, where or how.

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: Adverbs.
  • 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-4.

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

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Fronted adverbials

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • Later that day, we went for a swim. • We went for a swim later that day. • We went, later that day, for a swim. • We went for a swim.

    • A. Later that day, we went for a swim.
    • B. We went for a swim later that day.
    • C. We went, later that day, for a swim.
    • D. We went for a swim.

  2. Question 2

    Choose the fronted adverbial that completes the sentence. ___, we built a sandcastle.

    • A. The sandcastle
    • B. Sandy and wet the
    • C. Built quickly by
    • D. On the beach

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • Under the bridge, a troll was snoring. • A troll, under the bridge, was snoring. • A troll was snoring under the bridge. • A troll was snoring.

    • A. Under the bridge, a troll was snoring.
    • B. A troll, under the bridge, was snoring.
    • C. A troll was snoring under the bridge.
    • D. A troll was snoring.

  4. Question 4

    Choose the fronted adverbial that completes the sentence. ___, the explorer opened the ancient box.

    • A. Opened box
    • B. The ancient
    • C. Explorer was brave
    • D. With trembling hands

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • A troll was snoring. • Under the bridge, a troll was snoring. • A troll was snoring under the bridge. • A troll, under the bridge, was snoring.

    • A. A troll was snoring.
    • B. Under the bridge, a troll was snoring.
    • C. A troll was snoring under the bridge.
    • D. A troll, under the bridge, was snoring.

  6. Question 6

    Choose the fronted adverbial that completes the sentence. ___, Ravi crossed the busy road.

    • A. Crossed safely by
    • B. The busy road
    • C. Looking both ways
    • D. Ravi was

  7. Question 7

    Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • A troll was snoring. • A troll was snoring under the bridge. • A troll, under the bridge, was snoring. • Under the bridge, a troll was snoring.

    • A. A troll was snoring.
    • B. A troll was snoring under the bridge.
    • C. A troll, under the bridge, was snoring.
    • D. Under the bridge, a troll was snoring.

  8. Question 8

    Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • Nina lifted the baby bird. • Nina lifted the baby bird carefully. • Carefully, Nina lifted the baby bird. • Nina carefully lifted the baby bird.

    • A. Nina lifted the baby bird.
    • B. Nina lifted the baby bird carefully.
    • C. Carefully, Nina lifted the baby bird.
    • D. Nina carefully lifted the baby bird.

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Answer key: Fronted adverbials

  1. 1. A. Later that day, we went for a swim.

  2. 2. D. On the beach

  3. 3. A. Under the bridge, a troll was snoring.

  4. 4. D. With trembling hands

  5. 5. B. Under the bridge, a troll was snoring.

  6. 6. C. Looking both ways

  7. 7. D. Under the bridge, a troll was snoring.

  8. 8. C. Carefully, Nina lifted the baby bird.