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English lesson plan · 12th grade (Year 13 in England) · 45 minutes

Inversion for emphasis: Never have I…, Not only did she…

Grammar

CCSS L.11-12.3.ACCSS L.11-12.1.AEngland: A-level English LanguageEngland: AP LanguageEngland: Cambridge-style advanced grammar

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Inversion for emphasis: Never have I…, Not only did she….

  • 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: Advanced subjunctive: were it not for, lest, that she not be; Simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences

Leads to: Cleft sentences for focus: It was… who…, What… is…

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 (Advanced subjunctive: were it not for, lest, that she not be; Simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the form that is correct in formal written English. The rules require that each team ___ at least one substitute. (naming / named / name / names) → namePrompt: Is this a demand or recommendation (that + base form), an unreal condition (were/had/should), or a fixed expression?
  2. Is this sentence correct in formal written English? It's high time we made a decision. (correct / incorrect) → correctPrompt: Is this a demand or recommendation (that + base form), an unreal condition (were/had/should), or a fixed expression?
  3. What type of sentence is this? The dog barked, the baby cried, and the doorbell rang. (simple / compound / complex / compound-complex) → compoundPrompt: Count the independent clauses, then count the dependent clauses.

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Inversion for emphasis: Never have I…, Not only did she…. 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 to complete the emphatic sentence. Rarely ___ snow in this part of Spain.
  • Step 1: When a negative or restrictive expression begins a sentence for emphasis, the auxiliary comes before the subject (Never have I…).
  • Step 2: 'Rarely' at the start: does + subject + base verb.
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Rarely does it snow in this part of Spain."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: does it
  • Answer: does it
  • 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 to complete the emphatic sentence. Hardly ___ home when the phone rang. (had I got / I had got / got I / I got) → had I gotPrompt: Does the sentence start with a negative or limiting word (never, rarely, not only, only then, little, hardly)?
  2. Is this sentence correct in formal written English? So tired was she that she fell asleep at her desk. (correct / incorrect) → correctPrompt: Does the sentence start with a negative or limiting word (never, rarely, not only, only then, little, hardly)?

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 to complete the emphatic sentence. Not only ___ the race, but she also broke the record. (she did win / won she / she won / did she win) → did she winPrompt: Does the sentence start with a negative or limiting word (never, rarely, not only, only then, little, hardly)?
  2. Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Not only did she win the race, but she also broke the record. (correct / incorrect) → correctPrompt: Does the sentence start with a negative or limiting word (never, rarely, not only, only then, little, hardly)?

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: Advanced subjunctive: were it not for, lest, that she not be.
  • 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: Cleft sentences for focus: It was… who…, What… is….
  • 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-12.

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

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Inversion for emphasis: Never have I…, Not only did she…

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? In no way we be responsible for the delay.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect
  2. Question 2

    Choose the correct form to complete the emphatic sentence. Never ___ such a beautiful sunset.

    • A. have I seen
    • B. I have seen
    • C. seen I have
    • D. I saw
  3. Question 3

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? Only then we did realise how serious the problem was.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect
  4. Question 4

    Choose the correct form to complete the emphatic sentence. Hardly ___ home when the phone rang.

    • A. got I
    • B. had I got
    • C. I got
    • D. I had got
  5. Question 5

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? No sooner had she stepped onto the stage than the lights went out.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect
  6. Question 6

    Choose the correct form to complete the emphatic sentence. Only by working together ___ solve this problem.

    • A. can solve we
    • B. we could be
    • C. we can
    • D. can we
  7. Question 7

    Is this sentence correct in formal written English? In no way we were being responsible for the delay.

    • A. correct
    • B. incorrect
  8. Question 8

    Choose the correct form to complete the emphatic sentence. Not only ___ the race, but she also broke the record.

    • A. did she win
    • B. won she
    • C. she won
    • D. she did win

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Answer key: Inversion for emphasis: Never have I…, Not only did she…

  1. 1. B. incorrect

  2. 2. A. have I seen

  3. 3. B. incorrect

  4. 4. B. had I got

  5. 5. A. correct

  6. 6. D. can we

  7. 7. B. incorrect

  8. 8. A. did she win