• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Subject–verb agreement with and, or and nor). 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 best friend and neighbour ___ coming round later. (is / are) → isPrompt: Find all the subjects. Are they joined by 'and', or by 'or'/'nor'?
2. Which sentence is correct? • Either the bus or the trains was running late. • Either the bus or the trains runs late. • Either the bus or the trains are running late. • Either the bus or the trains is running late. (Either the bus or the trains was running late. / Either the bus or the trains runs late. / Either the bus or the trains are running late. / Either the bus or the trains is running late.) → Either the bus or the trains are running late.Prompt: Find the subjects and the word joining them.
3. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. The cat and the dog ___ in the garden. (is / are) → arePrompt: Find all the subjects. Are they joined by 'and', or by 'or'/'nor'?

• Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
• Share the objective: Agreement with everyone, each, both, some, none…. 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. Many of the shops ___ closed on Sundays.
• Step 1: -one, -body, -thing words, each, either and neither are singular; both, few, many and several are plural; some, all, most, none and any follow the noun after 'of'.
• Step 2: 'Many' is plural.
• Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Many of the shops are closed on Sundays."
• 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. Many of the shops ___ closed on Sundays. (are / is) → arePrompt: Is the pronoun always singular (everyone, each, nobody, either, neither), always plural (both, few, many, several), or does it depend (some, all, most, none, any)?
2. Type the verb (from the brackets) that agrees with the subject. Some of the chairs ___ (was/were) broken. → werePrompt: Which indefinite pronoun is the subject?

• 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. Neither of my parents ___ (likes/like) spicy food. → likesPrompt: Which indefinite pronoun is the subject?
2. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. Most of the milk ___ gone sour. (has / have) → hasPrompt: Is the pronoun always singular (everyone, each, nobody, either, neither), always plural (both, few, many, several), or does it depend (some, all, most, none, any)?

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-7.