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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 bird's nests / the birds's nests / the birds' nests) → the birds' nestsPrompt: Who is the owner? One owner or more than one?
  2. Choose the correct word. Read the clue in brackets. The ___ bowl was empty. (one cat) (cats / cat's / cats') → cat'sPrompt: Does the word show ownership, a contraction, or just a plural?
  3. Which shows possession correctly? the changing room of the players (the player's changing room / the players' changing room / the players changing room / the players's changing room) → the players' changing roomPrompt: 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 ___ nests were high in the tree. (more than one bird) (bird's / birds / birds's / birds') → birds'Prompt: First write the owner word correctly: one dog / two dogs / children.
  2. Read the question and choose. "My friend's dogs" – who owns the dogs? (one friend / more than one friend / nobody / we can't tell) → 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. Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly? • The buses engine needs repairing. • The busses' engine needs repairing. • The bus's engine needs repairing. • The bus engine's needs repairing. (The buses engine needs repairing. / The busses' engine needs repairing. / The bus's engine needs repairing. / The bus engine's needs repairing.) → The bus's engine needs repairing.Prompt: Find the word that owns something, then check every other word ending in s.
  2. 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 / girls' / girls's / girl's) → girls'Prompt: First write the owner word correctly: one dog / two dogs / children.

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

    Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ nests were high in the tree. (more than one bird)

    • A. birds's
    • B. birds
    • C. bird's
    • D. birds'

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly? • The player's boot's were muddy. • The players boot's were muddy. • The players' boots were muddy. • The players's boots were muddy.

    • A. The player's boot's were muddy.
    • B. The players boot's were muddy.
    • C. The players' boots were muddy.
    • D. The players's boots were muddy.

  3. Question 3

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

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

  4. Question 4

    Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. The ___ feet were sore after the hike. (more than one person)

    • A. people's
    • B. peoples'
    • C. peoples
    • D. people

  5. Question 5

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

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

  6. Question 6

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

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

  7. Question 7

    Choose the correct form. The brackets tell you how many owners there are. My ___ car is red. (one brother)

    • A. brothers'
    • B. brothers
    • C. brothers's
    • D. brother's

  8. Question 8

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

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

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

  1. 1. D. birds'

  2. 2. C. The players' boots were muddy.

  3. 3. C. more than one

  4. 4. A. people's

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

  6. 6. D. one friend

  7. 7. D. brother's

  8. 8. A. I bought three apples at Tom's stall.