English lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 45 minutes
-ing words: gerund, participle or main verb?
Grammar
CCSS L.8.1.AEngland: KS3 English (grammar)England: SAT Standard English Conventions (Form, Structure, and Sense)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: -ing words: gerund, participle or main verb?.
- 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: Gerunds, participles and infinitives; Independent clause, dependent clause or phrase?
Leads to: Infinitive phrases: noun, adjective or adverb job?; Fixing dangling participle phrases; Combining sentences with appositives and participle phrases
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 (Gerunds, participles and infinitives; Independent clause, dependent clause or phrase?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What is the word in brackets doing in this sentence? To win the cup was their dream. (To win) (gerund / participle / infinitive) → infinitivePrompt: Is it acting as a noun (a thing), an adjective (describing a noun), or is it 'to' + verb?
- Is the group of words in brackets an independent clause, a dependent clause, or a phrase? [everyone agreed] (independent clause / dependent clause / phrase (not a clause)) → independent clausePrompt: Does it have a subject AND a verb? If not, it's a phrase.
- Read the question and choose. Which part of this sentence is the dependent clause? "When the bell rang, the students packed up quickly." (packed up / the students packed up quickly / quickly / When the bell rang) → When the bell rangPrompt: Look for a subordinating word (when, because, although, if, until, who).
Hook · 5 min
- Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
- Share the objective: -ing words: gerund, participle or main verb?. 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: What is the word in capitals doing in this sentence? We enjoy CAMPING in the summer.
- Step 1: A gerund (-ing) works as a noun; a participle (-ing or -ed/-en) works as an adjective; with be, -ing forms part of the main verb.
- Step 2: 'Camping' is the object of 'enjoy'.
- Step 3: So the answer is: gerund (works as a noun)
- Answer: gerund (works as a noun)
- 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.
- What is the word in capitals doing in this sentence? The children were LAUGHING at the clown. (gerund (works as a noun) / participle (works as an adjective) / part of the main verb (is/was …ing)) → part of the main verb (is/was …ing)Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.
- In which sentence is the word in capitals used like this: gerund (works as a noun)? (The girl READING in the corner is my cousin. / I can't stand his constant BARKING. / She is SWIMMING across the bay.) → I can't stand his constant BARKING.Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.
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.
- In which sentence is the word in capitals used like this: gerund (works as a noun)? (I can't stand his constant BARKING. / SMILING broadly, Ana opened the door. / She is SWIMMING across the bay.) → I can't stand his constant BARKING.Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.
- What is the word in capitals doing in this sentence? His hobby is PAINTING. (gerund (works as a noun) / participle (works as an adjective) / part of the main verb (is/was …ing)) → gerund (works as a noun)Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.
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: Gerunds, participles and infinitives.
- 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: Infinitive phrases: noun, adjective or adverb job?; Fixing dangling participle phrases; Combining sentences with appositives and participle phrases.
- 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-8.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder