English lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 60 minutes
Agreement in relative clauses (one of those who…)
Grammar
CCSS L.9-10.1CCSS L.11-12.1.BEngland: SAT Standard English Conventions (agreement)England: ACT English
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Agreement in relative clauses (one of those who…).
- 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: Agreement with everyone, each, both, some, none…; Agreement when the verb comes first (There are…, Here comes…)
Leads to: Subject–verb agreement across long interruptions (SAT)
Materials: Sentence strips, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Agreement with everyone, each, both, some, none…; Agreement when the verb comes first (There are…, Here comes…)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. Neither of the answers ___ correct. (are / is) → isPrompt: 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)?
- Is this sentence correct in formal written English? What were the main causes of the flood? (correct / incorrect) → correctPrompt: The subject comes AFTER the verb here. Find it.
- Type the verb (from the brackets) that agrees with the subject. Everybody ___ (want/wants) a turn on the new swing. → wantsPrompt: Which indefinite pronoun is the subject?
Hook · 6 min
- Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
- Share the objective: Agreement in relative clauses (one of those who…). Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- 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 noun the relative pronoun refers to. The scientist who ___ the vaccine trials is giving a talk.
- Step 1: A verb in a relative clause agrees with the antecedent of who/that/which.
- Step 2: 'Who' refers to 'the scientist': singular.
- Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The scientist who leads the vaccine trials is giving a talk."
- Step 4: So the answer is: leads
- Answer: leads
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Is this sentence correct in formal written English? She is one of the students who plays in the orchestra. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: Who/that/which takes its number from the noun it refers back to.
- Choose the verb that agrees with the noun the relative pronoun refers to. This is one of the few cafés that ___ open on Sundays. (stay / stays) → stayPrompt: Who/that/which takes its number from the noun it refers back to.
You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Choose the verb that agrees with the noun the relative pronoun refers to. She is the only one of the students who ___ the harp. (plays / play) → playsPrompt: Who/that/which takes its number from the noun it refers back to.
- Is this sentence correct in formal written English? The scientist who lead the vaccine trials is giving a talk. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: Who/that/which takes its number from the noun it refers back to.
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: Agreement with everyone, each, both, some, none….
- 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: Subject–verb agreement across long interruptions (SAT).
- 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-9.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder