English lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 60 minutes
Helping verbs and main verbs (is, has, can, will, must)
Grammar
CCSS L.4.1.CEngland: Y4 GPS (verbs)England: Y5 GPS (modal verbs)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Helping verbs and main verbs (is, has, can, will, must).
- 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: Past, present or future? Simple verb tenses
Leads to: Action verb or linking verb? (tastes the soup, tastes salty); Active or passive? Who did the action?
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 (Past, present or future? Simple verb tenses). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Is this sentence in the past, present or future tense? I feel excited about the trip. (past / present / future) → presentPrompt: Find the verb (the action or being word).
- Choose the verb in the right tense. My dad always ___ the dog out when he gets home. (took / will took / takes) → takesPrompt: Look for time words: yesterday, last, ago, next, tomorrow, every…
- Rewrite the sentence in the FUTURE tense using will. Type the whole sentence. We plant sunflowers. → We will plant sunflowers.Prompt: Put will in front of the verb.
Hook · 6 min
- Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
- Share the objective: Helping verbs and main verbs (is, has, can, will, must). 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: Which word is the HELPING verb? We must leave at eight.
- Step 1: A helping (auxiliary) verb works with the main verb to show time, possibility or need. Common ones: is, are, was, were, have, has, had, do, does, will, can, could, should, might, must.
- Step 2: So the answer is: must
- Answer: must
- 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.
- Which word is the HELPING verb? Leo might join the chess club. (club / might / join / chess) → mightPrompt: Find the main action word first.
- Which word is the MAIN verb? You should drink more water. (drink / should / water / more) → drinkPrompt: Which word names the action or state?
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.
- Which word is the MAIN verb? The baby was sleeping soundly. (baby / was / sleeping / soundly) → sleepingPrompt: Which word names the action or state?
- Choose the helping verb that fits the meaning. I ___ swim when I was five, but now I can. (can't / mustn't / shan't / couldn't) → couldn'tPrompt: Read the sentence after the gap for clues.
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: Past, present or future? Simple verb tenses.
- 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: Action verb or linking verb? (tastes the soup, tastes salty); Active or passive? Who did the action?.
- 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-4.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder