Back to the lesson plan builder
Lesson length30 min45 min60 min
Questions🔀 New questions

Print the plan for yourself; the student sheet prints on its own page after it.

English lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 60 minutes

Placing only, just, almost and nearly

Grammar

CCSS L.7.1.CEngland: KS3 English (grammar: clarity)England: SAT Standard English Conventions

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Placing only, just, almost and nearly.

  • 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: Misplaced and dangling modifiers

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

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 (Misplaced and dangling modifiers). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence is written correctly, with the describing words next to what they describe? • A dog followed me walking home, while. • While I was walking home, a dog followed me. • While walking home, a dog followed me. • Walking home, a dog followed me. (A dog followed me walking home, while. / While I was walking home, a dog followed me. / While walking home, a dog followed me. / Walking home, a dog followed me.) → While I was walking home, a dog followed me.Prompt: Look at the opening phrase. Who or what is doing that action?
  2. Which sentence is written correctly, with the describing words next to what they describe? • After finishing her homework, Lina watched TV. • After finishing her homework, the TV showed a film. • The TV, after finishing her homework, was on. • After finishing her homework, the TV was switched on. (After finishing her homework, Lina watched TV. / After finishing her homework, the TV showed a film. / The TV, after finishing her homework, was on. / After finishing her homework, the TV was switched on.) → After finishing her homework, Lina watched TV.Prompt: Look at the opening phrase. Who or what is doing that action?
  3. Which sentence is written correctly, with the describing words next to what they describe? • Barking loudly, the postman was chased by the dog. • Barking loudly, the postman ran from the dog. • Barking loudly, the dog chased the postman. • The postman, barking loudly, was chased by the dog. (Barking loudly, the postman was chased by the dog. / Barking loudly, the postman ran from the dog. / Barking loudly, the dog chased the postman. / The postman, barking loudly, was chased by the dog.) → Barking loudly, the dog chased the postman.Prompt: Look at the opening phrase. Who or what is doing that action?

Hook · 6 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Placing only, just, almost and nearly. 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: Read the question and choose. Which sentence means that you came close to eating but did NOT eat any? • You ate the almost cake. • You almost ate the cake. • Almost the cake you ate. • You ate almost the cake.
  • Step 1: Place limiting words directly before the word they limit: 'only Maya' (no one else), 'almost all' (not quite all).
  • Step 2: So the answer is: You almost ate the cake.
  • Answer: You almost ate the cake.
  • 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.
  1. Read the question and choose. Which sentence means that you came close to eating but did NOT eat any? • Almost the cake you ate. • You ate the almost cake. • You almost ate the cake. • You ate almost the cake. (Almost the cake you ate. / You ate the almost cake. / You almost ate the cake. / You ate almost the cake.) → You almost ate the cake.Prompt: Only, just, almost and nearly limit the word that comes right after them.
  2. Read the question and choose. "I failed almost every test." What does this mean? (I failed only one test. / I passed every test. / I failed most of the tests. / I came close to failing but passed.) → I failed most of the tests.Prompt: Which word comes straight after the limiting word?

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.
  1. Read the question and choose. Which sentence says the shop sells shoes and nothing else? • The shop only sells shoes to only people. • The only shop sells shoes. • Only the shop sells shoes. • The shop sells only shoes. (The shop only sells shoes to only people. / The only shop sells shoes. / Only the shop sells shoes. / The shop sells only shoes.) → The shop sells only shoes.Prompt: Only, just, almost and nearly limit the word that comes right after them.
  2. Read the question and choose. "I failed almost every test." What does this mean? (I failed only one test. / I passed every test. / I came close to failing but passed. / I failed most of the tests.) → I failed most of the tests.Prompt: Which word comes straight after the limiting word?

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: Misplaced and dangling modifiers.
  • 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

  • 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-7.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Placing only, just, almost and nearly

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Read the question and choose. Which sentence says the shop sells shoes and nothing else? • Only the shop sells shoes. • The only shop sells shoes. • The shop sells only shoes. • The shop only sells shoes to only people.

    • A. Only the shop sells shoes.
    • B. The only shop sells shoes.
    • C. The shop sells only shoes.
    • D. The shop only sells shoes to only people.

  2. Question 2

    Read the question and choose. "She just told me." What does 'just' mean here?

    • A. very recently
    • B. exactly
    • C. only
    • D. fairly

  3. Question 3

    Read the question and choose. Which sentence means that NO ONE ELSE passed the test? • Maya only passed the test. • Only Maya passed the test. • Maya passed the only test. • Maya passed only the test.

    • A. Maya only passed the test.
    • B. Only Maya passed the test.
    • C. Maya passed the only test.
    • D. Maya passed only the test.

  4. Question 4

    Read the question and choose. "We only have ten minutes." What does this mean?

    • A. We have ten minutes and nothing else to do.
    • B. We have exactly ten clocks.
    • C. We have no more than ten minutes.
    • D. Only we have ten minutes; others don't.

  5. Question 5

    Read the question and choose. Which sentence says the shop sells shoes and nothing else? • The shop only sells shoes to only people. • The only shop sells shoes. • The shop sells only shoes. • Only the shop sells shoes.

    • A. The shop only sells shoes to only people.
    • B. The only shop sells shoes.
    • C. The shop sells only shoes.
    • D. Only the shop sells shoes.

  6. Question 6

    Read the question and choose. "I failed almost every test." What does this mean?

    • A. I failed only one test.
    • B. I came close to failing but passed.
    • C. I passed every test.
    • D. I failed most of the tests.

  7. Question 7

    Read the question and choose. Which sentence says the class has exactly one rule? • Our class has just one rule. • Our class just has one rule only. • Our just class has one rule. • Just our class has one rule.

    • A. Our class has just one rule.
    • B. Our class just has one rule only.
    • C. Our just class has one rule.
    • D. Just our class has one rule.

  8. Question 8

    Read the question and choose. "Just Sam knew the answer." What does this mean?

    • A. Sam knew it a moment ago.
    • B. Sam knew part of the answer.
    • C. Sam was the only one who knew.
    • D. Sam fairly knew it.

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: Placing only, just, almost and nearly

  1. 1. C. The shop sells only shoes.

  2. 2. A. very recently

  3. 3. B. Only Maya passed the test.

  4. 4. C. We have no more than ten minutes.

  5. 5. C. The shop sells only shoes.

  6. 6. D. I failed most of the tests.

  7. 7. A. Our class has just one rule.

  8. 8. C. Sam was the only one who knew.