Back to the lesson plan builder
Lesson length30 min45 min60 min

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

who or whom? whoever or whomever?

Grammar

CCSS L.7.1CCSS L.6.1.AEngland: KS3 English (Standard English)England: SAT Standard English ConventionsEngland: ACT English

Objective and success criteria

Students will: who or whom? whoever or whomever?.

  • 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: Pronoun case (I/me, who/whom)

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 (Pronoun case (I/me, who/whom)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the correct pronoun. The coach chose Marcus and ___ to lead. (him / he / himself) → himPrompt: Take away the other person. Would you say 'me went' or 'I went'?
  2. Choose the correct pronoun. It was ___ who rang the bell. (her / herself / she) → shePrompt: Take away the other person. Would you say 'me went' or 'I went'?
  3. Choose the correct pronoun. Dad and ___ built a treehouse. (I / myself / me) → IPrompt: Take away the other person. Would you say 'me went' or 'I went'?

Hook · 6 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: who or whom? whoever or whomever?. 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 correct pronoun for formal writing. Invite ___ you like.
  • Step 1: Use who/whoever for subjects and whom/whomever for objects and after prepositions. (In casual speech, many people use 'who' everywhere.)
  • Step 2: You like HIM/THEM → object of 'like' → 'whomever' (formal).
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Invite whomever you like."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: whomever
  • Answer: whomever
  • 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. Choose the correct pronoun for formal writing. With ___ are you travelling? (who / whom) → whomPrompt: Answer the question or rearrange the clause using he or him.
  2. Which sentence is correct in formal written English? • The singer whom won the contest is from Cork. • The singer who won the contest is from Cork. • The singer which won the contest is from Cork. • The singer whom she won the contest is from Cork. (The singer whom won the contest is from Cork. / The singer who won the contest is from Cork. / The singer which won the contest is from Cork. / The singer whom she won the contest is from Cork.) → The singer who won the contest is from Cork.Prompt: For each who/whom, find its verb. Is it the subject or the object?

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. Which sentence is correct in formal written English? • The singer which won the contest is from Cork. • The singer who won the contest is from Cork. • The singer whom she won the contest is from Cork. • The singer whom won the contest is from Cork. (The singer which won the contest is from Cork. / The singer who won the contest is from Cork. / The singer whom she won the contest is from Cork. / The singer whom won the contest is from Cork.) → The singer who won the contest is from Cork.Prompt: For each who/whom, find its verb. Is it the subject or the object?
  2. Choose the correct pronoun for formal writing. I wonder ___ will win the election. (who / whom) → whoPrompt: Answer the question or rearrange the clause using he or him.

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: Pronoun case (I/me, who/whom).
  • 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

who or whom? whoever or whomever?

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Choose the correct pronoun for formal writing. ___ wins the race will get a medal.

    • A. Whoever
    • B. Whomever
  2. Question 2

    Which sentence is correct in formal written English? • Whoever want a ticket should email me. • Whomever wants a ticket should email me. • Whom wants a ticket should email me. • Whoever wants a ticket should email me.

    • A. Whoever want a ticket should email me.
    • B. Whomever wants a ticket should email me.
    • C. Whom wants a ticket should email me.
    • D. Whoever wants a ticket should email me.
  3. Question 3

    Choose the correct pronoun for formal writing. I wonder ___ will win the election.

    • A. who
    • B. whom
  4. Question 4

    Which sentence is correct in formal written English? • The friend which I trusted let me down. • The friend whom trusted me let me down. • The friend who I trusted him let me down. • The friend whom I trusted let me down.

    • A. The friend which I trusted let me down.
    • B. The friend whom trusted me let me down.
    • C. The friend who I trusted him let me down.
    • D. The friend whom I trusted let me down.
  5. Question 5

    Choose the correct pronoun for formal writing. To ___ should I address the letter?

    • A. who
    • B. whom
  6. Question 6

    Which sentence is correct in formal written English? • The singer which won the contest is from Cork. • The singer who won the contest is from Cork. • The singer whom won the contest is from Cork. • The singer whom she won the contest is from Cork.

    • A. The singer which won the contest is from Cork.
    • B. The singer who won the contest is from Cork.
    • C. The singer whom won the contest is from Cork.
    • D. The singer whom she won the contest is from Cork.
  7. Question 7

    Choose the correct pronoun for formal writing. She is the teacher ___ everyone admires.

    • A. who
    • B. whom
  8. Question 8

    Which sentence is correct in formal written English? • The friend which I trusted let me down. • The friend who I trusted him let me down. • The friend whom I trusted let me down. • The friend whom trusted me let me down.

    • A. The friend which I trusted let me down.
    • B. The friend who I trusted him let me down.
    • C. The friend whom I trusted let me down.
    • D. The friend whom trusted me let me down.

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: who or whom? whoever or whomever?

  1. 1. A. Whoever

  2. 2. D. Whoever wants a ticket should email me.

  3. 3. A. who

  4. 4. D. The friend whom I trusted let me down.

  5. 5. B. whom

  6. 6. B. The singer who won the contest is from Cork.

  7. 7. B. whom

  8. 8. C. The friend whom I trusted let me down.