• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Prepositions of time, place and cause). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Choose the preposition that fits. The cat jumped ___ the wall into the garden. (during / since / at / over) → overPrompt: Does the gap tell us when, where or how long?
2. Which word is the preposition? We walked through the dark tunnel. (dark / tunnel / through / walked) → throughPrompt: A preposition comes before a noun or noun phrase.
3. Choose the preposition that fits. The shop is ___ the bank and the café. (at / among / on / between) → betweenPrompt: Does the gap tell us when, where or how long?

• Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
• Share the objective: Find the prepositional phrase. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? The book on the top shelf is mine.
• Step 1: A prepositional phrase is a preposition + a noun phrase: under + the warm blanket.
• Step 2: So the answer is: on the top shelf
• Answer: on the top shelf
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? The cat slept under the warm blanket. (under the warm blanket / The cat slept / the cat / slept under) → under the warm blanketPrompt: Find the preposition: a word like under, after, with, over, behind, across, on, through.
2. We had a picnic after the football match. What does "after the football match" tell you? (where / when / which one (it describes a noun)) → whenPrompt: Ask: does it tell where, when, or which person or thing?

• 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.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? The puppy ran through the long grass. (ran through / through the long grass / the puppy / The puppy ran) → through the long grassPrompt: Find the preposition: a word like under, after, with, over, behind, across, on, through.
2. During the storm, the lights flickered. What does "During the storm" tell you? (where / when / which one (it describes a noun)) → whenPrompt: Ask: does it tell where, when, or which person or thing?

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-4.