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English lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 60 minutes

Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number

Grammar

CCSS L.6.1.CEngland: KS3 English (grammar: Standard English)England: GCSE English Language (AO6 accuracy)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number.

  • 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: its or their? Pronouns for organisations and groups (SAT/ACT)

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. ___ is coming to the meeting? (Who / Whose / Whom) → WhoPrompt: Take away the other person. Would you say 'me went' or 'I went'?
  2. Choose the correct pronoun. The coach chose Marcus and ___ to lead. (he / him / himself) → himPrompt: Take away the other person. Would you say 'me went' or 'I went'?
  3. Choose the correct pronoun. The head gave ___ students a longer break. (us / we / our) → usPrompt: 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: Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number. 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 pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. The museum asks visitors to leave ___ bags in the lockers.
  • Step 1: A pronoun should match its antecedent in person and number; don't switch from 'they' to 'you' or from singular to plural mid-sentence.
  • Step 2: 'Visitors' is third person plural: 'their'.
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The museum asks visitors to leave their bags in the lockers."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: their
  • Answer: their
  • 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 pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. The museum asks visitors to leave ___ bags in the lockers. (our / its / your / their) → theirPrompt: Find the noun or pronoun the gap refers back to.
  2. Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • When I read late at night, I find it hard to wake up. • When I read late at night, we find it hard to wake up. • When you read late at night, I find it hard to wake up. • When I read late at night, you find it hard to wake up. (When I read late at night, I find it hard to wake up. / When I read late at night, we find it hard to wake up. / When you read late at night, I find it hard to wake up. / When I read late at night, you find it hard to wake up.) → When I read late at night, I find it hard to wake up.Prompt: Underline every pronoun in each sentence.

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. Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. The dog wagged ___ tail when we came home. (their / its / it's / his or her) → itsPrompt: Find the noun or pronoun the gap refers back to.
  2. Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • When tourists visit the castle, they should book a tour. • When tourists visit the castle, we should book a tour. • When a tourist visits the castle, you should book a tour. • When tourists visit the castle, you should book a tour. (When tourists visit the castle, they should book a tour. / When tourists visit the castle, we should book a tour. / When a tourist visits the castle, you should book a tour. / When tourists visit the castle, you should book a tour.) → When tourists visit the castle, they should book a tour.Prompt: Underline every pronoun in each sentence.

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

  • Move on to: its or their? Pronouns for organisations and groups (SAT/ACT).
  • 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-6.

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

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Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • When I read late at night, I find it hard to wake up. • When I read late at night, we find it hard to wake up. • When you read late at night, I find it hard to wake up. • When I read late at night, you find it hard to wake up.

    • A. When I read late at night, I find it hard to wake up.
    • B. When I read late at night, we find it hard to wake up.
    • C. When you read late at night, I find it hard to wake up.
    • D. When I read late at night, you find it hard to wake up.

  2. Question 2

    Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. When hikers reach the summit, ___ can see three counties.

    • A. they
    • B. we
    • C. it
    • D. you

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • We knew that you had to hurry, so we ran. • You knew that we had to hurry, so they ran. • We knew that one had to hurry, so you ran. • We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran.

    • A. We knew that you had to hurry, so we ran.
    • B. You knew that we had to hurry, so they ran.
    • C. We knew that one had to hurry, so you ran.
    • D. We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran.

  4. Question 4

    Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. Ben and Ruby finished ___ project a day early.

    • A. its
    • B. their
    • C. her
    • D. his

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • I enjoy cooking because it lets us be creative. • I enjoy cooking because it lets one be creative. • I enjoy cooking because it lets me be creative. • I enjoy cooking because it lets you be creative.

    • A. I enjoy cooking because it lets us be creative.
    • B. I enjoy cooking because it lets one be creative.
    • C. I enjoy cooking because it lets me be creative.
    • D. I enjoy cooking because it lets you be creative.

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • When a tourist visits the castle, you should book a tour. • When tourists visit the castle, we should book a tour. • When tourists visit the castle, you should book a tour. • When tourists visit the castle, they should book a tour.

    • A. When a tourist visits the castle, you should book a tour.
    • B. When tourists visit the castle, we should book a tour.
    • C. When tourists visit the castle, you should book a tour.
    • D. When tourists visit the castle, they should book a tour.

  7. Question 7

    Choose the pronoun that stays consistent with the rest of the sentence. The players packed ___ kit after training.

    • A. our
    • B. their
    • C. its
    • D. your

  8. Question 8

    Which sentence keeps its pronouns consistent (no shift in person or number)? • We knew that one had to hurry, so you ran. • We knew that you had to hurry, so we ran. • We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran. • You knew that we had to hurry, so they ran.

    • A. We knew that one had to hurry, so you ran.
    • B. We knew that you had to hurry, so we ran.
    • C. We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran.
    • D. You knew that we had to hurry, so they ran.

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Answer key: Avoiding shifts in pronoun person and number

  1. 1. A. When I read late at night, I find it hard to wake up.

  2. 2. A. they

  3. 3. D. We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran.

  4. 4. B. their

  5. 5. C. I enjoy cooking because it lets me be creative.

  6. 6. D. When tourists visit the castle, they should book a tour.

  7. 7. B. their

  8. 8. C. We knew that we had to hurry, so we ran.