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English lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 60 minutes

Action verb or linking verb? (tastes the soup, tastes salty)

Grammar

CCSS L.4.1CCSS L.3.1.AEngland: Y4 GPS (verbs)England: Y5/6 GPS (subject complements)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Action verb or linking verb? (tastes the soup, tastes salty).

  • 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: Helping verbs and main verbs (is, has, can, will, must)

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 (Helping verbs and main verbs (is, has, can, will, must)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which word is the HELPING verb? We must leave at eight. (we / leave / must / eight) → mustPrompt: Find the main action word first.
  2. Which word is the MAIN verb? We have finished our project. (project / finished / have / our) → finishedPrompt: Which word names the action or state?
  3. Choose the helping verb that fits the meaning. I ___ swim when I was five, but now I can. (mustn't / couldn't / shan't / can't) → couldn'tPrompt: Read the sentence after the gap for clues.

Hook · 6 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Action verb or linking verb? (tastes the soup, tastes salty). 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: The puppy chased the ball. Is "chased" an action verb or a linking verb here?
  • Step 1: An action verb shows what the subject does. A linking verb joins the subject to a word that describes it (is, seems, becomes, looks, feels).
  • Step 2: So the answer is: action verb
  • Answer: action verb
  • 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. The children were excited. Is "were" an action verb or a linking verb here? (action verb / linking verb) → linking verbPrompt: Does the subject DO something, or is the verb just linking the subject to a describing word?
  2. Read the question. Which sentence uses "smell" as a LINKING verb? (Dogs smell everything. / I smell the cookies. / We smell smoke! / The cookies smell sweet.) → The cookies smell sweet.Prompt: Swap the verb for 'is' or 'are'. Does it still make sense?

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. Grandpa looks at the stars. Is "looks" an action verb or a linking verb here? (action verb / linking verb) → action verbPrompt: Does the subject DO something, or is the verb just linking the subject to a describing word?
  2. Read the question. Which sentence uses "taste" as a LINKING verb? (Can you taste the pepper? / These strawberries taste sweet. / He tasted the lemon. / Taste the sauce first.) → These strawberries taste sweet.Prompt: Swap the verb for 'is' or 'are'. Does it still make sense?

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: Helping verbs and main verbs (is, has, can, will, must).
  • 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-4.

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

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Action verb or linking verb? (tastes the soup, tastes salty)

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    The flowers smell lovely. Is "smell" an action verb or a linking verb here?

    • A. action verb
    • B. linking verb

  2. Question 2

    Read the question. Which sentence uses "grow" as a LINKING verb?

    • A. They grow rice in Japan.
    • B. The crowd grew quiet.
    • C. Gran grows herbs.
    • D. We grew sunflowers.

  3. Question 3

    The kitten seems hungry. Is "seems" an action verb or a linking verb here?

    • A. action verb
    • B. linking verb

  4. Question 4

    Read the question. Which sentence uses "taste" as a LINKING verb?

    • A. Taste the sauce first.
    • B. Can you taste the pepper?
    • C. He tasted the lemon.
    • D. These strawberries taste sweet.

  5. Question 5

    Read the question. Which sentence uses "feel" as a LINKING verb?

    • A. Feel this soft wool.
    • B. Feel the rain on your face.
    • C. I feel sleepy.
    • D. She felt the bump on her head.

  6. Question 6

    The sky became dark. Is "became" an action verb or a linking verb here?

    • A. action verb
    • B. linking verb

  7. Question 7

    The children ran to the gate. Is "ran" an action verb or a linking verb here?

    • A. action verb
    • B. linking verb

  8. Question 8

    Our team grew tomatoes. Is "grew" an action verb or a linking verb here?

    • A. action verb
    • B. linking verb

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Answer key: Action verb or linking verb? (tastes the soup, tastes salty)

  1. 1. B. linking verb

  2. 2. B. The crowd grew quiet.

  3. 3. B. linking verb

  4. 4. D. These strawberries taste sweet.

  5. 5. C. I feel sleepy.

  6. 6. B. linking verb

  7. 7. A. action verb

  8. 8. A. action verb