• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (-ing words: gerund, participle or main verb?; Infinitive phrases: noun, adjective or adverb job?; Combining sentences with appositives and participle phrases). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. What is the word in capitals doing in this sentence? I can't stand his constant BARKING. (gerund (works as a noun) / participle (works as an adjective) / part of the main verb (is/was …ing)) → gerund (works as a noun)Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.
2. In which sentence is the word in capitals used like this: participle (works as an adjective)? (SWIMMING is my favourite sport. / SMILING broadly, Ana opened the door. / The children were LAUGHING at the clown.) → SMILING broadly, Ana opened the door.Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.
3. How is the infinitive phrase in brackets used? I forgot [to lock the door]. (as a noun / as an adjective / as an adverb) → as a nounPrompt: Is it the subject or object (a 'thing')? Noun. Does it describe a noun? Adjective. Does it tell why, or modify an adjective? Adverb.

• Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
• Share the objective: Identifying phrase types: absolute, appositive, participle, gerund…. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: What kind of phrase is in brackets? [To finish on time], we skipped lunch.
• Step 1: Phrase types: appositive (renames), participle (describes), gerund (acts as a noun), infinitive (to + verb), prepositional (preposition + object), absolute (noun + participle modifying the whole sentence).
• Step 2: to + verb, explaining why.
• Step 3: So the answer is: infinitive phrase
• Answer: infinitive phrase
• 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. What kind of phrase is in brackets? [Her hands trembling], she opened the envelope. (participle phrase / absolute phrase / appositive phrase / gerund phrase) → absolute phrasePrompt: Look at how the phrase begins: a noun group? to + verb? a preposition? an -ing/-ed word?
2. In which sentence is the part in brackets this: participle phrase? ([Fixing old planes] is our neighbour's hobby. / The scientist, [exhausted by the long night], fell asleep at her desk. / [The game over], the fans drifted home.) → The scientist, [exhausted by the long night], fell asleep at her desk.Prompt: Look at how the phrase begins: a noun group? to + verb? a preposition? an -ing/-ed word?

• 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. In which sentence is the part in brackets this: participle phrase? (The scientist, [exhausted by the long night], fell asleep at her desk. / The cat slept [under the warm radiator]. / She sprinted to the finish, [her lungs burning].) → The scientist, [exhausted by the long night], fell asleep at her desk.Prompt: Look at how the phrase begins: a noun group? to + verb? a preposition? an -ing/-ed word?
2. What kind of phrase is in brackets? Mount Fuji, [Japan's highest mountain], is an active volcano. (appositive phrase / absolute phrase / prepositional phrase / participle phrase) → appositive phrasePrompt: Look at how the phrase begins: a noun group? to + verb? a preposition? an -ing/-ed word?

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-10.