• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Agreement with everyone, each, both, some, none…). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. None of the information ___ useful. (were / was) → wasPrompt: Is the pronoun always singular (everyone, each, nobody, either, neither), always plural (both, few, many, several), or does it depend (some, all, most, none, any)?
2. Type the verb (from the brackets) that agrees with the subject. Some of the paint ___ (was/were) still wet. → wasPrompt: Which indefinite pronoun is the subject?
3. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. Everyone in the class ___ a laptop. (have / has) → hasPrompt: Is the pronoun always singular (everyone, each, nobody, either, neither), always plural (both, few, many, several), or does it depend (some, all, most, none, any)?

• Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
• Share the objective: Agreement with amounts, titles, 'the number of' and -s nouns. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. Five kilometres ___ a long way to walk.
• Step 1: Agreement follows meaning: amounts, titles and -s subjects like physics are singular; 'a number of', police and paired items are plural.
• Step 2: A distance treated as one amount is singular.
• Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Five kilometres is a long way to walk."
• Step 4: So the answer is: is
• Answer: is
• 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. Is this sentence correct in formal written English? The scissors is on the desk. (correct / incorrect) → incorrectPrompt: Is the subject really ONE thing (an amount, a title, a subject of study) or many?
2. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. Two thirds of the pizza ___ been eaten. (have / has) → hasPrompt: Is the subject really ONE thing (an amount, a title, a subject of study) or many?

• 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. Choose the verb that agrees with the subject. The news ___ better than we expected. (was / were) → wasPrompt: Is the subject really ONE thing (an amount, a title, a subject of study) or many?
2. Is this sentence correct in formal written English? 'Little Women' is my favourite novel. (correct / incorrect) → correctPrompt: Is the subject really ONE thing (an amount, a title, a subject of study) or many?

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-8.