Sentence Builder

Overview

Today students will practise grammar by correctly matching subject pronouns (first, second, third person) with the right verb forms, then ordering pronouns correctly inside sentences. They will rearrange mixed-up sentence parts in pairs and use their corrections in a short writing task.

Learning intentions

Students will…

• understand that verbs change depending on the subject pronoun (e.g. I/you/he).
• order pronouns correctly in sentences using first, second and third person.
• revise rearranged sentences so they sound grammatically correct.
• apply correct pronoun–verb agreement in a brief original sentence.

Success criteria

I can…

• match “I/you/he/she/it/we/they” to the correct verb form in present tense.
• rearrange mixed-up pronouns so the sentence order is correct.
• check my sentence using a pronoun → verb “rule of thumb”.
• write 3–5 sentences that are mostly correct with pronoun–verb agreement.

Curriculum links

• Developing grammar knowledge: recognising and using pronoun reference and verb agreement to improve sentence accuracy.
• Producing and editing texts: reworking sentences for clarity and grammatical correctness.
• Reading and viewing language choices: noticing how pronouns and verbs work together for meaning and cohesion.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 2 min – WALT and goal chat

• Say: “WALT: We are learning to use pronouns and verbs correctly.” Model a quick example on the board: “He walks” vs “He walk.”

2. 8 min – Mini-lesson: pronouns + matching verbs

• Explain first, second, third person using simple examples: “I…”, “You…”, “He/She/It…”.
• Teach a simple present-tense rule: add -s for third person singular (he/she/it). Keep the examples limited and clear: “I play / you play / he plays.”

3. 12 min – Pair task: reorder sentence strips

• Give each pair a set of mixed-up sentence cards (pronouns, verbs, and one time/place word). Students physically rearrange into correct sentences.
• Example strips (mixed up): “he” “play” “today” → “He plays today.” “I” “eat” “now” → “I eat now.” “you” “watch” “every week” → “You watch every week.”

4. 8 min – Checkpoint: quick teacher feedback

• Listen to 2–3 pairs. Ask: “Which pronoun is this (first/second/third)?” then “What verb ending did you choose and why?”
• Correct misconceptions immediately (e.g. “He play”).

5. 12 min – Pronoun order focus (first/second/third)

• Provide longer mixed-up parts with two pronouns so students must order them correctly and keep agreement.
• Example task: cards include “we”, “you”, “help”, “me”, “in the art club”. Prompt: make one sentence that includes both pronouns correctly and sounds right (e.g. “You help me and we learn together in the art club.”).
• Keep it guided: students aim for one correct sentence each round.

6. 12 min – Individual practice: sentence builder sheet

• Students write 4 sentences based on a model structure, choosing a pronoun from a word bank and writing the correct verb form.
• Sentence frames (on sheet): “I ___ …”, “You ___ …”, “He/She/It ___ …”, “They ___ …”.
• Include one “challenge” line: “(Second person) You ___ … and (third person) They ___ …”.

7. 6 min – Exit ticket: self-check and share

• Students circle the pronoun in each sentence, then underline the verb. They check: “Does the verb match the pronoun?”
• Share: one student reads a corrected sentence; teacher confirms and highlights success criteria.

Resources

• Sentence strip cards (pronouns, verb stems, verb endings where needed, time/place words)
• Word bank posters: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
• Verb stem list (play, watch, walk, cook, help, go) with common -s for third person singular (plays, watches, walks, cooks, helps, goes)
• A worksheet with sentence frames and a small word bank
• Coloured markers or highlighters (optional) for circling pronouns and underlining verbs
• Teacher board with 2–3 worked examples

Assessment

• Observe pair work: can the student select correct verb forms when rearranging?
• Review the individual sentence builder sheet for pronoun–verb agreement and correct pronoun order.
• Exit ticket self-check: accuracy when the student identifies the pronoun and verifies the verb.

Differentiation

• Support (if needed):
• Provide a “match the rule” scaffold on the desk: third person singular adds -s.
• Use fewer cards at first (pronoun + verb + one extra word) before moving to longer sentences.
• Provide immediate feedback during pair work and prompt with questions: “Who is it? (he/she/it) What happens to the verb?”
• Extension (advanced learners):
• Add past or modal contrast briefly only if ready (e.g. “He plays” vs “He played”; “You can help”).
• Introduce a mini-edit: give a mostly correct sentence with one error (e.g. “She watch TV”) and ask for the correction and explanation in one sentence.
• EAL learners:
• Use visual pronoun icons (I/you/he) and consistent sentence frames; avoid overloaded vocabulary.
• Provide spoken rehearsal before writing: students say the sentence aloud, then write it.
• SEN / additional needs:
• Keep tasks short and structured; allow pointing/copying model sentences into the rearrangement.
• Offer sentence stems so cognitive load stays on grammar matching rather than idea generation.

Extension (optional)

No extension beyond the built-in advanced learners task.