This Real Grammar KS2 resources pack provides everything that you need to successfully explore verb inflections and how they should be used in Standard English with your pupils in Year 4 or to revisit this learning. Teaching slides, worksheets, games and an opportunity to apply the new learning in a writing task are all included to create a complete resource to support pupils to use verb inflections correctly when writing.
Pupils will need to be familiar with verbs and the past and present tense. They will also need to be familiar with irregular verbs.
What is a verb?
Verbs are words that can identify an action - including thinking or feeling - in a sentence. Other verbs join the subject to a description of it and are link verbs. Examples of these include the following: was/were, is/are and be.
What are inflections?
The word inflection comes from the Latin word ‘inflectere’ which means ‘to bend’. Inflection is where letters are added to words to change its grammatical form, for example when creating plurals or writing in the past tense.
What are verb inflections?
Verbs change when they are used to show which tense is being used. These are called verb inflections. In the present tense -s or -es is added to the base verb. In the past tense -d or -ed is added. The suffix -ing can also be added to inflect the verb. Some verbs are rregular and do not inflect in the same way, usually when using the past tense, for example, find (present tense) and found (past tense).
What is Standard English?
Standard English is used in most books, articles and documents. Most written work completed in school will be in Standard English. When writing in Standard English, the correct verb inflections should be chosen (for example ‘we were ...’ rather than ‘we was ...’) and the use of a double negative should be avoided. Examples of Standard English include the following:
- We were travelling on the bus. (Rather than ‘We was travelling ...’)
- I didn’t see anything. (Rather than’ I didn’t see nothing.’)
In Year 4, the focus is on the correct use of verb inflections, particularly for the verbs be, do and have, checking that the subjects and verbs agree.
What is included in this resource pack?
This pack is divided into five parts:
TEACH
This section includes PowerPoint teaching slides and teaching notes with an optional script to introduce Standard English verb inflections. It can also be used to revisit this aspect of grammar with pupils.
PRACTISE
An independent activity for pupils to practise using what they have been taught, allowing teachers to assess understanding.
REVISIT
A series of short, 10-minute activities that can be used following the TEACH session to revisit and rehearse what has been taught. These may be short writing tasks, grammar games or editing/proofreading activities.
APPLY
A short writing task where pupils can use the grammar skills taught in context to produce independent writing.
REVISE
Five SATs style test questions, including cloze activities and multiple choice quiz questions, based on the grammar that has been taught.
Teachers can choose which section of the resource pack to use according to their pupils’ needs and could use the activities over a series of lessons or weeks
Teacher notes are provided to show how these quality resources could be used with pupils.
How is this resource pack differentiated?
The PRACTISE and REVISE sections include three activities differentiated for three levels of ability:
- Worksheet 1 for pupils who may need support. Questions will have a lower cognitive domain (what is being asked of pupils) and/or vocabulary used may be simplified where possible.
- Worksheet 2 for pupils working at age related expectations.
- Worksheet 3 for pupils who may need an additional challenge and may be working at a greater depth in this area. Questions will have a higher cognitive domain with more challenging vocabulary.
SUPPORT and CHALLENGE ideas are also included in the teacher notes of each section where relevant, with ideas of how to support pupils working towards the expected standard or at greater depth in this area.
What pupil-facing resources are included?
Answer sheets for all worksheets are provided, where appropriate.