Teaching Prepositional Phrases with Three Simple Formulas (Plus an Anchor Chart!)

Have you ever noticed that prepositional phrases seem to have a natural rhythm?

Under the sea… beside the chair… with a napkin.

There's a cadence to these phrases that almost makes them stand out on their own.

I remember diagramming sentences in high school and realizing I could often identify prepositional phrases just by listening for that rhythm. When some of my classmates struggled, I found myself wondering, Can't they hear it?

Years later, that memory came back to me as I began developing a new set of prepositional phrase worksheets.

Discovering the Formulas Behind Prepositional Phrases

Recently, I set out to create a series of worksheets that would help students recognize prepositional phrases by tapping into that natural cadence. During my research, I came across a set of prepositional phrase formulas, and everything clicked.

That rhythm I had noticed years ago? It was really the underlying structure of prepositional phrases.

I decided to focus on three formulas:

• The Core Formula: Preposition + Noun/Pronoun
• The Most Common Formula: Preposition + Modifier + Noun
• The Expanded Formula: Preposition + Two or More Modifiers + Noun

These formulas give students a framework for understanding how prepositional phrases are constructed, rather than simply memorizing lists of prepositions and hoping to recognize them in sentences. And what better way to make those patterns visible than with an anchor chart?

A Prepositional Phrases Anchor Chart That Makes the Patterns Visible

I created this anchor chart to give students a visual reference for the three formulas. Each formula has its own color, its structure is displayed alongside it, and several example sentences show the formula in action.

Prepositional phrases anchor chart featuring the core, most common, and expanded formulas.

One thing I particularly like about this approach is that students can see how prepositional phrases grow in complexity while still following a predictable pattern.

The chart also uses complete sentences rather than isolated phrases. This gives students practice recognizing prepositional phrases in the context of actual writing.

Let's take a closer look at the three formulas featured on the chart.

1. The Core Formula: Preposition + Noun/Pronoun

The first section of the anchor chart introduces the simplest pattern:

Preposition + Noun/Pronoun

Examples from the chart include:

• During autumn, leaves fall from trees.
• After school, a red leaf fell on me.

These phrases contain a preposition followed directly by its object, without any modifiers in between. This is a great place to begin because students can clearly see the relationship between the preposition and the noun or pronoun that follows it.

2. The Most Common Formula: Preposition + Modifier + Noun

The second section introduces a slightly longer pattern:

Preposition + Modifier + Noun

Examples from the chart include:

• The strong wind blew many leaves off the tree.
• A red leaf landed on my shoe.

In each example, a modifier appears between the preposition and its object. Students begin to see that prepositional phrases aren't always just two words long. They can include additional words while maintaining the same basic structure.

3. The Expanded Formula: Preposition + Two or More Modifiers + Noun

The third section of the anchor chart shows how prepositional phrases can expand even further.

Preposition + Two or More Modifiers + Noun

Examples include:

• A leaf landed on my red Converse sneaker.
• Ren and Rylan raked the leaves into a huge pile.
• They played in the leaf pile for nearly two hours. (There are two prepositional phrases.)

These examples help students recognize that longer phrases can still follow a familiar pattern. The goal is to help students look past the length of a phrase and focus on how its parts fit together.

How to Use This Anchor Chart in Your Classroom

One of the benefits of this anchor chart is that it can become an interactive part of your instruction rather than simply a poster on the wall. For example, I begin, class with just the base anchor chart and no highlights (like shown below). 

I start the lesson by introducing the core formula (I cover the other two sections), and I ask students to help me identify the preposition and its object in several short sentences.

Once students are comfortable with that pattern, introduce the most common formula and discuss how adding a modifier changes the phrase.

Finally, move to the expanded formula, showing students how multiple modifiers can add detail without changing the basic structure.

Here are a few ways to extend the lesson:

• Build a phrase. Start with a simple phrase such as under trees, then expand it to under the trees and finally under the tall oak trees.
• Sort by formula. Give students a collection of prepositional phrases and ask them to sort each one according to its structure.
• Listen for the rhythm. Read sentences aloud and invite students to listen for the natural cadence of prepositional phrases before checking their answers using the formulas.

These activities encourage students to recognize patterns, explain their thinking, and apply what they've learned to new sentences.

Helping Students Recognize Prepositional Phrases with Confidence

What I love most about these formulas is that they connect the rhythm of language with its grammatical structure.

Some students may naturally hear the cadence of a prepositional phrase, just as I did in high school. Others may need a more concrete way to recognize the pattern.

The formulas and anchor chart provide that visual support.

If you're teaching prepositional phrases, consider creating a similar anchor chart for your classroom. Display the three formulas, add example sentences, and encourage students to refer to it as they practice. Click here to download the printable pieces of the anchor chart shown in the photo! (It's free!)

And if you would like to check out classroom-ready worksheets that feature the formulas, click on this link. It will take you to my TPT store where I have them available for purchase.

I have a PowerPoint/Google Slides lesson, as well!

Leave a Comment 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, Grammar, PowerPoints

5 Fun Ways to Teach Subject-Verb Agreement

Let's face it. When it comes to exciting grammar topics, subject-verb agreement probably isn't at the top of anyone's list.

In fact, if you asked me to describe subject-verb agreement in one word, I'd probably say boring. (There, I said it!)

But here's the thing: Subject-verb agreement is an important grammar skill that students need to master. And considering how often subject-verb agreement errors show up in writing—even among adults—it's definitely a skill worth spending time on. 

So, how can we make teaching subject-verb agreement a little more interesting?

One of my favorite approaches is to turn students into members of the Grammar Patrol! 🚨 Instead of simply memorizing grammar rules and completing worksheets, students become grammar detectives who are on a mission to find and fix sentences that have broken the laws of subject-verb agreement. It's a simple twist, but it can make a big difference in how students approach grammar practice!

1. Start with a Grammar Crime Scene

One fun way to introduce subject-verb agreement is to display a few sentences that contain obvious grammar mistakes.

For example:

• The dogs barks at the mail carrier.
• My friends is coming over after school.
• The teacher give us homework every Friday.

Tell students that these sentences have committed grammar crimes and that it's their job to investigate! Have students identify the subject and verb in each sentence, explain why they don't agree, and rewrite the sentence correctly. You can even encourage students to explain which grammar law was broken.

This activity is a great way to introduce or review the basic rule that singular subjects take singular verbs, while plural subjects take plural verbs.

And because students are looking for errors rather than just listening to explanations, they're actively thinking about how the rules work.

2. Teach Students to Look for Tricky Subjects

Once students understand the basics of subject-verb agreement, it's time to introduce some of the trickier situations. For example, consider this sentence:

• The box of pencils is on the desk.

Some students might mistakenly choose are because the word pencils is plural. However, the actual subject of the sentence is box, which is singular.

This is where the Grammar Patrol approach comes in handy! Challenge students to find the real subject of each sentence before deciding whether the verb is correct. You might even have them circle the subject, underline the verb, and highlight any words that could distract them from identifying the correct subject. This helps students develop a habit of looking carefully at sentence structure instead of simply choosing a verb that sounds right.

3. Challenge Students with More Advanced Grammar Crimes

After students have mastered the basics, you can introduce some more challenging subject-verb agreement rules. For example:

Indefinite pronouns

• Everybody wants to participate.
• Several are missing from the collection.

Collective nouns

• The team is ready for the game.
• The family is planning a vacation.

Sentences beginning with here or there

• There are three books on the table.
• Here is the assignment you requested.

Portion expressions

• Some of the cookies are missing.
• Some of the milk is gone.

These types of sentences are especially useful because they require students to think beyond the most basic subject-verb agreement rules. You can turn these examples into a Grammar Patrol challenge by mixing correct and incorrect sentences together. Students must determine which sentences have broken a grammar law and which ones are innocent!

4. Get Students Moving with a Grammar Patrol Activity

Who says grammar practice has to happen entirely at students' desks? Try posting sentences around your classroom and having students move from one "crime scene" to another. Some sentences should contain subject-verb agreement errors, while others should be grammatically correct.

As students visit each station, they can record:

• Whether a grammar crime has been committed
• Which subject and verb are involved
• How to correct the sentence, if necessary

The picture below shows blank "tickets" that I give to my students. (It is the same one that is in my craftivity packet.) When they see a subject-verb violation, they fill out the ticket.

This is what a completed ticket might look like:

You could also have students work with partners (police officers often work with partners, after all!) They can discuss their findings before recording their answers. This activity gets students moving, encourages collaboration, and provides plenty of opportunities to practice identifying and correcting subject-verb agreement errors.

5. Reinforce the Rules with a Subject-Verb Agreement Craftivity

After students have practiced identifying grammar crimes, why not give them a creative way to reinforce what they've learned? A craftivity can be a fun follow-up activity that gives students another opportunity to apply their grammar knowledge.

Ready to Put Your Students on Grammar Patrol?

If you love the idea of turning your students into grammar detectives but don't have time to create all the materials yourself, I've got you covered! I've created two Subject-Verb Agreement PowerPoint/Google Slides lessons that help students learn and practice these important grammar skills.

My first lesson focuses on the basics, including identifying subjects, understanding how subjects and verbs agree in number, and working with verb contractions.

My second lesson tackles the trickier rules, including indefinite pronouns, collective nouns, noncount nouns, portion expressions, and other situations that can make subject-verb agreement confusing.

I also have a Subject-Verb Agreement Craftivity that provides another way for students to practice and reinforce their learning.

These ready-to-use resources can help you spend less time preparing grammar lessons and more time helping students become confident grammar detectives! Click on these links to take a closer look at them!

Subject-Verb Agreement Basics Lesson

Advanced Subject-Verb Agreement Lesson

Subject-Verb Agreement Craftivity

I just created worksheet packets, as well. (After all, you can never have too much practice when it comes to subject-verb agreement!)

Subject-Verb Agreement Worksheets: 6 Worksheets for Practicing Basic SVA Rules

Subject-Verb Agreement Worksheets: 9 Worksheets for Practicing Advanced SVA Rules

Final Thoughts

Subject-verb agreement might never win an award for being the most exciting grammar topic, but that doesn't mean teaching it has to be dull!

By turning grammar practice into a detective-style challenge, giving students opportunities to find and correct errors, and mixing in some creative activities, you can make this important skill a little more enjoyable.

And who knows? Your students might even start noticing subject-verb agreement mistakes outside the classroom.

After all, once you're a member of the Grammar Patrol, grammar crimes are hard to ignore! 🚨

~ Deb

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How to Teach the 4 Types of Writing: Narrative, Informative, Persuasive, and Descriptive

You tell your students they’re going to write an informative paragraph—and several immediately ask, "What does informative mean again?" Teaching the four types of writing can be especially helpful at the beginning of the school year. Introducing these terms early prevents confusion and gives students a foundation you can refer back to during future reading and writing lessons. 

Four Types of Writing

Narrative Writing

Narrative writing tells a story. It typically includes characters, a setting, events, and a sequence. Encourage students to ask themselves: “Will I be writing about something that happened to me... or about something that could happen to a character?”

Informative Writing

Informative writing teaches the reader about a topic or explains something. It often includes facts. Students can ask: “Will I be trying to teach the reading something?”

Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing attempts to convince the reader. It typically includes opinion words. Encourage students to ask themselves: “Will I be trying to convince the reader to do something... or to think the way I think?”

Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing uses details to help the reader clearly imagine a person, place, object, or experience. It often contains many adjectives. Students can ask: “Will I be trying to describe something in a way that helps the reader picture it clearly?”

Connecting Writing to Reading

One of the best ways to help students understand different types of writing is to let them see plenty of examples.

• What clues tell us that a passage is narrative?
• How is an informative paragraph different from a persuasive one?
• What makes a piece of writing descriptive?

Giving students opportunities to read, compare, discuss, and classify examples helps make these abstract writing terms much more concrete.

It also encourages students to think about an author’s purpose and notice the choices writers make—which can ultimately help them make more intentional choices in their own writing.

Aspects that Often Confuse Students

Point of Confusion: Students sometimes see facts and then automatically assume that it is an informative piece of writing. 

Solution: Show students sample paragraphs that contain facts, but are persuasive, description, or narrative. For example, persuasive pieces often use facts as evidence to support their argument. A persuasive piece might be written to try to convince kids to limit how much soda they drink. In this piece, a good writer would point out facts to support their argument- like how drinking too much soda is known to lead to a higher number of cavities and dehydration.

Point of Confusion: Students might be confused between descriptive pieces and narrative pieces that use a lot of description.

Solution: Remind students that descriptive pieces are usually focused on a singular topic, like the beach. In contrast, a narrative piece contains characters, events, and ongoing action. Furthermore, strong narrative pieces will contain plot elements (the exposition/introduction, the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the resolution).

A Ready-to-Go Resource

Want to teach all four without creating the examples and practice passages yourself? I have already created a constructed-response presentation with examples and practice for my own students. It is part of a small Type of Writing bundle that includes posters, a worksheet, an interactive notebook option, and a 2-day lesson plan. Click on the link below to take a closer look at it in my TPT store.

As you can see by the example slides shown below, I used soccer players and goals to try to hook my sports-loving students. It includes TEN sample paragraphs to analyze.

Narrative. Informative. Persuasive. Descriptive. 

Give your students the tools they need to tell the difference—and a writing vocabulary they can use all year long. ✏️

~Deb

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Leave a Comment 3rd grade, 4th grade, PowerPoints, reading, Writing