Maintaining clear reference to characters with pronouns for Primary 1

Class: Primary 1
Term: Third Term
Week: 4
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Grammatical Accuracy
Focal competence: Using nouns and pronouns appropriately in sentences
Key competencies/values: Collaboration; Respect; Communication; Critical Thinking; Creativity and Innovation; ICT and Digital Competencies
Skills:

• Identifying and using nouns and pronouns appropriately

Previous Lesson: Retelling the story in correct sequence
Topic: Introducing Nouns And Pronouns
Subject Matter: Maintaining clear reference to characters with pronouns

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Identify nouns and pronouns in simple sentences.
• State pronouns that can replace specific nouns.
• Recognise when a pronoun reference is unclear.

Affective Domain

• Show willingness to use pronouns correctly in sentences.
• Appreciate the importance of clear communication using pronouns.

Psychomotor Domain

• Substitute nouns with appropriate pronouns in short sentences.
• Edit sentences to correct unclear pronoun references.

Social Domain

• Collaborate with peers to identify and correct pronoun usage.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Macmillan Primary English for Primary 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Picture cards of people (e.g., a boy, a girl, a man, a woman, children)
• Flashcards with nouns (e.g., John, Mary, dog, children)
• Flashcards with pronouns (e.g., he, she, it, they)
• Chalkboard/Whiteboard
• Exercise books and pencils

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because it helps pupils understand how to make their sentences clearer and more concise by using pronouns correctly. Mastering clear pronoun reference prevents confusion in communication and builds a strong foundation for more complex grammar in the future. It enables pupils to express themselves effectively in both spoken and written English.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should be able to identify simple naming words (nouns) and form basic sentences.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Introducing Nouns And Pronouns

What are Nouns?

Nouns are naming words. They name people, animals, places, or things.

Examples of nouns for people/characters:

1. Boy
2. Girl
3. Teacher
4. Doctor
5. Mother
6. Father
7. John
8. Mary

What are Pronouns?

Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns. They help us avoid repeating the same noun many times.

Examples of pronouns for people/characters:

1. He (used for one boy or man)
2. She (used for one girl or woman)
3. It (used for one animal or thing)
4. They (used for many people, animals, or things)

Using Pronouns for Clear Reference

We use pronouns to refer back to a noun that has already been mentioned. This makes our sentences clear and easy to understand.

Correct Examples:

1. John is happy. He is playing. (He refers to John)
2. Mary has a doll. She loves it. (She refers to Mary)
3. The dog barks. It is hungry. (It refers to the dog)
4. The children are singing. They are happy. (They refers to the children)

Avoiding Unclear Pronoun Reference

Sometimes, if we are not careful, a pronoun can refer to more than one person, making the sentence unclear.

Unclear Example:

1. John and Peter went to the market. He bought a yam. (Who bought the yam? John or Peter?)

How to make it clear:

1. John and Peter went to the market. John bought a yam. (Now we know who bought the yam.)

Editing Sentences for Clear Pronoun Reference

When we find unclear pronouns, we can edit the sentence to make it clear.

Original Sentence (Unclear):

My sister and her friend went to the park. She played on the swing.

Edited Sentence (Clear):

My sister and her friend went to the park. My sister played on the swing.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Oral Drills, Individual Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to name some people they know (e.g., mother, father, brother, sister, teacher, doctor). The teacher reminds them that these are naming words, or nouns.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher and name different people they know.

Learning Point: Naming words (nouns)

Step 2: Introducing Nouns for Characters

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows picture cards of different people (e.g., a boy, a girl, a man, a woman) and writes their names (nouns) on the board. The teacher explains that these are nouns we use for characters or people in stories and sentences.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the people in the pictures and repeat the nouns written on the board.

Learning Point: Nouns for characters

Step 3: Introducing Pronouns

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Substitution

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that instead of always repeating the noun, we can use a shorter word called a pronoun. The teacher demonstrates by writing sentences like “John is a boy. John is playing.” Then, the teacher shows how to replace the second “John” with “He”: “John is a boy. He is playing.” The teacher introduces “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they” with examples.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the examples, and practice saying the pronouns with the teacher.

Learning Point: Pronouns replace nouns

Step 4: Practicing Clear Pronoun Reference

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides simple sentences with nouns and asks pupils to replace the nouns with the correct pronouns orally. E.g., “Mary is singing. ______ is happy.” (She). “The cats are sleeping. ______ are tired.” (They).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the correct pronoun for each sentence and say it aloud.

Learning Point: Correct pronoun usage

Step 5: Identifying Unclear Pronoun Reference

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Problem-solving

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher presents a few sentences with unclear pronoun references (e.g., “Father and Uncle went to the farm. He saw a goat.”). The teacher asks pupils who “he” refers to and helps them understand why it is unclear.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the sentences and try to identify the confusion, explaining why the pronoun is unclear.

Learning Point: Unclear pronoun reference

Step 6: Editing for Clear Reference

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Correction/Application

Teacher’s Activity: Using the unclear sentences from Step 5, the teacher guides pupils on how to edit them to make the reference clear, either by repeating the noun or rephrasing. E.g., “Father and Uncle went to the farm. Father saw a goat.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils suggest ways to correct the sentences and practice editing them orally.

Learning Point: Editing unclear pronouns

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is a noun?
2. What is a pronoun?
3. Which pronoun would you use for “my mother”?
4. Which pronoun would you use for “the boys”?
5. Make this sentence clear: “My brother and his friend played. He scored a goal.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding pronoun reference

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes on nouns, pronouns, and clear reference into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson points

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly reminds pupils that using pronouns correctly makes their sentences sound better and clearer. The teacher encourages them to practice using pronouns in their daily conversations.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and acknowledge the importance of using pronouns correctly.

Learning Point: Importance of clear pronouns

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Complete the sentences by writing the correct pronoun (he, she, it, they) or the correct noun to make the sentence clear.

1. My father is tall. _______ drives a car.
2. The girl is reading. _______ has a new book.
3. The cat is black. _______ likes to play.
4. The children are happy. _______ are playing outside.
5. Mary and Jane went to the shop. _______ bought bread. (Make it clear who bought the bread.)

Lesson Keywords

• Noun – A naming word for a person, animal, place, or thing.
• Pronoun – A word that takes the place of a noun.
• Reference – How a word points to another word or idea.
• Clear – Easy to understand; not confusing.

Differentiation

Support for weaker learners: Provide more one-on-one guidance with picture cards and direct matching of nouns to pronouns. Use only “he” and “she” initially before introducing “it” and “they.”

Extension for faster learners: Encourage them to create their own simple sentences using different pronouns and identify nouns that the pronouns refer to. They can also try to spot unclear pronoun usage in short stories.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search YouTube for: “Primary 1 Nouns and Pronouns for kids” or “Pronoun reference for young learners”

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, prepare your picture cards of people and flashcards with simple nouns and pronouns. Ensure you have clear examples written on the board or chart paper to demonstrate the concept of nouns and pronouns and how pronouns maintain clear reference. Begin by reviewing nouns, then introduce pronouns as noun substitutes. Emphasise clarity by showing examples of both clear and unclear pronoun usage. Guide pupils through interactive exercises where they identify and correct pronoun references. Encourage oral participation and provide immediate feedback. Pupils should copy the Board Summary notes after the main teaching and practice activities are completed, typically in Step 8. Check their understanding throughout the lesson, especially during the guided practice and evaluation stages. For weaker learners, simplify sentences and provide visual aids. For faster learners, challenge them to create original sentences or identify pronouns in short texts.