Parts of Speech: Meaning, Types and Uses of Prepositions for JSS 1

Class: JSS 1
Term: First Term
Week: 8
Age: 12 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Grammatical Accuracy
Focal competence: ADVERBS, CONJUNCTIONS, PREPOSITIONS AND INTERJECTIONS: Identifying adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions and interjections
Skills:

• ADVERBS, CONJUNCTIONS, PREPOSITIONS AND INTERJECTIONS: Identifying adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions and interjections in texts

Previous Lesson: Reading Comprehension: Peaceful- coexistence, Road safety
Topic: Parts Of Speech: Adverbs, Conjunctions, Prepositions And Interjections
Subject Matter: meaning of prepositions, types of prepositions, uses of prepositions

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Define a preposition.
• Identify different types of prepositions.
• State the uses of prepositions in sentences.

Psychomotor Domain

• Identify prepositions in given sentences or short passages.
• Use appropriate prepositions to complete sentences.
• Construct simple sentences using various prepositions correctly.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of prepositions for clear communication.
• Show interest in learning and using correct grammar.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Studies textbook for JSS 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Audiobooks (for listening to passages)
• Interactive Videos (showing examples of prepositions)
• Selected passages (for identification exercises)
• Pictorial aids (to illustrate prepositions of place/direction)
• Various passages (for reading and analysis)
• Whiteboard/Chalkboard
• Markers/Chalk

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps students understand prepositions, which are essential for constructing grammatically correct and meaningful sentences. Mastering prepositions improves their ability to express relationships of place, time, and direction, leading to clearer written and oral communication. It builds a strong foundation for advanced grammatical accuracy.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students have a basic understanding of parts of speech such as nouns, pronouns, and verbs.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Parts Of Speech: Prepositions

Meaning of Prepositions

A preposition is a word that connects a noun or pronoun to another word in a sentence. It shows the relationship between them, often indicating location, time, direction, or manner.

Examples of prepositions include: in, on, at, under, over, to, from, with, by, for, about, before, after, during, through.

Types of Prepositions

Prepositions can be grouped based on the relationship they express:

1. Prepositions of Place: These show where something is located.

• Examples: in, on, at, under, over, above, below, beside, near, between, among.
• Sentence: The book is on the table.

• Examples: at, on, in, before, after, during, since, for, until, by.
• Sentence: We meet at 3 o’clock.

• Examples: to, from, into, onto, through, across, along, up, down, past.
• Sentence: He walked to the market.

• Examples: with, by, like, in, on.
• Sentence: She writes with a pen.

Uses of Prepositions

Prepositions are used to:

1. Indicate location or position (e.g., The cat is under the bed.)
2. Show time (e.g., The party starts at seven.)
3. Express direction or movement (e.g., They ran into the house.)
4. Show relationship between objects or people (e.g., The gift is for you.)
5. Indicate means or instrument (e.g., He cut the paper with scissors.)

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Guided Practice, Individual Practice, Pair Work.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and reviews the concept of parts of speech, asking students to name some they already know. The teacher then introduces prepositions as another important part of speech.

Pupils’ Activity: Students respond to questions about parts of speech and listen attentively to the introduction of prepositions.

Learning Point: Introduction to prepositions

Step 2: Meaning of Prepositions

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meaning of prepositions, providing simple examples like “The book is on the table” and “She is sitting beside me.” The teacher emphasizes that prepositions show relationships.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen, ask questions for clarity, and identify the prepositions in the teacher’s examples.

Learning Point: Definition of preposition

Step 3: Types of Prepositions

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Classification/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the different types of prepositions (place, time, direction, manner) and provides multiple examples for each type, writing them on the board. The teacher uses pictorial aids or simple actions to illustrate.

Pupils’ Activity: Students observe the pictorial aids, listen to explanations, and copy the examples into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Types of prepositions

Step 4: Uses of Prepositions

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Illustration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the various uses of prepositions by giving clear sentence examples for each use (location, time, direction, relationship, instrument). The teacher asks students to identify the preposition and its function in each example.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify prepositions and their uses in the provided examples, contributing their own simple examples.

Learning Point: Prepositional functions in sentences

Step 5: Guided Practice (Identification)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher writes a few sentences on the board or provides a short passage and asks students, in pairs, to identify all the prepositions they can find. The teacher walks around to guide and correct.

Pupils’ Activity: Students work in pairs to identify prepositions in the given sentences/passage and share their answers with the class.

Learning Point: Identifying prepositions in text

Step 6: Application Practice (Sentence Completion)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Problem Solving

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides incomplete sentences with blanks where prepositions should be. Students are asked to fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions individually. The teacher checks their work.

Pupils’ Activity: Students complete the sentences individually and then discuss their answers with the teacher and classmates.

Learning Point: Using prepositions correctly

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 preposition?
2. Mention two types of prepositions and give an example for each.
3. Give two uses of prepositions in sentences.
4. Identify the preposition in this sentence: “The bird flew over the tree.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding of prepositions

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on the meaning, types, and uses of prepositions into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Recording lesson information

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly summarizes the lesson by reminding students about the importance of prepositions in making sentences clear and meaningful. The teacher encourages them to practice identifying and using prepositions in their daily reading and writing.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and reflect on the lesson’s main points.

Learning Point: Preposition concept reinforced

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Read the following sentences and identify all the prepositions. Then, choose five prepositions and use each in a new sentence of your own.

1. The children played in the park until sunset.
2. She walked across the bridge to the market.
3. My birthday is on Friday, in December.
4. He sat under the umbrella with his dog.
5. The letter was from my friend about our trip.

Lesson Keywords

• Preposition – A word that shows the relationship between a noun/pronoun and other words in a sentence.
• Place – Refers to location.
• Time – Refers to when an event occurs.
• Direction – Refers to movement or path.
• Relationship – The connection a preposition shows between words.

Differentiation

For struggling learners: Provide simpler sentences and a list of common prepositions to choose from during practice. Focus on identifying prepositions of place and time first. Use more visual aids to demonstrate relationships.

For faster learners: Challenge them to identify prepositional phrases in more complex sentences or to write short paragraphs using a variety of prepositions correctly. Ask them to explain the subtle differences in meaning between similar prepositions (e.g., “in” vs. “into”).

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, search on YouTube for: “JSS 1 English prepositions meaning types uses”

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have a variety of sentences and short passages ready, either written on the board or printed, for identification and application exercises. Gather pictorial aids that can clearly illustrate prepositions of place and direction. Begin by reviewing prior knowledge of parts of speech to set the context. Explain the meaning, types, and uses of prepositions clearly, providing ample examples for each point. Encourage active participation through questioning and pair/group work. During guided practice, circulate to provide immediate feedback and correct common errors, such as confusing prepositions with adverbs or conjunctions. Allow students to copy the Board Summary notes after the main teaching points have been covered and evaluated. Conclude by reinforcing the practical importance of prepositions in everyday communication.