Lesson Starter - Apostrophes
Starters for apostrophes
Starter 1 – Use of apostrophes for omission and possession
• Ask pupils what they know about the apostrophe.
• Check understanding of terms ‘omission’ and ‘possession’.
• (Read the poem ‘Apostrophe’ by Roger McGough.)
• Read a passage, as a shared text, where there are no contracted words.
Ask pupils to contract words to make it sound less cumbersome. Text mark
on OHT.
Starter 2 – Apostrophes for omission ~ dominoes
• Hand out ‘Domino’ cards (pages 3 and 4) to pupils (one per pupil).
• Pick a pupil to stick their word to the board or hold in front of them.
• Pupil whose card follows or precedes has to add it next to create chain.
• Try to maintain pace!
• As an extra activity pupils could make up a sentence with the contracted
words on their cards (or both!). If you are really adventurous you could
theme the sentences or make up a story.
Example: We’ll be out tomorrow. That is if it is sunny.
That’s not fair! I do not want to go.
Starter 3 – Apostrophes for possession
• Using whiteboards, each pupil writes three possessions they would
take with them to a desert island.
• Teacher does the same on board demonstrating how you can show
belonging with a possessive apostrophe. e.g. Mr. Cruise’s wife
• Pupils make their possessions into phrases using this model.
• Show OHT with sentences without apostrophes to pupils for them to
add the apostrophe (page 2).
• Remember to draw attention to single/plural formation of possessives
and then do final three sentences.
© 2003 teachit.co.uk
sta6913b
Page 1 of 4
Lesson Starter - Apostrophes
The spiders web was hanging between
the branches.
My mums headache had got worse.
Bens dog was barking loudly.
Man. Uniteds victory was amazing.
The girls toilets were closed.
The boys team beat the girls team 3-2.
The childrens bags had been left on the
floor.
The mens overalls were covered in
paint.
The womens meeting finished at two
o’clock.
© 2003 teachit.co.uk
sta6913b
Page 2 of 4
Lesson Starter - Apostrophes
we’ll
that’s
don’t
we’re
can’t
that is
do not
we are
cannot
you are
you’re
they’re
won’t
we’ve
it’s
they are
will not
we have
it is
they will
they’ll
aren’t
shan’t
should’ve
isn’t
are not
shall not
should have
is not
did not
© 2003 teachit.co.uk
sta6913b
Page 3 of 4
Lesson Starter - Apostrophes
didn’t
I’m
haven’t
hadn’t
I’ve
I am
have not
had not
I have
she will
she’ll
he’d
they’ve
weren’t
there’s
he had
they have
were not
there is
you will
you’ll
I’ll
wasn’t
she’s
I will
was not
she is
we will
© 2003 teachit.co.uk
sta6913b
Page 4 of 4