Conjunctions — Year 3 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: English Appendix 2 — Grammar: using conjunctions to express time, place and cause (Year 3)
Overview
Pupils learn to use a range of subordinating and coordinating conjunctions to join clauses and extend their sentences. They explore how different conjunctions change the meaning and structure of a sentence, and practise using them in their own writing to create more varied and complex sentences.
Conjunctions learning objectives
- Identify coordinating and subordinating conjunctions in sentences.
- Explain how conjunctions join clauses together.
- Use a range of conjunctions to write multi-clause sentences.
- Understand how the choice of conjunction affects sentence meaning.
Success criteria
- I can find a conjunction in a sentence.
- I can join two clauses with a conjunction.
- I can use conjunctions to show time, place or cause.
- I can explain how a conjunction changes the meaning.
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Show two short sentences: 'I was tired. I stayed up late.' Ask: how could we join these? Collect suggestions. Introduce the word 'conjunction'.
Distinguish coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) from subordinating conjunctions. Model how subordinating conjunctions can go in the middle or at the start of a sentence. Show how 'because', 'although', and 'when' create different relationships between clauses.
Pupils complete a set of sentence-joining activities, choosing the most appropriate conjunction. Then discuss: does swapping the conjunction change the meaning? Try 'because' vs 'although' in the same sentence.
Pupils write six sentences about a topic of their choice, each using a different conjunction. Challenge: start two sentences with a subordinating conjunction.
Quick sort: teacher reads a sentence, pupils hold up cards for 'coordinating' or 'subordinating'. Review: what do conjunctions do for the reader?
Support and extension for conjunctions
Support
- Use a conjunction mat sorted by meaning: time (when, before, after), cause (because, so), contrast (but, although).
- Give two clause strips to join with a conjunction card.
- Start with “and”, “but” and “because” before adding more.
Extension
- Start a sentence with a subordinate clause and use a comma: “Although it was raining, we went outside.”
- Write a paragraph using at least four different conjunctions, each for a different job.
- Explain how changing “because” to “although” changes the meaning of the same two clauses.
Check for understanding
Quick questions for the plenary or an exit ticket. Tap a question to see the answer.
1. Underline the conjunction: “We stayed inside because it was raining.”
Answer: because
2. Join with a conjunction: “I was hungry. I ate an apple.”
Answer: For example “I was hungry so I ate an apple.”
3. Which conjunction shows time: so, when or but?
Answer: when
4. Is “before the bell rang” a main clause or a subordinate clause?
Answer: A subordinate clause: it does not make sense on its own.
Resources you will need
- Conjunction cards and mat
- Clause strips
- A short text for conjunction hunting
Common Misconceptions
- Pupils often start sentences with 'Because' and leave it as a fragment — teach that a subordinate clause needs a main clause to complete it.
- Overuse of 'and' to join everything — explicitly teach that 'and' is for adding equal information, not explaining causes or contrasts.
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Ability to write simple sentences with a subject and verb.
- Familiarity with basic connectives ('and', 'but') from KS1.
- Understanding of what a clause is.
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