Year 4 English Noun phrases, pronouns and verb forms: check-up and practice test questions

Method. Name the determiner in the phrase.

1. Look at each word. Find the word that does the job of a determiner.
   those red apples
2. Check its job. It comes first, and it says which apples.
   those
3. Name it. those is the determiner.
   those
4. Write the answer.
   those

Check. those does this job. ✓

Method. Find the preposition, then copy it with the noun phrase after it.

1. Find the preposition. A preposition, such as in, on, under or beside, starts the phrase.
   beside
2. Add the noun phrase after it. The noun phrase after the preposition completes the phrase.
   beside the river
3. Copy the whole phrase. Copy the preposition and every word of the noun phrase after it.
   beside the river
4. Write the answer.
   beside the river

Check. beside starts the phrase, and the noun phrase after it names a place or thing. ✓

Watch out. A prepositional phrase has no verb. It is a preposition and its noun phrase.

Method. Build the noun phrase in order: determiner, adjectives, nouns, then the prepositional phrase.

1. Add the determiner. The determiner comes first in the noun phrase, and it says which one or whose.
   my
2. Add the adjective. An adjective describes the noun, so it comes before the noun.
   my favourite
3. Add the noun. The main noun comes after the words that describe it.
   my favourite jumper
4. Write the answer.
   my favourite jumper

Check. Each word is in its place. ✓

Watch out. The determiner comes first, then the adjective.

Method. Replace the noun phrase with a pronoun that matches it.

1. Find the words to replace. The noun phrase names the person or thing that the pronoun stands for.
   The twins
2. Choose the pronoun. Two people are meant, so they stands for them, before the verb.
   They
3. Write the new sentence. The pronoun takes the place of the noun phrase, and the rest stays the same.
   They laughed loudly.
4. Write the answer.
   They laughed loudly.

Check. Read the new sentence aloud: it means the same. ✓

Watch out. Keep the rest of the sentence the same.

Method. Choose the word that fits the grammar and the meaning.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Decide which word the sentence needs.
   ___ bridge is very old.
2. Think about the grammar and the meaning. Bridge is one thing, so the determiner is the singular form: this.
   This bridge is very old.
3. Check the other choice. These goes with more than one thing, such as these bridges.
   This bridge is very old.
4. Write the answer.
   this

Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with this in the gap. ✓

Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and read the sentence aloud.

Method. Check whether a noun follows the word.

1. Look at the word after the bold word. A determiner comes before a noun. A possessive pronoun stands alone.
   Her
2. Decide its job. A noun, hat, comes after it, so it is a determiner.
   determiner
3. Write the answer.
   determiner

Check. Her is a determiner. ✓

Watch out. Ask: is a noun next? If yes, it is a determiner. If no, it is a pronoun.

Method. Choose the word that fits the grammar and the meaning.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Decide which word the sentence needs.
   Ben and Ruby ___ in the garden.
2. Think about the grammar and the meaning. Two people need the plural verb form were.
   Ben and Ruby were in the garden.
3. Check the other choice. Was goes with one person or thing.
   Ben and Ruby were in the garden.
4. Write the answer.
   were

Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with were in the gap. ✓

Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and read the sentence aloud.

Method. Find the verb form that is not Standard English, and change it.

1. Read the sentence. Check the form of each verb.
   I done my best, and Mum seen it.
2. Find the wrong form. Done should be did, and seen should be saw.
   done -> did; seen -> saw
3. Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. It now uses the Standard English form.
   I did my best, and Mum saw it.
4. Write the answer.
   I did my best, and Mum saw it.

Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓

Watch out. In writing, use the Standard English verb form, even if speech uses another form.

Method. Use have with I, and the past participle of go.

1. Choose have or has. I takes have.
   have
2. Find the past participle. The past participle of go is gone, not went.
   gone
3. Put them together. I, then have and the participle.
   I have gone.
4. Write the answer.
   I have gone.

Check. Have goes with I, and the participle is gone. ✓

Watch out. Went is the past tense, not the past participle.

Method. Find the pronoun, then name the person who was late.

1. Find the pronoun. She could mean Mia or Ellie.
   she
2. Choose the name. Name the person who was late, so the reader is sure.
   Ellie
3. Write the new sentence. The rest of the sentence stays the same.
   Mia met Ellie, and Ellie was late.
4. Write the answer.
   Mia met Ellie, and Ellie was late.

Check. Now the reader knows who was late. ✓

Watch out. Other versions work too, if they name the person who was late.

Method. Name the determiner in the phrase.

1. Look at each word. Find the word that does the job of a determiner.
   a hungry goat
2. Check its job. It comes first, and it is one of several, not a particular one.
   a
3. Name it. a is the determiner.
   a
4. Write the answer.
   a

Check. a does this job. ✓

Method. Choose the word that fits the grammar and the meaning.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Decide which word the sentence needs.
   The players ___ tired after the match.
2. Think about the grammar and the meaning. Players is plural, so the verb is were.
   The players were tired after the match.
3. Check the other choice. Was goes with one person or thing.
   The players were tired after the match.
4. Write the answer.
   were

Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with were in the gap. ✓

Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and read the sentence aloud.

Method. Choose the word that fits the grammar and the meaning.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Decide which word the sentence needs.
   Ruby ___ already finished her picture.
2. Think about the grammar and the meaning. Ruby is one person, so the helping word is has.
   Ruby has already finished her picture.
3. Check the other choice. Have goes with I, you, we and they.
   Ruby has already finished her picture.
4. Write the answer.
   has

Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with has in the gap. ✓

Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and read the sentence aloud.

Method. Find the noun, then copy the words that go with it.

1. Find the noun. The noun is the main word; the other words describe it or say which one.
   key
2. Find the words that go with it. Look for a determiner, adjectives and describing nouns that belong to the noun.
   a silver key
3. Copy the whole noun phrase. Copy every word that belongs to the noun, and no more.
   a silver key
4. Write the answer.
   a silver key

Check. Every word in a silver key goes with key. ✓

Watch out. Do not copy the verb, or a prepositional phrase that comes after the noun phrase.

Method. Replace the noun phrase with a pronoun that matches it.

1. Find the words to replace. The noun phrase names the person or thing that the pronoun stands for.
   Ella and Ben
2. Choose the pronoun. Two people are meant, so they stands for them, before the verb.
   They
3. Write the new sentence. The pronoun takes the place of the noun phrase, and the rest stays the same.
   They built a den.
4. Write the answer.
   They built a den.

Check. Read the new sentence aloud: it means the same. ✓

Watch out. Keep the rest of the sentence the same.

Method. Use the possessive pronoun for the owner.

1. Find the owner. The jacket belongs to us, so the owner is us.
   belongs to us
2. Choose the possessive pronoun. Ours stands alone, in place of our jacket.
   ours
3. Write the sentence. The meaning is the same as before.
   This jacket is ours.
4. Write the answer.
   This jacket is ours.

Check. Ours stands alone, with no noun after it. ✓

Watch out. Ours never has a noun after it.

Method. Find the verb form that is not Standard English, and change it.

1. Read the sentence. Check the form of each verb.
   We was late, so Dad done the cooking.
2. Find the wrong form. We needs were, and done should be did.
   was -> were; done -> did
3. Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. It now uses the Standard English form.
   We were late, so Dad did the cooking.
4. Write the answer.
   We were late, so Dad did the cooking.

Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓

Watch out. In writing, use the Standard English verb form, even if speech uses another form.

Method. Choose the word that fits the grammar and the meaning.

1. Read the sentence with the gap. Decide which word the sentence needs.
   Sam has ___ to the shop.
2. Think about the grammar and the meaning. Has needs a past participle, and the past participle of go is gone.
   Sam has gone to the shop.
3. Check the other choice. Went is the past tense, and it cannot follow has.
   Sam has gone to the shop.
4. Write the answer.
   gone

Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with gone in the gap. ✓

Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and read the sentence aloud.

Method. Write one past tense sentence and one present perfect sentence.

1. Write the past tense sentence. Yesterday is a finished time, so use the past tense.
   Yesterday we visited the castle.
2. Write the present perfect sentence. Have with we, the past participle seen, and already.
   We have already seen the sea.
3. Write the answer.
   Yesterday we visited the castle. We have already seen the sea.

Check. Each sentence uses the right form for its time. ✓

Watch out. Do not use yesterday with the present perfect.

Method. Check the time word and the verb form.

1. Look at yesterday. Yesterday is a finished time, so the past tense is needed.
   yesterday
2. Look at has seen. Has seen is the present perfect, which does not go with a finished time.
   has seen
3. Rewrite the sentence. Use the past tense saw, for the finished time.
   Ella saw the film yesterday.
4. Write the answer.
   Ella saw the film yesterday.

Check. Yesterday goes with the past tense. ✓

Watch out. A finished time such as yesterday goes with the past tense.