Gerund and infinitive phrases + writing-conference protocol introduction

Cold call: identify the role of -ing in 'Walking through the gallery, she paused.' vs. 'Walking is the best exercise.'

• First = participial (modifies she); second = gerund (subject)
• Affirm: same form, different role

Today we add the last two phrase types — GERUND and INFINITIVE — and introduce a new workshop move: the WRITING CONFERENCE. GERUND PHRASE: an -ing form functioning as a NOUN. 'Reading slowly is the discipline of close reading.' 'Reading slowly' is the SUBJECT of the sentence — it names a thing (an activity), not an action being done. The gerund form is identical to the participial form (-ing), but the ROLE is different: gerund = noun, participial = modifier. INFINITIVE PHRASE: 'to + verb base' that can function as NOUN ('To read carefully is to read twice' — both subject and object), ADJECTIVE ('the book to read' — modifies book), or ADVERB ('she came to learn' — modifies came). Recognizing which job the infinitive does helps decode the sentence. WRITING CONFERENCE: a 5-minute one-on-one with the teacher. Four parts: OPENER (what are you working on?), WHAT'S WORKING (named strength), ONE GROWTH MOVE (specific actionable revision), NEXT STEP (when will I see this?). Conferences begin this week.

• The gerund is the subject of 'was.'

  model 'Analyzing poetry' = gerund phrase, functioning as SUBJECT.

  prompt Identify the role: 'Analyzing poetry was her favorite work.'
• Infinitives can play noun roles.

  model Both infinitives = noun-role. 'To read carefully' = subject. 'To read twice' = predicate complement.

  prompt Identify the role: 'To read carefully is to read twice.'
• Same infinitive form, different job.

  model 'to learn' = infinitive phrase, ADVERB role (modifies 'came' — answers why).

  prompt Identify the role: 'She came to learn.'

• Pair-share: distinguish gerund from participial in two sentences.
• Cold Call: name the three jobs an infinitive can do.

M-7-S-GR-09-A Chart

MG-7 complete with all 4 phrase types (appositive, participial, gerund, infinitive) and their structural examples. Print-ready 18x24.

MG-7 Chart

Four phrase types taxonomy anchor (CCSS L.7.1.a): 4-band stacked card with structural visualization. APPOSITIVE PHRASE — a noun phrase that renames another noun, set off by commas. STRUCTURE: [noun], [noun phrase that renames], [rest of sentence]. EXAMPLES: 'Angelou, a poet and memoirist, captured the texture of childhood.' / 'My research question, how Maya astronomy shaped architecture, demanded multiple sources.' MOVE: adds detail without starting a new sentence; adds rhythm. PARTICIPIAL PHRASE — a phrase opening with a participle (-ing or -ed form) that modifies a noun. STRUCTURE: [-ing/-ed phrase], [subject of main clause = what the phrase modifies], [rest of sentence]. EXAMPLES: 'Walking through the gallery, she paused.' / 'Exhausted from research, the writer slept.' WARNING: the participial MUST modify the subject of the main clause or it DANGLES (L.7.1.c). GERUND PHRASE — an -ing form functioning as a NOUN (often subject or object). STRUCTURE: [-ing phrase as noun], [verb], [rest]. EXAMPLES: 'Reading slowly is the discipline of close reading.' / 'She enjoyed analyzing poetry.' KEY: gerund acts like a noun, not a verb. INFINITIVE PHRASE — to + verb base functioning as noun, adjective, or adverb. STRUCTURE: 'to + verb' phrase + role in sentence. EXAMPLES: 'To read carefully is to read twice.' (noun) / 'the book to read' (adjective modifying book) / 'she came to learn' (adverb modifying came). KEY: identify the JOB the infinitive does. Bottom rule: 'Phrases give writers more options than clauses alone. Use them to vary sentence shape and add detail.' Print-ready 18x24.

• Sort deck: classify 10 -ing phrases as GERUND or PARTICIPIAL.

  scaffold MG-7 anchor + sort deck
• Sort deck: classify 10 infinitive phrases by JOB (noun/adjective/adverb).

  scaffold Infinitive-role sort deck
• Begin first writing conference cycle. Teacher conducts 2 conferences during this segment while remaining students self-revise their CEA paragraphs.

  scaffold MG-24 conference protocol card

M-7-S-GR-09-B Chart

5-minute conference structure card: OPENER (30 sec) / WHAT'S WORKING (60 sec) / ONE GROWTH MOVE (3 min) / NEXT STEP (30 sec). Conference-log template on reverse. Print-ready 8.5x11.

MG-24 Chart

Writing-conference protocol anchor: 5-minute structure card. RULE: a writing conference is 5 minutes, structured. OPENER (30 sec): 'What are you working on today? What's the question on your mind?' WHAT'S WORKING (60 sec): teacher names one specific strength in the current draft — a sentence that lands, a claim that's sharp, an analysis that goes beyond summary. ONE GROWTH MOVE (180 sec): teacher and student identify ONE move to try (not five). Specific. Actionable. Example: 'Try opening this paragraph with a periodic sentence — delay the main clause.' Or: 'Your evidence here is strong, but the analysis stops at restating it. Add two sentences that name the diction.' NEXT STEP (30 sec): 'I'll see this revision when?' Conference logged in conference notebook (student name + date + growth move + next step). Bottom rule: 'Conferences are about ONE move. Five minutes. Specific. Followed up.' Print-ready 8.5x11.

• Write one gerund-phrase sentence (gerund as subject). Write one infinitive-phrase sentence (any role) and name the role.

• Restate: gerund = -ing as noun; infinitive = to + verb in noun/adjective/adverb role
• Preview tomorrow's periodic vs. cumulative sentences

• Write 4 sentences — one using each phrase type (appositive, participial, gerund, infinitive). Label each.