Grammar, Syntax & Morphology IEP goals for grades 3 to 5
34 of the grammar, syntax & morphology templates in the library are written for grades 3 to 5. Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
34 templates · 1 skill · 3–5 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Grammar, Syntax & Morphology Speech & Language
Use irregular plural nouns
Irregular plurals
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 picture pairs of nouns with irregular plurals (such as foot/feet, child/children, mouse/mice, sheep/sheep), the student will name the group with the correct irregular plural form independently with at least 80% accuracy on irregular plural contexts, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Mark possession with 's
Possessive 's
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 pictures of people or animals with belongings and asked "Whose is it?", the student will name the owner with the possessive marker (such as "the girl's hat," "Dad's keys") independently with at least 80% accuracy on obligatory contexts for possessive 's, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Use object and possessive pronouns in sentences
Object, possessive, and reflexive pronouns
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 pictures that create contexts for object pronouns (such as "The girl is giving the ball to ___") or possessive pronouns ("The hat is ___"), the student will use the correct object pronoun (him, her, them) or possessive pronoun (his, her, their, mine, yours) in each sentence independently with at least 80% accuracy on obligatory contexts for object or possessive pronouns, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Use a, an, the, this, and that in sentences
Articles and demonstratives
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 pictures or objects and asked to say a sentence about each, the student will produce an article (a, an, the) before each singular noun that requires one independently with at least 85% accuracy on obligatory contexts for articles, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Use is, are, was, and were to match the subject
Copula and auxiliary agreement
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 pictures of single and multiple people or things and asked to describe them with a describing word or an action, the student will produce is or are (and was or were for past events) matching the subject in each sentence independently with at least 80% accuracy on obligatory contexts for is, are, was, or were, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Mark third-person singular verbs with -s
Third-person singular -s
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 pictures of people doing routine actions and asked "What does he/she do every day?", the student will produce the -s ending on verbs with a singular third-person subject (such as "She walks," "The bee buzzes") independently with at least 80% accuracy on obligatory contexts for third-person singular -s, across 3 consecutive therapy sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each therapy session.
Grades 3 to 5 grammar, syntax & morphology goals build on foundational skills and begin to use longer tasks, multi-step work, and independence as the target. Measurement shifts toward curriculum-based probes, work samples, and rubrics the student can see.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 25 goals here
- Frequency & rate trackerCounts a defined behavior during a fixed observation period. Calculates rate when time is recorded.Used by 1 goal here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 8 goals here
Frequently asked questions
What changes in grammar, syntax & morphology goals between the early and upper elementary grades?
Tasks get longer and more independent, and the support level in the goal moves from prompts toward checklists and self-monitoring. The measure often changes too, from direct observation to work samples and probes.
Can an upper elementary goal include self-monitoring?
Yes. Students at this age can check their own work or rate their own behavior, and the goal can measure both the skill and the accuracy of the self-rating.
How do I set a criterion for a grade 3 to 5 student working below grade level?
Use the student's baseline on the measure and expected growth for that measure, not the grade-level benchmark. The goal should be ambitious for the student, as Endrew F. requires, and reachable within the year.
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Count trials, prompts, and minutes live in the session; the graph and trend line draw themselves; progress reports are drafted from your data.