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Reading · Ages 5–7 · 15 minutes

Short E Reading: The Red Pen

An original short-e reading passage about the red pen, with a complete word list, words to teach first, and questions to read aloud.

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Short E Reading: The Red Pen

Name:                              
Date:              

Today I am practising: reading a short-e passage and using text evidence

The Red Pen

Meg has a red pen. The pen is on a bed. A pet can get on the bed. Meg can get the pen. Meg can let the pet rest.

Reading scope Short e CVC words, with the separately listed words prepared first.

Short-vowel word list meg, red, pen, bed, pet, get, let

Prepare first has, a, the, is, on, can, rest

An adult reads the title and questions. Check every listed word before independent reading.

1

What color is the pen?

2

Where is the pen?

3

Who gets the pen?

4

What can the pet do at the end?

5

Find and copy two short-e words from the passage. Say each sound, then blend.

6

Reread the passage. Tell an adult what happened, and point to one sentence that supports your retelling.

Grown-up guide
  1. Read the title aloud. Check short e and all the listed CVC words; teach or review every word in the 'Prepare first' list before reading. That list includes words with other vowels, consonant clusters, endings or less regular spellings.
  2. An adult reads the questions. Accept spoken answers or dictated notes so the writing demand does not hide the child's reading ability.
  3. If a word is difficult, point through its sounds and blend. Supply a prepared word when needed. Reread for meaning after decoding; the optional answer guide belongs to the adult.