Decodable sentences by phonics pattern
Word lists and short sentences for twelve phonics patterns, from short a to r-controlled vowels, each with a printable sheet.
Choose a pattern. Each page has a word list with the pattern's letters coloured, 10 or so sentences you can show one at a time on the projector, and a one-page print sheet. A sentence uses only words from the pattern on its page and the ones before it, plus a few declared tricky words.
| Pattern | Words | Sentences | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short a (CVC) | 43 | 10 | cat, bat, mat, sat, hat |
| Short e (CVC) | 30 | 10 | bed, red, pen, ten, hen |
| Short i (CVC) | 36 | 10 | sit, sip, pin, bin, fin |
| Short o (CVC) | 28 | 10 | hot, pot, dot, lot, not |
| Short u (CVC) | 29 | 10 | bus, bug, bun, cup, cut |
| Magic e (CVCe) | 63 | 10 | cake, bake, make, take, lake |
| Digraphs sh, ch, th | 37 | 10 | shop, ship, shed, shut, shin |
| Consonant blends | 80 | 10 | flag, clap, plan, slip, step |
| Long a (ai, ay) | 36 | 10 | rain, tail, mail, nail, pail |
| Long e (ee, ea) | 46 | 10 | see, bee, tree, feet, seed |
| Long o (oa, ow) | 35 | 10 | boat, coat, goat, road, soap |
| R-controlled vowels (ar, or) | 42 | 10 | car, far, jar, bar, star |
Tricky words
Words that do not follow the pattern yet are taught by sight. These pages declare the ones they use, and add them one pattern at a time: a, the, is, has, to, I, my, he, she, we, me, be, go, so, no.
Also in Reading: sight words, reading passages with questions, the fluency timer and the reading level finder.
Questions
What is a decodable sentence?
A sentence a child can read by sounding out, because every word follows a phonics pattern the child has been taught, apart from a few tricky words taught by sight. They give beginning readers practice with the patterns they know, and a feeling of reading real sentences.
In what order should I teach the patterns?
The order on this page is a common one: the five short vowels, silent e, the digraphs sh, ch and th, blends, then the vowel teams and r-controlled vowels. Programs differ, and you can use the pages in any order that matches yours. Just remember that a later page's sentences use words from the earlier ones.
How do you know the sentences only use taught words?
A program checks them. Each page lists its words, each word is checked against a spelling rule for the pattern, and each sentence is checked against the words from the patterns before it, plus a short list of tricky words declared on that page.
Can I print them?
Yes. Each page has a one-page sheet with the word list and the numbered sentences, with a line for the child's name. Press Print on the page.
Are these a full reading program?
No. They are practice material for the patterns you teach, and they are meant to sit beside your own phonics lessons, not replace them.