Reception English and phonics: Checking sentences
Part of the Reception English and phonics reading and writing short sentences chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Checking sentences
Mia writes a sentence: the bus is big. Mia checks it.
She sees that the first letter is small. She adds a capital letter, The. She adds a full stop at the end.
Key ideas
- Check the first letter: is it a capital letter?
- Check the last mark: is it a full stop?
- Read the sentence to check it makes sense.
bus
car
boat
Method. Read the sentence from left to right. Then find the main animal or thing that the sentence is about.
- Read each word in order. Read the whole sentence, one word at a time.The bus is big.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.bus
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.bus
Check. The sentence is about the bus. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
Method. Check the start and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first letter. A sentence starts with a capital letter.the bus is big
- Look at the last mark. A sentence ends with a full stop.no full stop
- Write the sentence correctly. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.The bus is big.
Check. Read the sentence again: The bus is big. ✓
Watch out. Use a capital letter for the first word, and a full stop at the end.
cat
mat
Method. Put the words in order, then check the capital letter and full stop.
- Choose the words. The sentence is about the cat and the mat.The - cat - sat - on - the - mat
- Check the start. The first letter is a capital letter.The
- Check the end. The sentence ends with a full stop.The cat sat on the mat.
Check. The cat sat on the mat. ✓
Watch out. Read the sentence back to check it.
Watch out
Watch out: a sentence that looks right may still be wrong. Check the capital letter, the full stop and the order.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read the sentence together. Ask the child to point to the capital letter, then to the full stop.
Exercise 9E Checking sentences
mat
bed
cat
Method. Read the sentence from left to right. Then find the main animal or thing that the sentence is about.
- Read each word in order. Read the whole sentence, one word at a time.The cat sat on the mat.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.cat
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.cat
Check. The sentence is about the cat. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
hen
pig
pen
Method. Read the sentence from left to right. Then find the main animal or thing that the sentence is about.
- Read each word in order. Read the whole sentence, one word at a time.A hen is in the pen.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.hen
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.hen
Check. The sentence is about the hen. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
Method. Check the start and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first letter. A sentence starts with a capital letter.the bird is red
- Look at the last mark. A sentence ends with a full stop.no full stop
- Write the sentence correctly. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.The bird is red.
Check. Read the sentence again: The bird is red. ✓
Watch out. Use a capital letter for the first word, and a full stop at the end.
Method. Check the start and the end of the sentence.
- Look at the first letter. A sentence starts with a capital letter.i can see a boat.
- Look at the last mark. A sentence ends with a full stop.. is the last mark
- Write the sentence correctly. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.I can see a boat.
Check. Read the sentence again: I can see a boat. ✓
Watch out. Use a capital letter for the first word, and a full stop at the end.
Method. Check the start and the end.
- Look at the first letter. A is a capital letter.A
- Look at the end. The sentence ends with a full stop.mat.
- Write the answer. yes
Check. The sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. ✓
Watch out. Check both the start and the end.
Method. Check the start and the end.
- Look at the first letter. A is a capital letter.A
- Look at the end. The sentence ends with a full stop.hot.
- Write the answer. yes
Check. The sentence is correct. ✓
Watch out. Check both the start and the end.
Method. Look at the words. Put the first word in the right place, then the rest in order.
- Look at the words. The words are not in the right order yet.pig / is / The / big
- Put them in order. Read the words to check that they make sense.The pig is big.
- Check the capital and the full stop. The first word has a capital letter and the sentence ends with a full stop.The pig is big.
Check. Read it again: The pig is big. ✓
Watch out. Read the sentence aloud with a grown-up, and check the order.
pig
Method. Choose a short sentence about the pig.
- Choose the words. Use words you know.A - pig - is - in - a - pen
- Check the start and the end. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.A pig is in a pen.
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence about a pig with a capital letter and a full stop, such as A pig is in a pen.
Check. Read it back. It starts with a capital and ends with a full stop. ✓
Watch out. Check both the start and the end.
hen
Method. Check the start and the end.
- Look at the first letter. a is small. It should be a capital letter.a -> A
- Look at the end. There is no full stop.add .
- Give your answer. Say what Ben should change.Accept any answer that says no: he should write A hen sat. with a capital A and a full stop.
Check. A hen sat. is correct. ✓
Watch out. Change the first letter, then add the full stop.
Method. Think about both rules.
- Think about the start. A sentence starts with a capital letter.capital
- Think about the end. A sentence ends with a full stop.full stop
- Give your answer. Say what a sentence needs.Accept any answer that says no: a sentence needs a capital letter at the start and a full stop at the end.
Check. Both rules are needed. ✓
Watch out. Check both the start and the end.
Method. Write one sentence, then check it.
- Write the sentence. Use words you know.A cat sat.
- Check the start and the end. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.A cat sat.
- Give your answer. Check that another person can read it.Accept any sentence that starts with a capital letter, ends with a full stop and makes sense.
Check. Read it back. Another person can read it. ✓
Watch out. Read it aloud to check it makes sense.