Reception English and phonics: Reading a sentence and finding the main thing
Part of the Reception English and phonics reading and writing short sentences chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Reading a sentence and finding the main thing
Read the sentence A dog sat on a mat. Read it from the start to the full stop. Read each word in order.
The sentence is about a dog. The dog is the main animal. The picture shows the dog.
dog
mat
Key ideas
- Read the sentence from the capital letter to the full stop.
- Find the main animal or thing that the sentence is about.
- Other words tell you where, or what happened.
dog
mat
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.A dog sat on a mat.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.dog
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.dog
Check. The sentence is about the dog. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
pig
duck
mum
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 pig ran to the pond.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.pig
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.pig
Check. The sentence is about the pig. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
hen
pen
pig
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 a 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.
Watch out
Watch out: the mat is where the dog sat, but the sentence is about the dog. Find the main animal or thing.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “Who or what is this sentence about?” Then ask the child to point to the picture.
Exercise 9B Reading sentences and finding the main thing
cat
mat
sun
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 cat sat on a 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.
duck
cup
dog
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 dog ran to the pond.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.dog
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.dog
Check. The sentence is about the dog. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
bus
pig
hen
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.I can see a big pig.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.pig
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.pig
Check. The sentence is about the pig. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
hen
pen
pig
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.She has a red hen.
- 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.
car
tree
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.We are in a boat.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.boat
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.boat
Check. The sentence is about the boat. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
boat
bus
car
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.My bus is red.
- 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.
duck
hen
dog
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 duck sat on the pond.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.duck
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.duck
Check. The sentence is about the duck. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
sun
moon
tree
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.They can see a tree.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.tree
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.tree
Check. The sentence is about the tree. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
mat
cup
bed
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.Mum has a cup.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.cup
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.cup
Check. The sentence is about the cup. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
sun
moon
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 sun is hot.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.sun
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.sun
Check. The sentence is about the sun. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
pig
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 pig is in the mud.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.pig
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.pig
Check. The sentence is about the pig. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
bus
car
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.Sam has a red bus.
- 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.
boat
fish
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 boat is on the pond.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.boat
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.boat
Check. The sentence is about the boat. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
duck
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 duck can swim.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.duck
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.duck
Check. The sentence is about the duck. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.
cat
mat
Method. Read the sentence and find what it is about.
- Read the sentence. Read each word in order.A - cat - sat - on - a - mat
- Find the main thing. The cat sat, so the cat is the main animal.cat
- Give your answer. Say what the mat is.Accept any answer that says no: the sentence is about the cat. The mat is only where the cat sat.
Check. The main thing is the cat. ✓
Watch out. Find the animal or thing that does the action.
moon
sun
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.I can see the moon.
- Find the main thing. The main thing is the animal or object in the sentence.moon
- Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.moon
Check. The sentence is about the moon. ✓
Watch out. Read to the full stop, then decide what the sentence is about.