Step-by-step English Level 1: Short i words
Part of the Step-by-step English Level 1 simple cvc words chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Short i words
In pin, the letters are p, i, n. The middle letter is i, which makes the short sound /i/ as in ink.
Read /p/ /i/ /n/ and join them: pin. Check the picture. Does it show a pin?
If the picture shows something else, the word does not match.
Key ideas
- Each word here has i in the middle.
- Read all three letters before you decide.
- Check the picture carefully.
Method. Read the word first, then find the picture that matches.
- Read the word from the left. Sound out each letter, then join the sounds.p - i - n
- Look at each picture. Find the picture with that name.pin = picture C
- Write the answer. C
Check. The other pictures show different names: sun, leg. ✓
Watch out. Read every letter. Do not guess from the first letter only.
Method. Say the name slowly, then write its letters in order.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.pin
- Put the letters in order. Start with the first sound.p - i - n
- Read the letters from left to right. Check the word matches the picture.pin
- Write the answer. pin
Check. Read the letters back: p - i - n. They make pin. ✓
Watch out. Each letter goes in the order of the sounds, not in alphabetical order.
Method. Read the word, then say what the picture shows.
- Read the word. Sound out each letter.p - i - n
- Look at the picture. Say what it shows.pin
- Compare them. Do they show the same name?pin and pin are the same
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. The picture shows a pin. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter in the word, not only the first.
Watch out
Watch out: pin and pig start with the same letter, but the rest of the word is different.Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Keep the vowel short: "i" as in pin, not "ee" as in pine. Ask the child to tell you the middle letter first.
Exercise 4B Practice: short i words
Method. Read the word, then say what the picture shows.
- Read the word. Sound out each letter.p - i - n
- Look at the picture. Say what it shows.cat
- Compare them. Do they show the same name?pin and cat are different
- Write the answer. No
Check. The picture shows a cat. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter in the word, not only the first.
Method. Read the word first, then find the picture that matches.
- Read the word from the left. Sound out each letter, then join the sounds.t - i - n
- Look at each picture. Find the picture with that name.tin = picture B
- Write the answer. B
Check. The other pictures show different names: bat, pig. ✓
Watch out. Read every letter. Do not guess from the first letter only.
Method. Say the name slowly, then write its letters in order.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.tin
- Put the letters in order. Start with the first sound.t - i - n
- Read the letters from left to right. Check the word matches the picture.tin
- Write the answer. tin
Check. Read the letters back: t - i - n. They make tin. ✓
Watch out. Each letter goes in the order of the sounds, not in alphabetical order.
Method. Read the word, then say what the picture shows.
- Read the word. Sound out each letter.t - i - n
- Look at the picture. Say what it shows.tin
- Compare them. Do they show the same name?tin and tin are the same
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. The picture shows a tin. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter in the word, not only the first.
Method. Read the word, then say what the picture shows.
- Read the word. Sound out each letter.t - i - n
- Look at the picture. Say what it shows.cat
- Compare them. Do they show the same name?tin and cat are different
- Write the answer. No
Check. The picture shows a cat. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter in the word, not only the first.
Method. Read the word first, then find the picture that matches.
- Read the word from the left. Sound out each letter, then join the sounds.p - i - g
- Look at each picture. Find the picture with that name.pig = picture C
- Write the answer. C
Check. The other pictures show different names: dog, cup. ✓
Watch out. Read every letter. Do not guess from the first letter only.
Method. Say the name slowly, then write its letters in order.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.pig
- Put the letters in order. Start with the first sound.p - i - g
- Read the letters from left to right. Check the word matches the picture.pig
- Write the answer. pig
Check. Read the letters back: p - i - g. They make pig. ✓
Watch out. Each letter goes in the order of the sounds, not in alphabetical order.
Method. Read the word, then say what the picture shows.
- Read the word. Sound out each letter.p - i - g
- Look at the picture. Say what it shows.pig
- Compare them. Do they show the same name?pig and pig are the same
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. The picture shows a pig. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter in the word, not only the first.
Method. Read the word, then say what the picture shows.
- Read the word. Sound out each letter.p - i - g
- Look at the picture. Say what it shows.cat
- Compare them. Do they show the same name?pig and cat are different
- Write the answer. No
Check. The picture shows a cat. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter in the word, not only the first.
Method. Find the middle letter, then find the choice that has the same one.
- Find the middle letter of the model word. It is the vowel in the middle.pin: middle = i
- Find the word with the same middle letter. Check each choice.tin has middle i
- Write the answer. B
Check. Both pin and tin have i in the middle. ✓
Watch out. Look at the middle letter only, not the first or the last.