Step-by-step English Level 2: Mixed practice: ai and ee
Part of the Step-by-step English Level 2 long vowel sounds: ai and ee chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Mixed practice: ai and ee
This section mixes ai and ee words. Read each word as one long sound for its pair of letters.
Some wrong spellings are close. Check every letter of the pair.
Key ideas
- Look for ai and ee together.
- Read the whole word.
- Check the picture name.
Method. Say the name, then write the spelling with the right letters.
- Look at the picture and say its name slowly. Say each sound.sh - ee - p
- Compare the spelling. the h after s is missingseep is not right
- Write the correct spelling. Use the letters for each sound.sheep
- Write the answer. sheep
Check. sheep matches the picture and the sounds. ✓
Watch out. Use the letters that make each sound, such as ee or ai.
Method. Say the name, then write the spelling with the right letters.
- Look at the picture and say its name slowly. Say each sound.t - ai - l
- Compare the spelling. the ai pair is in the wrong ordertial is not right
- Write the correct spelling. Use the letters for each sound.tail
- Write the answer. tail
Check. tail matches the picture and the sounds. ✓
Watch out. Use the letters that make each sound, such as ee or ai.
Method. Read the word, then say what the picture shows.
- Read the word. Sound out each letter.b - ee
- Look at the picture. Say what it shows.bee
- Compare them. Do they show the same name?bee and bee are the same
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. The picture shows a bee. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter in the word, not only the first.
Watch out
Watch out: a pair of letters can look like a single letter. Check the whole pair in each word.Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask the child to point to each pair of letters and say its long sound before answering.
Exercise 4F Practice: mixed practice: ai and ee
Method. Read the word, then say what the picture shows.
- Read the word. Sound out each letter.r - ai - n
- Look at the picture. Say what it shows.train
- Compare them. Do they show the same name?rain and train are different
- Write the answer. No
Check. The picture shows a train. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter in the word, not only the first.
Method. Find the name that has the two letters together.
- Read the name under each picture. Look for the two letters together.A: song B: train C: jam
- Find the name with ai inside. Only one name has these two letters together.train = picture B
- Write the answer. B
Check. train has ai, and the others do not. ✓
Watch out. The two letters make one long vowel sound, so keep them together.
Method. Find the name that has the two letters together.
- Read the name under each picture. Look for the two letters together.A: tin B: feet C: net
- Find the name with ee inside. Only one name has these two letters together.feet = picture B
- Write the answer. B
Check. feet has ee, and the others do not. ✓
Watch out. The two letters make one long vowel sound, so keep them together.
Method. Read every choice, then pick the one that fits.
- Read each choice. Check which one fits.2 / 4 / 3
- Find the one that fits. sweet is s - w - ee - t: 4 sounds.4 is choice B
- Write the answer. B
Check. Read 4 in the sentence or list again. ✓
Watch out. Read every choice before you decide.
Method. Read every choice, then pick the one that fits.
- Read each choice. Check which one fits.3 / 4 / 2
- Find the one that fits. nail is n - ai - l: 3 sounds.3 is choice A
- Write the answer. A
Check. Read 3 in the sentence or list again. ✓
Watch out. Read every choice before you decide.
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 - r - ee
- Look at each picture. Find the picture with that name.tree = picture A
- Write the answer. A
Check. The other pictures show different names: fish, rain. ✓
Watch out. Read every letter. Do not guess from the first letter only.
Method. Say the name, then check which spelling has the right letters.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.f - ee - t
- Check each spelling. Only one spelling uses the right letters.feet is right; fete is not
- Write the answer. B
Check. feet matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. fete is not a word we use for this picture.
Method. Read every choice, then pick the one that fits.
- Read each choice. Check which one fits.hat / tail / sheep
- Find the one that fits. sheep has ee inside it.sheep is choice C
- Write the answer. C
Check. Read sheep in the sentence or list again. ✓
Watch out. Read every choice before you decide.
Method. Say the name, then write the spelling with the right letters.
- Look at the picture and say its name slowly. Say each sound.s - n - ai - l
- Compare the spelling. the ai pair is in the wrong placesnial is not right
- Write the correct spelling. Use the letters for each sound.snail
- Write the answer. snail
Check. snail matches the picture and the sounds. ✓
Watch out. Use the letters that make each sound, such as ee or ai.