Decodable letter combination passages
From FreeReading
The following sentences and passages give students an opportunity to practice recognizing and reading letter combinations such as th, er, and sh. Feel free to write these passages on the board, print them, or put them on an overhead projector.
These sentences and passages can be read by a student who knows:
- How to sound out regular words
- The 30 irregular words taught in the Irregular Word sequence, and
- The letter combinations taught in the Letter Combination sequence
Letter combination sentences and passages are introduced in the same order in which the letter combinations are taught within the FreeReading letter combination sequence. The use of letter combinations in these passages is cumulative, so th passages contain only the letter combination th, but the er passages that follow may contain both er and th words.
th sentences
1) The thin fox rested with a cloth blanket on the thick grass.
2) They are talented at math.
th passages
1)DO-NOTHING SETH
Seth’s grandfather had a job for him, but Seth did nothing. He hid in the bathtub. He did not skim his math. He did not cut the grass. The bathtub got dull fast. Seth left the dull bathtub.
He sat with Granddad. Granddad grinned. “This is the job,” he said. “I think it is not difficult. Dust off the deck. Then we can have fun.”
2)THANKSGIVING THRILLS
Is Thanksgiving a thrill to you? “Yes,” said Beth and Seth Smith. Nothing is bad about that day they think. A tummy will hum from grand things on Thanksgiving. Yum. Yum.
Beth and Seth are thankful for family on Thanksgiving. Thankful for Mommy. Thankful for Daddy. Thankful for Granddad.
With a full tummy, Beth and Seth Smith are thankful for a lot on Thanksgiving.
er sentences
1) Herb the monster got a hat with a zipper that went with his pink pants better than his winter hat did.
2) In September, the monster had everyone over for dinner.
er passages
1) GRUMP GUS
I remember this clever dog, Gus. Gus was living over by a pond. He ran along the sand, but he never sang.
Was Gus a grump? The pond animals hid from Gus. Grasshoppers hid under rocks. The frogs hid under the mud.
Gus got up his nerve to ask a frog to sing. Everybody had fun with verses and songs. After dinner, the grasshoppers and frogs sang as the sun set.
2) GERT'S PICNIC
One summer, Gert the grasshopper was sad. Then Gert had the perfect plan. Have a picnic! Gert sent Ann the ant, Ben the bug, and Cass the cricket a clever letter to ask them to the picnic dinner.
“Yes, yes, yes!” everybody said to Gert. But, what to serve for supper to an ant, a bug, and a cricket?
sh sentences
1) The shrimp went to shop for a perfect shell.
2) Dad is in a rush to finish his experiment, so he shuts the pot lid with a splash.
sh passages
1) RIVER SPLASH
Crush. Crash. Crashing. The river was splash, splashing. The wind was wicked. It blasted across the river.
Swish. Swishing. Swell. The river was full and the fish were in a rush. It was a mad fish dash. But this was not to last.
In a flash, the sun said, “Hush!” and the wind did.
2)FISHING WITH JOSH
Josh is fishing on a ship. The river is fast. Fishing is fun with a net. Josh lifts the net. It is empty!
Josh jumps in the river. He is a strong swimmer. In the river, he gets jellyfish. He gets shells and a shrimp.
Josh wishes for fish. Then there is a flash of fins–a sunfish!
oa sentences
1) Sloan rented a tugboat that floats along the foam on the twisted river.
2) The boat will float on the coast.
oa passages
1) JOAN AND THE TOAD
Joan had a fat toad for a pet. It was a silly toad. It spat if it got angry. The toad sat on the grass to soak up the sun. Then Joan had to bring him back to the cabin.
"No," said the toad. With a croak, it spat a big wet lump. Joan had to coax the toad along with fresh bugs.
Hop! Hop! The toad got across the road. He went with Joan to the cabin.
2)SOAP ON THE BOAT
In the tub, Nick has a blast. With his tugboat, he will splash. A load of soap is on his boat. And the foam from the soap is on the boat. The boat will float with its load of soap.
In a dash and with a splash, Nick will soak his oak tugboat.
wh sentences
1) You can whip and whisk the egg.
2) Gramp gets a whiff of a funny smell when he whacks that stink bug.
wh passages
1)WHACK! WHAM! WHIP!
Whack! What can you whack?
Wham! What can you wham?
Whip! What can you whip?
A ball! You can whack a golf ball. You can wham a basketball. You can whip a tennis ball.
Whack! Wham! Whip!
When you are a whiz at ball, everyone will be a fan.
2) THE MUFFIN WHIZ
When Jimmy is hungry, he whips up a muffin. There is his whisk. He mixes an egg and a cup of milk with it.
Whisk, whisk, then Jimmy puts it in a pan. What a big muffin!
The muffin is perfect. Jimmy is a muffin whiz. He will win a muffin contest.
ol sentences
1) The king told them to hold the gold.
2) Ann scolds the goat for his bold jumping, after she told him to hold still.
ol passages
1) THE OLD GOAT
An old, bold goat fed on a gold coat. “Yum,” said the old, bold goat.
Next, the old, bold goat got ahold of a gold cloak. “Yum. Yum,” said the old, bold goat.
All of a sudden, the old, bold goat was sick. His big sister went to scold him. “Silly goat,” she said. “You have a bad habit!”
2) THE COLD CABIN
Sid was cold. He felt stiff. He yelled to Dad, "It's cold!" Dad told Sid the cabin was old.
In winter, it was cold. The cabin had cracks where cold got in. Sid got a cloth to fold. He put it over the cracks.
“That was clever,” said Dad. “It is not as cold with that cloth.”
ar sentences
1) The artist put sticky black tar in an empty jar.
2) When it is dark, park the car in the barn.
ar passages
1) PARTY IN THE YARD
Clark had a party in his yard. He hid candy in the grass for his pals to hunt. Clark and his pals had fun with hidden candy at the party. They had snacks of candy and milk in the garden.
After snacks, Clark got gifts. Carmen had a gift for Clark. Clark was happy! Carmen got him a fun toy car.
2) CARMEN THE CAT
Carmen is a barnyard cat. She is the artist for the farm.
With a brush, Carmen will put a gold star on the barn.
With a brush, Carmen will put a gold star on Clark the cat and Danny the dog.
With a brush, Carmen will put a gold star on herself.
And, if you visit this farm, Carmen will put a big, gold star on…you!
qu sentences
1) The quick duck went, “Quack!” when Joan twisted his quill.
2) Quinn cannot quilt with a quill.
3) Queen Qualls quit working on her quilt.
qu passages
1) QUINN THE DUCK
“Quack! Quack!” said Quinn the duck. He was stuck in quicksand. “Quack! Quack!”
In a hurry, help was here. “Quick! Quick!” said Daddy duck. “Grab Quinn and pull.” But, Quinn was stuck.
“We will not quit!” said Mommy duck.
With one big pull, Quinn was out of the quicksand. And not a quill was lost in the quicksand.
2) QUICKSAND QUINN
Quinn hops in the mud. He stamps and jumps. Mud is splashing on everybody. Quinn’s pals get angry, and they get far from the mud.
Quinn dashes over the grass. He starts to sink. “Help!” yells Quinn. “This is quicksand!”
Quinn’s pal Sloan is quick. He had a quilt. Quinn grabs the quilt. Sloan pulls him across the grass.
ee sentences
1) Feel free to help with this job and peel the beets.
2) I see Lee on the street.
ee passages
1) LEE AND THE WEEDS
Lee travels in a van every week. There is a street between the hill and the pond. Lee brings the van there. He sees deep weeds.
He exits the van. Then he cuts the weeds with an axe. The weeds go on and on. Deep, deep in the weeds, Lee spots a tree.
Lee sits under the tree to rest. He ends up asleep.
2) SWEET TESS
Meet Tess, a pink and green dragon. Tess will greet you with glee.
You will see her pink jeep. Feel free to peek at the jeep.
If you agree, she will feed you dinner. After dinner, Tess will sleep. She will sleep a deep, deep sleep.
Tess is a sweet dragon. Between you and me, do you agree?
ea sentences
1) Jean puts beads that gleam on a string, then keeps them in a gold box.
2) Jean thinks it is neat to read.
ea passages
1) REX THE SEAL
Did you ever see a seal drink tea? Rex the seal drinks tea when he is sick. Rex feels ill.
He fills a big cup with tea and cream. The cup steams. The tea is sweet.
Rex drinks it with his meal. Then he feels better.
2) FAMILY FEAST
What is a meal and what is a feast? Can you serve roast beef at a feast?
Chicken and ham are easy to eat. Are they a meal or a feast?
Will shrimp and crab win over chicken and ham? Is shellfish a feast? No.
A feast is not just what you eat. A real feast is a big meal with family.
ch sentences
1) Chuck is such a champ at chess that everybody thinks he will win.
2) Chuck is the class chess champ.
ch passages
1)HUNGRY CHAD
Chad is hungry. He thinks there is a sandwich in his lunchbox. Chad will be glad to sit on the bench and eat his lunch. He lifts the top and the lunchbox is empty!
Chad’s sister Carmen is across the park. “You can finish this,” she yells. She holds up her sandwich.
Carmen is a perfect big sister.
2) LUNCH
Chad is hungry. He must eat. Chomp. Chomp. Chomp. But what to munch for lunch?
Chomp. Chomp. Chomp. Chad will crunch a club sandwich for lunch.
Chomp. Chomp. Chomp. Chad will chug his milk with lunch.
Chomp. Chomp. Chomp. When you crunch and munch, what will you pick for lunch?
oo sentences
1) The class left the classroom to visit the zoo, and soon it will be there.
2) The boot and the broom are in the classroom.
oo passages
1)THE RED BALLOON
Ron is sad. Doris is giving him a balloon. She will put him in a happy mood.
The balloon is big and red. It floats in the room. Ron thinks the balloon is cool. He hangs on to the balloon’s string and soon he floats up to the clouds.
Ron floats to far off lands on the big red balloon.
2) IN THE CLASSROOM
Are you in a classroom? What is in the classroom?
Is there a party balloon in the classroom?
Is there a broom to clean the room?
Is there a stool to sit on in the classroom?
Is there food to eat at noon in the classroom?
What do you see in the classroom?
ai sentences
1) Jeff sees the stain on the waist of his winter coat, and he complains.
2) To sail in the rain is a strain.
ai passages
1) PAIL OF GRAIN
Tom spills a pail of grain. He needs that grain for his goats. “Help,” he yells to Ned.
Ned is afraid to act against Tom’s wishes. Ned aids Tom to keep him happy.
The job is a strain. But, Ned never complains. He aids Tom in picking up the grain.
2) MACK THE MONSTER
Mack the monster had a problem. He was afraid of everything! He did not want to complain. He was not one to fail. But, this mess was a strain.
His main job was to, “Boo!” That was painful for him, too.
It was plain to see that Mack was no monster.
ay sentences
1) Put the red and gray clay on the tray, and then we can paint it.
2) Mommy said, “Stay away from the bay.”
Bold text
ay passages
1) JAY AT PLAY
It is dark. Jay’s mother says he must stay in his room. Jay wishes to play in the park.
Jay gets out his crayons and art tablet. He puts the tablet on his easel. Jay puts trees, grass and animals on the tablet.
“That was clever,” says mother. “A way to play in the park and stay in this room, too.”
2) A GRAY DAY
It is a gray day, not one sunray. But, it is Sunday. We can play. What will we play? What will you say?
Can we have a crayon contest? Can we play in the sandbox? May we play ball? Can we play with clay?
“Yes,” says Jay. “We have fun things to play.”
or sentences
1) Bob is not the sort of man to forget a story.
2) At the fort, the horse was born.
or passages
1) CORN FOR NORM
Norm collects ears of corn. He gets the corn that the horse did not eat in the grass. He gets corn from a box in the barn. Norm gets corn from the hens, too.
There was a storm. Norm hid in the fort with all his corn.
Norm got hungry. He ate his corn.
2) A FOAL IS BORN
It is a sunny morning on the ranch. This day is important for Jan and Jack. A foal will be born. They need Norm.
Norm is an animal doctor, a vet. “Hurry! Hurry!” they say to Norm. But, Norm will not forget.
At the horse barn, he will honk his horn. Soon, a foal will be born. They will name him Norm.
kn sentences
1) The man knelt by the box and said, “knock, knock,” to see if a mouse was in it.
2) When there is a knock, knock, turn the knob.
kn passages
1) GRAM'S MITTENS
Gram is happy when she knits mittens. She's got a knack for knitting. Gram knits a set of mittens. She ends them with a knot.
Cass puts Gram's mittens on. They keep her fingers hot. Gram must knit a lot of mittens.
Soon it will be cold. All the children must have mittens.
2) A SPLENDID GIFT
Cass the cat knit a splendid gift. The gift was for her pal, Doris the dog.
A sudden knock, knock, upset Cass. Cass knelt by the bed. There she hid the gift.
With a pull of the knob, there was Doris. Doris had knit a gift for Cass, too.
ou sentences
1) Jeff counted about sixty jacks in the box he found.
2) The proud mouse can count.
ou passages
1) BUZZ THE DOG
Buzz the dog had a big doghouse. There was room for Buzz to stretch out. It had a tin roof. The roof was snug, but the sound of rain on the tin roof was loud. When a rain cloud was near, Buzz hid.
"Do not be afraid of a sound," said the mouse. "I am strong. I will stay in the big doghouse with you. The rain will pass."
2) MATT THE MOUSE
Matt the mouse is clever. Matt the mouse got in the house. He found a scrap of food.
“Yum. Yum,” he said. But, the mouse was too loud.
From the doghouse, the dog was on his way. He will scout about the house.
Afraid, Matt the mouse ran out of the house.
ir sentences
1) The girl twirls to see her pink skirt swirl.
2) The girl in the skirt sat in the dirt.
3) The girl in the shirt had dirt on her face.
4) Kirk went to the circus with his new friend.
5) My new pal had a dirty face.
6) Kirk will help the nurse feed the chirping bird.
ir passages
1) HUNGRY BIRDS
Kirk sees a flock of birds. The birds are hungry. They chirp for food.
Kirk drops bird food. But the birds do not eat.
Kirk sees dirt in the yard. He brushes the dirt away.
The birds stir. They swoop to the yard. They eat all of the bird food.
2) SWIRL AND TWIRL
What can swirl and twirl? A girl in a skirt can swirl and twirl.
Look up! You may see a bird swirl and twirl.
In a garden, see a bee swirl and twirl.
When you swim in a pool, you can swirl and twirl.
Can a dog swirl and twirl? Get him a snack and see!
ur sentences
1) Jill returns from the surf with red sunburn on her back.
2) Curtis found the purse on the curb.
ur passages
1) ANGRY CURTIS
Curtis is angry he let his toast turn black. He runs to the sand near the sea. He hurls the burnt toast upon the surf. The toast pops up. It floats!
Curtis sees a fish. The fish lurks under the toast. The fish is hungry. It leaps from the sea. It eats the burnt toast!
2) BURNT BURT
It was a sunny day. Burt and Beth went out to play. Burt forgot his sunblock that day. The sun burnt Burt. The sunburn hurt.
In a blurt, Beth said, “Go to the nurse.” Burt told the nurse the sunburn hurt.
“I will fix your sunburn,” said the nurse.
“Thank you,” said Burt.
ph sentences
1) The elephant has the alphabet painted on his trunk and he will not forget it.
2) Can an elephant say the alphabet?
ph passages
1) MACK'S ANIMALS
Mack keeps smart animals in his zoo. Mack’s elephant plays the drums with his trunk.
Mack’s parrot says the alphabet. He can sing songs, too.
The elephant and parrot do an act. They have funny scripts and songs. Mack sells passes to the play the animals put on.
2) ELLEN THE ELEPHANT
Can you say the alphabet? Ellen the elephant can say her alphabet.
“What?” you say. “Is this real? Or are you silly?”
Well… Ellen is smart. Ellen the elephant can say her alphabet.
“What?” you say. “Is this a fib?”
Well… I have seen Ellen the elephant say her alphabet. I mean it. Well… It is true. I am silly.
oi sentences
1) Put the pork loin in foil and it will not spoil as fast.
2) He lost the coin in the moist soil.
oi passages
1) NED AND POPPY
“Poppy,” calls Ned. Poppy is his big pet pig. Poppy oinks and oinks.
She runs to Ned. She is glad to see him.
Ned rubs oil on Poppy to keep her moist. Nick pats Poppy. He is happy with his pet pig.
2) OINK OINK
Ben is happy. He will go to the festival. The Oink, Oink Contest will be held. Ben will join the fun.
What is the point? The point is to catch the pig. The pig will run on the soil. The pig will avoid Ben. Ben will run to join the pig.
“Oink. Oink,” the pig will say. “You cannot grab me!”
oy sentences
1) The boys enjoy it when Todd gets out his toys.
2) The boys will enjoy the toys.
oy passages
1) KING ROY
King Roy of Troy was a happy man. Roy did enjoy his toys. He had a royal toy box. It was full of fun toys.
A hungry goblin had a plan. The plan was to annoy King Roy and steal his toys.
Roy was smart. To keep his toys, Roy got that goblin a box of candy. The goblin ate it all. He got too full to annoy King Roy.
2) ROY AND TROY
Troy will play with the toys. To play with the toys is a joy for Troy.
Can Roy play with the toys, too? Will Roy annoy Troy if he plays with the toys?
Can the boys play in a happy way? Can the boys enjoy the toys?
Troy and Roy agree to split the toys.
Mommy says, “Enjoy the toys boys!”
wr sentences
1) I wreck the party when I wrap the wrong gift, a pink doll, for Bob.
2) He must wrap the wrist after the wreck.
wr passages
1) MITCH'S WRIST
Mitch bumps his wrist. His wrist turns dark. He visits a doctor.
A doctor sees the bump. He wraps Mitch’s wrist in a splint.
The doctor tells Mitch, “Wait a week. Then there will be nothing wrong with your wrist.”
2) RICK AND BUZZ
“Buzz! Buzz!” Rick will call to his horse, Buzz. Rick will sit on Buzz. With a snort, Buzz will run. Buzz will run the wrong way. Rick will wrap his body around Buzz.
“Stop! Buzz, stop!” Rick will say. Buzz will see Mommy with a carrot. Buzz will stop for a carrot snack.
Rick and Buzz will not wreck.
au sentences
1) Pam applauds Mick for seeing that the haunted house is a fraud.
2) In August, the class will applaud the astronaut.
au passages
1) LEE'S AUTO
Tom travels the road in his cool auto. He travels far from his house. The auto steams. There is a funny sound. The auto stops. Lee sees the steam.
“I can help,” he tells Tom.
Lee helps Tom fix the auto. Tom applauds Lee’s help. Tom is glad the auto runs again.
2) JACK, THE ASTRONAUT
In August, the class will send a letter. They will mail it to Jack, the astronaut.
“Spend the day with us,” it will say. “Talk to us about the moon.”
Jack will get the letter. He will be happy. Jack the astronaut will talk to the class. Jack will haul moon rock to the class. He will sing a funny song about the moon.
They will applaud the astronaut.
aw sentences
1) The dog licks his paw, then sprawls on the grass with a yawn.
2) The fawn will yawn at dawn.
aw passages
1)CLEVER HAWK
The hawk sees a mouse that is stranded in a ditch. The hawk swoops in to help the mouse. The mouse ducks under a rock.
"Let me help you," says the hawk. "I am afraid of your claws," says the mouse.
The hawk grins. "Do not be afraid," he says. "See? My claws are dull."
The hawk gets the mouse and puts him on the road.
2) DAWN IN THE GARDEN
What will happen at dawn in the garden?
A cat will put a paw print in the dirt.
A fawn will eat a carrot. Then the fawn will leap across the lawn.
A hawk will sit in the tree.
A bunny will eat a strawberry plant. At dawn in the garden, the sun will greet the day.
al sentences
1) I can almost see over the tall wall when I stand up.
2) Do not play kickball in the hall.
al passages
1)SMALL MONSTER
Ned sees a funny monster at the mall. The monster is bald and thin. He is not all that tall.
The monster calls to Ned, “Play with me, small boy.”
Ned skips over to the monster. “I am not small,” he says. “I am taller than you.”
“Yes you are,” says the monster. “Shall we play pinball?”
2)FUN IN THE FALL
In the fall, there is a block party. A call is sent out.
No family will stay away. All will bring a picnic. All will bring a blanket. Almost all will bring a ball.
After the picnic, the fun will start.
Will it be basketball or softball? Who will pitch?
Will there be a coin toss? Will there be popcorn?
It will be fun for all.
igh sentences
1) I had a fright last night in the haunted house on the high hill.
2) The stoplight was bright at night.
igh passages
1) BING THE PARROT
Bing the parrot is a delight. His tail is bright green. His beak is red. Bing can sing and say the alphabet.
“What a smart bird,” says Pam. “Will you sing at night?”
Bing jumps to Pam’s arm, and he says, “I might!”
2) DELIGHT AT NIGHT
Can you see a star at night? If you do, it is a delight.
A star is a light high in the night. Might you see the moon tonight? If you do, it may be bright.
A full moon will bring a lot of light. A star and the moon are a neat sight. They are a bright delight at night.
VCE -ace sentences
1) Soon we will eat the fresh cake from the bake sale.
2) The man in the red cape had a cane.
3) Tape the rag to the stick. It will make a flag.
4) The big cat with the mane was as tame as a kitten.
5) Hang the dress in the shade. The sun will make it fade.
6) The ant sat on the blade of grass. He made up a song.
7) If you help bake the cake, I will put it on a plate.
8) At this rate, we will win the game.
9) I will tell you the dog's name. He will be tame for you.
10)Is it safe to take candy from that ugly plate?
11)We can make a tent in the shade.
VCE -ace passages
1) DON'T HATE THE HAT!
Do you hate to put a hat on? Hats can be ugly. Hats can get lost. But hats can be fun, as well.
A top hat is splendid with a cape.
And a silly hat is fun on a dull trip.
You can get a cap with a big bill for ball games.
Do not hate the hat--just get one that is fun!
2) DON'T SWIM. WADE!
If you are at the lake and you cannot swim, you can still have fun. You can wade! You will not get as wet.
Stand in the sand. The lake will lap at bare legs.
Travel along the rim. Pick up rocks. You can skip the rocks that are flat.
Then travel back to the spot you came in.
It is fun to wade.
3) WHAT'S IN THE ATTIC?
The attic is a place to put stuff. It can be hot.
There can be dust on the things up there. But things are safe in the attic. They will not get damp.
If the things are in boxes, dust will not get on them.
Do you have an attic? What is up there? A lamp shade? A cane? Or just boxes and dust?
4) THE CAT'S CAKE
A cat and a rat are in the same place. The rat is fat. But not as fat as the cat!
The rat is hidden. He is hungry, as well.
Is the cat tame? The cat licks his plate.
The rat is hungry. He steps up to the plate.
The cat sniffs the rat. "Have this cake," the cat tells him.
5) THE CAT AND THE DRAPES
"Are the drapes safe from the cat? Cats rip drapes," said Fran.
They were the best drapes she had. They were red, with lace on the ends.
Zack said, "The drapes are safe. The cat is tame."
Fran trusted Zack. They had a date. She went to the lake with him.
The cat did not rip the drapes. But it bit the shade!
VCE -ice sentences
1) The pig was wide, and he did not hide well.
2) Bob had a fine time with Ann at the picnic.
3) That dime is mine, but you can have it.
4) Gram's lime candy wins the big prize at the contest.
5) There is not time to drink nine cups of milk.
6) The vine will rise up from the grass.
7) Nine tribes have hunted on this hill at one time.
8) The bees thrive in the best hive.
9) It is not wise to dine on candy.
VCE -ice passages
1) ARE ROCKS ALIVE?
Are rocks alive? You can find rocks in the grass, and in the sand.
Are there legs on a rock? Tap the rock. It cannot run.
A rock will not drink.
Step on a rock--it will not mind. It will not yell or be upset.
Put nine big rocks in a pile. Sit with the pile. It is still.
The rocks are not alive.
2) WIDE STUFF
Wide stuff is big, but just from side to side.
A wide truck must drive in a wide spot.
A wide man puts on wide pants. A wide pig must have a wide pen.
A wide pond can have a lot of fun spots to swim.
What if I have a wide grin? Then you must be funny!
What else is wide?
3) RAT'S CANDY PLAN
The wise rat had a plan. He was hungry. He got the big dog.
The rat said, "What do you think of candy?"
"Yum," said the big dog. "It's fine!"
The rat said, "There is a box of candy by the bed!"
The dog went to the box. He got the lid off.
There was the candy. The dog ran off with a bit of candy.
With the lid off, the rat can get to the rest of the pile!
4) FIVE RED FOX KITS
Five red fox kits sat in the den.
"We will have a contest," said the big one. "Run as fast as you can. Run and hide."
The fox kits ran. They ran up the side of a hill. They hid by a wide log. The big fox kit grinned.
He was by himself. The den was a fine spot for one fox kit to rest!
5) THE FAST VINE
There is a pile of cut grass. Bob puts his hand on it.
The grass pile is odd. There is a lump in it.
Bob yells, "I think it is alive!"
A vine rises up from the grass. It gets big fast.
Bob grabs the vine. The vine zips up and up!
Bob is on a fun ride. He grins. What a fine time for Bob!
VCE -o/uce sentences
1)The dog dug a hole for his bone with his nose.
2)The mule went to the huge pond to drink.
3)Hank had a nap with his cat. He woke up alone.
4)Jeff fell on the gas hose. He broke the stove.
5)Doris put a yoke on the ox. She rode him to the hill.
6)If you sit there alone, you can doze off.
7)You can hear the flute in that tune.
8)I will put on a cute hat and sing a tune for you.
9)Lure the mule to us with a carrot.
10)The angry duke was rude to the king.
VCE -o/uce passages
1) RON'S LOG
Camp was dull. Ron went by the pond.
There was a log. There was a rope.
Ron said, "What can I do with that?"
Ron put the rope on the log. He sat on the log. He rode it as if it was a colt!
He hung on to the rope and rode, and rode. The sun set.
Ron was alone.
There was smoke. He ran back to camp.
The grill was on! Ron was glad.
Dad said, "I hope you are hungry!"
2) JEN BROKE HER LEG
There is a cast on Jen's leg.
Gus pokes it. He asks, "What is that?"
Jen tells him, "It is a cast. I broke my leg."
Gus asks her, "You broke it? It is still one big leg, not bits of leg."
Jen yells, "Do not be a dope. I broke the bone in the leg. It will mend in the cast."
2) GET AN ADULT!
If you are alone, do not mess with the stove. The stove gets hot.
The pots on top get hot. Let an adult do the job.
Do not mess with the hose if you are alone. Let an adult help you with it.
Do not swim if you are alone. An adult must be there, as well.
Adults will help you with this stuff.
Just ask.
3) PULL, OX! PULL, MULE!
Animals can help us pull. If you put a yoke on an ox or a mule, it can pull a wagon.
The yoke fits on the animal's neck.
There is a pole on the yoke.
A rope is on the end of the pole.
We fasten the rope to the wagon the animals will pull.
Pull, ox! Pull, mule!
Animals do lots of jobs.
4) MOLE HOLE
The home of a mole is in a hole.
The mole digs the hole. It digs and digs.
The hole sits upon a hill--a mole hill!
Moles have strong noses. A mole scans the hole with its nose. It can sniff for grubs.
Moles snack on grubs. There are plenty of grubs in the land. They are dandy snacks for moles.
VCE -all vce + combination words sentences
1) Kirk plays the game to win a huge prize.
2) Make a note of the date and time you must see the doctor.
3) I saw Jay slide to home base in the ball game.
4) Take the pole to the lake and catch a fish.
5) Carmen sleeps in the same bed as her five cats.
6) Hold on to the horse's mane and point his nose at the gate.
7) Joan woke up and ate a big candy cane.
8) Troy will hide the prize in the hole.
9) If Chuck sleeps over, will you snore and wake him?
10) Rake the cut grass and make a pile.
11) Kirk drove a toy car for a mile.
12) Chad chose to drink milk with his cake
13) The wise man told a tale of an old throne.
14) I dare you to play a joke on Carmen.
15) Clean the mud from the tile with the hose.
16) The rose he gave her was as pale as cream.
17) Lee put a robe over his bare back.
18) The bird will hide in the tree to stay safe.
19) The red tube of paint was on sale for a dime.
VCE -all vce + combination words passages
1) JELLYFISH ARE NOT JELLY
A Jellyfish is not made of jelly! It is an animal of the sea.
It can be round. It can be the shape of a bell.
It has lots of arms that hang from its body like ribbons.
Jellyfish are hard to see.
If you wade in the sea, stay away from them. They can sting you!
If you see a still jellyfish on the shore, do not poke it. It can sting you from there.
2) CLARK'S TUNE
Clark plays a flute. He makes up a tune. The tune is fine.
It drifts far. Is the tune loud?
It lures Clark's granddad from his room.
Granddad holds his drum! Granddad drums along.
Clark and Granddad carry the tune.
Granddad says, "You woke us up. But I do not care. I like to drum!"
They play on and on, and never a sour note!
3) PUT THINGS AWAY!
Bob's home is a mess. If he can put things away, his home will be neat.
Can Bob store things? He can if there is an attic on his home.
If there is not an attic, Bob can store things in his closet.
His things will be safe there.
Bob can store small things under his bed, as well.
Bob did put things away. He made his home neat.
4) SLOAN'S BEES
Sloan keeps bees. The bees are in a hive.
Sloan made the hive. The hive is made of screens on frames.
There is a queen bee in the hive.
The other bees see the farm near the hive.
They visit the crops. They buzz from plant to plant.
Sloan will not rile up his bees. He will not get stung.
Sloan likes his bees!
5) LIMES CURE SCURVY
In the past, men got sick from sailing far on a ship.
They were pale. They felt bad. What made them sick?
A doctor saw the problem. They just ate meat and grain.
But, they needed all sorts of food.
They started to take limes on the ship.
Limes were the cure! They ate limes all the time.
Then they did not get sick.
6) TADPOLE TO FROG
Frogs are called tadpoles when they just hatch. They seem nothing like adult frogs!
They are like eels.
A tadpole makes its home in a lake or pond. It will eat small plants.
Tadpoles swim. They can't jump. They do not have legs.
Tadpoles form legs as they get big. Then they can hop from the lake to the land.
They are adult frogs, and they can eat bugs!
7) THE CRATE IN THE LAKE
Fitch dove in the lake. He swam deep.
The lake was cold in the deep spots!
Fitch found an old crate. He got hold of the crate. He swam with it.
Up he swam. Fitch came up with a gasp.
He put the crate on the sand. The lid was stuck shut.
Fitch hit the lid with a pole. The lid broke.
There was a pile of old coins in the crate!
8) HARE'S PINE TREE
The hare sat under the pine tree. He saw more animals as they went by. They did not see him.
He sat all day, safe under his pine tree. Then the mouse saw him!
The mouse made a face.
The hare got a pinecone. He gave it a toss.
It went wide. It did not hit the mouse.
It hit the ground!
The mouse grinned.
9) BALD IS BEAUTIFUL
Kirk likes Joan. Bob likes Joan, as well. They like the same girl.
Kirk thinks Joan likes Bob more. He makes up a plan.
Kirk will get Bob to make himself ugly.
Kirk dares Bob to shave himself until there is nothing left.
Bob is game. He shaves himself bald.
Kirk calls Joan over.
Joan says, "Bob! You are cute when you are bald!"
10) BIG CURTIS
Curtis was one big dude. He ate as much food as nine children.
His pants were extra large. He was tall as well as wide.
The kids on the bus were afraid of Curtis.
He was never rude or mean. He was just big.
They did not wish to make him angry.
Curtis found a way to make the kids his pals. He told them lots of jokes!
VCE -all vce + decodable words sentences
1) Spruce up the place with a vase of roses.
2) The dust in his face made Jim's nose sore.
3) Rate the prizes from one to nine, with nine the best.
4) Pam will bake the lime cake that makes me smile.
5) Put the dome on the cake and it will be safe.
6) The rope broke on the kite, and it was lost.
7) Jack will vote for you if you bribe him with a cake.
8) If I am in bed alone, I do not care if I snore.
9) Kim went on a date with Ron. He gave her a rose.
10) The huge mule is safe to ride to the store.
VCE -all vce + decodable words passages
1) NATIVE AMERICAN CRAFTS
Native Americans made crafts.
They made crafts from grass. They made baskets and rope from grass.
They made crafts from hides. They made tents from hides. They wore hides as well.
They made crafts from horns. They had cups made from animal horns.
They made crafts from bones. They dug with bones to plant the crops.
Native Americans made fine crafts.
2) RATE IT!
If you like stuff or not, you can make a list.
Rate it! Put a score on it. Make a game of it.
Put a bad score on stuff you hate.
Put a huge score on stuff that is fine.
You can rate a cake.
You can rate a tale.
You can rate a game.
You can rate a tune.
Lots of stuff gets rated.
3) JILL TORE THE ROBE
Jill had her robe on. It hit a snag. The snag made a hole.
Jill said, “Rats! I tore the robe."
It was her best robe. It was red. It fit well. It was fine, wide and soft.
Jill hid the hole. She put lace on it.
Jill wore the robe.
"I like the lace," she said. "It is extra fine!"
4) LATE FOR THE LAKE
Bess ran. She had a date.
She said, "I am late! I hate to be late!"
She ran from her home. She ran up the hill. She ran and ran. It made her legs sore.
Bess got to the lake. She was alone.
Bess dove in. She swam. She came up, and there were her pals.
They said, "Are we late?"
5) BEST PET
Hank's class held a contest. It was for best pet.
There were dogs. There were cats. They were fine animals.
But Hank just had an ugly mule.
Hank said, "I will win this contest."
He put a rose in the mule's mane. He made a fine red cape for it.
The kids grinned as the mule came to the contest.
The mule got lots of votes.