Read with an adult. Take your time. You can say, point, draw or write your answer.
1 Let's look together
Listen to these. The first e and the final e work together to write its long vowel sound. Another letter is between them.
Look at theme. Here too, e and the final e write the vowel sound. Keep the th together when you blend. Your adult will model the words first.
th + e–e + s → theseth + e–e + m → theme
Look, point and talk with your adult.
2 Watch how I do it
I point to the two e letters in these. My adult models th at the start and the z sound written by s at the end. I blend and read these. I say, 'These are my pens.'
3 Your turn
Which two letters work together for the vowel sound in theme?
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Let's check together
The first e and the final e. Theme means the main idea or subject, such as animals for a class display.
4 Try it away from the page
Say 'these pens' and 'these cups' with your adult. Then read theme together and choose a theme for a drawing.
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Adult notes · prerequisites, safety and coverage
Th in these and theme differs (voiced/unvoiced); model both accurately. E–e is less common, so do not force unfamiliar long words into independent practice. An adult may read the longer worksheet examples and explain their meaning; use them only once other correspondences are taught.
Read instructions aloud. Word-reading practice must match the child's taught sounds. The phonics pages support, but do not replace, the school's systematic synthetic phonics programme. Shared stories are adult-read unless the child can decode them. Re-read and practise daily.
Connect taught sounds and spellings for decoding.
Blend and reread words matched to taught sound-spelling knowledge.
Practise Year 1 spelling patterns, prefixes and endings.