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Ten red hens sit.
Stage 2 phonics · Free
Ten Red Hens
Meet the short E sound. A 8-page decodable story focusing on Short E · c e h r m d.
Stage 2DecodableRead together
Begin the story
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A hen naps in the pen.
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Nan had a red net.
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Nan met ten hens.
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Ten hens ran and ran!
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The hens hid in the pen.
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Nan sat. Nan is sad.
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Ten red hens sit! Nan can nap.
The end · Brilliant reading
For grown-ups
Stage 2 adds c, e, h, r, m and d to the Stage 1 sounds. Every word here can be sounded out except a, is and the, which are worth reading for your child the first time. Hens and naps add an s to the end of a known word — say the base word first, then add the ending. Listen for the short E in ten, red, hen, pen, net and met: it is the sound children most often confuse with short A.
SnackPack ABC & Alphabet continues with letter activities, read-together stories and more early phonics practice.