Mini Minds Hub · Free printable

Phonics Screening Retake Pack: Free Printable Quiz for Year 2

  • ForYear 2
  • StageKey Stage 1
  • CostFree
  • FormatPrintable PDF
Download free PDF Open and print

Phonics Screening Retake Pack is a free printable quiz for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Children choose the word with the right sound from three answers. It takes about 10 minutes, needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help, a stretch idea and the answers.

It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. It is a practice activity, not the official check, and it supports classroom learning rather than replacing it. Print both pages. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

For each question, children look at three words and choose the one with the sound they are asked about. The sounds include sh, ee, ai, ch, oo, ng, oa and th. Some questions ask where the sound sits in the word, such as at the end. Children say the sounds, blend them into a word and mark their choice. Reading aloud with an adult is part of the task, so listening matters as much as writing.

  • Which word starts with the sh sound?
  • Which word has the ee sound?
  • Which word has the ai sound?
  • Which word has the ch sound?
  • Which word has the oo sound as in moon?
  • Which word ends in the ng sound?
  • Which word has the oa sound?
  • Which word has the th sound?

Ways to build on this sheet

Sound hunt

Pick one sound from the sheet. Look through a favourite picture book together and point to every word where you can see those letters. Read each word aloud, slowly, then at normal speed.

Say it and stretch it

Choose a short word and say each sound in turn, holding it for a moment. Then run the sounds together to read the whole word. Take turns being the reader and the listener.

Real or made up

Write a few made up words using sounds from the sheet. Ask your child to sound them out. Made up words cannot be read from memory, so they show whether a child is really blending.

Sound card pairs

Write common sounds on small pieces of paper, two of each. Turn them face down and play pairs. Say the sound aloud every time a card is turned over.

Why practise phonics in Year 2?

Phonics teaches children how the letters they see match the sounds they hear. Some sounds are made by one letter. Others are made by two or more letters working together. Once children know these matches, they can sound out a word they have never met, then blend the sounds to read it. Regular, short practice helps these links become quick and automatic.

In England, children in Year 1 take a short phonics screening check. It includes real words and made up words. Children who do not meet the expected standard take the check again in Year 2. A practice quiz like this gives children a calm, low pressure way to revisit common sounds. It also lets adults notice which sounds still need more time.

Skills and curriculum link

  • Sound recognition
  • Word reading
  • Blending sounds
  • Careful listening
  • Choosing from options

This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.

Framework Subject or area Strand Year
National Curriculum (England) English Reading: word reading Year 2

What children will be able to do

  • I can sound out words with common sounds.
  • I can blend the sounds to read the whole word.
  • I can read real words and made up words.

Phonics ideas that help

  • Sounds and lettersLetters are what we see and sounds are what we hear. Some sounds need more than one letter to write them. Reading is easier when children look at the whole group of letters together.
  • BlendingBlending means saying each sound in order, then pushing them together to make a word. Doing it slowly at first helps. Speed comes with practice.
  • Say it aloudSaying words out loud helps children hear the sounds. Quiet reading in the head can come later, once the sounds feel secure.
  • Real and made up wordsMade up words are useful because they cannot be guessed from memory. If a child can sound one out, they are using phonics, not a picture clue.

Key words

  • SoundWhat you hear when you say part of a word out loud.
  • LetterA mark we write. Letters, or groups of letters, stand for sounds.
  • DigraphTwo letters that work together to make one sound.
  • BlendSay the sounds one after another, then join them to read the whole word.
  • Real wordA word that has a meaning, such as a word you would find in a book.
  • Made up wordA word that is not real. We sound it out to check we can read it.

How to use it

  1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
  2. Read each word aloud with your child. The sheet takes about 10 minutes.
  3. Work through it together the first time. Talk about each choice before your child marks an answer.
  4. Check against the notes and answers on page 2. Cover them until your child has finished.
  5. Come back to the sheet another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

If it feels too hard

Cover all but one word, so your child only has to read that word. Say each sound slowly, then say the whole word. Uncover the next word when they are ready. Take it one word at a time and praise careful sounding out.

To stretch confident children

Ask your child to blend each sound slowly, then say the whole word. Next, ask them to explain how they decided. Can they spot the letters that make the sound? Encourage them to read each word again at normal speed.

Make it a game

Make your own word with the same sound. Take turns. One player says a sound from the sheet, and the other thinks of a word that has it. Real or made up words both count. Score a point for each one.

Mistakes to watch for

Watch forA child guesses from the first letter and does not read the rest of the word.

Try thisCover the word and slide the card along, so they sound out each part from left to right before choosing.

Watch forA child says letter names instead of the sounds the letters make.

Try thisSay the sound first and ask them to copy it. Keep sounds short and clear, and avoid adding extra noises on the end.

Watch forA child reads a two letter sound as two separate sounds.

Try thisPoint to the pair of letters together. Say that they work as a team and make one sound, then try the word again.

Talk about it

  • Which sounds did you hear in this word?
  • How did you work out the word you did not know?
  • Can you think of another word with the same sound?
  • Which word was the trickiest, and why?
  • Can you hear where the sound is in the word, at the start or at the end?
  • What do you do when you meet a word you have not seen before?

Take it off the page

Sound hunt around the home

Choose one sound. Walk around the house and look for labels, packets or books with words that have it. Read each one aloud together.

Chalk word path

Write simple words in chalk on a path or in the playground. Your child hops from word to word, sounding out each one before they land.

Sound sorting

Write a few words on separate scraps of paper. Ask your child to sort them into piles by the sound they can hear. Read each pile aloud at the end.

Who it is for

Parents

Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Read each word aloud together and keep it relaxed. Ten minutes is enough. Praise careful sounding out, and keep page 2 covered until your child has finished.

Teachers

Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups. Listen to children read aloud to see which sounds need more work.

Home educators

Print it as part of a wider phonics plan. It pairs well with books, outdoor play and everyday talk. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or return to it a few weeks later as revision.

Where this fits in phonics learning

Before this sheet, children learn letter sounds and how to blend them into short words. In Year 1 they meet sounds made by more than one letter and practise reading both real and made up words. Confident sounding out is the base for this quiz.

After this sheet, children read longer words and use their phonics to help with spelling. They also begin to read with more fluency and expression. You might follow it with Segmenting Words Boxes or Alliteration Animal Names, which also practise listening for sounds.

Check it worked

Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.

  1. Which sounds did you notice in this word?
  2. How do you read a word you have not seen before?
  3. Can you think of another word with the same sound?

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Phonics Screening Retake Pack for?

It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. It suits children who are still building confidence with common sounds. Older or younger children can try it too, with adult support.

Is this the official phonics screening check?

No. It is a practice quiz that helps children read words with common sounds. It is not the official check and does not replace classroom teaching. Use it alongside the phonics your child's school teaches.

How long does it take?

It takes about 10 minutes. Some children may want longer to talk about each choice, and that is fine. Short sessions work better than long ones, so stop when your child needs a break.

What if it feels too hard?

Cover all but one word, so your child reads one word at a time. Sound it out slowly, then say the whole word. Come back to the sheet another day. Page 2 has more help for the grown up.

Is it free, and do I need colour printing?

Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. No, you do not need colour. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, so it costs very little to use again.

Can teachers use it in class?

Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Please check it against your own school plan before use.

Can I use it for home education?

Yes. Home educators and tutors can use it on its own or as part of a wider phonics plan. It is a screen free printable that needs only paper and a pencil, and you can print it again for revision.

More like this

Preview the full PDF

Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.

Download free PDF