By spelling pattern
ie/ei, silent letters, double consonants, -tion/-sion/-ssion, c/k/ck, ai/ay and oi/oy, and homophones in context.
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Teaching guide: how to run a prepared dictation
This free dictation worksheet generator offers original passages for each English spelling pattern and level. For every dictation you get a practice sheet (the passage with its key words in bold, fill-in and sorting exercises), a lined sheet for the dictation and the teacher’s text, ready to read aloud.
Original passages
Every passage is written for its pattern and level, about everyday situations, in British English.
Word practice first
Key words appear as fill-in-the-gap words and in a sorting table; homophones are practised in their sentences.
Dictation sheet
A word dictation, lines or 4 mm squares for the passage and a self-check box to count mistakes.
Teacher’s text
The passage with its key words highlighted, the word count, the list for the word dictation and the sorting answers.
Three levels
From short passages in Grade 2 to two-paragraph texts in middle school. Choose “Review” to mix every pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions about Prepared Dictation
What is a prepared dictation?
A dictation that pupils know in advance: they read the passage, practise the tricky words and, a few days later, write it from dictation. The aim is to learn spelling, not to catch pupils out.
How do I use the worksheets?
Hand out the practice sheet a few days before so pupils can study the passage and do the exercises. On the day, use the dictation sheet: read the key words first and then the passage from the teacher’s text.
Which grades are they for?
Grades 2 to 8: the starter level has 40-80 word passages and the advanced level passages of over a hundred words with less common vocabulary.
Can I leave the passage off the practice sheet?
Yes. In the wizard’s More options, untick “Passage to study on the practice sheet” and the word exercises become a challenge without the model.
Can I mix several patterns?
Yes. Choose “Review: all patterns” or add one dictation per pattern to the same worksheet. To practise single words, use the Spelling Worksheet Generator.
How do I print only the teacher’s text?
Click Print and choose “Answer key”: it holds the text the teacher reads aloud. “Worksheet and answer key” prints everything, and your browser’s print dialog can also save it as a PDF.
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Words to fill in with the right letters, choose between two spellings or sort into columns: ie/ei, silent letters, double consonants, -tion/-sion, c/k/ck and homophones.
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