Grade 2 · lesson 4 of 4

Choose a meaningful phrase pause

Find the time phrase before the main action. Read that group together, pause briefly and read the main clause.

About 15 minutes, plus any extended practice

Supplied materials

Paper and pencil, or a browser text area. All named people/events/records are fictional learning inputs.
Worked case: Prefix word: reread. Suffix word: teacher. Contraction: don’t. Sentence: After lunch, we read.
Primary check: Prefix word: unkind. Suffix word: hopeful. Contraction: I’m. Sentence: We read a book.
An adult may read every direction and answer choice aloud; learners may respond by speaking, pointing or drawing.

Learn the idea

Fluent reading groups words by meaning. A short pause after an introductory time phrase can help a listener, while chopping between every word disrupts the idea.

Find the time phrase before the main action. Read that group together, pause briefly and read the main clause.

Example to read or listen to: Prefix word: reread. Suffix word: teacher. Contraction: don’t. Sentence: After lunch, we read. The answer is after the introductory time phrase. The relevant input states: Sentence: After lunch, we read. This fits after the introductory time phrase. Fluent reading groups words by meaning. A short pause after an introductory time phrase can help a listener, while chopping between every word disrupts the idea. A pause is not a reason to omit the next word.

Read or listen to the worked example. Say what the reading or writing task asks you to find. An adult can help with unfamiliar words.
Find the time phrase before the main action. Read that group together, pause briefly and read the main clause.
Check the worked solution: after the introductory time phrase. The relevant input states: Sentence: After lunch, we read. This fits after the introductory time phrase. Fluent reading groups words by meaning. A short pause after an introductory time phrase can help a listener, while chopping between every word disrupts the idea. A pause is not a reason to omit the next word.
Try the question and the practice questions. Point to the words that helped you choose before checking the feedback.

Worked example

See the method in action

Prefix word: reread. Suffix word: teacher. Contraction: don’t. Sentence: After lunch, we read. Solved: after the introductory time phrase. The relevant input states: Sentence: After lunch, we read. This fits after the introductory time phrase. Fluent reading groups words by meaning. A short pause after an introductory time phrase can help a listener, while chopping between every word disrupts the idea. A pause is not a reason to omit the next word. Find the time phrase before the main action. Read that group together, pause briefly and read the main clause.

Your turn

Check your reasoning

Your answer is temporary and is not saved to an account. Download your current answer before leaving or reloading. Written work on paper or in another app stays in your own file.

Helpful tips

After lunch is one phrase.
A pause is not a reason to omit the next word.

See the answer and explanation

at the end only: no introductory phrase

The relevant input states: Sentence: We read a book. This fits at the end only: no introductory phrase. Fluent reading groups words by meaning. A short pause after an introductory time phrase can help a listener, while chopping between every word disrupts the idea. A pause is not a reason to omit the next word.

Take it further

Optional extra practice: Decode and expand: Before lunch, we’re rereading a helpful note. Explain before, we are, read again and full of help. Read the sentence in two meaningful phrases without skipping any words. Practice this lesson’s skill as you complete the task. Use this idea to check your work: Fluent reading groups words by meaning. A short pause after an introductory time phrase can help a listener, while chopping between every word disrupts the idea.

Nothing here is saved to an account or sent to a teacher. The answer download includes your current choice and any checked feedback. It does not include choices from the separate More practice section. Download that section separately.

More practice: try new cases

Choose an answer for each problem. Explain your method on paper, then use the feedback to decide what to revisit.

1. Prefix word: preheat. Suffix word: fearless. Contraction: we’re. Sentence: Before dinner, we tidy. Where should a brief reading pause occur in the supplied sentence?after the first letterbetween every wordafter the introductory time phraseat the end only: no introductory phrase

Need a hint?

After lunch is one phrase.
A pause is not a reason to omit the next word.

2. Prefix word: misread. Suffix word: slowly. Contraction: can’t. Sentence: At sunset, we rest. Where should a brief reading pause occur in the supplied sentence?between every wordafter the introductory time phraseat the end only: no introductory phraseafter the first letter

Need a hint?

After lunch is one phrase.
A pause is not a reason to omit the next word.

3. Prefix word: replay. Suffix word: helpful. Contraction: we’re. Sentence: We replay the game. Where should a brief reading pause occur in the supplied sentence?after the first letterbetween every wordafter the introductory time phraseat the end only: no introductory phrase

Need a hint?

After lunch is one phrase.
A pause is not a reason to omit the next word.

Your choices are temporary. Feedback appears after you check all the answers.

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