
Sorting Long e Sounds

Looking for an engaging way to help your students practise the long e vowel sound? At Smart Boarding School, we’ve created a free phonics worksheet that supports young learners as they explore the different ways to spell the long e sound—like in tree, these, eat, and even.
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Introducing the “Sorting Long E Words” worksheet—an easy-to-use, hands-on activity perfect for Grade 1 and Grade 2 students who are developing their phonics skills.
What’s Included in the Worksheet?
This printable worksheet includes:
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A list of 15 words with the long e sound.
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A sorting table where students organise the words based on spelling pattern.
Students will sort words into four categories:​
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“e” as in even
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“ee” as in tree
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“ea” as in eat
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“e_e” (split digraph) as in these
Why Focus on the Long E Sound?
The long e sound is found in many common words, but it can be spelled in a variety of ways. Teaching students these patterns helps them:
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Recognise and use common spelling rules
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Read fluently by identifying familiar sound patterns
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Build strong phonemic awareness for decoding and spelling
How to Use the Worksheet
Step 1 – Print and Prep: Provide your students with the worksheet and pencils, markers, or highlighters.
Step 2 – Read and Highlight: Go through the word list together, identifying the letters that make the long e sound in each word.
Step 3 – Sort the Words: Students place each word into the correct column on the sorting table.
Step 4 – Review and Reflect: Discuss the sorted words as a class. Notice how one sound can be written in different ways.
Extension Activities to Enrich Learning
Add an extra layer of learning with these optional ideas:
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Sentence Challenge: Write one sentence for each column using a word from that group.
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Word Hunt: Find more long e words in books or around the classroom.
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Word Art: Let students draw and decorate a word from each column.
Why Teachers and Parents Love This Worksheet
The “Sorting Long E Words” worksheet is:
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No-prep and easy to use straight away
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Ideal for phonics groups, literacy centres, or homework
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A great way to build confidence and independence in reading and writing
Download Your Free Worksheet Today!
Make phonics lessons fun and meaningful with this interactive long e sorting worksheet.
Click below to download your free printable and support your students as they grow into confident readers and spellers.
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At Smart Boarding School, we’re proud to offer free, high-quality resources that bring learning to life.


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