Dictation sentences — Years 1 and 2 (all Appendix 1 rules)

Year groups: 1 and 2
Source: DfE, English Appendix 1: Spelling (2013)
Purpose: Ready-to-use teacher dictation for Y1 and Y2 rules. Sentences are kept short and at an appropriate reading level.

Year 1 sentences

Set Y1-1: Double letters (-ff, -ll, -ss, -zz, -ck)

She sat on the cliff and could tell the buzz was getting louder.
Fill your glass at the well at the back of the hall.
The duck gave a kick and fell off the dock with a splash.
Check the lock and make sure the bell is on the wall.
The fuzz on the grass was still full of dew at dawn.
The black cat sat on the brick wall and gave a loud hiss.
She gave a stiff wave from the top of the cliff as the clock struck six.
Miss Fox put the jazz record on and all the children began to clap.
The flock of birds fell in a rush over the back of the hill.
Pack your bag and check the bell has been fixed before you lock up.

Set Y1-2: Split digraph (magic e)

She flew her kite from the cape in the bright summer sunshine.
He had a huge piece of cake and made a wish as he ate.
The pine tree cast a wide shadow across the quiet lane.
Time and tide wait for no one, as the old saying goes.
She had hope that the note would arrive by nine o'clock.
He sat under the shady pine and began to write a long note.
The kite was made of pale blue tape and flew very high.
She wore a white cape and rode her bike along the lane.
The tune was nice and the whole class began to smile.
Time to go — grab your bike, your cape, and your bag from inside.

Set Y1-3: un- prefix and exception words

My friend was at school today and said she loves our class.
He went to the house but no one was there.
She was unhappy when she found the door unlocked and the room untidy.
Here is your book — put it where it was before.
They come once a week and do some good work for us.
It was unfair to undo all the hard work they had done.
We said it was unusual — no one had seen one before.
The whole school was asked to be kind and not be unkind.
She was unable to find her friend — she looked everywhere.
Who said it was safe to push the full trolley past the door?

Year 2 sentences

Set Y2-1: The /dʒ/ sound (-ge and -dge)

She wore her badge across the bridge to reach the other edge of the park.
The judge had to dodge the crowd as he walked across the stage.
It was a huge change — they moved from a small lodge to a grand building.
He had to nudge the gate, which was stuck at a strange angle.
The hedge at the edge of the garden needed cutting back before the change of season.
The fudge was kept on the ledge near the large window.
She had the courage to judge the situation from the edge of the stage.
A strange bridge of aged stone crossed the ridge above the valley.
The badge slipped off the ledge and landed in the fudge.
He had to dodge the huge crowd to edge his way to the judge.

Set Y2-2: Soft c, kn-, gn-, wr-

She had the knack of tying a knot without looking at her wrist.
He chose to write about what was wrong with the plan.
The gnat flew in a circle near the edge of the city park.
The knight used his knife to kneel and carve his mark in the stone.
She had to wrestle with the wrapping to open the box without causing a wreck.
The pencil rolled off the desk and landed near the cycle rack outside.
She knew that to write neatly she had to sit in the right position.
The gnome sat on the fence between the cycle path and the city garden.
He had a knack for spotting what was wrong before anyone else noticed.
The knight wrapped his sword in cloth and placed it at the centre of the room.

Set Y2-3: -le, -el, -al, -il

The camel crossed the natural landscape and found little shelter.
She packed a pencil and a novel into the barrel for the trip.
The hospital had a central tunnel that connected the two buildings.
She turned the pedal on the metal frame with a simple flick.
The squirrel hid its total supply of nuts inside the circle of trees.
The fossil was found near the capital — a simple but incredible discovery.
She read the novel under the apple tree while the camel grazed nearby.
The hospital used a special metal tunnel for the central heating pipes.
He held the fossil up to the little window and studied it with great care.
Natural nostril breathing is a simple habit that becomes possible with practice.

Set Y2-4: Suffix rules (doubling, drop-e, y to i)

She was running and swimming all morning, and felt happier than ever.
Carrying the heavier box was easier than she had expected.
He was smiling as he tried and tried again until he succeeded.
The busiest part of planning was making sure everyone was informed.
It was nicely wrapped and tidily placed on the table.
She was hopping with excitement — copying the biggest dancer in the room.
The sitting duck flopped lazily while the dog kept running in circles.
She was skipping and clapping — the happiest girl in the whole village.
Dropping the bottle was a bigger problem than she had hoped for.
The flattest road was the safest for cycling — she had been testing this for weeks.

Set Y2-5: Suffixes -ment, -ness, -ful, -less, -ly

With careful movement, she placed the glass on the table gently.
The darkness and silence created a feeling of sadness.
Her kindness was a source of great enjoyment for everyone around her.
The hopeless situation brought disappointment and a sense of helplessness.
He walked slowly and thoughtfully, grateful for the wonderful calmness of the morning.
Her softness of voice gave the management team a sense of calmness.
The treatment was painless — she felt nothing and quickly asked if it was over.
He gently placed the beautiful bowl on the wooden shelf with great carefulness.
The improvement was endless — every day brought something new and worthwhile.
She loudly declared that the darkness was hopeless — then quietly found a torch.

Set Y2-6: Contractions and possessive apostrophe

I'm sure it's going to rain — I've checked the forecast twice already.
Don't forget that's the teacher's book on the desk — leave it where it is.
She'll bring James's bag back when she's finished with her work.
We're not sure where the dog's lead is — it's been missing since Monday.
They're the best at this — we've never seen anyone do it quite so well.
The cat's bowl was empty — it's been there all morning and nobody noticed.
Who's taken the child's coat? I've been looking everywhere and can't find it.
He's not sure whether it's his or Jake's — they look the same.
She'll need the teacher's permission before she's allowed to leave the room.
We're going to the school's open day — don't forget it's on the first of next month.

Set Y2-7: Homophones and y = /aɪ/

There is a bee on the bare branch over there — can you hear it?
They're going to their house by the sea for two weeks.
My son knew that the sun would dry the new towels quite quickly.
She won the race even though the night was dark and she couldn't see the path.
"Be quiet!" she said, and the room fell quite still — not a sound from one of them.
I can see the blue sea from here — and I can hear the waves too.
My new coat got wet — the blue dye ran and the whole thing had to be washed.
The knight tied a knot and set off into the dark night with great care.
The one new player won every game — nobody could believe what they had seen.
Here comes the sun — now we can dry the grass and let our bare feet out.

Source: DfE English Appendix 1: Spelling (2013). All sentences constructed using statutory words and patterns for Years 1–2.

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