Reading Short Sentences with Expression
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Learning Objectives
- 1Use punctuation marks as cues for how to read a sentence with the correct expression
- 2Match the emotional tone of a sentence to the correct reading voice
- 3Read short sentences aloud with appropriate expression, pace, and volume
Mini Lesson
You have now learned to decode words — blend sounds, read digraphs, blends, silent-e words, and sight words. The next step is to make your reading come alive! Good readers do not read every sentence in the same flat voice. They let the words and punctuation tell them how to sound.
Punctuation mark at the end
- Period (.) — calm, steady voice. End of a thought.
- Question mark (?) — your voice goes UP at the end. You are asking something.
- Exclamation mark (!) — loud, excited, surprised, or strong. Big feeling!
Word clues in the sentence
- Words like help, stop, no, run, fire → read with urgency!
- Words like quietly, slowly, softly, please → read gently.
- Words like sad, lost, alone, cried → read with a softer, quieter voice.
Who is speaking
- A character who is scared speaks differently from one who is happy.
- Think about how the character feels, then use that voice.
Ask yourself: "What is the punctuation? What feeling do the words show? Now read it with THAT voice!"
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