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Silent e Changes the Vowel is a free printable Grade 1 English worksheet on the a_e and i_e patterns against short vowels, aligned to Common Core standard RF.1.3. It prints 3 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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All 25 sets ask different questions.

Silent e Changes the Vowel

RF.1.3

NameDate

Sort each word into the right column.

1.Sort each word by its pattern: short a / a_e / i_e.

Sort: cane, line, jam, made, hat, kite

short aa_ei_e
2.Sort each word by its pattern: short a / a_e / i_e.

Sort: gate, wag, smile, late, kite, ran

short aa_ei_e
3.Sort each word by its pattern: short a / a_e / i_e.

Sort: bike, sad, late, ran, name, smile

short aa_ei_e

LessonPrint · RF.1.3 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Silent e Changes the Vowel

Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.short a: jam, hat; a_e: cane, made; i_e: line, kite
  2. 2.short a: wag, ran; a_e: gate, late; i_e: smile, kite
  3. 3.short a: sad, ran; a_e: late, name; i_e: bike, smile

Questions about Silent e Changes the Vowel

What does the Silent e Changes the Vowel worksheet cover?

It practices the a_e and i_e patterns against short vowels — 3 questions for Grade 1, all on Common Core RF.1.3: Read words with long vowels, silent e, digraphs and common endings. The instruction to students is “Sort each word into the right column”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.

Which Common Core standard does Silent e Changes the Vowel practice?

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.3 — RF.1.3, under Reading: Foundational Skills for Grade 1. The published standard reads: “Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.” The worksheet assesses that standard rather than a paraphrase of it.

What age or grade is this worksheet for?

Silent e Changes the Vowel is written for Grade 1, typically ages 6-7. It is one of the sheets on RF.1.3, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.

Does Silent e Changes the Vowel come with an answer key?

Yes. All 3 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.

How many different versions of Silent e Changes the Vowel can I print?

25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.

Is Silent e Changes the Vowel free to print and photocopy?

Yes. Silent e Changes the Vowel, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.

Is there a lesson plan to teach RF.1.3?

Yes — “Silent e and Vowel Teams” is a 40-minute Grade 1 plan for RF.1.3, timed section by section, with the misconceptions to expect and an exit ticket. Silent e Changes the Vowel is the practice that follows it.

More practice for RF.1.3

Read words with long vowels, silent e, digraphs and common endings.

Teaching this next? Silent e and Vowel Teams is the 40-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.

All Grade 1 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to RF.1.3 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.