1 Decodable Reading Passage
A short, decodable story embedding suffixes: -ous and -al words. Students read the passage then highlight all the target words.
Kate the squirrel was getting ready for the famous seasonal bake contest. The formal contest was held in the village's central hall every summer. Kate felt very nervous as she packed up her things. She had baked an enormous cake, and she really wanted to win the first prize.
The cake had a base of tropical fruit and thick cream. It was a bright visual treat for the eyes! But as Kate took the cake into the large hall, she tripped on a slick, wet spot on the floor. The enormous cake tipped right over. With a loud crack, it split down the middle.
"Oh no!" cried Kate, looking at the big mess. "My cake is crushed before the contest can even begin. This is a very bad day." A big tear slid down her face. She thought about tossing the cake in the trash and going home.
Jane saw the sad sight. Jane was wise and she always knew how to fix things. She trotted over to help her friend. "Do not throw it out just yet," Jane said with a kind smile. "We can give it a personal touch and make it much better."
Jane and Kate got to work right away. They did not try to hide the big crack in the cake. Instead, they used the split to make a gradual hill. Jane put various fresh berries and much more white cream on the top. "Now it looks just like a natural mountain of snow," said Jane.
The men who tested the food came to look. They did not see a typical round cake. They saw a magical mountain! The men tasted the sweet fruit and the rich cream. They were very happy with the natural shape and the good taste.
The main man smiled and struck a loud musical bell. "First prize goes to Kate and Jane!" he called out to the crowd. It was a joyous moment for the two best friends. The historical bake contest would be a sunny day they would always remember.
This story is part of Level 6. Get all 16 Level 6 illustrated mini-books in one print-ready file ($14) →
2 Word Sort
Cut out the word cards and sort them into the correct columns: -ous (full of / having) vs -al (relating to).
3 Phrasing Practice Cards
Practice reading these phrases for fluency. Cut out the cards and read them quickly and smoothly.
4 RAN Chart (Rapid Naming)
Read each word in the grid as quickly as you can. Time yourself and try to beat your best time!
5 Word Search
Find and circle the suffixes: -ous and -al words hidden in the grid. Words go across, down, and diagonally — a fun way to reinforce suffixes: -ous and -al word recognition.
📖 More Suffixes: -ous and -al Stories
A new decodable story with the same suffixes: -ous and -al sounds — each comes with its own set of worksheets.
