Pyramid sentences are a great way for students to practice fluency.

Fluency is the ability

for students to read words and sentences accurately, clearly, and with proper pacing.
Fluent readers don’t spend time decoding or pacing, they do those things so naturally they
group words together easily, working instead on comprehension. Less fluent readers read
word by word, and their reading sounds choppy and unnatural.

This year, I worked with a group of students who needed help with fluency, and I wanted
to create tools for them that were helpful, fun, and didn’t make them feel like they were in
the primary grades. This was one of many tools that I used as a quick way to assess
sentence pacing.

With pyramid sentences, students start with the first word and work their way down until
they’ve read a complete sentence. The repetition of words helps solidify them in the
student’s memory, making the reading of the complete sentence grow into something
more fluid and natural. This was a fun way to spend just a few minutes, and the students
seemed to grow in confidence as they mastered these!

The sentences have differing degrees of difficulty, with a combination of 6th grade words
that students should recognize (but perhaps not know how to pronounce) and others that
are typical sight words for upper elementary and middle school students.

This packet includes twenty sentences that you can print out on card stock and laminate.
Have students work with a partner. One is the reader and the other is the listener. When
the student reads the sentence correctly, it goes into the “Sentences I can Read” pile. If
they make a mistake, it goes in the “Sentences I Need to Practice” pile. This is a great
activity for a small group, partners, or for a reading center.

There is a Fluency Monitoring Sheet for the listener or his/her partner to fill out with all
20 sentences on it.

Mentoring in the Middle ©

 Sentences I
Can Read

Sentences I Need
to Practice

Mentoring in the Middle ©

 #1

They
They found
They found the
They found the puppies
They found the puppies in
The found the puppies in the
The found the puppies in the box
They found the puppies in the box behind
They found the puppies in the box behind the
They found the puppies in the box behind the school
They found the puppies in the box behind the school building.
Mentoring in the Middle ©

#2

Ayden
Ayden and
Ayden and Juan
Ayden and Juan tried
Ayden and Juan tried to
Ayden and Juan tried to move
Ayden and Juan tried to manipulate the
Ayden and Juan tried to manipulate the large
Ayden and Juan tried to manipulate the large box
Ayden and Juan tried to manipulate the large box around
Ayden and Juan tried to manipulate the large box around the
Ayden and Juan tried to manipulate the large box around the narrow
Ayden and Juan tried to manipulate the large box around the narrow stairwell.
Mentoring in the Middle ©
 #3

When
When Ivy
When Ivy walked
When Ivy walked outside,
When Ivy walked outside, she
When Ivy walked outside, she had
When Ivy walked outside, she had no
When Ivy walked outside, she had no idea
When Ivy walked outside, she had no idea about
When Ivy walked outside, she had no idea about the
When Ivy walked outside, she had no idea about the quest
When Ivy walked outside, she had no idea about the quest facing
When Ivy walked outside, she had no idea about the quest facing her.
Mentoring in the Middle ©

#4

That’s
That’s quite
That’s quite a
That’s quite a predicament
That’s quite a predicament you’ve
That’s quite a predicament you’ve gotten
That’s quite a predicament you’ve gotten yourself
That’s quite a predicament you’ve gotten yourself into,
That’s quite a predicament you’ve gotten yourself into, isn’t
That’s quite a predicament you’ve gotten yourself into, isn’t it?

Mentoring in the Middle ©

 #5

Landry’s
Landry’s favorite
Landry’s favorite genre
Landry’s favorite genre was
Landry’s favorite genre was historical
Landry’s favorite genre was historical fiction,
Landry’s favorite genre was historical fiction, so
Landry’s favorite genre was historical fiction, so he
Landry’s favorite genre was historical fiction, so he was
Landry’s favorite genre was historical fiction, so he was trying
Landry’s favorite genre was historical fiction, so he was trying fantasy
Landry’s favorite genre was historical fiction, so he was trying fantasy next.
Mentoring in the Middle ©

#6

There
There is
There is no
There is no reason
There is no reason to
There is no reason to abandon
There is no reason to abandon your
There is no reason to abandon your idea,
There is no reason to abandon your idea, it’s
There is no reason to abandon your idea, it’s a
There is no reason to abandon your idea, it’s a good
There is no reason to abandon your idea, it’s a good one.
Mentoring in the Middle ©
 #7

Abby
Abby was
Abby was excited
Abby was excited that
Abby was excited that she
Abby was excited that she won
Abby was excited that she won a
Abby was excited that she won a backstage
Abby was excited that she won a backstage pass
Abby was excited that she won a backstage pass to
Abby was excited that she won a backstage pass to meet
Abby was excited that she won a backstage pass to meet the
Abby was excited that she won a backstage pass to meet the singer.
Mentoring in the Middle ©

#8

It
It is
It is harder
It is harder to
It is harder to spread
It is harder to spread peanut
It is harder to spread peanut butter
It is harder to spread peanut butter and
It is harder to spread peanut butter and jelly
It is harder to spread peanut butter and jelly with
It is harder to spread peanut butter and jelly with a
It is harder to spread peanut butter and jelly with a spoon.
Mentoring in the Middle ©
 #9

His
His little
His little brother
His little brother wanted
His little brother wanted to
His little brother wanted to play
His little brother wanted to play Minecraft
His little brother wanted to play Minecraft, but
His little brother wanted to play Minecraft, but Tommy
His little brother wanted to play Minecraft, but Tommy had
His little brother wanted to play Minecraft, but Tommy had homework
His little brother wanted to play Minecraft, but Tommy had homework to
His little brother wanted to play Minecraft, but Tommy had homework to finish.
Mentoring in the Middle ©

#10

Piper
Piper was
Piper was fascinated
Piper was fascinated by
Piper was fascinated by the
Piper was fascinated by the movement
Piper was fascinated by the movement of
Piper was fascinated by the movement of planets
Piper was fascinated by the movement of planets around
Piper was fascinated by the movement of planets around the
Piper was fascinated by the movement of planets around the sun.
Mentoring in the Middle ©
 #11

Cara
Cara and
Cara and Jasmine
Cara and Jasmine asked
Cara and Jasmine asked if
Cara and Jasmine asked if they
Cara and Jasmine asked if they could
Cara and Jasmine asked if they could research
Cara and Jasmine asked if they could research Japanese
Cara and Jasmine asked if they could research Japanese culture.

Mentoring in the Middle ©

#12

The
The teacher
The teacher had
The teacher had to
The teacher had to improvise
The teacher had to improvise her
The teacher had to improvise her plans
The teacher had to improvise her plans because
The teacher had to improvise her plans because the
The teacher had to improvise her plans because the wi-fi
The teacher had to improvise her plans because the wi-fi wasn’t
The teacher had to improvise her plans because the wi-fi wasn’t working.
Mentoring in the Middle ©
 #13

I
I have
I have to
I have to compare
I have to compare these
I have to compare these things
I have to compare these things and
I have to compare these things and I
I have to compare these things and I don’t
I have to compare these things and I don’t know
I have to compare these things and I don’t know where
I have to compare these things and I don’t know where to
I have to compare these things and I don’t know where to start!
Mentoring in the Middle ©

#14

Maya
Maya has
Maya has such
Maya has such a
Maya has such a knack
Maya has such a knack for
Maya has such a knack for making
Maya has such a knack for making friends
Maya has such a knack for making friends easily.

Mentoring in the Middle ©

 #15

The
The region
The region was
The region was covered
The region was covered in
The region was covered in snow
The region was covered in snow so
The region was covered in snow so Daniel
The region was covered in snow so Daniel couldn’t
The region was covered in snow so Daniel couldn’t wait
The region was covered in snow so Daniel couldn’t wait to
The region was covered in snow so Daniel couldn’t wait to go
The region was covered in snow so Daniel couldn’t wait to go sledding.
Mentoring in the Middle ©

#16

Their
Their family
Their family planned
Their family planned to
Their family planned to go
Their family planned to go to
Their family planned to go to Europe
Their family planned to go to Europe at
Their family planned to go to Europe at the
Their family planned to go to Europe at the beginning
Their family planned to go to Europe at the beginning of
Their family planned to go to Europe at the beginning of summer.
Mentoring in the Middle ©
 #17

The
The insects
The insects invaded
The insects invaded the
The insects invaded the corn
The insects invaded the corn crop
The insects invaded the corn crop and
The insects invaded the corn crop and destroyed
The insects invaded the corn crop and destroyed what
The insects invaded the corn crop and destroyed what was
The insects invaded the corn crop and destroyed what was left.
Mentoring in the Middle ©

#18

The
The cook
The cook boiled
The cook boiled all
The cook boiled all the
The cook boiled all the chicken
The cook boiled all the chicken bones
The cook boiled all the chicken bones to
The cook boiled all the chicken bones to make
The cook boiled all the chicken bones to make a
The cook boiled all the chicken bones to make a delicious
The cook boiled all the chicken bones to make a delicious soup
The cook boiled all the chicken bones to make a delicious soup stock.

Mentoring in the Middle ©

 #19

Although
Although he
Although he disliked
Although he disliked getting
Although he disliked getting up
Although he disliked getting up early,
Although he disliked getting up early, it
Although he disliked getting up early, it felt
Although he disliked getting up early, it felt good
Although he disliked getting up early, it felt good to
Although he disliked getting up early, it felt good to exercise.
Mentoring in the Middle ©

#20

Dustin
Dustin gave
Dustin gave flowers
Dustin gave flowers to
Dustin gave flowers to his
Dustin gave flowers to his teacher
Dustin gave flowers to his teacher and
Dustin gave flowers to his teacher and she
Dustin gave flowers to his teacher and she thanked
Dustin gave flowers to his teacher and she thanked him
Dustin gave flowers to his teacher and she thanked him three
Dustin gave flowers to his teacher and she thanked him three times!
Mentoring in the Middle ©
 Name_______________________

Date______________ Mastery: ______/20

Date______________ Mastery: ______/20
Date______________ Mastery: ______/20

Mastery Card # Sentence

1. They found the puppies in the box behind the school building.
2. Ayden and Juan tried to move the large box around the narrow stairwell.
3. When Ivy walked outside, she had no idea about the quest facing her.
4. That’s quite a predicament you’ve gotten yourself into, isn’t it?
5. Landry’s favorite genre was historical fiction, so he was trying fantasy next.
6. There’s no reason to abandon your idea, it’s a good one.
7. Abby was excited that she won a backstage pass to meet the singer.
8. It is harder to spread peanut butter and jelly with a spoon.
9. His little brother wanted to play Minecraft, but Tommy had homework to finish.
10.Piper was fascinated by the movement of planets around the sun.
11.Cara and Jasmine asked if they could research Japanese culture.
12.The teacher had to improvise her plans because the wi-fi wasn’t working.
13.I have to compare these things and I don’t know where to start!
14.Maya has such a knack for making friends easily.
15.The region was covered in snow so Daniel couldn’t wait to go sledding.
16.Their family planned to go to Europe at the beginning of the summer.
17.The insects invaded the corn crop and destroyed what was left.
18.The cook boiled all the chicken bones to make a delicious soup stock.
19.Although he disliked getting up early, it felt good to exercise.
20.Dustin gave flowers to his teacher and she thanked him three times!
Mentoring in the Middle ©
 I am an English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher with
20 years of experience in 6th and 7th grades. My passion is
helping students learn about themselves and the world through
reading, so that they come to understand their role in making the
world a better place.
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