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Year 4 English — Alphabetical order

Put words in dictionary order, using the second letter when the first letters are the same.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.When two words begin with the same letter, what do you look at next?

    • a) the last letter of each word
    • b) the length of each word
    • c) the second letter of each word
    • d) the meaning of each word

  2. 2.Which comes first in a dictionary, "grass" or "gate"? Write that word.

  3. 3.Which of these words would come first in a dictionary?

    • a) city
    • b) crow
    • c) cloud
    • d) cake

  4. 4.Sort each pair by which letter decides the order of the two words.

    Groups: The first letter decides · The second letter decides

    • cat and cup
    • sun and sea
    • tree and tap
    • tree and bell
    • sun and moon
    • cat and dog

  5. 5.A dictionary page has the guide words "lamp" and "leaf" at the top. Which word is on that page?

    • a) lead
    • b) lemon
    • c) ladder
    • d) lion

  6. 6.Which letter comes straight after q in the alphabet?

    • a) s
    • b) o
    • c) r
    • d) p

  7. 7.Sort each word by whether it comes before or after "milk" in a dictionary.

    Groups: Before milk · After milk

    • mud
    • melon
    • map
    • mind
    • moon
    • match

  8. 8.Which comes first in a dictionary, "table" or "tap"? Write that word.

Answer key — Year 4 English — Alphabetical order

  1. 1. c) the second letter of each word
  2. 2. gate
  3. 3. d) cake
  4. 4. cat and dog → The first letter decides; cat and cup → The second letter decides; sun and moon → The first letter decides; sun and sea → The second letter decides; tree and bell → The first letter decides; tree and tap → The second letter decides
  5. 5. a) lead
  6. 6. c) r
  7. 7. match → Before milk; moon → After milk; melon → Before milk; mud → After milk; map → Before milk; mind → After milk
  8. 8. table