School Improvement in Maryland

Sample Item
Selected Response Item for Grade 3

Standard 1.0 General Reading Processes

Topic B. Phonics
Students will apply their knowledge of letter/sound relationships and word structure to decode unfamiliar words.

Indicator 1. Use a variety of phonetic skills to read unfamiliar words

Objective a. Apply phonics skills

Assessment limits:

  • Hard and soft consonants
  • Initial consonant blends (2 letters)
  • Open and closed syllables
  • Digraphs

In which word do the letters sm have the same sound as they do in the word smart?

Smart

  1. stem
  2. stump
  3. smell

Correct Answer
C. smell
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