Here are free Primary 1 English Language first term exam questions and answers for teachers, parents and pupils. The questions follow the NERDC first term scheme of work, and the answers are at the bottom of this page.

Use the paper for revision at home, a class test or your end-of-term examination. You may copy it for your own class.

Primary 1 English Language First Term Examination

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes  |  Total: 60 marks

Section A: Objective Questions (20 marks)

Choose the correct answer from the options A to D. Each question carries ½ mark.

1. The letter “c” in “cat” makes the sound ____.

(A) /s/    (B) /t/    (C) /m/    (D) /k/

2. What is the first sound in “ball”?

(A) a    (B) b    (C) l    (D) d

3. Which letter makes the first sound in “mat”?

(A) t    (B) a    (C) n    (D) m

4. Which word begins with the letter “s”?

(A) cup    (B) dog    (C) sun    (D) hat

5. Put the sounds together: s – a – t

(A) sat    (B) sit    (C) set    (D) mat

6. Which word rhymes with “cat”?

(A) cup    (B) dog    (C) pen    (D) mat

7. Which word belongs to the same family as “bed”?

(A) bad    (B) bud    (C) bid    (D) red

8. Which word belongs to the same family as “pot”?

(A) hot    (B) pet    (C) pat    (D) pit

9. Which word belongs to the same family as “bag”?

(A) rug    (B) big    (C) rag    (D) bog

10. Which word does NOT belong to the “at” family?

(A) pen    (B) cat    (C) bat    (D) rat

11. Words that end with the same sound are called ____ words.

(A) naming    (B) doing    (C) long    (D) rhyming

12. Which word rhymes with “star”?

(A) sun    (B) car    (C) moon    (D) sky

13. Which word rhymes with “ball”?

(A) wall    (B) bell    (C) bowl    (D) bull

14. If a stranger offers you sweets, you should ____.

(A) take the sweets    (B) say no and tell an adult    (C) follow the stranger    (D) keep it a secret

15. Coming to school on time is called ____.

(A) laziness    (B) punctuality    (C) lateness    (D) noise

16. Helping a friend who is sad shows ____.

(A) anger    (B) pride    (C) kindness    (D) greed

17. Working together to finish a job is called ____.

(A) fighting    (B) teamwork    (C) sleeping    (D) playing alone

18. A person who guides a team is a ____.

(A) stranger    (B) visitor    (C) baby    (D) leader

19. Which word rhymes with “king”?

(A) kind    (B) kick    (C) ring    (D) kite

20. When we say rhymes, we can use our hands to make ____.

(A) noise only    (B) actions    (C) fights    (D) mess

21. A cat says ____.

(A) meow    (B) moo    (C) baa    (D) woof

22. A dog says ____.

(A) woof    (B) meow    (C) moo    (D) quack

23. A cow says ____.

(A) meow    (B) woof    (C) moo    (D) cock-a-doodle-doo

24. A goat says ____.

(A) moo    (B) woof    (C) meh (baa)    (D) roar

25. A cock says ____.

(A) moo    (B) meow    (C) woof    (D) cock-a-doodle-doo

26. Which thing says “ding dong”?

(A) a cup    (B) a chair    (C) a book    (D) a bell

27. Which thing says “tick tock”?

(A) a clock    (B) a bell    (C) a door    (D) a goat

28. Which thing says “ring ring”?

(A) a table    (B) a spoon    (C) a shoe    (D) a telephone

29. What makes the sound “knock knock”?

(A) a cat    (B) rain    (C) a door    (D) a cow

30. “Pitter patter” is the sound of ____.

(A) a lion    (B) a car    (C) a drum    (D) raindrops

31. Which word begins with “bl”?

(A) bed    (B) blue    (C) ball    (D) bag

32. Which word begins with “tr”?

(A) train    (B) ten    (C) rain    (D) tin

33. Which word begins with “fl”?

(A) fan    (B) lower    (C) flower    (D) fish

34. Which word ends with “nd”?

(A) hat    (B) hand    (C) hen    (D) ham

35. Which word ends with “st”?

(A) nest    (B) net    (C) neck    (D) nets

36. Which word begins with “sh”?

(A) sun    (B) shoe    (C) hoe    (D) pen

37. Which word begins with “ch”?

(A) chair    (B) hair    (C) car    (D) cup

38. Which word begins with “th”?

(A) tree    (B) ten    (C) three    (D) free

39. Which word begins with “wh”?

(A) well    (B) whale    (C) hale    (D) wet

40. Put the sounds together: f – r – o – g

(A) fog    (B) from    (C) frog    (D) frock

Section B: Theory Questions (40 marks)

Answer any FOUR questions. Each question carries 10 marks.

1. (a) Write the first sound of each word: (i) ball (ii) cup (iii) dog (iv) fish (v) goat [5 marks]

(b) Write TWO words that rhyme with “cat” and TWO words that rhyme with “hen”. [5 marks]

2. (a) Write the sound each animal makes: (i) cat (ii) dog (iii) cow (iv) goat (v) cock [5 marks]

(b) Name FIVE things that make sounds. [5 marks]

3. (a) Put the sounds together to make words: (i) s-u-n (ii) p-i-g (iii) h-a-t (iv) b-e-d (v) d-o-g [5 marks]

(b) Fill in the missing letter: (i) c _ t (ii) d _ g (iii) p _ n (iv) s _ n (v) b _ d [5 marks]

4. (a) Write TWO words that begin with “sh” and TWO words that begin with “ch”. [5 marks]

(b) Write TWO words that begin with “tr” and TWO words that begin with “fl”. [5 marks]

5. Complete the word families: (a) -at: c__, b__, m__, r__, s__ (b) -en: h__, p__, t__, m__, d__ [10 marks]

6. Write FIVE things you should do to stay safe from strangers. [10 marks]

Answer Key

Section A

1. D	2. B	3. D	4. C	5. A	6. D	7. D	8. A	9. C	10. A
11. D	12. B	13. A	14. B	15. B	16. C	17. B	18. D	19. C	20. B
21. A	22. A	23. C	24. C	25. D	26. D	27. A	28. D	29. C	30. D
31. B	32. A	33. C	34. B	35. A	36. B	37. A	38. C	39. B	40. C

Give ½ mark for each correct answer (20 marks).

Section B: Marking Guide

Question 1(a) [5 marks]

• (i) b (ii) c (iii) d (iv) f (v) g (1 mark each)

Question 1(b) [5 marks]

• cat: e.g. bat, mat, rat, sat, hat (2.5)
• hen: e.g. pen, ten, men, den (2.5)

Question 2(a) [5 marks]

• (i) meow (ii) woof (iii) moo (iv) meh/baa (v) cock-a-doodle-doo (1 mark each)

Question 2(b) [5 marks]

• Any five: bell, clock, door, telephone, drum, car horn, raindrops, whistle (1 mark each)

Question 3(a) [5 marks]

• (i) sun (ii) pig (iii) hat (iv) bed (v) dog (1 mark each)

Question 3(b) [5 marks]

• (i) cat (ii) dog (iii) pen (iv) sun (v) bed (accept other real words) (1 mark each)

Question 4(a) [5 marks]

• sh: e.g. ship, shoe, shop, sheep (2.5)
• ch: e.g. chair, chin, chick, church (2.5)

Question 4(b) [5 marks]

• tr: e.g. tree, train, truck, tray (2.5)
• fl: e.g. flag, flower, fly, flat (2.5)

Question 5 [10 marks]

• (a) cat, bat, mat, rat, sat (5)
• (b) hen, pen, ten, men, den (5)

Question 6 [10 marks]

• Any five: do not talk to strangers; do not take sweets or gifts from strangers; do not follow strangers; tell your parents or teacher; stay with a trusted adult; shout for help if someone pulls you (2 marks each)

Accept other correct answers written in the pupil’s own words.

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