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Reading was for saw (and on for no)

Your child reads “saw” when the word is “was”, or “no” for “on”. These words have the same letters in a different order. Reading every letter from left to right solves it over time.

For: Parents, teachers and therapists of children aged 4 to 8

The whole pack as one PDF

A cover page with the plan, then 9 worksheets in order (10 pages). Free, no sign-up.

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Reading was for saw (and on for no): free printable worksheet packSave to Pinterest

Why it happens

  • Short words with the same letters are easy to mix up when children look at the whole shape.
  • Some children do not yet always start at the left.
  • It is common in early readers and not on its own a sign of dyslexia.

What helps

  • Point under the first letter and say its sound.
  • Hunt for the two words separately.
  • Read sentences where only one makes sense.
  • Practise left-to-right tracking.

The planstep by step.

  1. 1Word hunts

    Find was and saw, on and no, top and pot.

    Word Hunt: Find “was” (not saw)Kindergarten – Grade 1Word Hunt: Find “saw” (not was)Kindergarten – Grade 1Word Hunt: Find “on” (not no)Kindergarten – Grade 1Word Hunt: Find “top” (not pot)Kindergarten – Grade 1

  2. 2Left to right

    Tracking from the left.

    Left-to-Right Tracking Worksheet: wordsPre-K – Grade 1Left-to-Right Tracking Worksheet: lettersPre-K – Grade 1

  3. 3Heart words

    Map was sound by sound.

    Heart Word Mapping Worksheet 1: the, to, said, was, of, youKindergarten – Grade 1Sight Word “was” Worksheet (Primer)KindergartenSight Word “saw” Worksheet (Primer)Kindergarten

When to ask for help

Ask the teacher if word reversals are frequent beyond 2nd grade and reading is much harder than for classmates.

These worksheets are practice materials, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Every child develops at their own pace. If you are worried, talk to your child’s teacher, doctor or a specialist.

Questions

Questions about was and saw

Still have questions? Visit our Help Center or get in touch.

Is reading was as saw a sign of dyslexia?
Not on its own; it is common in beginning readers. It is worth checking if it happens with many words and reading is much slower than for classmates.

Related packs

When your child guesses words instead of reading them8 worksheets · free PDFHelp for b and d reversals8 worksheets · free PDFMirror writing: when your child writes backwards7 worksheets · free PDF

Sources

The LetterSchool app

Between worksheets: practise in the app

The same letter shapes as this sheet, with instant feedback on every line, animations and stars. Children play, and learn the right formation.

Try the app for freeHow it works