Sight Word “they” Worksheet – Read, Write, Trace and Color

The sight word “they” helps children talk about a group without repeating every name. This free kindergarten worksheet builds automatic recognition through reading, tracing, writing, finding, and sentence practice.

Learning objective: The child will recognize and write “they,” use it when referring to two or more people, animals, or things, and distinguish it from the shorter word “the.”

How to Teach the Sight Word “they”

Show one character and then a group. Say, “She is jumping” for one person and “They are jumping” for the group. Repeat with toy animals or family pictures so the child hears how “they” replaces several names.

Place “the” and “they” side by side. Cover and uncover the final y, then ask the child to read each word. This comparison trains the eyes to check the ending instead of guessing from the first three letters.

A Teaching Observation

Young readers commonly stop after the first three letters and say “the.” Prompt them to slide a finger to the end and ask, “Is there one more letter?” Accurate word endings matter more than reading quickly during early practice.

Common Mistakes and Corrections

• Reading “they” as “the”: circle the y and compare both words directly.
• Using “they” for only one named person: contrast a picture of one person with a group.
• Writing “thay”: treat the unexpected ey ending as the part to remember.

Practice Sentences

• They are building a tower.
• Do they live nearby?
• The birds fly when they are ready.
• They brought their lunches.
• I think they will win.

Quick Mastery Check

Mix cards for “the,” “they,” “he,” and “she.” Show one-person and group pictures. The child shows mastery by choosing the correct card, reading “they” instantly, and writing it from memory.

Compare the word with our sight word “the” worksheet, practice past tense using the sight word “was” worksheet, or browse all free sight word worksheets.

Learning Objectives for the Sight Word “they”

• Read “they” automatically in simple sentences.
• Understand that “they” refers to more than one person, animal, or object.
• Use “they” with a matching action word.

Teaching Observation

Some children use “they” for one character because they focus on the action rather than the group. Compare one picture with two or three characters and ask, “Can we say they?” Have the child point to everyone included before reading the sentence.

Group Sentence Game

Arrange two toy animals doing the same action. The child completes “They can ___.” Change the toys and action, then remove the models and ask for an independent sentence.

Build automatic reading with the complete sight-word lesson collection.