11 of the best reading comprehension worksheets and resources for primary

1 | Classic texts KS2 reading comprehension packs

These reading challenge mats provide a quick burst of comprehension practice, ideal for morning work, a short reading session or even sparking an interest in a classic text.

Each mat contains a brief extract from a classic text with a range of reading challenge questions focusing on the key reading skills of inference, information retrieval and the use of language.

There are seven packs available, each of which use three classic texts. Click each link to find them:

• Pack 1
  The Invisible Man by HG Wells, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
• Pack 2
  Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson, Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and The Time Machine by HG Wells
• Pack 3
  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Dracula by Bram Stoker and The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
• Pack 4
  20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
• Pack 5
  The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, The Railway Children by E Nesbit and Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting
• Pack 6
  The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum, Five Children and It by E Nesbit and The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham
• Pack 7
  Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and The War of the Worlds by HG Wells

2 | Boost comprehension with song lyrics

Sing your way through SATs with Matt Dix’s guide to using popular music to increase children’s literacy skills.

By carefully choosing 10 famous songs for his class, Matt broke each one into four separate reading comprehensions: retrieval and recording, context clues, inference and independent assessment.

First, they read the words and annotated them; then listened to the song, learned and sung a chorus or two; and then they cracked on with the comprehension.

Read how you can do the same here.

3 | Use Adele’s ‘Hello’ for comprehension

On a similar note, Shareen Mayers drafted in Adele as a TA for the day and shows you how to do the same, by looking at the lyrics to one of her big hits.

Check out her guide here.

4 | Robert Louis Stevenson poetry comprehension

These reading challenges provide a quick burst of comprehension practice, ideal for morning work, a short reading session or even sparking an interest in a classic text.

Each section contains a classic poem by Robert Louis Stevenson – ‘From a Railway Carriage’, ‘My Shadow’, ‘The Land of Story-Books’ – with a range of reading challenge questions focusing on the key reading skills of inference, information retrieval and the use of language.

Check it out here.

5 | Hermelin: The Great Mouse Detective KS1 book topic

Boost inference and comprehension with Mini Grey’s mouse detective in this free KS1 book topic from Judy Clark.

Get this resource here.

6 | Laika: The First Dog In Space – Non-fiction and comprehension questions for KS2

This KS2 resource includes a non-fiction text on Laika – the first living creature to be sent into space, and can be used as part of a guided reading session or as homework.

It includes 12 comprehension questions covering the different reading skills of data retrieval, inference and the use of vocabulary to help boost students’ literacy ability.

Get it here.

7 | The Solar System

Staying in space, this resource features information on the eight known planets and five dwarf planets, and can be used as part of a guided reading session or as homework.

It includes 12 comprehension questions covering the different reading skills of data retrieval, inference and the use of vocabulary.

Find this one here.

8 | Moon landing comprehension worksheets

A little bit closer to Earth, this non-fiction information text covers Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 11 moon landing, and is ideal for KS2.

Once again, the worksheet contains 12 comprehension questions for data retrieval, inference and vocabulary.

Click here for this one.

9 | Pie Corbett’s mystery story ‘Watch Out’

There’s more to Pie Corbett’s story than first meets the eye – children will need to read closely to uncover its themes.

Read the story as a class, gather ideas, use reading comprehension to unearth the mystery, dramatise the story and write your own versions by modelling the structure and themes.

This resource includes Pie’s original short story and his accompanying activity ideas.

Download it all here.

10 | Free Beano comprehension worksheets

This comic book comprehension resource is great for reluctant readers and more fluent pupils alike, helping children become familiar with narrative structures and once this knowledge is embedded it can be transferred to more stretching contexts.

It includes three Beano comic strips, three reading comprehension question worksheets, comic puzzles for working on narrative sequence and a blank comic template.

Download it here.

11 | James and the Giant Peach lessons

Use Alison Dawkins’ three-lesson sequence, inspired by James and the Giant Peach, to develop reading fluency, comprehension and immerse the children in the joy of Roald Dahl’s language.

• Lesson 1 looks at chapter 19 and expressive and performative reading.
• Lesson 2 looks at character clues in chapter 20.
• Lesson 3 looks at vocal intonation and expression reading chapter 21.

All three have opportunities for writing activities too.

Get them here.

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