EN Word Family Handwriting Workbook
Free printable Foundation handwriting resource
The en word family booklet pairs den, hen, men, pen and ten with glossary meanings and a Foundation handwriting sheet. Children can compare an animal home, a bird, people, a writing tool and a number while noticing the repeated ending.
Preview what is inside
1 of 3
Use the arrows or dots to see the front cover, one glossary page and one handwriting sheet. The two inside-page previews are watermarked; download the PDF for clean printable pages.
Compare the en ending with the groups on CVC Word Families Poster. For the individual letter movements used in den and ten, select the relevant examples from Alphabet Letter Formation Worksheets A-Z.
About this en word family
Five short spellings share e-n, but their meanings belong to different categories. Den may refer to an animal's home, hen names a bird, and men is the plural of man. Pen and ten create a useful writing-tool and number contrast.
The final n requires a clear arch that does not become m. This is especially useful in men, where m begins the word and n ends it. The difference should remain visible even when children are concentrating on the middle e.
What is included?
- 5 words: den, hen, men, pen, ten.
- 1 picture-glossary page with meanings and example sentences.
- 1 handwriting sheet using grey models, dotted letters and independent copying space.
- 6 PDF pages in total: front cover, instructions, glossary, handwriting sheets and two terms pages.
How to use this en word family
Start by reading hen and pen from the glossary. Blend each word before revealing or discussing its picture. Point to the first letter and ask what changed, then read the complete word again.
Model men with deliberate attention to its first and last letters. Work through the grey tracing strip, dotted models and independent copying area. After writing, compare m with n rather than praising only the overall neatness.
Use a small group of ten objects to establish ten as a number word. Discuss den through the meaning and example in the booklet. These concrete conversations can precede a short writing session without requiring children to complete all five rows at once.
Meanings in the en word family glossary
den
Meaning: A sheltered home for a wild animal.
Example: The fox rests in its den.
hen
Meaning: An adult female chicken.
Example: The hen laid an egg.
men
Meaning: More than one man.
Example: The men are on the bus.
pen
Meaning: A tool that writes with ink.
Example: Use a pen to write your name.
ten
Meaning: The number after nine.
Example: I can count to ten.
Teaching and follow-up ideas
- Count ten counters and place a handwritten ten label beside them.
- Compare m and n in men, pointing out the different number of arches.
- Make an oral sentence about a hen or a den and identify the target word.
- Change pen into hen with a letter card, then write both words from the visible models.
Support and challenge
Focus on hen and pen before men if m/n discrimination is difficult. Give an enlarged e model when its opening closes during tracing. Challenge secure pupils to sort the vocabulary into animal-related words, people, an object and a number.
Where this fits in learning
Use the en word family after short e and the required consonants are familiar. Men offers a useful oral singular/plural contrast with man, but the handwriting task does not require a grammar lesson. Later, compare pen with pet to check final-consonant attention.
For further teacher reference when modelling the letter movements in den and ten, NSW Education collects handwriting sequences and advice on formation, posture and pencil grasp. These are background teaching resources, not a claim that this booklet follows a particular syllabus: NSW handwriting teaching resources.
Resource licence
Free for personal, homeschool or single-classroom use under the terms included in the PDF. Resale, redistribution and uploading the file to another website are not permitted.
Questions about this workbook
Why is men useful for handwriting practice?
It begins with m and ends with n, letting children compare two related letter shapes within one short word.
Which en word family spellings are practised?
den, hen, men, pen, ten. The glossary gives a meaning and sentence for every entry.
What is in the downloadable PDF?
There are 6 pages altogether: a front cover, one instruction page, 1 glossary page(s), 1 handwriting sheet(s) and two terms pages.
What handwriting style does this edition use?
Foundation letterforms, with grey models and dotted tracing followed by copying into ruled space.
Can I use den on its own?
Yes. Choose the word group that matches your lesson and leave the others for another session. Read its glossary meaning and example first.
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