Say It Shorter is a free printable Grade 1 English worksheet on retelling an information text in one sentence, aligned to Common Core standard RI.1.2. It prints 2 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions, 18 of them with different questions, so no two pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 18 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. 18 of these 25 sets ask different questions — this skill does not have 25 questions to give. The rest reorder them, so no two pupils have the same paper in front of them.
Say It Shorter
RI.1.2
NameDate
Read the text, then answer the questions.
1.Read the text, then answer the questions.
From Flower to Jar
A honeybee visits about a hundred flowers on one trip. She sucks up nectar and stores it in a special stomach.
Back at the hive, she passes the nectar to another bee. That bee chews it for about half an hour. Then it goes into a wax cell.
The bees fan the cell with their wings. The water dries out and the nectar thickens into honey. Then the cell is sealed with wax.
1. Summarise this text in one sentence.
2.Read the text, then answer the questions.
Why Tall Buildings Do Not Fall Over
A tall building needs a wide, deep base. The base is called a foundation. It spreads the weight into the ground.
Wind pushes hard on a tall building. Inside, a strong core of concrete runs from the bottom to the top like a spine. The core stops the building bending too far.
The tallest buildings sway a little in strong wind. That is meant to happen. A building that could not bend at all would crack.
1. Summarise this text in one sentence.
LessonPrint · RI.1.2 · Set 18 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Say It Shorter
Set 18. Prints on its own sheet.
1.1. Bees collect nectar, chew it, store it in wax cells and fan it dry until it becomes honey.
2.1. Tall buildings stand because a wide foundation spreads their weight and a concrete core lets them sway without cracking.
Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to RI.1.2 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.