Dig, Ned, Dig! (Compound Words)
Practice Words
Two-syllable compound words formed by joining two smaller words together.
Ned is in his new shed. The sun is up, and there are no bad things outside. 'What do I do next?' asks Ned.
The Book is inside the shed with Ned. 'Get a stick and some planks,' says The Book. 'What for?' asks Ned.
Ned has made something to dig with. 'It's a shovel,' says The Book. 'I can't wait to try it out!' shouts Ned, and he runs outside.
'I am not sure how to use this,' says Ned. 'Hold the long part, and dig in the backyard with the big part,' says The Book. 'Oh!' says Ned.
Ned takes his new shovel down to the beach. He digs and digs in the soft sand. Soon his little hole is very big! 'This is so cool! Can I dig something else?' asks Ned.
The Book tells Ned to find a hillside of dirt. The dirt is as easy to dig as sand, and soon Ned has made one more big hole! 'This shovel is so fun,' says Ned.
Ned digs downhill into the hillside until his shovel hits a hard glowing block. 'I cannot dig it!' says Ned. The Book says, 'That is stone, Ned, and stone does not care about your shovel.'
'It is very hard,' says Ned. 'I want to dig it, but my shovel will not work.' 'You will need one more tool from your workshop,' says The Book. 'Something sharp and heavy can crack this block.'
Ned goes back inside his shed for something new. 'You will need a stick and more planks,' says The Book. 'This time, make something sharp.' 'Sharp, so I can dig stone!' shouts Ned.
Ned holds up what he made in the workshop. 'Two sharp ends,' Ned says. 'What is it called?' 'This is a pickaxe,' says The Book.
Ned swings the pickaxe at the stone. Cracks spread across the wall like a cobweb! Chunks of rock break off and fall at his feet. 'It is working!' shouts Ned. 'I really was born to dig!'
Ned breaks chunks of stone off with the pickaxe. 'I am tired,' says Ned, 'but I could dig for a lifetime!' 'Good,' says The Book. 'You will need to dig a lot more!'