GRADE 2 · English · LEARNING COMPANION

Picture Reading: evidence, short e and opposites

Three guided lessons with explanations, visual steps, practice and a final check. An adult can read instructions aloud and help record the reflection.

Original companion for Mridang Unit 1, Fun with Friends (Reprint 2026–27). Official poems, story and pictures remain in their linked source. This companion uses original analogous texts and diagrams; it does not reproduce the source or claim every exercise answer. Use the unit map and adult checks for the full planned outcome sequence.

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LESSON 1

Describe a picture with evidence

Describe who and what a picture shows without turning guesses into facts.

An adult may read prompts, model English or accept a home-language response before helping the learner express it in English. Open the linked NCERT reading together.

Look across the scene
Our original illustration labels two children, Mira and Ayan, beside a table and one adult holding an open book. Count each person once.
Name a visible action
Mira has a folded paper shape. Ayan has a sheet on the table. The adult holds a book open. Use the picture to support a simple sentence.
Separate information from a guess
The picture does not tell us tomorrow’s activity or anyone’s favourite colour. You may ask about these things, but do not state an answer as a picture fact.
Build a clear description
Start with who, then add what you can see: “The adult holds a book.” A longer description is useful only when its added detail is supported.

Worked example: Original example: “Mira has a folded paper shape” is supported by our labelled scene. “Mira will visit the beach tomorrow” is a guess because no future plan is shown.

Watch for this: A picture can support some details but cannot reveal every person’s thoughts or future plans.

Discuss: Use the official pp8–9 picture. Say three supported observations and ask one question that the picture cannot answer.

LESSON 2

Hear short e in everyday words

Compare short a and short e words and practise a/an phrases.

An adult may read prompts, model English or accept a home-language response before helping the learner express it in English. Open the linked NCERT reading together.

Listen to short e
An adult says pen, hen and net. Listen for the short e vowel in the middle of these examples.
Hear a useful contrast
Say pan then pen. The first and last consonant sounds match, but the middle vowel changes. A change in sound can change the word.
Use the phrase
Say a pen and an egg. Pen begins with /p/, a consonant sound; egg begins with a vowel sound. Use the rule from the short a lesson.
Read, say and write
Look at the written word, listen, say it and copy it. An adult checks letter formation separately from the sound choice.

Worked example: Original example: “A hen is beside an egg.” Hen starts with /h/, so a fits. Egg starts with a vowel sound, so an fits. Both have the short e vowel in this model.

Watch for this: The letter name E is not the short e vowel in pen. A word can contain e and still begin with a consonant sound.

Discuss: Sort pan, pen, bag and bed by their middle vowel sound with adult support. Write one sentence using a pen.

LESSON 3

Use opposite words carefully

Choose an opposite that matches the feature being described.

An adult may read prompts, model English or accept a home-language response before helping the learner express it in English. Open the linked NCERT reading together.

Choose the feature
Up and down describe direction. In and out describe position relative to something. First decide what the words are describing.
Look at the contrast
A bead inside a box is in; a bead outside it is out. An open door contrasts with a closed door.
Keep the context clear
A small circle can contrast with a large circle. Hot contrasts with cold when describing temperature. Use pictures or words, not touching unknown hot objects.
Use a sentence
Say “The door was open; now it is closed.” Fat and thin can describe the width of drawn lines or objects. Avoid using body-size words to tease or judge people.

Worked example: Original example: One ribbon in a drawing is wide and the other is narrow. These words contrast width. Changing blue to green would change colour, not reverse the width description.

Watch for this: Any different word is not automatically an opposite. Small and red describe different features, so they are not opposites.

Discuss: Draw four paired objects showing opposites. Label the feature in each pair and say a sentence.

Continue this chapter

OUT! OUT!: people, sequence and reasons · Fun with Friends: sentences, speaking and imagination

Each companion covers selected outcomes. Use the chapter scope and adult checks to judge what still needs practice.

Show what you can do

Complete these tasks on paper or through discussion. An adult or teacher checks the evidence. The browser completion badge covers its choice questions and reflection; it does not certify speaking, writing or practical mastery.

Describe a picture with evidence

Adult observation

Discuss the official spread pp8–9. Help the learner scan the entire spread, describe games and people, and share a game they know. Accept home-language names and build an English sentence together.

Counts using the whole spread
Gives three supported observations
Labels one uncertain idea as a question