Common Core State Standards
3rd Grade ELA Standards
All 42 Common Core English language arts standards for 3rd grade, grouped into strands and written in plain English. The official wording is one click away. 5 have free practice you can print today.
42 standards
Reading: Literature RL
9 standardsKey Ideas and Details
RL.3.1
Ask and answer questions about a story and point to the exact words in it that prove each answer, not a guess from memory.
Official wording
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
RL.3.2
Retell a fable, folktale or myth from another culture, name its lesson or moral, and show which details in the story teach it.
Official wording
Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
RL.3.3
Describe a character’s traits, feelings and reasons for acting, and explain how what the character does moves the story along.
Official wording
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events
Craft and Structure
RL.3.4
Figure out what words and phrases mean in a story and tell when one is not meant literally, like it’s raining cats and dogs.
Official wording
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
RL.3.5
Use words like chapter, scene and stanza when talking about a story, play or poem, and tell how each part builds on the one before.
Official wording
Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections.
RL.3.6
Separate their own view from the narrator’s or a character’s, like saying the wolf thinks he is right but I do not.
Official wording
Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RL.3.7
Explain what a story’s pictures add to its words, such as making a scene feel scary or showing how small a character is.
Official wording
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)
RL.3.8
(RL.3.8 not applicable to literature)Not applicable
RL.3.9
Compare the themes, settings and plots of two books in the same series, like two stories about the same detective.
Official wording
Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series)
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RL.3.10
By the end of the year, read chapter books, plays and poems at the hard end of the grades 2 to 3 range on their own and understand them.
Official wording
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Reading: Informational Text RI
10 standardsKey Ideas and Details
RI.3.1
Ask and answer questions about an informational text, like a book about volcanoes, and show exactly where in it each answer comes from.
Official wording
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
RI.3.2
Find the main idea of an informational text, retell its key details, and explain how those details back up the main idea.
Official wording
Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
RI.3.3
Explain how events, ideas or steps in a nonfiction text connect, using words like first, next, because and as a result.
Official wording
Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
Craft and Structure
RI.3.4
Work out what school words like compare and subject words like habitat mean in a text on a grade 3 topic.
Official wording
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RI.3.5
Use a book’s headings, bold key words and sidebars, or a website’s search box and links, to find facts on a topic fast.
Official wording
Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.
RI.3.6
Tell their own opinion apart from the author’s, like noticing that a writer thinks zoos are good while they are not sure.
Official wording
Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RI.3.7
Use a map, photo or diagram together with the words to explain where, when, why or how something in a nonfiction text happened.
Official wording
Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
RI.3.8
Explain how the sentences and paragraphs of an informational text fit together, like a cause and its effect or steps in order.
Official wording
Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).
RI.3.9
Read two books or articles on the same topic, such as two about sharks, and tell how their big points and details are alike and different.
Official wording
Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RI.3.10
By the end of the year, read history, science and how-to texts at the hard end of the grades 2 to 3 range on their own and understand them.
Official wording
By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Reading: Foundational Skills RF
2 standardsPhonics and Word Recognition
RF.3.3
Read longer words by knowing prefixes like un- and re-, suffixes like -ful and -tion, and syllable chunks, and read tricky words like enough on sight.
Official wording
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.aIdentify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.bDecode words with common Latin suffixes.cDecode multisyllable words.dRead grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
Fluency
RF.3.4
Read third-grade books and poems aloud smoothly, accurately and with expression, and reread when a word does not fit the sentence.
Official wording
Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.aRead grade-level text with purpose and understanding.bRead grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.cUse context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Writing W
9 standardsText Types and Purposes
W.3.1
Write an opinion piece that names the topic, states the opinion, gives reasons in order, links them with because or for example, and ends with a closing.
Official wording
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.aIntroduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons.bProvide reasons that support the opinion.cUse linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons.dProvide a concluding statement or section.
W.3.2
Write an informative piece that introduces a topic, groups related facts and definitions, links them with words like also, and closes with a final sentence.
Official wording
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.aIntroduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.bDevelop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.cUse linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information.dProvide a concluding statement or section.
W.3.3
Write a story, real or made up, that sets the scene, introduces the characters, uses dialogue and time words like later, and ends with a sense of closure.
Official wording
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.aEstablish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.bUse dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.cUse temporal words and phrases to signal event order.dProvide a sense of closure.
Production and Distribution of Writing
W.3.4
With an adult’s help, organize a piece of writing so it fits the job, like a thank-you note versus a report on bats.
Official wording
With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
W.3.5
With help from classmates and adults, plan a piece, revise it, and edit it for the grammar and spelling rules learned so far.
Official wording
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 3 here.)
W.3.6
With an adult’s help, type and publish writing on a computer or tablet and use it to share work and ideas with others.
Official wording
With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
W.3.7
Do a short research project on one topic, like reading a few books about honeybees and writing down what was learned.
Official wording
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
W.3.8
Gather facts from memory, books or websites, jot short notes, and sort them into the categories the teacher gives, like food and habitat.
Official wording
Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
W.3.9
(W.3.9 begins in grade 4)Not applicable
Range of Writing
W.3.10
Write regularly, from a report built over several days to a journal entry finished in one class, for different subjects, purposes and readers.
Official wording
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening SL
6 standardsComprehension and Collaboration
SL.3.1
Join discussions on grade 3 topics prepared, follow the group’s rules, ask questions to check understanding, stay on topic and build on others’ ideas.
Official wording
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.aCome to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.bFollow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).cAsk questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.dExplain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
SL.3.2
Tell the main idea and key details of a read-aloud, a video, a chart or a talk.
Official wording
Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
SL.3.3
Ask a speaker questions about what they said and answer questions about it with enough detail to be clear.
Official wording
Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
SL.3.4
Give a short talk about a topic, book or experience with facts and descriptive details, speaking clearly and not too fast.
Official wording
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
SL.3.5
Record themselves reading a story or poem smoothly and at a good pace, and add a picture or chart when it helps make a point.
Official wording
Create engaging audio recordings of stories or poems that demonstrate fluid reading at an understandable pace; add visual displays when appropriate to emphasize or enhance certain facts or details.
SL.3.6
Answer in complete sentences when the situation calls for it, such as explaining an answer to the class.
Official wording
Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See grade 3 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)
Language L
6 standardsConventions of Standard English
L.3.1
Tell what nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs do, use plurals like children and past tenses like ran, pick bigger or biggest, and write compound and complex sentences.
Official wording
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.aExplain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general and their functions in particular sentences.bForm and use regular and irregular plural nouns.cUse abstract nouns (e.g., childhood).dForm and use regular and irregular verbs.eForm and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses.fEnsure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.*gForm and use comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs, and choose between them depending on what is to be modified.hUse coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.iProduce simple, compound, and complex sentences.
L.3.2
Capitalize words in a title, use commas in addresses and quotation marks in dialogue, write possessives like Sam’s, and spell studied words like happiness correctly.
Official wording
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.aCapitalize appropriate words in titles.bUse commas in addresses.cUse commas and quotation marks in dialogue.dForm and use possessives.eUse conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words and for adding suffixes to base words (e.g., sitting, smiled, cries, happiness).fUse spelling patterns and generalizations (e.g., word families, position-based spellings, syllable patterns, ending rules, meaningful word parts) in writing words.gConsult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct spellings.
Knowledge of Language
L.3.3
Choose words for effect, like sprinted instead of ran, and notice how spoken English differs from written English, such as gonna versus going to.
Official wording
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.aChoose words and phrases for effect.*bRecognize and observe differences between the conventions of spoken and written standard English.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.3.4
Work out an unknown word on a grade 3 topic from the sentence around it, from a known prefix or root like pre in preheat, or by checking a glossary or dictionary.
Official wording
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.aUse sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.bDetermine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g., agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat).cUse a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g., company, companion).dUse glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.
L.3.5
Explain a nonliteral phrase like take steps, name someone who is friendly to link a word to real life, and rank knew, believed and suspected by how sure they are.
Official wording
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.aDistinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps).bIdentify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or helpful).cDistinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered).
L.3.6
Learn and use grade 3 conversation, school and subject words, including time and place words like after, during and beside.
Official wording
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them).
3rd Grade Practice
Worksheet generators and printables already set up for this grade’s standards, free to use.
3rd Grade ELA Standards: Questions
Common Core State Standards © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved. Official wording from the Common Core State Standards PDFs at corestandards.org, last checked October 14, 2026. The plain-English lines on this page are EMStudio’s own explanations, shown beside the official wording. They are not part of the standard.