Common Core State Standards
4th Grade ELA Standards
All 43 Common Core English language arts standards for 4th grade, grouped into strands and written in plain English. The official wording is one click away. 5 have free practice you can print today.
43 standards
Reading: Literature RL
9 standardsKey Ideas and Details
RL.4.1
Back up what you say about a story with its own details and examples, both for what the story states plainly and for what it only hints at.
Official wording
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
RL.4.2
Work out the theme of a story, play or poem, such as kindness is repaid, from the details in it, then retell the whole in a short summary.
Official wording
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
RL.4.3
Describe a character, setting or event in a story or play in depth, using specific details such as what the character thinks, says and does.
Official wording
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
Craft and Structure
RL.4.4
Work out what words and phrases mean in a story, including ones that nod to characters from myths, such as a Herculean effort.
Official wording
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).
RL.4.5
Explain how poems, plays and prose differ, and use terms like verse, rhythm and meter for poems and cast, dialogue and stage directions for plays when discussing a text.
Official wording
Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text.
RL.4.6
Compare the points of view from which different stories are told, including an I narrator telling his own story versus a narrator outside it.
Official wording
Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RL.4.7
Connect a story or play to a film, audio or stage version of it, pointing out where each version follows the text’s descriptions and stage directions.
Official wording
Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the text.
RL.4.8
(RL.4.8 not applicable to literature)Not applicable
RL.4.9
Compare how stories, myths and folktales from different cultures handle a similar theme, like good versus evil, or a pattern of events, like a quest.
Official wording
Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RL.4.10
Read and understand stories, plays and poems in the grades 4 to 5 difficulty range by year’s end, with help as needed at the top of the range.
Official wording
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Reading: Informational Text RI
10 standardsKey Ideas and Details
RI.4.1
Point to specific details and examples in an article or textbook page when explaining what it says directly and what it lets you infer.
Official wording
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
RI.4.2
Say in one sentence what an informational text is about, explain which key details support that idea, and summarize the text in your own words.
Official wording
Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
RI.4.3
Explain what happened and why in a history, science or how-to text, such as the steps of an experiment, using the specific facts the text gives.
Official wording
Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
Craft and Structure
RI.4.4
Work out the meaning of school words like compare and subject words like habitat in a text on a grade 4 topic.
Official wording
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
RI.4.5
Describe how a text or a section of it is organized, such as in time order, as a comparison, as cause and effect or as a problem and its solution.
Official wording
Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
RI.4.6
Compare a firsthand account, like a diary entry, with a secondhand account, like a textbook page, of the same event, noting what each focuses on and tells.
Official wording
Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RI.4.7
Explain what a chart, graph, diagram, timeline, animation or web page feature shows and how it helps you understand the text it goes with.
Official wording
Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
RI.4.8
Explain how an author backs up each point in an informational text with reasons and evidence, such as a fact or a statistic.
Official wording
Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
RI.4.9
Put together facts from two texts on the same topic, such as two articles on volcanoes, so you can write or speak about it with real knowledge.
Official wording
Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RI.4.10
Read and understand history, science and technical texts in the grades 4 to 5 difficulty range by year’s end, with help as needed at the top of the range.
Official wording
By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Reading: Foundational Skills RF
2 standardsPhonics and Word Recognition
RF.4.3
Sound out an unfamiliar long word such as unforgettable by putting together letter sounds, syllable chunks, prefixes, suffixes and roots, in a sentence or alone.
Official wording
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.aUse combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.
Fluency
RF.4.4
Read fourth-grade text with purpose, read prose and poetry aloud accurately with good pace and expression, and reread when a word or sentence does not make sense.
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
10 standardsText Types and Purposes
W.4.1
Write an opinion piece that introduces the topic, states the opinion, gives reasons backed by facts, links them with phrases like for instance, and closes.
Official wording
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.aIntroduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose.bProvide reasons that are supported by facts and details.cLink opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition).dProvide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
W.4.2
Write an informative piece that introduces a topic, groups facts, definitions and quotations in paragraphs with headings, links ideas with words like also, and closes.
Official wording
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.aIntroduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.bDevelop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.cLink ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because).dUse precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.eProvide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.
W.4.3
Write a real or made-up story that sets the scene and characters, uses dialogue, sensory details and transitions like later that night, and ends naturally.
Official wording
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.aOrient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.bUse dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.cUse a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.dUse concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.eProvide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
Production and Distribution of Writing
W.4.4
Write clearly, shaping and organizing the piece for its task, purpose and reader, like a how-to for younger students versus a book review for the class.
Official wording
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
W.4.5
With help from classmates and adults, plan, revise and edit a draft until it reads well, fixing grammar, spelling and punctuation up to the 4th-grade level.
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 4 here.)
W.4.6
With some adult help, use a computer and the internet to write, publish and share work with others, and type at least one page in a single sitting.
Official wording
With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
W.4.7
Do a short research project that looks into different sides of a topic, such as a state’s history, land and people, to build knowledge about it.
Official wording
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
W.4.8
Pull facts from memory, books and websites, take notes, sort them into categories, and list where they came from.
Official wording
Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.
W.4.9
Use evidence from stories and informational texts in writing, like details that show a character in depth or the reasons an author gives for a point.
Official wording
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.aApply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions].").bApply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text").
Range of Writing
W.4.10
Write regularly, both in longer projects with time to research and revise and in short pieces finished in a sitting or a day or two, across school subjects.
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.4.1
Come to discussions on grade 4 topics having read the material, follow the rules and your role, ask and answer follow-up questions, and review the key ideas at the end.
Official wording
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 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 and carry out assigned roles.cPose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.dReview the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
SL.4.2
Restate in your own words part of a text read aloud or information from a video, a chart or a speaker.
Official wording
Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
SL.4.3
Pick out the reasons and evidence a speaker gives to support each point, such as the facts behind a classmate’s case for a longer recess.
Official wording
Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
SL.4.4
Report on a topic or book, tell a story or recount an experience in an organized way, with facts and vivid details, speaking clearly at a pace listeners can follow.
Official wording
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
SL.4.5
Add an audio recording or a visual display, such as a poster or slide, to a presentation when it helps develop the main ideas.
Official wording
Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
SL.4.6
Tell when formal English fits, like presenting to the class, and when casual talk is fine, like a small-group chat, and use formal English when the task calls for it.
Official wording
Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion); use formal English when appropriate to task and situation. (See grade 4 Language standards 1 here for specific expectations.)
Language L
6 standardsConventions of Standard English
L.4.1
Use who, which and that, tenses like I was walking, modals like can and must, adjective order as in a small red bag, complete sentences and the right to, too or two.
Official wording
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.aUse relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where, when, why).bForm and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb tenses.cUse modal auxiliaries (e.g., can, may, must) to convey various conditions.dOrder adjectives within sentences according to conventional patterns (e.g., a small red bag rather than a red small bag).eForm and use prepositional phrases.fProduce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.*gCorrectly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their).*
L.4.2
Use capitals correctly, commas and quotation marks around dialogue and quoted text, a comma before and or but in a compound sentence, and correct grade 4 spelling.
Official wording
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.aUse correct capitalization.bUse commas and quotation marks to mark direct speech and quotations from a text.cUse a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.dSpell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
Knowledge of Language
L.4.3
Choose exact words and punctuation for effect, and know when formal English fits, like a presentation, and when casual talk is fine, like a small-group discussion.
Official wording
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.aChoose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.*bChoose punctuation for effect.*cDifferentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion).
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.4.4
Work out an unknown word on a grade 4 topic from context clues, from Greek and Latin roots like graph in telegraph, or by checking a dictionary or thesaurus.
Official wording
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.aUse context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.bUse common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).cConsult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.
L.4.5
Explain simple similes and metaphors like as pretty as a picture, common sayings like a stitch in time saves nine, and how synonyms and antonyms relate.
Official wording
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.aExplain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.bRecognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.cDemonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms).
L.4.6
Learn and use grade 4 school and subject words, including precise verbs for actions and feelings like quizzed, whined and stammered, and topic words like conservation.
Official wording
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).
4th Grade Practice
Worksheet generators and printables already set up for this grade’s standards, free to use.
4th 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.